[ronto]

As you can see, I don't use my 2.5L 2009 RAV much. I presently have Mobile 1 0-20W in my engine. The oil is not what I would call dirty but not clear either.
In 2 years I put on 2,000 miles. Thinking of changing the oil and filter just because it seems like a long time for the same oil or does time make no difference for synthetic oil? There are no warranty issues involved.
Good idea or not?

 

[Octane]

synthetic oil does degrade less rapidly than conventional oil, but it still does, I would change it, cheap insurance!

 

[Dr. Dyno]

I don't know that any oil degrades measurably just sitting in the oil pan. I'd leave it, synthetic or not.

 

[Blogson]

As Dr. Dyno suggests, it's probably not necessary to change the oil. The only exception for me would be if the RAV had been driven mostly on very short trips.

 

[Beaumont67]

This is a gray zone. The oil companies say: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080818230453AA7K19r

"3000 miles or 3 months". But what if I only have 100 miles on my classic cobra every 3 months?

On Mobil1 website (or was it Valvoline website...) they say that old classic cars not driven much should still get AT LEAST 1 oil change per year.

===
I am in your shoe. And I don't drive that much. And given the synthetic oil have much better oil additive to stabilize them I only change them once a year.

But the reality is that I should really change it AT LEAST once 6 months - because dirty oil (even with few thousand miles) get acidic and can cause the engine parts to rust / corrode.

This is one of my few dirty secret. I know better and yet...

good luck....

P.S. Synthetic oil is basically very pure oil. And the major difference is that they DON'T break down (not due to time nor from temp). Actually it is the impurities in conventional oil that breaks down. But they still get dirty and the "blow by" makes them acidic over time. That is the ONLY reason why then can't be filtered and used forever. And even with better pH stabilizers added, they will eventually cause the engine to corrode if not changed out.

^^^ IMO - time to change oil, just cheap insurance !!

 

[tibadoe]

I would change the oil & filter out.

 

[pico]

Similar situation here. I have four vehicles and hardly use the RAV4. 2011 V6, only 5,117 miles.
Having it changed tomorrow anyway.

I give oil a maximum life of 12 months once it's in the engine, even if not run,
and half that if it is subjected to temperatures below 32°F.

P.S. Synthetic oil is basically very pure oil. And the major difference is that they DON'T break down

But they do from polymer shearing. Check out the Shear Stability Index (SSI).

 

[MrPulldown]

Once driven the oil then contains contaminates that break the oil down. General rule of thumb is to change dino oil every six months and Syntheic oil every year, despite the number of miles driven. Or so they say.

I had a camper van filled with mobile 1, for about 4 years, and 9k before I changed the oil. No ill effects as far as i can tell.

Black stone labs, has a story about a nissan truck that NEVER had its oil changed. Something like 100K and 10 years. The lab results show that the oil was basically fine.

i think that we as a society, change their oil way too often.