Oil Changes

[trashmanssd]

Suplex. I'm with you. I have toy car non DD 2-3000 miles a year do oil change my self and oil and filter look brand new when I do it once year before I store it for the winter.

[Frank in MD]

Originally Posted by suplex

Some very good information here. With my situation I don't put a lot of miles on my car to begin with. I believe that my mechanic puts in a Synthetic Blend. I usually get an oil change once per year (due to the Synthetic and low mileage).

My last oil change was in April of 2013, and as of January 2014 it says 60% Oil Life Left. I feel I should probably be just fine waiting until April again, I only have three more months to go.

Even with Synthetic and Low Miles, I still wouldn't wait longer than one year (even if the oil life monitor was still relatively high). I know cars today don't need the old fashioned "3 months or 3,000 miles" like yesteryear's cars did, but going longer than one year...even if the car could handle it...is just something I can't do.

GM agrees w/ you. If you read the manual (Section 11, I believe), it says do not exceed 10 months w/out changing the oil.

[st33v]

I change the oil every 3K. Oil life is usually 75%+.

[rock1962]

I go 3500 miles or every 4 months always have always will

[jd10013]

Originally Posted by AMERICANMADE

Always have made it a habit of no more than 3500 including the filter. I haven't found too many mechanics that will tell you 5000. If I don't hit that mileage in 3 or 4 months I change it regardless. Keeping your oil fresh is the cheapest insurance you can get. I have never followed what reads on the dash board.

then you know a lot of dishonest mechanics. 3k or 3 months is a standard set back in the 60's. completely obsolete, even with dino oil. do what you want, it's your money, you can waste it however you best see fit. but with any decent synthetic blend anything sooner than 5k is just a waste. 7500 where it should be changed.

[DennisW1284]

I get it changed every 6 months, or when the computer oil life gets to 20%. That seems to work fine.

[the_fast_one]

I had mine changed at 1500 then when my motor was built at 7k miles. I'm at 11700 miles now and will probably get it done when it comes out of hibernation in a few months. I change it between 6-7500 miles, if that was good enough for my p car it's good enough for the camaro. Hell in my national guard unit we have trucks with 30k miles and are still on the new oil.

[VR Baron]

About every 5-6000 miles on Mobil 1. Monitor is at about 20% by then. Stop and go 16 miles a day, freeway on the weekend and auto crossing 4-5 times a year.

[TooCool5]

On my Bonneville's I never went more than 3,500 miles on an oil change.

With the Camaro and the low mileage I drive I either do it once a yr or
4,000- 4,500 miles regardless of the monitor. Even that seems like pushing it to me but the synthetics extend the life of the oil.

[Da Mammer]

I just want to throw out there that I used to always do 3k miles on all my previous camaros and I probably would if the ls3 only held a standard 5 quarts or so, but since this hog takes 8 quarts every 5k miles should be just fine. My life indicator has never dropped below 55% tho..

[AMERICANMADE]

Originally Posted by jd10013

then you know a lot of dishonest mechanics. 3k or 3 months is a standard set back in the 60's. completely obsolete, even with dino oil. do what you want, it's your money, you can waste it however you best see fit. but with any decent synthetic blend anything sooner than 5k is just a waste. 7500 where it should be changed.

Thanks for setting me straight.

[Avgas]

I dont put enough miles on my car to change it more than twice a year.

Always change your oil before you park your car for the winter! Leaving used oil in the engine can cause etching of the bearings and lead to serious damage. Very bad to leave used oil in an engine.

[2012-1822]

Before these oil life meters were hitting cars, I asked a friend of mine this question more or less. He was a manager at a chain oil place. This was after oil companies were starting to advertise their oil could last longer and what not. My friend said "Every 3000 miles" and I said but, blah blah, he again went with 3000 miles.

You have to figure in his case that he may have been a manager at one of these joints, but he wasn't an overly educated individual. It behooves a company like that to get you to come back more often. So corporate sends the word down to make sure every knows that if they don't do it every 3 months or 3000 miles that the world will come to an end.

I asked the guy at my dealership what you are asking about this car. His said with synthetic, every 5000 miles. It's the same conundrum. They want us in there as often as possible, more money for them. But, it turns out that 5000 miles for me, except the first couple of oil changes, is 80% of the life used up anyway. So I've gone about every 5000 miles and I'm watching the life meter just because.

[Trob85]

I usually do it once every year before spring had the car 2 years only put 3000 miles on her but there not gentle all the time it's seen a lot of redline in the summer I just give it a refresh before race season.