Author Topic: What did you do to your car today? (Read 3012673 times)

ArticSteve · « **Reply #3980 on:** April 18, 2015, 12:34:34 pm »

The Audi oil (5w-40 synthetic Castrol) was changed in October 7000 km ago and is quite black. Interesting especially as both engines are new (11600 and 15007 km respectively). For those who are wincing about the time between changes, the Fit will be done in August and the Audi in about 1000 kms although it would not be scheduled for another 10,000 kms or May 2016 whichever would be sooner...I dislike these long service intervals.

Like yourself, I think those extended oil change times are absolute BS. If the oil is getting somewhat dark on the stick it always seems so much darker coming out of the pan. Don't care how expensive the oil is.

Consequently, I could never buy an "off lease" Bimmer for example because they are all leased/sold with that BS "no charge" extended oil service.

tpl · « **Reply #3981 on:** April 18, 2015, 01:25:20 pm »

Quote from: ArticSteve on April 18, 2015, 12:34:34 pm

The Audi oil (5w-40 synthetic Castrol) was changed in October 7000 km ago and is quite black. Interesting especially as both engines are new (11600 and 15007 km respectively). For those who are wincing about the time between changes, the Fit will be done in August and the Audi in about 1000 kms although it would not be scheduled for another 10,000 kms or May 2016 whichever would be sooner...I dislike these long service intervals.

Like yourself, I think those extended oil change times are absolute BS. If the oil is getting somewhat dark on the stick it always seems so much darker coming out of the pan. Don't care how expensive the oil is.

Consequently, I could never buy an "off lease" Bimmer for example because they are all leased/sold with that BS "no charge" extended oil service.

I have no issue with the oil getting dark quickly...but it IS interesting that the Fit oil does not.

As for the BMW. Yes. I advised a friend to be very careful about a 3 year old off lease 3-er that might have only had 2 oil changes in 50,000 kms. I can happily say that mine had those dealer 25,000 km changes with 2 paid for changes in between each one. I hope its second owner appreciated that.

mmret · « **Reply #3982 on:** April 18, 2015, 05:28:12 pm »

Not up to snowman standards but good enough.

HeliDriver · « **Reply #3983 on:** April 18, 2015, 05:56:56 pm »

Put the summer tires on the GTI. Or, more correctly, put three summer tires on the GTI today.

Last fall I had an issue with a flat tire on one of the summers. Had it "fixed" three times at three different tire shops. I guess I'm an idiot, but for some reason I thought the third shop actually had fixed it, so I put it away for the winter and figured it was good to go. Nope. It's now at 12psi while the others are at 30.

Didn't feel like taking the other tires off, so am going to run 3 summers and one winter until I get this figured out. For what I've paid in flat "repairs", I could have just bought a new tire.

(But at least that noise I heard earlier turned out to be nothing. No noise now and everything is tight.)

bridgecity · « **Reply #3984 on:** April 18, 2015, 07:13:35 pm »

Quote from: mmret on April 18, 2015, 05:28:12 pm

Not up to snowman standards but good enough.

Snowman · « **Reply #3985 on:** April 18, 2015, 07:24:47 pm »

Quote from: mmret on April 18, 2015, 05:28:12 pm

Not up to snowman standards but good enough.

looks good from here man.

mlin32 · « **Reply #3986 on:** April 18, 2015, 10:52:21 pm »

Regarding the oil change intervals above, colour of oil is not a reliable indicator of its protective qualities. Synthetic oil turns dark very quickly after use, within 2k km. Last year, I ran the 325i on a 20.000km oil change interval and sent the used oil into a lab for analysis. Everything came up very good and was given the green light to run even longer. So I have no qualms with it going as long as the Condition Based Service suggests.

As to what I did to my car today, I took it on a "thorough" mountain drive that involved torturing the tires and brakes, and occasionally, the transmission.

After literally 5 days of rain, I'm allowed one day of non-environmentally conscious driving, right?

wing · « **Reply #3987 on:** April 18, 2015, 11:00:17 pm »

Upgraded my brakes and rotors to carbotech today. Also changed the oil. The jerk that changed the oil last time put the oil filter canister on so tight i broke the special tool to loosen it. I ended up getting it off with a chain filter wrench. But now I need a new tool for the truck ugh.

ArticSteve · « **Reply #3988 on:** April 18, 2015, 11:56:26 pm »

Synthetic oil turns dark very quickly after use, within 2k km

Where do you get that from

And why are you using the word "Synthetic". Are you referring to a Group 3 or Group 4 oil?

KD · « **Reply #3989 on:** April 19, 2015, 04:54:34 pm »

Changed over to the summers and then washed the car.

mlin32 · « **Reply #3990 on:** April 19, 2015, 07:30:23 pm »

Quote from: ArticSteve on April 18, 2015, 11:56:26 pm

Synthetic oil turns dark very quickly after use, within 2k km

Where do you get that from And why are you using the word "Synthetic". Are you referring to a Group 3 or Group 4 oil?

