A question for television/clive williams/230K

[ennio]

In a previous thread each of you said that you change the engine oil at fixed intervals rather than following ASSYST.

When do you know to take the car in for a service? Surely changing the oil before ASSYST "advises" throws the service-indicator.

So please you independent thinkers, if you are changing oil at your own determined frequencies, when does your car go in for an A-service, and when for a B?

thanks
Andrew

1998 E300TD estate (210.225 model)

 

[230K]

Hi

I just change my oil at 10K miles with air filter every other change, same with pollen filter and change brake fluid and coolant at the stipulated intervals.
Fuel filters every 3 changes approx.

After that, diff oil and gearbox every 60K or so.

230K

 

[television]

I am probably the odd man out here, as I normally change the engine oil and filter as soon as I buy the car, and at 5-6k from then on. The gearbox at 50k

On the newer cars the "assyst" is supossed to know if the oil has been changed and adjust the service interval, but I do not trust it.

With my new car at 15.5k miles, and the first service done at 13k,i have to think about how I go about it. Things like brake fluid take in moisture, so this should be changed and as the car will only do 4-5k a year max I will change the gearbox oil at 5 years old on this one, every case is different, those that do 10k plus and some motorway miles can go longer between changes.

Malcolm.
My saying is that oil is the cheapest protection that I can get.

 

[230K]

Hi

My 10K oil changes are Mobil 1 Turbodiesel which is a fully synthetic, i would not go as far as 10K on mineral or semi synth oil.

230K

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

I run my van to the assyst indicator and usually get around 22-23k miles between services. This is a scary amount of distance but oils sampling I have done in the past seems to back up the assyst gizmo as oil was in good condition and wear metals were present in acceptable levels when changed and indicated that the Assyst was actually a bit conservative and the oil could have remained in service even longer!

On the vans, the assyst is reset manually by a sequence of button pressing and turning ignition on/off in the right order. I don't know if this is possible with the cars but previous reading would suggest it is the same system. Do a search on this forum and you should find the sequence to follow.