Oil Change Interval

I took my 2000SL 500 to a local guy who restores MB (does beautiful work), and we got into a maintainence conversation in which he said :

a. Organic is is better that synthetic.
b. Oil should be changed every 3000 miles in otder to insure long, trouble free, engine life (he'd even change synthetic that frequently).

Any opinions on this?

Also, I now have 15000 miles on the car and had an "A" service at 7500 when the car was bought (one yerar ago). Should I do the "B" service now??? The dealer keeps telling me to wait for the dash indicator. Somehow it seems to me that a year is a long time to go with no maintainence.
Advice would be appreciated.

[Richard1]

For what it's worth, I don't think that organic is any better than synthetic, but I do use organic, if only because that's what I started with and I can get a change anywhere.

As for the servicing, I wouldn't listen to your dash light. Every year, I think most of us change the brake fluid, flush the cooling system, many of us also change the thermostats, and a few of the really paranoid also do the transmission filter and fluid (I do), in addition to the normal top to bottom once over, inspection of brakes, rotation of tires, etc....

I don't think the annual annual brake fluid/coolant flush is optional or a "dash light" item.

[Richard1]

PS, I should have added that I get the oil changed twice a year regardless of milage, although it seems to add up to approximately 3k every change and changing synthetic that often doesn't make sense to me, since it has a longer break-in period.

Anyone have a different view?

[maheath]

Well, my car is a lot older than that. If I'm not mistaken, the 2000 SL500 originally came with synthetic oil.

Ask yourself this question. Who is more likely to present a more accurate, unbiased assessment, oil companies or Mercedes-Benz? Oil companies want to sell more oil. Mercedes wants to sell cars. The truly paranoid would suggest that Mercedes wants you to ruin your engine so that you have to buy a new car.

The nuts and bolts of it are that it is truly dependent on your driving style and conditions. If you drive in dusty conditions, stop-and-go traffic, short trips, pulling a trailer, etc., you should change your oil more frequently than suggested.

When my 560SL was new, I believe it came with regular oil and Mercedes suggested a maximum 7500 mile change interval. Obviously, if you drive in "severe" operating conditions (like those conditions listed above), you should change it much more frequently.

One benefit of synthethic oil is that you can extend the change interval over normal oil. If you're the kind of person that doesn't really keep track of when your car needs oil, then use synthetic. If you're anal about oil changes and change it every 3000 miles, then use regular oil. The difference between regular oil and synthetic over the first 3000 miles is probably not worth the additional cost.

That said, I use synthetic oil and try to change it every 5000 miles, even though I truly believe that another 2500-5000 miles probably wouldn't hurt the engine at all. I do think that 5000 miles is probably pushing it for regular oil and for those times when it really becomes 5500 or 6000 miles before an oil change, the benefits of synthetic oil pay off.

[4NDELIT]

Originally posted by maheath
If you're anal about oil changes and change it every 3000 miles, then use regular oil.

I guess I'm anal then, but I change every 3000 miles with regular oil. I've done it on my own a few times, and whenever I get it done at a jiffy lube place, I bring in my own filter (I usually get a german one like mann or mahle).

[maheath]

I guess I'm anal then, but I change every 3000 miles with regular oil. I've done it on my own a few times, and whenever I get it done at a jiffy lube place, I bring in my own filter (I usually get a german one like mann or mahle).

It's not an absolute cause and effect. I was trying to approach it from a personality perspective. If I used regular oil, I would try to change it every 3000 or 4000 miles.

[4NDELIT]

on the other hand... I use regular oil because I have an old car. I'm not sure if synthetic truly can run longer, the only way to tell is to get it tested after 5K miles or so. I also don't use synthetic because of the obvious price difference, so I am unfamiliar with it.

sorry... I meant to say anal about changing oil. I wasn't offended at all, I just think changing oil is the most important preventative maintenance. that, and maintaining correct tire pressure.

[kip Foss]

There was a very interesting article in Consumer Report about 3 years ago on oil, oil filters, oil additiver, etc. CR took 75 New York City taxi cabs and installed new (factory rebuilt) 350 engines. In some they used straight 30w hd oil. Others got synthetic, some used multi-grade, some had additives, and all other combinations that might be found in the general motering population. Some oils were changed at 3k miles with filter, some at 10k, and some never. The conclusions were surprising.

Basically they said that any good straight or multi-grade oil made by a recognized oil company was about as good as you could ask for. They reckoned that synthetics and additive were not worth the effort or money. They also said that one could easily run most oils, even in taxi style city driving, 10k miles. In the end they said that, save the most arduous type of driving, most drivers could easily run their oil and filter to 6k miles without any problems.

I have lived and driven all over this world for many many years. I have put at least 10 cars over 150k miles and have never ever not only not lost an engine but, but have never even had an oil related problem. I change my oil and filter at 10k miles mostly because it is easy to remember.

I still have a 1983 3/4 ton Chevy Diesel that I had for 10 years and 150k miles in the deserts of Dubai. I pulled the engine apart at 160k because I thought I had lost oil pressure. The bearing specs. were as good as factory and there was not a drop of sludge. The oil problem, as should have been expected, was the sending unit.

I have 2 Chrysler mini vans with a combined milage of 340k. Aside from the odd starter and a number of belt tensioners, I have never layed a wrench on either engine.

Granted, I live in S. Texas and everywhere I drive is far enough away that the engine always gets to operating temp. I think that this is the most important aspect of long oil life. The raised temp. boils out the moisture that, when combined with the sulfur in the fuel , produces sulfuric acid. This is also what eats up exhaust systems, which is another thing that I have rarely ever replaced on any of my cars. This is why cars that run on butane rarely need to change oil or exhaust systems.