Is it imperative to follow the maintenance schedule for oil changes during the lease? I switched to synthetic oil for the first oil change. Been about 5000 miles since last oil change. Thanks.

 

Do as you would any other car. Lease does not matter. Whatever interval you believe in, do it. Some are super strict 3000mi. no matter what, others say with synthetic you can go 7500mi or more.

There are quite a few threads on this.

 

The short answer I would think is yes. If you do not follow the recommended intervals and you have engine trouble because of it, you will be responsible.

As stated there are numerous threads about oils and intervals around here that may help you decide which oil and interval are best for you

 

"IMPERATIVE to follow recommended" = short answer yes? NO. Anyone with a little common sense and faint sense of car knowledge knows that you are not going to have engine failure by adjusting oil change intervals. Hence the reason for all of the threads we are both referring to. Some are going 7500+ miles which is double the RECOMMENDED interval (at least for normal driving). Lastly, I think it would be more imperative if you bought the car, not a lease. IF you did get lazy and were supposedly "causing engine damage" it would never be apparent in the low mileage of lease ends.

OP - Again, do what you want within reason and your driving habit. Check out the other threads. My personal would say if you are an average driver using a name brand dino oil, 3-5k intervals. If you go synthetic 5-7500+.

 

7500 IS one of the recommended intervals. I am one of those that go 7500 miles on my oil as well, Pennzoil Ultra. I had UOAs dne on my oil for 4 consecutive changes before I settled on that interval with that oil.

Going over 7500 is where you enter a grey area if you have engine trouble down the road.

 

Agreed.

The recommended 7500mi. states ONLY for highway driving in temperate conditions. <--I don't think that applies to most.

Except as we have stated with synthetic.