It depends

My last oil change on my 2008 Cayman S was in April 2011. I have only driven 2200 miles since then ( 8 months) and question should I change oil and filter now or wait until April 2012 as Porsche recommends. Thanks, Bob.

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Bob D
My last oil change on my 2008 Cayman S was in April 2011. I have only driven 2200 miles since then ( 8 months) and question should I change oil and filter now or wait until April 2012 as Porsche recommends. Thanks, Bob.

If you're planning to drive it through the winter, I'd wait until April since you haven't put very many mile on it.

If you're going to store it, I would change the oil before putting it into storage. That way, the inside of your engine is coated with clean oil instead of contaminated oil from your driving. That way, you car will also be ready to take out right away in Spring.

I think changing it now or in 4 months will have no effect whatsoever at all on your car (unless you plan on driving it 10,000 miles in those 4 months). But if it helps you sleep better, go for it.

Since you put so few mile son the car, it may also be that you drive it short distances. One thing to keep in mind is that when a car starts up, cold, it runs rich. Further, all cars create some acids and water as a by-product of combustion as they run, and some of that goes into the crankcase. If a car is run long enough it all gets > 212 degrees and much of that bad stuff boils off. But, if it doesnt get up there (fully warm) for, say 10+ minutes, it remains in the crankcase, where it 1) dilutes the oil and 2) corrodes the bearings and other surfaces.

There are two solutions:

1. always, or frequently anyway, run the car until good and hot to boil that $h1t off
2. if this is not reasonable, or you simply don't want to, then by all means change the oil more frequently - but in that case i'd say MUCH more frequently

Finally - and i don't have too much knowledge about these in particular - you might look for an oil designed for long drain intervals mandated in Europe. Some of the big manufacturers have specs to address this. I believe VW's is 505.something. I presume that they are tested both for long-term shear stability (not that you care at 2200 miles) and long term anti-corrosion properties (you DO care).

Grant

Grant

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