# Oil change on RV now or wait until winter is over? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** eurovan, volkswagen, oil\ **Created:** [December 9, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-on-rv-now-or-wait-until-winter-is-over/58475 "2010-12-09T17:01:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![passable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@passable](https://community.cartalk.com/u/passable)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-on-rv-now-or-wait-until-winter-is-over/58475/1 "2010-12-09T17:01:23Z")
My small RV (Rialta on a VW Eurovan chassis) is up for an oil change but we’re about to winterize it and it won’t be used again until March. Should I just wait until then to change the oil? ---
**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:** [December 9, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-on-rv-now-or-wait-until-winter-is-over/58475/2 "2010-12-09T17:03:07Z")
If it’s due I’d change the oil now, before you store it. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-on-rv-now-or-wait-until-winter-is-over/58475/3 "2010-12-09T17:21:57Z")
I agree, I’d change it now, then it’ll be ready in the spring. That way it’s not sitting there for months with maybe some condensation, contaminants, etc. in the oil. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-on-rv-now-or-wait-until-winter-is-over/58475/4 "2010-12-09T17:23:51Z")
For long term planning, an oil change now could be useful. I’ve read stories about engines falling apart after oil changes. If it falls apart now, you’ll have all Winter to decide what to do about it. Dreadful scenario, but it’s my idea of Christmas cheer and won’t happen. (Home Alone, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.) You could do almost anything and there is a half way to do it too. Change the oil with inexpensive stuff without changing the filter. Then change it again with the filter in Spring after you start it up. It’s what you would do if you flipped a coin and it stood on end. But wait! There’s more! You might consider doing the last oil change in October next year and letting the next one go until Spring, or do it in November. There’s a good sounding strategy everywhere and it will give you something to talk about when cousin-in-law Eddie shows up. Break out the Marty Moose punch bowl kit. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 11:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-change-on-rv-now-or-wait-until-winter-is-over/58475/5 "2010-12-09T23:45:18Z")
I’d do it now. If the oil is dirty, the dilutants from the blowby, the particulates, any contaminants, all are likely to be s slightly different weight than the oil and over time they’ll likely seperate out into strata. While it all might really be meaningless, you have nothing to gain by waiting. By the way, it’s December now and March isn’t really that far away. Cars sit on car lots longer than that.