Group 4 oil that I use in our BMW, specially I used only Castrol 0W-30, the "German one". If you do a search on "synthetic oil colour", it's pretty well-documented.

For the X3 I used to have, I originally stuck to the 12.500km interval, twice as often as the flexible interval used on the older BMWs, although I began to lengthen that a bit as time went on since I did mostly highway driving. When I changed the valve cover gaskets myself at 200k km, the engine was super-clean. After that, I stuck with the standard interval of 25k km.

I was more skeptical of the 30k km interval on my mother's E90 325i. But last year I sent in the oil for analysis after 18k km (apparently they thought I filled it in miles even though I circled km.....) and as you can see, even that came up clean.

CanuckS2K · « **Reply #3991 on:** April 19, 2015, 09:35:29 pm »

Brought the S2000 out of the garage for the first time since November and gave it the first wash of the season. With the snow and sh!t road conditions I still won't drive it, so back in the garage it went. It will get the full detail hopefully in the next two weeks or so if the weather cooperates.

2JDM · « **Reply #3992 on:** April 19, 2015, 10:23:18 pm »

Beautiful S2K Shane.

Firm · « **Reply #3993 on:** April 19, 2015, 10:58:20 pm »

Yeah, that's a very pretty S2K

Gave the Firebird a proper detail; wash, clay bar, Zymol cleaner and Auto Glym HD wax. Also swapped over to summers, then washed and waxed the winters for storage.
Car has held up really well considering it's made it through it's 19th winter and lives outdoors all the time:

mmret · « **Reply #3994 on:** April 19, 2015, 11:10:43 pm »

Krowned?

Firm · « **Reply #3995 on:** April 19, 2015, 11:18:21 pm »

Religiously. Then I use Rust Cure aerosol cans every month or so around the known trouble spots (floor seems underneath, rear wheel wells, in the rockers). Pain in the ass honestly, but I don't want to have to replace cars because of rust. This thing drives like new, and looks alright, plus it has a certain charm to it...We have no intention to replace it anytime soon, so I do what I can to keep it nice....Low cost transportation

Solstice2006 · « **Reply #3996 on:** April 19, 2015, 11:24:00 pm »

Quote from: Firm on April 19, 2015, 10:58:20 pm

Yeah, that's a very pretty S2K

Gave the Firebird a proper detail; wash, clay bar, Zymol cleaner and Auto Glym HD wax. Also swapped over to summers, then washed and waxed the winters for storage.
Car has held up really well considering it's made it through it's 19th winter and lives outdoors all the time:

Sounds like the amount of time you spent cleaning the car, is about the time I spent cleaning the house. House hasn't been this clean in awhile. Usually it's 1-2 floors that are tidy. But the entire house is clean! Including the deck, patio furniture, and the lawn. One exception is the garage. But I just finished the baseboards on the main floor, so after the dump, the garage will be cleaned. No house projects for me this summer, maybe I will paint the laundry room, but I need a break.

Hopefully I will get double digits temperatures next weekend, and can clean my car for the first time. Although, I don't think I can do as well as you guys....

ArticSteve · « **Reply #3997 on:** April 19, 2015, 11:43:08 pm »

If you do a search on "synthetic oil colour", it's pretty well-documented.

That's not my experience when using the only Group 4 oil I've ever used; Esso/Exxon Xd3 (0W30 and Xd4 (0W40)

Perhaps if used on a used motor there might be a continual scrubbing effect as a result of the previous lubes used.

The problem with these longer interval claims is type of usage varies wildly. Short trips @ -20C is murderous on oils. Much dilution. Hawaiian usage much better I would think.

In any event, motor oil is a topic that will never reach a consensus. 12k km on a Group 4 would be the edge of my confront zone.

Firm · « **Reply #3998 on:** April 20, 2015, 08:36:12 am »

Solstice, if I had to choose between a clean house and a clean car I'd choose a clean house everytime. I try to keep indoor house projects to a minimum for spring/summer so I can play withthe cars. Mrs. Firm does most of the day-to-day cleaning, but I help out when I can or when something is bugging me. Last night I spent 2 hours vacuuming the entire place and making sure to get the baseboard and all that properly (she tends to neglect that...)

Triple Bob · « **Reply #3999 on:** April 20, 2015, 09:07:24 am »

Quote from: ArticSteve on April 18, 2015, 11:56:26 pm

Synthetic oil turns dark very quickly after use, within 2k km

Where do you get that from And why are you using the word "Synthetic". Are you referring to a Group 3 or Group 4 oil?

It doesn't really matter. A Grp 3 based oil can easily out perform a Grp 4 based on the additive pack. The hydrocracking is down to a molecular level, so it's built up in the same way as 'pure' synthetic, just with different parts.

I agree with mlin, the colour isn't a good indicator of anything. Maybe the piston rings on the Audi aren't as well sealed as the Honda, and the oil is just doing what it should, cleaning up the mess. Who would have thought an FGC would drink a little oil...