# Oil change for seasonal car

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-for-seasonal-car/2659>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [August 5, 2007, 4:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-for-seasonal-car/2659 "2007-08-05T16:12:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![papakim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aeb1de/32.png) [@papakim](https://community.cartalk.com/u/papakim)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2007, 4:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-for-seasonal-car/2659/1 "2007-08-05T16:12:36Z")

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I have owned a 2001 TT roadster since 2000. I put approximately 4,000 miles on it per year. My question is, if I change the oil once per year should I change it just before covering up for the winter or just after I put it back on the road in the spring?

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**Author:** ![Beadsandbeads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Beadsandbeads](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beadsandbeads)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2007, 4:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-for-seasonal-car/2659/2 "2007-08-05T16:23:36Z")

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Before you store it.

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**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2007, 7:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-for-seasonal-car/2659/3 "2007-08-05T19:42:35Z")

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In spring, as you make it roadworthy again.

Actually, this question is a candidate for our doesn’t-really-matter award.

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**Author:** ![mshugna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@mshugna](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mshugna)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-for-seasonal-car/2659/4 "2007-08-05T19:48:33Z")

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I would change the oil and do any other maintenance before storage…then any contaminants in the oil wouldn’t sit-in-place for the down time…that is how I store my snowblower and generator during the off season.

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**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2007, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-for-seasonal-car/2659/5 "2007-08-05T23:02:12Z")

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I have a car with a similar use pattern. I change its oil every spring after I’ve driven it once or twice.