Hey guys

So I have a silly question about servicing my car... Exactly 1 yr ago to this day I had my car (07 Vantage) fully serviced all oils/plugs/filters the works done. Since that service I only put 500 miles on the car. Oil levels are still good and clean, car runs smooth.

Now my local shop called saying its time to get it serviced again. I personally feel the car does not need anything done.

Do you guys think its needed?

Car now has 18k miles on it since last time at the shop.

Thanks again,

 

I change the oil and filter every spring no matter how many miles it as been driven the summer before as humidity build in the oil and can rust the inside of the engine. If you car is in humidity control garage that might be another story. Just my 2 cents

 

My car resides in a garage. The garage is attached to my house so it does get some a/c and heat.
I drive about 1 to 2 thousand miles per year. I use synthetic motor oil in the engine. I change the oil every two years.
There is some research behind this decision where makers of synthetic oil seem to agree the two years is fine for low mileage cars.

 

Ok, I am curious, how would humidity get into a sealed engine?

Air filters would stop humidity from getting through the intake, I guess if your dipstick was not all the way in it could that way, but it would take air flowing to move the humidity into the engine, unless I am missing something, which is definitely possible.

 

I just had my oil changed after 9 months, but that's 7000 miles and it was too dirty for my taste. I now don't believe in this 10,000/1 year deal and will change it every 3-5000 like I would any other car.

 

The only person benefiting from a 500 mile oil change is the shop your giving your money to. Brake fluid on the other hand is a humidity thing. I drove 2000 miles this year. I'll consider a service next year.

 

Which is it? 500 miles driven in the past year or 18k miles since the last time at the shop? You say both. I am assuming though you meant the car has 18k on it total, and it was 500mi since last service.

My DB9 was done in MAR2016. That owner (forum member) drove it 500 mi total by the time I bought it and it was shipped in NOV. REDPANTS did a full service (oil, tranny, rear diff, brake fluid) and the car has seen 2k miles since then with approximately 6 months of sitting and being cranked once per 3x months. So this DEC will be the one year mark for the oil. I do NOT plan on having my father arrange to change it. I have 3x filters standing by to do it though so I might change my mind. Paying someone 200 to change it is fine for me, but not AM 1k or so for a service. Doesn't need it that badly. I would not scientifically say 2 years if less than 10k miles in total should be fine. I know studies for synthetic oil on a well maintained motor show at 7-10k miles the oil is just breaking in so to speak. I don't know facts offhand, I just know a lot of E Class AMG owners were all over the place getting oil studies done every change and arguments showed in different studies that changing the synthetic oil every 5k miles was a waste of money. It neither hurt the car nor wore the oil to continue its service. However, TIME was not involved either. I do not know what happens to oil that just sits there for extended periods.

Side Note----- I would NOT feel comfortable in leaving my car for 6 months at a time and not even have someone warm the engine up. Oil draining out of the motor and leaving it dry for time seems to me to ask for trouble. So my father cranks it up once per month or two, and moves it to a different spot in the garage to prevent flat spotting the tires about every 3 months. Seems to work for me so far.

Hope this helps, I know its nothing definitive but there is information on special websites that do cover the longevity of the oil.

 

Can someone answer a question I have about brake fluid? I know the fluid will absorb moisture through the air but when does it actually get exposed to any air? Isn't it a closed system? Is the fill up reservoir not airtight?

 

500 miles driven in the past year.
Sorry about that.

 

I don't think you can put an arbitrary time limit on oil. If you put 500 miles on it at Laguna Seca then you should have changed it by now! If you put 500 miles cruising out to dinner with the wife and it hasn't sniffed north of 5000 revs you could probably go several years. I don't think oil turns rancid like butter, it breaks down from the amount of contaminants that get into it, and how high you roast it. Redline is going to bake it a bit faster than 2500 and shift [I swear, I test drove a Vantage in FL and the owner was driving it, just like that]. And then every engine will be in a different stage of life, more wear and more contaminants get into it faster.

For 100 years mechanics have been judging oil by looking at it and smelling it, I'm sure some even tasted it. If it's dirty it's got contaminants and has been baked, how far you want to let it go, I believe the oil will tell you. I checked mine for the 1st time last week, thanks to another thread, just to check the level, and there was none on the stick, and 2 quarts later, what was on the stick was dark and roasted enough I wasn't leaving it in my engines arteries. Past time for a transfusion. I'll never let it get like that again.

 

Yes its dinner with the wife on weekends...
With my busy work schedule I only get to drive her on the weekends (Car).

 

Then I would recommend checking the level following procedure - cold, level, start car and run for 20 seconds between 1500-2000, wait 30 seconds, pull dipstick, clean, screw in flush, pull again, check level, should be at Max - and then inspect the oil, smell it, taste it if you want

 

It may be "air right" as in not leaking but there are microscopic pores in the rubber. The fluid is very aggressive and it will absorb moisture through those pores a few % annually. The good thing is you can use a power bleeder and do the entire bleeding/fluid swap process in under an hour start to finish.

 

I think it can wait IMO. If you are worried just swap the oil and keep the filter. That is cheap enough. If you are curious about how the oil looks get a Blackstone analysis.

 

I agree engine seals can dry out but hopefully you let the car fully warm each start or you crank the car without firing the engine. I live in a cold climate so I will not start her during the salty months. If I can't take the car on the road to warm up all fluids she sits.