How often

[Clare]

How often should I change the oil in my DCI? Ive covered 11, 500 miles and havent changed it yet. Never had to top it up or anything yet. Waiting until the 18,000 mile service seems like quite a while to wait for the first oil change! The car is nearly a year old.

 

[Clare]

anyone?

 

[Craggy]

i change mine evry 4k, but i hammer it all the time, also needs topping up evry thousand. i would definately check it and top up, but i shudder at the thought of leaving oil in a car for 18k!, more like 10k changes for your car and regular checks.



craggy

 

[Nick Read]

Does sound like a long time to leave it. But then again, these modern Clios dont need so much TLC to keep them running. the old 16v and Willy go through oil almost as quick as petrol!

 

[Clare]

Thanks for that. I was thinking of around 10-12k oil change intervals.. Would Castrol Magnatex GtD be OK in the Clio? Would this affect warranty or anything?

 

[weight]

i cant read the question!

 

[Clare]

Sorry, first post since the new system

Here you go:

How often should I change the oil in my DCI? Ive covered 11, 500 miles and havent changed it yet. Never had to top it up or anything yet. Waiting until the 18,000 mile service seems like quite a while to wait for the first oil change! The car is nearly a year old.

 

[matt4478]

Quote: Originally posted by weight on 25 September 2002


i cant read the question!

What? Speak up! I cant hear you without my reading glasses...

(ignore me, its late and Im tired - this seemed funnier before I started writing it. []..)

 

[weight]

depends on your intentions of keeping it.

if you will still have it when it has got 100k on it , then sure slip one in now.

just to be safe!

LOL just jokin bout text size.

 

[weight]

I SAID I CANT READ THE QUESTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[matt4478]

LOL! Ahhh.... now I can hear ya mate...

BUY SOME BETTER GLASSES THEN!!! (eurrch! that makes me feel ill looking at it!!!)

 

[weight]

CHANGE THE COLOUR QUICK, IM GONNA PUKE!

 

[Ben j]

what are u changing the oil to?

 

[Clare]

I was thinking of Castrol Magnatex GTD... what do you think?

 

[rockport]

I think the GTX may be a better choice clare

 

[matt4478]

LOL @ weight!

 

[Ben H]

But you cant put GTX in diesel can you??? Or am I being silly?

 

[Clare]

I thought you had to use the GtD in Diesel engnies too..

 

[BRUN]

no, you cant

i reckon Castrol Magnatec Diesel will be fine, as would Shell Helix Diesel in the correct grade

id definitely advise changing it NOW, as its done a lot of miles on the same oil, i change mine every 6k, sometimes sooner

 

[Clare]

Should I do it myself or can I get a garage to do it, with the oil I want?

 

[Clare]

Could I be damaging my engine having done 11k+ miles on the same oil?

 

[BRUN]

its possible, just make sure you change it ASAP

its fairly easy to do yourself but a garage shouldnt charge you more than an hours labour for it

 

[Stubod]

Hi Clare,

Its highly unlikely that you have damaged your engine, unless youve ragged it from cold or done thousands of short journeys in your clio. Oil will age a lot quicker under these circumstances than it would if the engine was running all the time. I know a taxi driver that changes his oil every 30,000 miles becuause the engine is always running and up to temperature, his 406 diesel has done in excess of 250,000 miles on the same engine !

Most diesel engines need a diesel oil becuase this is designed to cope better with the acids produced as a result of diesel combustion. The castrol GTD oil should be fine but check it meets the standard required for your engine first (car hand book). If you take your oil into a renault garage they will charge you about £35 to change it and fit a new oil filter at the same time. Just make sure you ask for the container back so they dont put standard oil in your car and keep the good oil for themselves !

stu

 

[Ben H]

If, like with a 16v/Williams, its not particulalrly straightforward to change the oil/filter, then go to a garage with a fixed menu pricing system (price they quote is price you pay). If youve got a car like a 16v that is awkward to work on, then the labour charge will be £40 plus alone - before the oil. Better bet to get it all in for £35 at AA Gargages, with oil included.

 

[Clare]

Thanks for all the advice. Ill have a look and see how difficult/easy it is to do it myself..