Hopefully, I should be taking delivery of a new MX5 next week (first brand new car for 20 years). The car will be a long term keeper. As a ‘mature’ driver, an oil & filter change before the first 1000 miles was always considered normal. I have read a variety of sometimes conflicting views on this topic. Is there a general consensus out there?
Not required.
But it will not do any harm, so if it makes you happy do it.
I thought new cars had a break in oil from the factory.
If you go putting a very good oil in too soon you might stop the rings bedding in properly which
could lead to oil use.
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I have also read that. See what I mean about conflicting views?
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Not any more, things have changed.
yes change it.
There are NO conflicting views. There are no mainstream manufacturers that tell you to change the oil at 1,000 miles.
Everybody else is winding you up. Again I say, if it makes you feel better do it and don’t read any more posts on here.
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I understand your point re. mainstream manufacturers but perhaps they are not interested in engine longevity for obvious reasons?
Modern engines and modern oils are superb for long life.
Maybe not so superb for the rest of the car with cheaper, thinner paint, and electronics too complex.
As always, simply keep the throttle loading light and let the engine explore the rev range. Avoid slogging; don’t change gear too low in the revs.
I did 205,000miles in my Astra 1.4SE commuter box over eleven years, oil changed every 9k as per schedule, always dealer serviced, and the only reason I eventually scrapped it at fourteen was bits fell out of the clutch for its first ever breakdown; adding new tyres and brakes for the next MOT, it would have cost twice as much as the car was worth to fix it. It owed me nothing.
But the engine was still perfect and using much less oil than when brand new. ie 1litre for 4k vs 1litre for 1K when new. And nicely bedded in by all the motorway driving, it was doing its best mpg as well.
Not strictly true in all case but true for the vast majority. BMW M cars, like my F10 M5, required an oil change at 1,000 miles because those V8 engines did have a break-in oil from the factory. At the time I had the M5, BMW would not honour the 3-year warranty if this oil service did not happen or appear on the service history, as failing to do it led to increased engine wear.
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Oil is cheap. Engine’s are not.
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Don’t know if it makes any difference at all these days on modern cars.
I did mine after about 4K miles, but that was probably not necessary, just a result of being brainwashed on forums lol
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It certainly wouldn’t hurt to do a running in oil change but I thought it was uneccessary for many manufacturers nowadays. If it was a condition of warranty they’d make it clear from the outset.
I never do more than 10k a year so I do mine every year on every car without fail. If I did hit 10k I change it regardless of how long it’s been. If it’s a car I drive hard or particularly care for I’ll probably halve that if it’s actually seeing enough use. I’m not bothered about dealer history but do document everything. Longlife oils sound good but I’d rather use a regular oil and change more often than a dearer longlife oil left in for longer.
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Interesting video here with what appears to be scientific analysis & data. The presenter has an irritating voice but that aside………
0w8 
that’s some seriously thin oil when cold, imagine when it’s up to temp…
Makes you wonder nowadays, seems like protection and longevity is being sacrificed in the name of marginal gains in fuel economy and environmental friendliness. But engines that don’t last the test of time aren’t environmentally friendly at all.
A good point well made. I suspect there are some out there who won’t be happy until the only mode of personal transport available will be feet, bicycles or horses.
In addition, the current trend for PCP car finance or leasing results in a new car every 3 or 4 years which even if an EV isn’t exactly environmentally sound. I believe it is also having an effect on the used car market because some people don’t take care of ‘their’ cars because they will only keep them for the length of the contract.
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At that point all the activists will have to wait a long time for their new iPhone 27 to come from the factory in China 
I totally agree, we have a government that wants revenue and economic stimulus of buying new cars every few years, whilst also wanting you to buy electric, whilst also wanting you to be kinder to the environment. What do they actually want?
I always say keep an old car going and you’re doing your part. Fix don’t bin, repair don’t replace. But that’s not the confused society we live in 
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I have a Jaguar F-Pace which uses 0W30 oil, which my independent mechanic describes as p***. The oil is so thin the oil pump struggles to get a decent oil pressure at startup so he recommends I let the engine idle for a bit before driving off to allow the pressure to build. As soon as the car is out of extended warranty we will swap it for 10W40. As @Dean_S550 says it is all to achieve emissions targets.
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My Suzuki Dealer Service Manager informed me that the 1400cc Turbo Hybrids, like the new one I was picking up that day that these Japanese versions, as opposed to the Asian built 1200cc Turbo Hybrids, are test bench run for an hour with bedding-in lube, drained, then refilled with the handbook 0-20 which is supposed to be their forever diet. If so…that’s remarkable Quality Control but perhaps one of a list of Suzuki factory sourced reasons why the partially hand built ( apparently?) thing cost me 23k and why I had to wait 4 months for it. I don’t care though…its the best SALOON 
car I’ve owned in 50 years bar my Opel Monzas.
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Thing is though Dean…I thought similar as you but Swift Hybrids and normal inductioned versions are racking in 150k…180k miles in the UK on 0-20. I’d never heard of the stuff till I took delivery last year. Seems…as long as the mill gets it’s new oil as per handbook, they just don’t burn. Sounds a bit familiar!
I’vr got a tub of expensive Millers 20-30 unused and asked in the Swift OC if I could economise by handing it in for it’s first service in 2 months and they nearly chopped my dangles off! Turbo bearings do not like anything much other than handbook.
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