This F-150 gets oil changes every 10 years or 100,000 kms, whichever comes first

This is the second oil change in this truck’s 20 year existence and it’s got the rusty oil filter to prove it.

During my brief tenure at a quick lube oil change center my manager wisely told me that “you can never force a customer into an oil change and technically, cars never really need an oil change.” I see the wisdom in those words every time I blog about uncommon cases like this.

According to 30-year Canadian mechanic and Redditor SchnitzelSchuluzee, a 1999 Ford F-150 owner came in for its decennial oil change. I’m not making this up, this truck gets its oil changed every 10-years or 100,000 kilometers, whichever comes first.

As proof, here’s the thread here, including a shot of the rusty oil filter.

Old guy with a 1999 F150 changes the oil every 10 years or 100,000 km , whatever comes first! from r/Justrolledintotheshop

According to this mechanic, the only reason he posted this anomaly of an oil change on /r/JustRolledIntoTheShop is because it’s the oldest and worst oil filter he’s ever seen on a daily driver.

Allegedly, this Ford F-150 gets driven mostly on the highway and, when the oil is getting low, gets topped off. When it came time to unscrew the oil filter, he expected the filter to be almost seized on, but it only took a simple twist to get it off.

And, as you’d expect, “the oil came out like molasses.”

Under the hood of this truck is one of millions of 2-Valve 4.6L Triton V8s lurking under the hoods of Ford products since 1990 all the way as late as 2014.

According to Ford Truck owners, the 4.6L is one solid engine known for its reliability, ease of maintenance, and usable power when given the most basic of maintenance.

It’s no wonder that, although uncommon and not recommended for anyone who actually needs their trucks, this engine is lasting as long as it is.

When this truck’s oil change was finished and it came time to start it up, according to this mechanic, “It sounded fine afterwards, amazingly.”

It’s my personal belief and an opinion shared by the majority of car enthusiasts that you should follow your owner’s manual to the T for basic maintenance like oil changes.

Engineers, knowing that there are always outliers, do engineer these workhorse engines with several degrees of safety and reliability baked in so I’m not at all surprised this engine is still ticking.

I fully expect this F-150 to roll in for its third oil change in 2030.