Need Help Oil Change Service

[Ro1and]

OK guys, I have a 2014 Camaro LT with 3,541 miles (bought it at 7 miles) with oil life remaining at 53% left... which is almost half gone right?
Well the Indictor has not come up yet telling me its time for an oil change. I thought that every 3000 miles you need a oil change, maybe until 5000 miles with todays oils technology. But Im worried about the oil remaining on my car.
I decided to call the dealership Service where I bought my car and they told me not to worried until the oil level is at 15% .......What tha!!???? is that true?
please help... Also can I go to another Chevrolet dealership to change my oil or do I have to go to where I bought my car?? Thanks guys.

[gajagfan]

I did our first oil change around 3K miles, and now do one every 5K.

[c5z28]

Don't worry about it. 3000 is for old cars that had carbs that would get a little fuel in the oil because of the fuel getting past the rings. Your engine is tighter and doesn't wash the cylinder in fuel so it's fine.
I change my oil in my tacoma at 4000
My camaro with it's large capacity for oil at 5000

[babaron]

If you believe what some others believe, you could do the first oil change early but after that and even perhaps now, just go with the indicator. It's based on your particular driving style, temperature, etc. and it's pretty accurate.

[sstnt]

My first oil change was at 500 miles to full synthetic, which is all my baby has had. I then changed at 3k miles. Since then, pretty much get 7k out of each change using full synthetic and a top quality filter.

[Scalded Dog]

The percentage displayed is the countdown to "zero," which is when you are supposed to have it done.

The "every 3000 miles" number was conjured up years ago, when cars needed more frequent oil changes... and, in spite of current technology and advances in materials and substances, the oil change service companies (well- known for their honesty!), and even petroleum industries, have held on tightly to that number... it simply means more business for them.

You can go to another GM dealership, you can have the Ford dealership do it, you can have Wal- Mart do it, or you can do it yourself. Just keep your receipts in case warranty work ever requires a paper trail to show evidence of regular and timely maintenence.... as long as you change the oil before it reaches 0% life remaining, you should not have any trouble justifying it.

[90503]

...The "oil life" % has nothing to do with the oil level on the dipstick....If it's low on the dipstick, add oil, regardless of the mileage or "percent" on the readout...

[Ringo64]

The percentage in the DIC is no way an actual reading of Oil you have left. It is a calculation of your driving and other conditions that concludes to your predicted "Oil Life", aka when you're supposed to change (I would say between 10-20% change it). This "Oil Life" though has no way of knowing if you have a leak or burning oil for some reason so it is still good to check the dip stick.

If you're worried about the condition of your oil, just change it . Won't hurt it in the least. Especially buying a used car, personally I would have had them change it (I don't trust anyone though )

With all that said, you can probably go about 5,000 miles in between oil changes. I usually do about 5,000-6,000 miles in my DD. The Camaro is once about every 6 months or sooner.

3,000 miles these days is just the dealer trying to get more money.

[Ro1and]

Thanks for all your comments... I feel much better!

[Kendall421]

Doing my first change on my 1LE at 1000 miles, it is at 909 right now.

Then will go to 5000 miles on Mobil1. I don't care what the percentage monitor says, I ignore those on all my cars. Daily drivers are at 5000 miles on crude oil and normally go 300,000 miles before I trade them in.

Trivia question for you guys...anyone know why the picture on the bottle or box of Kendall Motor oils was a hand with a peace sign (2 fingers up)? Will check back in a couple hours with the answer....

[PalmerGA]

Don't worry about it, OP. These cars are smarter than we are. The computers know when you should change oil, based on your driving habits. I went by the book and changed my oil at about 1,500 miles when new. Last two intervals were around 5,000 miles, just because that's the number I'm comfortable with.

I change oil and filter and rotate the tires myself, but ANY GM dealership will do it for you... not just the one where you bought the car. ** NOTE: If your car has the RS package, a dealership might tell you they can't rotate the tires because the fronts and backs are different sizes. That's BS. They can rotate then side to side, but they don't like to because then they have to do the TPMS re-learn procedure.

[Ro1and]

Thanks guys for you replies!!
I called another Chevy dealership and I guess how the way I was saying it "I have free oil changes for 2 years or 24,000 miles. It seems like they didn't want to change the oil until the "oil life remaining is at 15%" Well i guess the only time its going to be free is when the indicator lights up. I didn't know that. oh well.
I told them I want an oil change anyway!
Yes I have to make sure they don't rotate my tires because there different sizes. It happen to my co-worker with her Camaro. Ouch!

[PalmerGA]

Originally Posted by Ro1and

Thanks guys for you replies!!
I called another Chevy dealership and I guess how the way I was saying it "I have free oil changes for 2 years or 24,000 miles. It seems like they didn't want to change the oil until the "oil life remaining is at 15%" Well i guess the only time its going to be free is when the indicator lights up. I didn't know that. oh well.
I told them I want an oil change anyway!
Yes I have to make sure they don't rotate my tires because there different sizes. It happen to my co-worker with her Camaro. Ouch!

They can, and should, rotate your tires - it increases the tread life and helps the tires wear more evenly. The key is, do not rotate them front to back as is the normal procedure when all four tires are the same size. The rotation should only be from side to side.

If they tell they can't do it, call on them. Tell them to read the manual.

[Scalded Dog]

Originally Posted by PalmerGA

... If they tell they can't do it, call on them. Tell them to read the manual.

It'll be good practice, too, as the service department people are frequently very full of BS. For example, my manual indicates that the differential fluid and the the trans should be serviced at 100,000 miles.... 50,000 if I am working the car, like towing the Space Shuttle up the side of the Matterhorn on a hot day with the AC running. However, at 25,000 miles, the service manager at Rotolo Chevrolet was in a frenzied panic over my failure to perform these services. He insists that the book requires it by then. Didn't have the book WITH me, and of course, on a Chevrolet dealership/ service lot, there isn't one to be found, but I was supposed to just trust him, and have the work done... before the 25,000 mile deadline. Lucky for me I know my service intervals, and won't be doing unnecessary things. I'm sure that had I agreed to the service, he would have come to me later to explain that they discovered bad Fetzer valves, dirty castoff bearing pumps, linkage regulator filters that need to be changed, and lifter tension inflators that need rebanding and transposition.