Your DD's Oil Consumption

[Dangermouse]

After reading a thread on my minivan forum, I checked my oil level and found it was at least 1.5 qts low, after 4500 miles from last oil change (on a car with only 38k on it).

I thought this was a shocking oil consumption in this day and age, but the forum members seem to accept it as an average of 1 qt per 3000 miles. But, like here, they are blinded by their love ;)

(this is a 2010 Dodge minivan with a recommended oil change interval of 3000, and now I understand why! My other DD (the M-B) has an electronic interval based on usage which started off at 13,000 - which seems like a lot :) )

As this forums members have a range of DD's, what consumption do you see and is this 1qt/3000 miles typical in other marques?

[dmc6960]

~3000 Mile Oil Consumption....

1981 DeLorean - ~120,000 miles (rebuilt at ~105k), 1/4 qt at MOST
2002 Dodge Intrepid ES (3.5L) - 165,000 miles ~1 qt
2007 Pontiac Grand Prix (3.8 N/A) - 32,000 miles >2 qt

Its a good thing that Pontiac has a low oil sensor (wife's car), because I've caught it warning at absurdly frequent intervals. I'd swear its leaking oil or flat out burning oil but if it is its never enough to even get one drip on the garage floor or have even the slightest odor in the exhaust.

[dvonk]

maybe the neighbors are stealing your oil... :lol:

[Bitsyncmaster]

My daily driver (2005 Malibu) will now use about 2 qts. between oil changes (about 10 Kmiles). It has 170 K miles on the odometer. It displays oil change intervals from 100% down to 0% so I just add a quart at 50%.

I see little drip marks on my driveway where I park but I susspect it may be burnning some oil. No smell or other indications of oil burn.

My D never seems to use oil but that only gets a few thousand miles between oil changes.

[Chris4099]

I go through a quart about every 5K miles on my 05 MINI (oil changes are once a year at about 10K miles). Been doing that since new and appears to be normal with other MINIs too. I now have a minor leak at the oil pan gasket, but it doesn't seem to effect the rate of loss or leave any noticeable drops on the garage floor.

Most manufactures will typically have an acceptable rate of loss before they will consider it an issue. Might want to look into that and see if you can still get it covered under warranty (assuming it's still good).

[Stainless]

1999 Jeep Cherokee: no oil loss between changes every 3,000 miles
2007 Mazda 6: no oil loss every 5,000 miles
1981 DeLorean: no oil loss during after 2,000 miles last year

Perhaps I'm just lucky. I fill them and forget about it. It's nice :)

[Sidaries]

1999 VW Passat: Depends on oil. Sometimes no oil loss, sometimes about 1 liter / oil change period, which is 15000km (9300 miles)
1981 Delorean: No oil loss. Oil change every year (2-3000 miles).

[Dracula]

My DeLorean leaks a little; about 1/4 of a quart every 7,000 miles, since I switched to synthetic.
My Eldorado is holding strong, but I've only put 2,000 miles on the car and there is a minor valve cover gasket leak.
My Dodge Monaco develops a puddle on the floor if its let sit for a month or so.

The worst I've ever had for oil consumption was a 1979 Coupe De Ville that would use a quart of oil per fill-up, but she had 230k on her and with 20 mpg and a 25 gallon tank, it was about every 500 miles. Towards the end of my tenure with that car, I didn't change the oil any more. I just kept adding to it. Were it not for multiple deer committing suicide by Cadillac, I'd probably still be driving that car.

[outatym2001]

So on January 1, 2012 I started with an engine with the proper amount of oil.
Since then I traveled 2,432 miles and had to add another quart. I know I have a slight oil leak at the timing chain cover area. Yes, my DeLorean is my daily driver.