hitekcm

I was wondering how often everyone does an oil change on there babies, that are not daily drivers.?
If you only drive say a thousand miles in a year is it really necessary to change yearly?

Tech

Mine gets a few thousand miles on it each year. I'd change it once a year regardless of mileage. However, I've been changing it more frequently than that because I keep tinkering with it.

SweetZO6

I would contact Mobil and ask their opinion. Or the website Bob-is-the-oil-guy. Lots of info on the web. I would not change it until the GM recommended interval. Synthetic oil does not wear out. It gets dirty with carbon and the additives degrade some but this does not happen unless you use it. I use Royal Purple 5W-30 HPS oil and I change it every 10K miles. I’m a RDD (retiree day driver) with 41K on my 2010 ZR1 and have enjoyed every mile.

Ed

hitekcm

Thanks looks just like my baby, Cyber Gray ?

Tech

Mobil says to change once a year

Gary '09 C6

Even though the synthetic oil doesn't wear out, it still picks up impurities from the normal combustion process, which are trapped by the filter.

It's the filter that needs changing at least once per year, more so than the oil with low mileage between oil changes.

Sy1616

I drive about 300-500 miles per year so I do it once a year.

80atez

A good oil change costs maybe $60, more if you pay for labor. For $30 you can get a UOA say from Blackstone, whom I have used. They will give you a TBN. They say if it's above 1 then the oil is not used up, that and other parameters like vsc. But if you use Mobil 1 and put on 2-3K street miles per year, you could make an argument you don't need to change oil yearly. I've tracked my car many times and UOA (used oil analysis) never has a TBN below about 3-5. It always looks pretty good when I change it at 3-5K miles. I've heard the "one year" dogma, I think it depends, and is sort of like the "3000 mile" change dogma which was overstating the issue. I have had trucks and jeeps I use very rarely and change mobil 1 out every 3-4 years, no prob yet.

I don't see how a good (synthetic fiber) filter would be hurt by stuff it filters if it's not fully plugged yet (i.e. less than say 5K miles) and left in for more than a year. And I don't see how oil that is within its viscosity range and TBN is good by UOA is somehow "dead" after 1 year.

I can remember back to like 1985, my dad put Mobil 1 in his car and it read "good for 5 years / 25,000 miles" right on the label. Then it was making a name for itself and synthetics, now they want us to throw out good oil and buy more.

So, what I actually do with my LS7 is now change the oil before a track day if it's old for sure, but I will go 2 years on the same oil if I have less than 3K miles in a year. Come to think of it I'm on my second year on my latest change...

This is, of course, not an expert opinion, it is a forum opinion! Flame on.

BearZ06

There is a lot of oil and money wasted these days.

Too-Fast

I follow the owners manual, based on my annual mileage it gets changed once a year with the filter.

Corvette#2

I would change once a year regardless of mileage.

Fresh oil, even with 1000 miles on it, will slowly degrade over time due to the acidic byproducts that get into it. They put in additives to combat this degradation that occurs due to time not just mileage, but as expensive as a ZR-1 is, why would you be cheap about oil changes ? Even if you only drove it once a month, changing the oil once a year is not huge inconvenience.

Schred86

change oil every 1000 miles, and at the beginning of every season after the winter storage. I am sure its overkill but I'm makes me feel better.
Whats an extra $75 on a $45k plus car. Also when the car comes out, she gets driven

hitekcm

Thanks yuall ! I think I will follow Schred86 and change every spring as he says whats an extra $75 bucks for my baby.