Just got a '14 CX-5 Touring and am very surprised at how often they want that synthetic oil changed. "At least twice a year" or every 5000 or 7500 miles.

My VW w/ a turbo engine (synthetic oil) says every 10k miles, and I think BMW recommends every 15k for its syn oil to be changed. My wife's 2007 Civic (regular dino oil) had something that took temperatures, time, and miles into consideration when it told when to change oil -- probably about once a year at around 6-7k miles for her car.

Do most people follow Mazda's schedule?



Edit: Since my wife doesn't drive a whole lot, we would be changing that synthetic oil every 3500 miles if we stick to that "at least twice a year" rule. Insane! Hmmm, maybe I'll drain it and put it in my VW. Ha!

 

Pretty much. I drive 10k miles (mostly urban) per year, so the 5k mark falls at just about precisely the 6 month point. I do my own changes (very easy on this car!) using Mazda super-moly purchased online and the whole thing costs me (with Mazda filter) about $50/service. I consider $100/year in basic maintenance cost a bargain!

 

I've also got a BMW and recently they amended their oil change interval to 10,000 miles. If you do a fair amount of highway driving then in my opinion 7,500 miles max is probably OK. Personally, my change interval will be 5,000 miles (only at 2500 miles right now).

 

Well, maybe 15k miles was too long even for a synthetic oil, my VW turbo gets new synthetic at about 7500 miles (manual says every 10), but for Mazda to say that the oil needs to be changed as often as every 5k or every 6 MONTHS which ever COMES FIRST is crazy.

My wife drives about 6k a year, so she would be changing every 6 months at 3k miles.

Highway driving puts less stress on an engine than constant stop & go.

 

So you're saying that those 6k miles/year are highway miles?!

 

No, Boland01 said changing at 7500 miles max (BMW recommended 10k) was probably all right with a "fair amount" of highway driving. Since highway driving is easier on the engine, that seemed like reversed logic.

It used to be with dino oil that 3k miles was a normal between oil changes. Now with high tech, synthetic oil, Mazda says to change as early as every 6 months, and that could be 3k miles on my wife's CX-5 -- absurd!

 

My own general rule of thumb for years has been, 5,000 for Dino/10,000 for synthetic. I will often change the filter @ 5k though.
Back in the day, I ran 1st gen Moble1 in my early Civic to 15k and it had 187k on it when I sold it... because the body/chassis was rotting out beneath my feet, but it was not using oil.
Remember though that if the car sits for long periods of time and you're running synthetic to change it more often. Condensation is not absorbed and burned off by synthetics as it is with Dino oils. Better to run reg oil in an occasional use vehicle for that reason.

 

Time to have a little fun and serious inquiry.
Dino oil is regular oil.



Moble1 as opposed to Immoble?
Mobil1 Oil!


Now for the seriuos inquiry:
Condensation is not absorbed and burned off by synthetics as it is with Dino oils. Better to run reg oil in an occasional use vehicle for that reason.

Need clarification. How can any oil holding water be better? Does this statement say "Dino oil does not burn off condensation?", "Synthetic Oil does burn off condensation"?

I've had my synthetic oil in my car for almost a year. I don't drive much. Gonna get it changed next month or 2. Synthetic oil starts better in winter.

Good read: https://www.mazdaforum.com/forum/gen...antages-30407/
AND https://www.mazdaforum.com/forum/gen...ls-0w__-32291/

Watch This Video on Synthetic oil. @ 45 seconds in they do a pour test comparison @ -40 degrees. This is why synthetic is best for winter anyway! They have other advantages explored in this video!

 

Personally I don't think 5,000 miles is unreasonable for an oil change interval and plan to follow Mazda's recommendation. I look at it as cheap insurance. I have read on other forums that Mazda's oil is pretty good stuff, but all oil gets contaminated.