I get what Kev M is saying, "The early oil change cult is strong and hard to free the members." that is funny but true!

Anyway pretty much everything you hear about the best way to break-in a new car, how frequently you change the oil et al, is all anecdotal. Everyone has their own informed opinion. I believe it is safe to assume that modern cars and the synthetic oils that go in them are way better than they used to be in my day. And the 21,000 mile service intervals are probably okay--I'm sure JLR have done the due diligence and figured it satisfies the 50,000 mile warranty period or whatever it is.

If I were to lease the Defender, I certainly would not do any more than what JLR recommend. As I intend keeping the car for a while (I have owned my RRS for 8-9 years now, which is the longest i think I have ever owned a car), I will probably do my own oil change at around 1000 miles and doing so because I think it's better than waiting 20,000 miles and also, just because I can. Will it make the engine last longer? I have no f'n clue really. But it's not what I would call paranoia as Kev M put's it. I call it mechanical sympathy.

 

Being in this industry (mechanic and more importantly maintenance, repair, diagnostic data production) I've literally spent my professional life (decades) watching the trends from the OEM side. When does experience transcend anecdote? That's a whole debate in itself.

I would venture to say that to me the preponderance of the evidence suggests that early oil changes on modern produced vehicles are pointless, the earlier the more pointless. I say this based on anecdotes (both personal and professional), but also on very long term industry wide observation. I think we can all agree that no-one has as much vested interest in the long-term reliability of a motor vehicle more than the company whose sole purpose is to produce it and thereby make money and grow the brand. These same companies on a whole have been extending the maintenance intervals for decades, bit by bit.

We can make a safe presumption here that these companies all have not done this in a vacuum. They all have hundreds of thousands of test hours, engineers performing failure analysis, oil labs reporting on samples etc. I've seen the industry go from 3k maintenance intervals to 5k, 10k, and now up to 21k. And even that's not sudden. For instance brands like Jeep have been up to 10k on conventional oils for a decade or more. Air-cooled motorcycles 5k on same. Some EU brands where already beyond 15k on synthetics a decade ago.

Yet, I still run into people who are doing a break-in oil change or a 3k or 5k change on something that is now recommended double.

The answer is always the same - "because more often must be better." - but really IS IT? Can you change it too often? Well, probably not, other than the waste of $ and resources.

You see the same thing all over - "I use premium fuel" (on the thing rated for AKI 87 or 89, but are using 91 or 93) because greater must be better. But it's not, it doesn't make more power, it runs dirtier when there's insufficient compression or timing advance, and actually therefore gets worse mileage.

There's this huge universal assumption that if something is good, then more is better.

It's not true with Oxygen - too much will burn your lungs. We don't breath pure O2.

It's not true with Water either - you can actually die from drinking too much water in too short a period of time.

So I tend to buck against the theory that more is better. And professionally at least a part of my job has been to try and help dispel this same notion when it comes to early/often oil changes.

Don't get me wrong there are ABSOLUTELY instances where it is beneficial to do it early - extreme heat, dust, temperature swings will absolutely reduce oil life. But from 21k to 1k NAHHHH, probably not even from 21k to 10K. But I get the compulsion to want to do it early.

Who knows, I might break-down long before my oil and do it at 10k just because it's a nice round number. Maybe. But a part of me will feel foolish too.

 

Finally did first oil change on P300 2020 Defender. First, I really appreciate the entirety of the conversation on the subject of oil changes with newer engines and synthetic oil. Here are my short notes. By the way I had the dealer do an initial 5K change. I was getting ready for a very long road trip into very dusty conditions. I have decided to change the oil at 7500 miles and once again headed for a mega road trip starting out with some mild off-roading I tackled my first oil change.

The oil cap wrench I acquired and the 8.8 liter Mityvac made the task easy. The P300 is very similar to the P400 process and nice video from Umbertomb except quantities, filter and crazy curly dipstick. My manual states 7.02 liters on a change with oil filter-slightly less if the filter isn’t changed and more if it is initial fill. I believe this is accurate-based upon my experience. I had some trouble getting all the oil out as I believe I initially pushed the extraction tube too far in and curled it up a bit. This is a by feel process for sure-stop initially when you feel the tube touch bottom.

The filter housing is slightly different -it still has bypass valve in top and you still snap in new filter - there is also a spring loaded plunger down inside filter receptacle. I torqued it back in place to 28 NM as called for in manual. There was no accurate way to determine my oil level until I let it rest several hours. The curly stick on the P300 is slightly annoying in this respect. Not sure why they have that design.

I sourced oil and filters from Atlantic British out of NY. CoopersFiam genuine filter and Castro’s 0W-20 E which I couldn’t even get from dealer. Assenbaucher Specialty tools for filter wrench cap. I love standing up doing an oil change. I will stay at the 7500-slightly longer interval. Depending on my driving conditions. New technology aside, I do struggle with the thought of letting my Defender go 21K between changes.

 

@Freemey assume you noticed the over fill via the dipstick? Left my P300 at the dealer for an oil change and given your experience want to verify before I leave the dealer that it is not overfilled.

Thanks!

 

Yes Jaunci- found on dipstick on morning check after a sit overnight. Given my recent personal experience I have to say you really have to pay attention to how much is vacuumed out and if you just dump the given amount back in you will end up high if not careful. That’s probably what happened and in my experience I almost did it except I was waiting to get a good check before driving.

 

what model mighty vac are you using? Can you get it on Amazon?

 

I just did the first service at 10,900 miles. It said the service was due soon on the dash… dealer said I was early.

it was $1100 which is pretty high IMO.

should I have just done an oil change and waited on the rest?

 

How much is just an oil change?

 

If you have a P300 I'll send you my old Mightyvac for free. I have never used it since we sold our LR4s and I was going to throw it out. It certainly paid for itself after 40 LR4 oil changes. Just send me a PM with your name & address.

If you have a P400 you need the OEM tools model 24938 extractor with 9.5 liter capacity. Amazon no longer sells it but just look it up in Google and find another seller.

 

Bill Walton
11 Nassau dr
lawrenceville NJ 08648
917-439-3271

shoot me your Venmo so I can reimburse for postage. Thank you so much! Bill.