I reset my "Trip B" mileage counter whenever I top off the engine oil.

 

Just check the dipstick every 500 miles or so and you should be set. Once you get the hang of how many miles between adding oil, you dont really have to worry about it at all. I know every 900 miles or so it's time to add 1/2 a quart.

 

We need to relax about the oil thing. It burns a little oil yes but my rx-7 did take a quart every 1000 km (600 miles) and i loved that car to death.

 

Both good points. I'm just suggesting an easy way to keep track of the mileage between top-offs. Doing it every third tank or so works, too, but I submit that my way is a little easier and more precise, since it depends a bit less upon my lousy memory.

 

What does the owner's manual say?

 

It says to check the oil every time you fill up the gas.
At 200 miles a tank in my case, that's way too often.

After 5000 miles I have settled on checking/top off at every 1000 miles. I am ussually a 1/2 quart down at that point.

 

Hmmmmm. All this talk about adding oil, and my 8 has not had to be topped off at all in 1,700 miles...............

 

Mine either.....finally had to around the 2200 mile mark. So, mine is not burning oil that badly! I check about every 800 miles or so just to be safe.

 

I don't use it either, I wonder if the autos reqiure less oil consumption?

 

That must be it, because I'm at about 1200 miles and haven't had to top it off at all yet! (I've got an A/T)

 

I've had to add about 3/4 so far of oil... I've got about 4000 miles in 2 months and 7 days of driving. Gosh dang, that's a lot of mileage I've put on the car.. ack, maybe buy a second one ready...

 

I will admit to driving the car.. spiritedly :D

Seriously though, I put in a little oil every 2000 miles and havent had problems with that. Just hit 10K this morning.

BTW, drove to the keys for the weekend and got a pretty decent 24.2 MPG while running the AC the entire drive. Was raining the whole drive down and back up, but weather was good enough while we where there.

 

It seems that the oil drinking aint quite as bad as people think. Its more to do with the fact that if you let your piston engine run VERY low then you will normally get away with it. On a rotary you probably wont get away with it. So they put so much fear in you that you never go too low.

BTW, Mazda technical reckon that after about 5-6K miles you should find that the oil consumption goes down so it wont need to be topped up so often.

Mike

 

From what I've read, you use more oil the more "spirited" you drive. Therefore, easy on the gas pedal = lower oil consumption.

 

True ... but I like to drive my 8 like its meant to be and its still pretty good for oil. (I am only getting 12-14MPG of fuel out of it as I have a heavy right foot)

Mine is a UK Hi-Power model so whether the tuning differences over this side of the atlantic makes a difference, I dont know.

 

Oil costs what, $2 a quart? It's insane worrying about excess oil burn during spirited driving.

I found myself about a quart down after 2000 miles. Going forward I figure I'll need to throw in an extra quart midway between oil changes and I'll be fine.

 

You should check the oil every 1000 miles regardles of what kind of car you driving. Why? Because you never know what could happen during your driving. This way your always safe. After a while becomes a habit. I would hate to see any car burn out because of low oil, and especially my RX8!

 

My oil light came on at only 1000 miles after my last oil change. I was down easily a quart.
I will be watching it much more closely now.