From Ford:
“Many 2011 model year Ford vehicles are equipped with an Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor (IOLM). The IOLM uses actual engine operating conditions to calculate the oil change interval by using an algorithm.”
I’m guessing your '08 OLM just uses mileage.
Right @Whitey
I don’t know why we would get the idea the best way to determine an oil change interval was to do an analysis on some else’s oil in general, or is it. …Just changing oil to be safe, that’s fine for any individual to do and if your ambition is to extend the life of your motor regardless of any other considerations…heck, change it at say 1000 or 2500 miles. We used to support that and it wasn’t very long ago. But we have gone to 5000 and there is lots of agreement on that based on “tests engineers did on some one else oil” , so the idea that we never trust others results has gone by the board and yes, we have accepted the idea.
It seems in just the past few years there has been a general shift of mileage intervals amount us with the super cautious holding on and others moving ahead to 5000 with mineral oil and some of you saying 7.5 with synthetic. There has been lots of movement and it’s been real fast considering intervals didn’t change much at all for 50 years prior. 10k WITH SYNTHETIC is just over the horizon and in a few years, most of us will be right on board. Even, using tests on other vehicles and their oil as a reason I bet.
Now, to just say there is no difference between 5k oil changes and 10k oil changes without discussing the oil type dismisses the entire intent of the manufacturers recommendations. They DO differentiate when they make those distinctions between different car makers from one make to another and from the same car makers from one model to another. Yeh I know, it’s just politics. I submit it’s always politics as I bet you can rig up a contraption that could change your oil as you drive and really take our oil change intervals to the “limit” .
This idea is indeed political because it is related to climate change on a large scale and like that idea, some just need a little more time and proof to come on board. And that 's OK. We in general would hate to jump on every band wagon just to make money for some one else. I don’t pretend to be an expert on oil change intervals, but, I do pretend to read and trust the same people who have never steered me wrong before on this topic. And, I never got bad, incomplete maybe, information from an owner’s manual.
An objective study impossible, huh TT? Well, than, I guess I’m just going to have to stick with 5,000 mile oil changes. {
What about Europe and their 15k mile intervals? Are they seeing any problems over there?
Oh boy, play the “change is hard” card, time to be scientific, and put away those old ideas based on old technology. Sorry. Here’s the deal, a car costs $40,000 plus. An oil change costs me $25-40 depending on the oil. Why in heaven’s name is the goal supposed to be maximizing the use of oil? So I’m supposed to save 5 or 10 oil changes over the time I have the car simply to make sure that I am maximizing the use of the oil? So lets see, save $200 on a $40,000 investment to make sure that I’m scientific about it. Problem is, I’ve been around long enough to see recommendations totally reversed based on historical experience-pick a subject: finance, education, nutrition, etc. etc. And yes, oil is recycled. I think I’ll just spend an extra $200 and not worry about being scientific. No offense Turbo but the goal is not oil maximization, its vehicle maintenance and care.
@Bing
I know it may not apply to you, but why pay $40000 for a car, do all oil changes double time so to speak, then do nothing about rust which if not may make it still allow a car to be drivable after 10 to 15 years but ANY indication of rust will drop the value by thousands at any time of ownership. Here in rusty old Maine care and maintenance routines are completely out of wack for many and I see rust all the time on cars and especially trucks whose bodies are numbered but motors are purring. I have no problem with gradually working your own way to a point of acceptance of longer oil change intervals but to continually hear people talk like they accept rust as inevitable In any cars they have owned over many years is really bewildering. You don’t have to be mechanically incline one bit and it’s like paying your self $200 an hour to do something about it. It’s this contradiction that is completely out of wack. Living in a state where it is not a problem, I get it. Car maintenance has to be put in perspective. IMHO, use some of the money you save and buy some Husky mats which can keep your floor boards from rusting in your pick up truck. Also, you will find that in general a 5000 mile oil change with mineral oils is not as good for your motor as a 7500 mile with synthetic and a 10k oil with synthetic is equivalent in many modern cars designed for it.
No offense Turbo but the goal is not oil maximization, its vehicle maintenance and care
Bing, my point is the longer interval is not sacrificing the quality of care. If frequent oil changes are better care, then why aren’t you changing your oil every week? It’s a rhetorical question meant to illustrate that there is a point of diminishing returns. When you don’t know where that point is, you’re flying blind so to speak. What basis do you have to support your current regimen other than nothing bad has happened since I started this routine so I am going to continue? In fact, you have absolutely no data driven basis for your routine. It is strictly based on no bad results so far. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a scientific method that could establish the real life point with some degree of margin for safety. My point is still valid, you fear a loss of your investment therefore you are erring on the side of caution. But you have no basis for knowing just how far you have erred. You are using an antiquated standard and, out of fear, clinging steadfastly to it in spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. To discount any possibility of a scientific basis for a new standard is sticking your head into the proverbial sand…
One of my friends has some monster be-gone spray that his kid swears is effective at keeping them at bay. They haven’t seen one since they started using it so it must be working! They use it every night at bedtime. I wonder what would happen it they started using it every other night? I’m betting his kid isn’t willing to take the risk… 
So I’m supposed to save 5 or 10 oil changes over the time I have the car simply to make sure that I am maximizing the use of the oil? So lets see, save $200 on a $40,000 investment to make sure that I’m scientific about it.
You missed the point entirely. This isn’t about YOU. It’s about hundreds of thousands of YOUS that continue a wasteful practice out of fear. Try multiplying 5 or 10 oil changes times the number of cars on the road and the magnitude of the effect becomes a bit more clear (hopefully).
