One of the biggest debates, not just in the diesel world, is when you should change your vehicle’s oil and filter. Many of the diesel vehicles we’re familiar with have 10k mile service intervals. However, many people moving from gas vehicles to their diesel vehicles will find the much higher service interval to be surprising and may be hesitant to make the leap. We’ll break down how they get these numbers and why they’re completely safe to rely on.
The Old Numbers
Many older vehicles would rely primarily on non-synthetic oils. These oils would break down more easily than modern oils, so a lot of these vehicles would have service intervals around 3,000 miles for oil changes. Despite the increase in the interval between service
Many people would stick to these numbers even as the service intervals increased which has still prevailed to this day.
Synthetic Oils & Modern Diesel Engines
The new synthetic oils are more resistant to breakdown, high heat, and turbine stress, allowing longer protection. Newer diesel engines like the TDI and Mercedes engines use these fully synthetic oils. This means the oil will hold up longer allowing you to reach these higher mileage intervals. While some say that diesel engines by their nature of operation are prone to less oil degradation, the most important thing to remember is that you replace your oil to meet the specifications recommended by the manufacturer.
Final Thoughts
While many will swear by the lower interval rates of the past, most modern vehicles recommend higher intervals up towards 10k. Ultimately the decision is up to the vehicle operator. There are many factors to consider when deciding whether to replace at the recommended intervals or before. If your vehicle is operated in harsher conditions than normal a shorter interval could make sense. However if your vehicle is operated normally the 10k is perfectly reasonable and additionally is cheaper and involves less waste than the shorter intervals.
If your vehicle is in need of an oil change, consider checking out our Service Kits and Oil Change Kits for a variety of make and models. Our kits all utilize oil that meets manufacturer standards, such as VW 505.00 / 505.01 / 507.00 approvals, and a quality filter.
