Mileage Review: Is It Worth It?

Hello everyone,

It's often said that driving on the highway at speeds within a certain mid-range RPM range is relatively gentle on the engine and its components.
In contrast, miles driven when the engine is cold are generally not as beneficial.

Is there a general rule or factor that can be used to estimate the relationship between kilometers driven and vehicle type?
cold short distance: kilometers traveled multiplied by 2.
Warm highway at 130 km/h: kilometers driven / 2.

If the question is too silly, the moderator is welcome to close the thread again!

Matze.

Hello,

"In my opinion, the question is not stupid at all, but it's just as difficult to answer definitively as predicting the lifespan of an engine. I know a local business owner whose diesel car only drives short distances in cold conditions and receives oil changes every 5,000 km with standard oil. He previously had significant deposits in the engine. This doesn't happen with a company car driven mainly on highways, where regular or long-life oil changes are performed. It depends heavily on the specific usage conditions, but the difference in lifespan can be as much as 1:2 or even 1:4 between a car used for short distances in cold weather and one driven mostly on long trips. Another example is the timing belt and its associated components. In older cars that are mainly driven short distances, there's a potential risk of corrosion damage, and improvements made to subsequent production models (e.g., extended timing belt intervals due to better materials and design) are often not implemented."

Overall, it's a question that isn't easy to answer. The overall condition of the vehicle and its maintenance records provide most of the clues about what to expect.

Best regards,
Christian.

The reason for my question is as follows: I am currently a bachelor's student, and as is well known, there are theoretical and practical modules that alternate every quarter.
For my Bachelor's degree, I have a commute of 1.5 km (3 km per day), but for work, it's 95 km (190 km per day). And since I often have a lot of time to think while driving on the highway, this topic came to mind.

It would probably be most sensible to cycle to the authorities' office... but never mind.

Are there any findings or recommendations regarding whether an additional oil change might be beneficial given the varying driving conditions?

Hello Mazze22,
Of course, those 1.5 kilometers aren't exactly 'ideal' for your car engine; cycling or walking would certainly be a better option for that distance!
Best regards,
Günther.

Yeah, yeah, I know *blushing*. And the bicycle will definitely get more use during the summer semester.

but back to the topic, with an addition:

What is the best (optimal) speed for the engine in terms of longevity?
It probably won't be "Vollgas,"

Hello Matze22,
I usually drive on the highway with the engine running at approximately 2500 RPM, which corresponds to a speed of about 150 km/h.
Best regards,
Günther.

...so I'm doing it the other way around.
...on the highway, the engine is subjected to greater stress...(Leon TS TDI ASZ with chip tuning = 182 hp).
...and occasionally exceeding 200 km/h when traffic conditions allow.
...resulting in a high proportion of full throttle and engine speeds exceeding 3000 RPM.
Bitte gib mir den deutschen Text, den du übersetzt haben möchtest.
'Whether in the city or on country roads, I prefer to drive at a relaxed pace... using 5th or 6th gear and keeping the engine speed between 1000 and 1500 RPM.'
Bitte gib mir den deutschen Text, den du übersetzt haben möchtest.
...I think I'm getting a good balance (in terms of consumption and wear).
...but I think the lifespan of an engine also depends on factors that we cannot influence (manufacturing tolerances and the quality of the components used, etc.).
.....you can have bad luck or good luck ....regardless of the driving style .
Regards,
Best regards,
Greetings,
Cheers,
Warmly,
Sincerely,
(or simply)
Hi,
Hello,
Hey,
Love, (if appropriate)
XOXO, (if appropriate)
Monchi.