@TwinTurbo: “One of my friends has some monster be-gone spray that his kid swears is effective at keeping them at bay. They haven’t seen one since they started using it so it must be working! They use it every night at bedtime. I wonder what would happen it they started using it every other night? I’m betting his kid isn’t willing to take the risk… ;)”
Bravo, sir. Well done! Snark, wit, and a clear message all rolled into one.
Another hand for “snark” in a well mannered way of course. As I mentioned before, it 's a slow process in bringing the majority of people on board. It’s not about good or bad practices, it’s about appropriate practices with the same or better result. I reality, the majority who now are on board with 5000 miles interval aren’t even mentioning a longer change with synthetic. So really, they are just about there. 
Closest Lexus dealer rips everyone off for $95 oil change. $23 labor $72 parts and oil.
How is that a ripoff ? 5 or 6 quarts of synthetic costs around $ 10 a quart and the filter is about $ 10 so do you expect to get it for free ?
TT, you should realize that making sarcastic comments about the regimens of others because they prefer to take a more cautious approach to their maintenance than you believe in, and implying that they’re doing so out of ignorance, will not win anybody over to your way of thinking.
And you do know that used oil is recycled???
“Recycled” used oil is either:
-burned in heaters, generating a lot of particulate air pollution similar to the pollution generated by two cycle engines, but probably worse.
or
-re-refined. If you’ve ever been near a functional oil refinery, you know how much they pollute.
It’s not like that oil is turned into mulch or fertilizer.
It's about hundreds of thousands of YOUS that continue a wasteful practice out of fear.
YOU think it’s wasteful…but I do agree it’s because of fear. Personally I don’t have $35k to waste because I have to get a new vehicle. The 10k oil change intervals have NOT been proven yet. I guess if you don’t keep your vehicles past 150k miles then the 10k oil change is fine. But they haven’t PROVEN that the 10k oil change interval is going to make a vehicle last 300k+ miles. I KNOW for a fact that 5k oil changes work.
And you do know that used oil is recycled???
Our town burns it in waste oil burners to heat the DPW buildings.
Which is more wasteful, cars lasting longer because people change their oil at 5,000 miles, recycling the used oil,
or engines wearing out earlier and the entire car having to be recycled because people were trying to go as long as possible between oil changes?
IMHO there is insufficient evidence to prove that 10,000 mile oil changes have no long term effect on the longevity of engines. The only evidence that exists comes from purveyors of synthetic oils and from car manufacturers, both of whom have a vested interest in the claim… And there is zero evidence to answer the question I’ve posted here.
Personally, I’ll stick with 5,000 miles. That’s still almost twice the mileage we went between changes in the '60s. And it helps me sleep better.
You haven’t convinced me a car will last longer simply because you change the oil twice as often as the manufacturer recommends. I’d like to see you substantiate that claim, because that seems to be the crux of this argument.
Since the “severe conditions” maintenance schedule for my car recommends a 3,750 mile oil change interval, do you think I should change my oil every 1,875 miles?
I think you should change it every 3,750 if you meet the severe condition requirements. But the crux of the issue is, as you said, whether the car will last longer by changing the oil more frequently. And, you haven’t convinced me that a car will last as long with 10,000 miles intervals as it will with 5,000 miles intervals. To my mind you have not substantiated THAT claim.
The same argument works both ways. That’s why I say that I personally prefer 5,000 mile oil changes, but show respect for others’ preferences to do otherwise. The conflict in the thread is coming from not respecting the opinions of others on this issue. I’m not out to destroy the earth, only to take the best care of my car that I can based on my own experiences, knowledge, and beliefs. And IMHO that means 5,000 mile oil changes.
Using synthetic oil in longer change intervals reduces the amount of oil the over all oil stream and ultimately in the pollution stream. Though much oil is re refined using a similar process to virgin oil, much still is just burned. Regardless of who is doing the changes, oil in the ground water is reduced substantially with longer oil changes so factually, people are just dumping it too. The average consumer who has his motor oil changed can not assume that their motor oil even in excess, is dealt with in the most beneficial way. The only thing they can be sure of and have control of, is the amount that is introduced back into this stream. This only answers the pollution question but does not alleviate the fear excess motor wear. All one can do as a contributing member of society is to have an open mind and continue being aware of who does support these longer changes and for what reasons. Eventually when you come on board, great. You already have with longer intervals in general in the past.
I would ask, " why would manufacturers have a vested interest in longer oil change intervals. ? " as the cost of lost motor reliability of their own products ? I don’t understand.
I was under the impression that increased service in new car service departments where more the 60% of new cars sold get their service, made more money for the industry then on the actual sales of cars.
I find it difficult to believe that Lexus/Toyota would recommend a practice that is bad for the car. All this time spent on building a good reputation for long lasting vehicles, and they are going to throw it away on excessively long oil change intervals? That doesn’t make sense.
I have said it before, I have a coworker with an 07 civic that has 270k on it and oil changes were done when oil life monitor indicated they were due, and the intervals were as little as 7k miles and as many as 10k miles… The car runs great and burns no oil. It has never had engine work, the spark plugs were taken out at 100k miles, looked fine so they went in for another 100k. Thats right, 200k on spark plugs.
There is no reason to over maintain a car, it wastes your cash and natural resources.
If Toyota say 10k intervals, go with it. Bmws have 15k intervals, they are just fine.
@jtsanders " Toyota/Lexus would recommend a practice that is bad for a car "
Who says that my good man ? They have been long noted for very competent long lasting motors. I maintain they would do nothing to tarnish that reputation. Remember too, it is with synthetic while the shorter 5k is with mineral oil. Toyota takes a long time to change…they are very conservative.
Please read how Toyota differentiates between mineral and synthetic motor oil from their customer help.
http://toyota.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/7604/~/what-are-the-oil-change-intervals-using-synthetic-oil%3F