I've seen worse. I was in an Auto Parts store in Tulsa OK. Some guy walked in with an oil pan, from some type of V-8. I remmeber it being a Chevy. The sump of the oil pan looked like it was filled with grease. I mean the whole sump, filled. The guy asked me and the guy at the counter of what to do. We both sort of shrugged our shoulders. The guy then said the rest of the engine was as bad. I think the engine either had a coolant leak and/or didn't have a thermostat in it.
I do run my Ford Contours on a 7,500 or more oil change. I use synthetics, but Group 3. I have 214K on the '96 4cyl. I have gone over 10k between oil changes on it. The vale train and head are clean, only varnish is around the head gasket.
Tom