Re: oil change in a new S4

[Eliot Lim <eliot@lanmola.engr.washington.edu>]

> I have ~3K miles on a 4 month old S4.  The manual clearly states that
> the 1st oil change is to be at 7.5K miles.

wow, that's news.  i thought turbos needed oil changes at 5K.  people
with turbos are known to change oil at 2.5K intervals.  i changed the
v8's oil at 1200 miles and there were lots of metal shavings in the
oil.  draw your own conclusions.

> Since this question has probably been discussed in excruciating
> detail, could please briefly someone summarize the different 
> theories ?

what is the s4's oil sump capacity?  if i had an S4 and it assuming
it holds the usual 4-5 quarts, i would be using castrol syntec
and changing it a 3K intervals.

> I have been of the belief that many folks change their oil as often as
> they do because they can and that it gives them a warm-fuzzy that
> their taking gook care of their car.

i know when my car wants an oil change.  the engine note coarsens
and sweetness at high revs is diminished.  an oil change always
restores that.  for the v8 with its 8.5 quart sump, that interval
is in the 4 to 5K range.  i'm on my second sump of syntec.

> I have always watched the oil level and changed filter/oil at somewhere
> between 5K and 10K miles.  

yow, good thing those are tough engines.

>I have never had any engine problems, but
> then again, I've never had a car with 100K+ miles before.

neither have i, but what can i say.. i'm a sucker for mechanical
sympathy. :-(
 
> One Dealer that I called said it is better to wait than change the oil
> 'early'.  His reasoning was that there is special "break-in oil" that,
> if change to non break-in oil, will prolong the break-in period.

doesn't a prolonged break in period also mean prolonged engine life?
i though audi stopped using break in oil years ago.. sometime in
85-86.  during that time, the break in oil had to be changed at 1K.


eliot