Not interested in Fords, lets keep it to the Yeti.

yup.

Not interested in Fords, lets keep it to the Yeti.

yup.

Hence I specifically said to PM me if deemed OT. And I brought it back on topic with my last post.

Hence I specifically said to PM me if deemed OT. And I brought it back on topic with my last post.

Don't mind where a topic wanders if it is enjoyable - just don't like Fords!!

Don't mind where a topic wanders if it is enjoyable - just don't like Fords!!

Fair call.

Fords are wonderful:

www.wetroads.co.uk!!

As the relatively "new" (to me) owner of a 2010 Yeti 110CR I'm reading this thread with more than usual interest, as I sit planning its future service intervals. I think the point we're all missing here is that there is no 100% right or wrong answer (any more). These days sooooo much depends on the user's pattern of use or typical journies that makes the difference. ESPECIALLY for modern turbo diesels.

One owner's pattern of use with plenty of long runs, very few short trips under 15 minutes / (say) 20 miles, etc. would be fine on 18,000 mile oil change intervals. As Weasly quite rightly pointed out - if you tested the oil at the end of that period, as commercial vehicle operators frequently do, you would probably find it was fine for easily another 5000+ on that kind of usage. remember that trucks run all day, every day. So the oild warms up once, then stays at optimum temperature right through the driver's shift, till the tacho says its time for a stop. THAT's why they get such high mileages on an oil change.

Conversley, a car operated in the turbo diesel hell / suicide zone of regular short trips, and very seldom on a motorway, will be leaving combustion products and contaminants in its oil ALL the time. Oil so seldom gets up to proper temp, it never evaporates those contaminants, so they build up to create sludge that can block oilways and wreck the turbo bearings in under 30,000 miles. Ask owners of TDI Golfs who''ve had that happen, what caused it. Its even worse for cars fitted with DPFs, as mentioned (not by me) in another thread. Repeated attempts by the ECU to initiate a 15+ minute regeneration, are incomplete each time because the engine is stopped before the regen has chance to do its stuff. These result in fuel being accumulated in the sump. In extreme cases the "oil" level even appears to rise! In practice that is due to fuel and other contaminants building up the level.

I can easily understand therefore, when Andyspan said: "Mine too is just a year old with 5500 miles on the clock and started telling me it wanted a service about 14 days ago, it is on variable servicing schedule according to the dealer so I suppose it was my usage that prompted it." - that his Yeti may well have been on variable service, not fixed time / annual. With so few miles over a 12 12-months, it's either been used for decent runs but very infrequently, or more likely, been used for lots of very short journies. Hence the engine is saying "Pleaaaaase give me some clean oil!"

Hence why, when buying a second hand TD engined car in the modern era, it's the "low mileage" cars that have lived in the TD hell zone that you need to be wary of. While the moderately high mileage car that's spent its life mainly doing comparatively easy miles on the motorway network has actually led a much more relaxed life for all its mechanical components.

This theory was put into practice when I bought the Yeti, and I'm confident it is a sound car. It was with the dealer for only 2 weeks before I bought it. A similar aged Yeti with under half the miles stuck on the same dealer's forecourt for a further six weeks before he could find someone to take it on. The Renault 1.9dCi with 143,000 miles in 7 years that I traded for the Yeti shifted on in just 4 days! The dealer openly admitted that was because it had fully documented evidence (receipts for work and exact materials used, not just easy to fake stamps in a book) of having had oil changes using Mobil1 ESP every 9000 miles since it was new (all under my care). It was on it's original turbo, showing no signs of problems or odd noises, and still used no oil between changes. That's on a motor that used to have a reputation for blowing turbo's (and worse) every 30-40,000 or less (when on the "recommended" pattern of 18,000 oil changes). My previous BMW was similarly serviced every 9k and was on 240,000 miles and running like a dream when I swapped it for a younger spec. model with better fuel consumption.

Hence, rather like Yetiman, it's my contention that 9000 mile oil changes are an investment in both the longevity of the engine and the residual value of the vehicle. Not a long term cost. Not sure if fleets who ditch cars after 3 years as a matter of course would see it the same way though?

Here endeth the epistle! Now stands back and waits to be shot down?