I'm new to this site and I'm sure this has been asked before. I recently purchased a Crossfire Coupe... I enjoy the way it drives and especially enjoy the look on friends faces trying to work out what it is when I turn up in their driveways... they aren't common in Australia. When I took delivery of the vehicle the salesmen said I needed to get the first service done at 1,000 km to get the oil changed. However upon ringing the nearest Chrysler service centre he instructed me the first service was not at 1,000 km's but in fact 12,000 km's. So I am confused right at this minute, can anyone shed some light on this for me please.

Regards.

 

Hi THINKINGofXF, to answer your question, I think the service center was correct. My opinion, You should change your oil before that, maybe around 6,000 km's, especially if you're in a dusty area. You know, like AUSTRALIA! After all, summer is just around the corner...Mike

 

My owner's manual says that the Flexible Service System (FSS) is pre-set for the first oil change at 7,000 miles, which translates to 11,290 km, so your Chrysler dealer is correct.

<soapbox>
There seems to be this fallacy (here in the US, at least) that one must change oil every three months or three thousand miles. I think this is a load of crap because the people that are telling you that are the guys that make money selling you oil or doing oil changes! Do the oil changes at the intervals specified in the owner's manual or by the FSS. The guys that built the car know a whole lot more about what it needs than the guys at "Jiffy Lube." In the long run you will save money and the world will be a little cleaner because there will be eight less quarts of dirty motor oil around.
</soapbox>

Case in point: My '97 Prelude gets oil changes every 7,500 miles. It has 199,000 miles on it, still runs strong, and doesn't show any signs of stopping in the near future (excepting maybe the clutch, but that's another story ).

 

BOBS, About 10 years ago I worked for a company that had a small fleet of 4 cyl. Chrysler Mini vans that got about 250 to 300 miles put on them every day. The one that I drove was a '93 and it had 315k on it when I started working for them. They were religious about changing oil every 3k, would even reprimand you if you went a little over. I thought it was pretty wasteful to do it because all the driving was on the highway and the miles were being put on rather quickly.
Anyway, the company changed hands and one of the first things the new owners did was change the oil change intervals on the fleet to save a few bucks. Now I spent about 1400 miles a week in that van so I got to know it pretty well, and almost immediately after they went to changing the oil every 7,500k the old 4 cyls. started to "rattle". Actually they started getting nosier before they turned up 4k. Of course this was using reg. oil, not synthetic.
Soon after that I quit the company, but within about 6 mos. I started seeing them driving "new" vehicles.
You're probably correct, when you say it's OK to go the 7k before changing oil because I doubt if THINKINGofXF will keep their car for over 100k, but who knows? But they do live in Australia, and it can get a little warm down there. A little dusty too I might add, and I think that could just qualify as "extreme" conditions under D/C's warranty coverage. That's why I suggested changing more often. Oh and by the way, haven't you heard of recycling? It's free!

(I too had one of those hi-mile Hondas, a '93 Civic with 200k on it. I gave it to my niece because she wrecked her car. She now has over 225k, it's still going strong, but the rear quarter panels have long since dissolved).

 

I'll probably have my first one done next spring, car should have only about 3,500 miles by then and I don't feel right about waiting for 7,500 which would be over a year from now. My yearly mileage will be around 5,500 to 6,000 miles and when I owned PT's I had it done twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring.
Pat

 

Thanks people for your feedback. I think I will play in the middle of the field of the recommendations by the dealer and the chrysler service guy and get the oil changed between 5,000-7,000 kms (not miles). I have the xfire on a work lease for 3 years and 15,000 kms a year so no the car will not see 100,000 kms under my ownership.

P.S. People we aren't all outback hicks here in australia like crocodile dundee. I live in Sydney a major world city of nearly 4 million people with the same road system as major American cities with little to zero dust, but yes it can get hot here in summer up to your 100F in the really boiling hot days in January.

Regards
Scott.

 

To: Scott, no insult was intended. My wife lived in Melbourne for about 2 years, and I was simply going by what she has told me in the past. That it can get pretty hot and dry in OZ. Hot and Dry = Dust in most "American" cities.

 

+fireamx,
Point well taken about running synthetic oil. I run Mobile-1 in every internal combustion engine I own (including my lawn mower) and it makes a difference. One of the reasons I said what I said was because the good folks at Mercedes-Benz also recognize the benefits of Mobile-1 otherwise they wouldn't have put that sticker in the engine bay. And yes, Recycling oil is a good thing (tm) .

I understand what he's going through in Australia. I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, which is very similar, weather-wise to what thinking of crossfire deals with in Sydney. We just didn't have such a cool harbor. One of theses days when California slides off into the ocean we might, but not now...

Bob...

 

Hi Bob, I may have been a little hasty with my comment about the entire Continent of Australia being "dusty". Sydney could very well be similar to S. Fla.which is mostly crushed sea shells, and not really dusty when compared to most other USA cities. You know, the ones that actually use "soil" as a foundation. (Now I'm going to hear from the Floridians). What I found most interesting about Scotts rebuttal was his mention of "hicks" and Croc. Dundee. Terms none of us "Yanks" used in our posts. I sincerely hope he actually doesn't think that's the image we all have of Australians.
We've all seen Mad Max, so he can rest assured we know what it's really like "down under"...Mike

 

Hey guys, no offensive taken on the dust issue. I was just having a bit of fun with that thought. I think I will leave it too the FSS to advise. All the best.

 

I'll let you know if we start sliding in, here on the WEST COAST! As for oil changes 3,500 - 5,000 is ok with Mobil 1 normal driving. As long as you're not racing all day long!