# Type of oil and oil change in a car that is not driven year round **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [March 14, 2009, 1:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738 "2009-03-14T13:42:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mustang07](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@mustang07](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mustang07)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 1:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738/1 "2009-03-14T13:42:34Z")
in 2007 I bought a new mustang gt. I had the oil changed at 500 miles for the break in period. I only put an average of 900 miles per year on my car because its not driven in the winter. My question is when should I have the oil changed and what type of oil should I use. ---
**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:** [March 14, 2009, 1:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738/2 "2009-03-14T13:53:10Z")
Use the oil specified in your owner’s manual as mandated for “severe use”. There should also be a time specified. Normally the manual will say X,000 miles OR X months, whichever comes first. You may want to add gas stabilizer to your gas tank also. ---
**Author:** ![mustang07](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@mustang07](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mustang07)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 2:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738/3 "2009-03-14T14:05:15Z")
I will look this info. up in the owners manual. When should the gas stabilizer be put in. when you park it for the winter or when I get it out in the spring. thanks for your response. ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 2:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738/4 "2009-03-14T14:35:48Z")
On the oil question. If the car is still under warranty, follow the mfg recommendation in the manual as to type of oil and change frequency based on time. It is likely XXXX mile or every 6 months whichever comes first. Have the paperwork, receipts, to document the oil changes. After the warranty period if you use a full synthetic you can stretch the change interval to every 12 months, or once a year. Synthetic oils do not deteriorate as fast as conventional oil. Add the “Stabil” (one brand of fuel stabilizer) to the gas tank and fill the tank before you park the car for its “rest” period. Make sure to drive, or run, the car for at least 10 minutes to be sure the stablized gas makes the trip from the tank into the motor. Stabilizer keeps the fuel from breaking down. Old gas leaves a varnish coating on the delicate parts of the fuel system, injectors etc. It is tough to remove. Either disconnect, remove, or but a “Battery Tender” charger on the battery while the car is resting. If you disconnect the battery it would be good to put a trickle charger on it every two months to prolong the life of the battery. I park a car for the winter and doing the above works well. I do try to run my car of a day during mid winter with the roads are clean. Washing and waxing the car before parking it helps preserve the paint. ---
**Author:** ![mustang07](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@mustang07](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mustang07)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738/5 "2009-03-14T14:59:20Z")
thanks for the advice. I never thought about the fuel stabilizer. I do start the car once per week in the winter and let it run until its warms up. What type of synthetic oil do you recommend. thanks ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738/6 "2009-03-14T15:17:02Z")
Mobil 1 is the best, but pretty much any brand name “full” synthetic is OK. Starting the car weekly is not the best practice. Better to let the car sit and when you start it let it warm up completely and take it out for a drive. Then park it again for a month or two. Get the fuel stabilizer and use it whenever a tank fuel of gas will be sitting in the car for longer than 4 months. Up to 4 months you are safe, over 4 months gas can start to deteriorate. When in doubt, add the stabilizer. ---
**Author:** ![mustang07](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@mustang07](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mustang07)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738/7 "2009-03-14T15:23:54Z")
ok. thanks for the advice ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738/8 "2009-03-14T18:20:54Z")
For readers of this post. If you were in the market for this model car lets say 5 years from now would you want this car or one with, lets say 25,000 miles on it?all else being equal. The only difference one was basically stored and one was operated at a low mileage figure. I do lean to the 25K car. 25K on the powetrain is still basically new and you don’t have to take any risk on some odd failure caused by storage. ---
**Author:** ![jsutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@jsutter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jsutter)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738/9 "2009-03-14T18:23:38Z")
When you park it for the winter. Put it in when you at the gas station before you fuel the car up. The fuel added after will stir it up in there and the drive home will get the stabilized fuel into the fuel lines. ---
**Author:** ![jsutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@jsutter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jsutter)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738/10 "2009-03-14T18:26:41Z")
If it looks like it was taken car of during that time. I would prefer the one with the lower miles. 5 years isn’t all that long. If it looks like the low miles were put on 1/4 mile at a time or it was 10 years old with the super low miles, it would be a different story. ---
**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:** [March 14, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738/11 "2009-03-14T18:38:36Z")
I’d go with the 25K car, I like something with enough miles to make me feel comfortable that all the things that need to stay wet were kept wet. Like cylinders, O-rings, gaskets, diaphragms, stuff like that. And the things that need to stay looses stayed loose, like brake calipers. But it’s really a toss up. I couldn’t fault anyone for going with the hyper low mileage vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738/12 "2009-03-14T18:40:36Z")
I’d change it once before you store it for the winter, then again when you bring it out for the spring/summer. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738/13 "2009-03-14T20:04:26Z")
900 miles a year?? Change it every 2 years and phony up any receipts you need if the warranty is an issue. Stop starting it during lay-up, you are doing more harm then good. Changing it every 6 months means you are just wasting your money and throwing away perfectly good oil…If you are IN LOVE with this car, change it, but save it and use it in your OTHER car… ---
**Author:** ![mustang07](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@mustang07](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mustang07)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/type-of-oil-and-oil-change-in-a-car-that-is-not-driven-year-round/27738/14 "2009-03-15T00:16:04Z")
thanks. thats what I am going to do