Stickyfinger wrote:AShh....the new PSA "Sealed for Life" engines that mate to their "sealed for life" gearboxes

I remember only too well that discussion.
It boils down unfortunately (at least, as I see it) to the T.C.O (total cost) and for large fleet buyers this is quite important. I think this is partly why service intervals were extended too. The fact the 'life' of the unit might only now be say 100,000 instead of 150,0000 does not matter to either party as it will be well beyond any warranty and well beyond its first owner by then. I should really say to be fair most manufacturers are doing this. I would agree modern oils go a long long way to help but...
I'd not dare leave a car I owned (note: owned as in had to pay for myself!) for any kind of 'fantasy' lubrication interval lol.

, oil = cheaper than a new engine.

, was it one of the Renault diesel units that had an 18K oil change interval at one point ? , Something tells me that got dropped back to 12K on later ones.
I also now note some later manual gearboxes do not have a level plug ( ! ) you are meant to drain and refill if you are not sure of the level. To be honest that is a step backwards as I do remember the first BE3 or BE5 units also were missing their level plug.
Regarding 'no drain plug in sump' I *think* its Jaguar but do not hold me to that I remember a tech who worked at Vauxhall telling me this a couple of years back.