Maintenance intervals?

26214 Views 22 Replies 14 Participants Last post by D1JL, Nov 18, 2014

reddog99

Discussion Starter · Sep 30, 2013

Can anyone verify the maintenance intervals for the ST? My dealer is trying to convince me that the ST oil change mileage interval is 7,500 mi., while the standard model is 10,000 mi. I can't find anything that specifies this.

The ST supplement does specify that a minimum of semi-synthetic oil be used, while the standard model is allowed to use non-synthetic. But the mileage interval seems to be unchanged.

I won't argue that a shorter interval might be beneficial, but I want to know what the factory requirements are. I suspect that the dealer is just trying to generate more revenue, which doesn't matter anyhow because I do my own maintenance.

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9

· #2 · Sep 30, 2013

The Fiesta manual lists oil/filter changes as every 10,000 miles. The ST supplement does not have its own interval chart, so I would assume that - like everywhere else does - the dealership is trying to get you to go more often than is required.

The car comes with, and is recommended to use, semi-synthetic blends. I will however be using full synthetic (Amsoil or similar) since it's a turbo and does make a difference.

wash

· #3 · Sep 30, 2013

I say let your usage dictate the interval.

The goal is a filter that removes all the impurities you're worried about without bypassing and oil that hasn't depleted its detergent package before you change it.

If you do a fairly normal usage, just get used oil analysis from a diesel truck service shop when you're thinking of changing to see if you really need it.

You can also cut open your used oil filters to look at how much stuff it picked up.

I'm going with an upgraded filter and conservative intervals because I plan on some extreme usage.

D1JL

· #4 · Oct 6, 2013

My first change will be done at 1K.
After that, they will be done at 5K intervals as I have always done.
I will be using full-synthetic, again as I have always done (since it has been available).

Dave

Reactions: 2

moshaholic2

· #5 · Oct 18, 2013

D1JL said:
My first change will be done at 1K.
After that, they will be done at 5K intervals as I have always done.
I will be using full-synthetic, again as I have always done (since it has been available).

Dave

Thats my plan too. Unless I get some hard usage days in there, maybe earlier.

Sil3nt611

· #6 · Oct 19, 2013

My dad always taught me 3K miles change when I started driving. On my current car I use semi-synthetic Motorcraft and do a max of 5K change. I know full synthetic is supposed to last longer, but even if I used full synthetic I'd have a hard time leaving the same oil and filter in there for 10K miles. It just seems way too long to me. I'd want my Fiesta to last me so I think the most I'd ever do is 7K or so with full synth. 5K with semi synth. A semi synth oil change doesn't cost that much to warrant not doing it more often vs a failed engine because of huge oil change intervals. Not sure on the cost of full synth oil. I do my own oil changes so the cost is oil and filter.

D1JL

· #7 · Oct 21, 2013

I get my changes done at my dealer and I don't mind getting them done often because they HAND wash my car every time.
So if you factor in the carwash, the oil change is cheap.

Dave

Sil3nt611

· #8 · Oct 21, 2013

I'd rather just change my own oil and wash my own car. That way no one else will screw up my car.

Reactions: 3

D1JL

· #9 · Oct 21, 2013

Sil3nt611 said:
I'd rather just change my own oil and wash my own car. That way no one else will screw up my car.

I can totally understand that you would prefer to screw up your cay yourself.
However when you get to be my age, you may prefer to have someone screw it up for you.

Dave

Reactions: 1

Sil3nt611

· #10 · Oct 21, 2013

If people at all cared about someone else's car then yeah, it'd be ok. Sadly no one cares if they damage your car in their possession. I've taken my current car into places to get state inspections and wheel alignments done because I unfortunately can't do those things on my own. I've owned my car for 6 years now and I've never scratched the leather on my steering wheel. These bozos are in my car for a whole 5 minutes max and they've managed to get 3 separate scratches in the leather...on different days at different shops. Yeah, my car is 10 years old and yeah the leather is a bit sun damaged, but otherwise it was nice and smooth before someone else had it for a couple minutes. I've had a tint job done as well and they changed my radio settings on me. It's a 2 second drive in and out of the shop, I can't fathom why they'd need to mess with the radio (that was turned down when I parked it). It's stuff like that that just irks me about anyone working on or driving my car.

