Quote:
Originally posted by HummerNewbie:
I was just at the dealership a couple of hours ago and ask the service manager if I should go by the Oil Life reading or every so many miles. He said if you don't drive the vehicle every day you will not get the same oil life readings as you will if you drive it every day. I have the service plan for every 3K so that is what I will do.
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The only way I would agree with that statement from the SM is if he is talking about someone who drives once or twice a week, with a few days in between, and never warms up the oil enough to burn off any condensation. Then, the oil life indicator system could be incorrect (a lot also depends on the climate...ambient temps, humidity, etc.)
However, if you are driving your vehicle two or more times a week, and the trips are long enough to allow the condensation in the oil to burn off, then the oil life indicator system is correct.
Do a search on the internet, and the people who say change your oil every 3K, are somehow linked to the oil companies via oil change shops, oil executives, or they base part of their income on oil changes. Service managers and service advisers make extra money for selling oil changes. Don't want to say someone is not entitled to earn a living, but not from selling services and liquids that are not required.
GM dealers went haywire when GM introduced the oil life monitoring system years ago. It greatly reduced their income from oil changes.
As I have said before, and I will continue to say, unless you have your oil analyzed, there is really know way to know if your oil change was required or not.
I have had oil analyzed repeatedly on my Vette and my Jeep (next oil change on the H3 will be analyzed). And, at no time have I ever had used oil in my engine that was not capable of performing as good as new oil. The total base count numbers were always above the low end, and this was with 6-8K on the oil.
If you have a service plan already paid, that gives you 3K oil changes do it; it certainly can't hurt. However, for those who insist 3K oil changes are required, when the vehicle is driven normally, then you are really wasting your money, and helping big oil make more higher profits. So, for those people, please use Mobil/Exxon and Shell products so that I can at least see an increase in a large portion of my stock portfolio.
Especially, since my GM stock is almost worthless.
