Hi all:

2007 DB9 Volante. Last March I changed all the coils, plugs, fluids and did all the stuff that the DPO put off. Due to the pandemic, I only drove it about 1000 miles for the whole year (maybe 1200). I have the car on a trickle charger, and I am itching to drive the car when it gets warmer. Since the car has had so few miles put on it in a year, is the oil change necessary? I know the manual says 10K miles or yearly. I also have some minor weather stripping that needs to be replaced (bloody expensive at $265 each from Scuderia for a piece of rubber 12" long"). I will probably do the oil change and the weather stripping replacement - I was just wondering if necessary.

 

You will get multiple points of view I'm sure but for my own cars I change the oil on 5k mile intervals regardless of time. In my case, that generally works out to a year of use, give or take, but if it is longer I tend not to worry about it.

More important I think is how you drive the car. If when you get it out it gets a good long run and the oil is fully up to temperature to cook off any condensation then I wouldn't worry about the time as much. But if that 1000 miles was added 10 miles at a time to the grocery store and back, then I would be inclined to change more frequently.

 

I change mine annually but if its synthetic its fine to extend it. It will have hardly broken down at all.

 

Bamford Rose has a couple videos about this topic. Mike is the big brain when it comes to AM.

 

If you do low miles. Every other year is ok.

 

I would normally change annually per the schedule. But I have driven so few miles this year because of the pandemic, it is only maybe 800 miles since the oil change. Seems kind of a waste to do it so early.

 

Agreed. I could be wrong, but I believe Oil manufacturers do not recommend oil changes every year, car companies do. If the car is out of warranty and you put 3 to 4 thousand miles per year the every two years is acceptable lMHO

 

I'd do it every other year if you keep that usage up. I don't know if this works with the DB9 or any sportshift, but if you have a manual I'd mash the throttle to the floor when starting it for the first time. That prevents the engine from getting a spark and just turns it over slowly, while getting the oil moving to parts that are pretty darn dry by now

 

Absolutely doing the Ford "prevent the engine from turning over thing" whenever I drive it. It has been 3 months since it has been started and I am looking forward to some warmer weather to get the car on the road. BTW, the foot to the floor and crank also works on wife's 2002 T-Bird. Both cars have an identical wheelbase to 0.1". Mechanic who inspects both cars indicates they are remarkably similar underneath in terms of chassis and configuration.

 

Here is an idea which I did for mine. Many threads on forums talk about when to change the oil and how often. Answers from experts vary wildly.

As we all know its about $60 for oil at Walmart for our cars. Its the filters that is the pain for an oil change. Most of us don't drive them 10k miles a year. So regardless of how many miles I drove mine I would once per six months change the oil. ie... drain the oil from the pan, and refill the pan with new oil. Only once per year I would do the filter. In our daily cars we drive how much with one filter - 10-15k miles a year and those motors work just fine if not perfect for 100k plus miles. So not changing the filter doesn't hurt a darn thing. Honestly changing the oil that often was probably a waste also. But for $60 and 10 min of time why not. I would choose to do that when I had it on the lift for cleaning.

OP - I wouldn't change the filter at all. Just if its easy change out the oil. Peace of mind for you.

My 2 cents. Hope everyone is doing well on here. I am in Afghanistan for now and a really really good friend bought my DB9 last summer and loves it. IF I come back I will probably grab another AM but this time it will be straight piped. No more quiet AMs for me.