When I get my Fiesta, if I don't have to take it in for work at the dealership, you can bet I won't be. Until I'm old and decrepit, I'll still be changing my own oil.

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D1JL

· #11 · Oct 21, 2013

Sil3nt611 said:
Until I'm old and decrepit, I'll still be changing my own oil.

My point exactly.
I AM old and decrepit.
I have been changing oil on thousands of cars for the last 52 years.

With no lift, jacking up the car, getting down on the ground, with the hard part of getting back up again.
Just isn't fun anymore.

Dave

Reactions: 3

Smokin

· #12 · Oct 21, 2013

D1JL said:
I get my changes done at my dealer and I don't mind getting them done often because they HAND wash my car every time.
So if you factor in the carwash, the oil change is cheap.

Dave

Yeah, around here Ford dealer will do it for $39. A 5qt Castrol titanium synthetic plus filter is that much at Walmart....

coffeeslug

· #13 · Oct 30, 2013

D1JL said:
My point exactly.
I AM old and decrepit.
I have been changing oil on thousands of cars for the last 52 years.

With no lift, jacking up the car, getting down on the ground, with the hard part of getting back up again.
Just isn't fun anymore.

Dave

This ^ I had an evo and a cobalt ss in the past and I spent countless hours rolling around on the garage floor with those cars, and I will not miss it at all. I'm letting the dealer do it. I get a free touchless car wash and they vacuum the floor to boot.

Reactions: 1

FiestaST

· #14 · Oct 30, 2013

So how long have people been waiting to get oil changed? I'm at 1300 miles and I was going to do my first one around 2k

rweidman

· #15 · Oct 31, 2013

Initial oil change at 2000 miles and 8000 miles interval after. I use Mobil 1 full syn. and K&N oil filter with the neat hex nut welded to the bottom. Oil change takes 30 min max. Don't have to schedule anything or worry about someone screwing up something.

lou5560

· #16 · Dec 28, 2013

Sil3nt6dpost: 4603 said:
I'd rather just change my own oil and wash my own car. That way no one else will screw up my car.

Me too. People don't take care of your car like you would. I change my own oil. After 1500 miles I will change using full synthetic oil. I change my own because I used to work at a Ford dealership in the parts department & saw mechanics keep the full synthetic oil that customers paid for while putting semi synthetic bulk oil in the customers cars. I want to make sure what I pay for goes into my car.

D1JL

· #17 · Dec 28, 2013

FiestaST said:
So how long have people been waiting to get oil changed? I'm at 1300 miles and I was going to do my first one around 2k

I am just over 3K and have done two.

Dave

stuntdoogie

· #18 · Dec 28, 2013

Im at 1500, gonna change mibe at 3000.

wash

· #19 · Dec 29, 2013

As I've said before, I think its a good idea to get rid of the factory oil after you've driven several hundred miles so that you remove the particles in the oil from break in, casting sand that never got cleaned off and whatever break in and assembly lube the factory used.

For me, I changed at 1,300 I think and then again at 6,700 or so.

There is a photo of a factory installed filter cut open with similar mileage and it has some flecks of stuff in it. When I cut open my second filter it looked fairly clean, like it could have easily gone another 5,000 miles (but I'm using a bigger Purolator Pure1 filter). If you stick with the stock oil filter, that 7,500 mile interval is probably fine but I'm going to stick with 5,000 for a few changes just to be conservative.

With normal street driving, good oil and the stock filter, I think a 7,500 mile interval probably won't hurt anything but why let a bunch of break in residue float around in the engine for an extra 6,000 miles? Get that factory filter and oil out of there, then choose an interval.

p.s. re-position one of the spring clips on the water hose going to the heat exchanger or you are likely to bust a knuckle removing your oil filter.

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stuntdoogie

· #20 · Dec 29, 2013

Unlike some of you i wont be changing my own oil. My dealer will. I hope they use the good stuff.

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