After about 60 miles today and about half an hour after I stopped I took a picture of the level.
The level is just above the maximum, but away from the X. Do you reckon another 700 miles before the service would be OK? Do I need to drain a bit of oil?
Eddy
It's far too easy to get paranoid regarding this subject, Eddy, resulting in grey hair if any remains that is.
The current oil stand shown in your picture above is perfectly acceptable and no doubt would remain so for a few thousand kilometres to come. There's certainly not a case to be built of needing to
drain down a bit as you state as (a) the oil level is perfectly acceptable and (b) what would you be hoping to achieve? Don't forget, a rising oil level is an indication of oil dilution i.e. diesel fuel in with the oil and draining down a bit would only result in having less - in terms of overall quantity - of the diluted mix. What remains, however, is still diluted oil. It's the reduced viscosity that actually sets the alarm bells ringing.
My advice would be to keep on driving, keep on enjoying your new car and periodically conduct routine checks just as you would with any other vehicle whilst bearing in mind that you are driving a modern diesel engine which, like all diesel motors, should be used sensibly. By that I mean don't use the car for the 2 mile trip to the shop for which a petrol engine is more suitable. Added to which, if you become aware that a 'regen' is taking place (it smells awful & current consumption jumps) don't switch off the engine until the process is complete - drive around the block a few more times if necessary.
I'll close on this oil theme by saying that I personally believe that the service intervals as stated by Mazda i.e. every 20,000km or annually are
way, way too optimistic. I could point you in the direction of a German forum where we are now on Page 210 and whilst there might well be the odd few who have managed to go the distance the vast majority have been obliged to undergo an interim oil change either as a result of the warning light illuminating or, like me, out of a feeling of insecurity. I have absolutely no desire to be left standing on the hard shoulder of a French motorway with the caravan in tow, or whilst heading off to the Alps for a bit of skiing, for the sake of a few Euros and so book the car into the workshop for an interim oil change (not filter) generally prior to the main summer holiday and again before the winter starts to bite equating to every 10,000km roughly.
