Oil change interval for my situation

I may be too anal about oil changes so here’s my specifics. I only drive the truck 5000 miles or less a year. My job is less than a mile away and during the cold winters I do a lot of idling and short trips. Only do much highway driving in the fall during bird hunting season. I like to put fresh oil in at the start of winter and drain it out in the spring. I’m thinking one oil change a year in the spring would be enough. Am I just wasting money with the low miles being driven or is it a worthwhile precaution to do what I’m doing? Thanks

 

Definitely. I have a car like this that gets driven about the same amount, all short trips. Oil gets changed yearly no matter the mileage.

 

If that was my use case, I’d be doing exactly what you are. Those short cold winter trips are tough on the oil. I’d want fresh oil come spring.

 

I think you are right on. I keep to 5k mile oil/fitler changes on my vehicles.

 

What I’m wondering is if I change it in the spring should I leave it in for the winter rather than changing again in the fall. Seems dumb to be changing it at 2000 or so miles all the time

 

If I did it would be one change per year rather than two. My dealers service advisor thinks changing it twice a year with the low mileage is unnecessary

 

Lots of sports car forums (BMW, Porsche, etc.) go with annual oil changes for low mileage cars.

 

This! 6 months is fine for age and the cold weather short trip thing seals the deal for me.

Oil's just not that expensive. Maybe just do the filter every 10k but I'd swap the oil for sure like OP's already doing

 

I’d do 6months, just because of all the idling. Your engine is still running, and trace amounts of gasoline are getting into your oil. But then again, I plan on keeping my truck forever.

 

If you're paying a dealer to do this its overkill. I don't care for mystery bulk oil and Paper Toyota oil filters. With the money saved you can buy the best Amsoil filter and your choice of 0W-20

 

Cheap to do 5k mile intervals LOF...cost of ownership. It'll be the last truck you own that way

 

I'd stick with every 6 months regardless of milage, unless of course you didn't drive it for 6 months after changing it. Short trips are actually worse than long ones, especially in the winter. Its what Toyota refers to as "special operating conditions" along with idling.

https://support.toyota.com/s/article/What-are-the-oil-chan-7604?language=en_US

 

I would change oil every 6 months no matter what. Even if it's low miles. It's tough on your engine to do short trips. It's better to use conventional oil and change every 6 months rather than use synthetic and do once a year based on your usage.

 

Ditto^^^^ Make sense in this instance.......

 

I average 5 to 6K a year and this is mostly highway driving (80%). I change at 5k or 1 year, whichever comes first.

However, like many have stated prior, in your case OP I would change every six months regardless of mileage because of the short tripping.

 

I do 6k a year and change my oil every 12 months.