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alleycatMO

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Kansas City

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 4:39:06 AM

do you guys/girls...HONESTLY change your oil every time its suppose to be done, or go an extra weeek or so?
REPLIES (newest first)
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mfw2011
Rookie Author Detroit

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Message Posted: May 11, 2012 4:47:38 PM

usually change mine every 3-4000 miles. oil get's pretty dirty in the wintertime from all the salt they put down in the roads here in MI.
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Houckster
Champion Author Atlanta

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Message Posted: May 11, 2012 1:50:22 PM

PITHYOPINER writes: WahlyIA has the right idea. You have a red light that comes on when you need oil. Wait for it to come on. That is what it is for. If you do it before it comes on how will you ever know if the bulb is out and needs replacing? You will know it is out because of all the smoke coming out from under the hood.
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PITHY's in one of his naughty moods again.

With regard to your oil life indicator, you should remember that it is designed to evaluate oil life ASSUMING you are using an oil recommended by the OEM. If you change to an oil that's different, i.e. going from conventional Group II to a true synthetic, the oil life meter will not know how to evaluate this oil and will probably tell you to change your oil before it really needs to be changed.
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HeavyDuty_cache
Champion Author Omaha

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Message Posted: May 11, 2012 10:53:34 AM

I take a sample of my oil and have it analyzed but I do change my oil filter between every 3 and 5 thousand miles
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PithyOpiner
Champion Author Stockton

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Message Posted: May 11, 2012 10:51:35 AM

WahlyIA has the right idea. You have a red light that comes on when you need oil. Wait for it to come on. That is what it is for. If you do it before it comes on how will you ever know if the bulb is out and needs replacing? You will know it is out because of all the smoke coming out from under the hood.
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manaknight14
All-Star Author Pennsylvania

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Message Posted: May 3, 2012 6:41:14 AM

I keep as close as possible to the recommended interval (which is 7500 miles on my car), but the one thing I haven't been doing is adjusting for "severe" driving. In those situations my owner's manual said to do the old 3000 mile interval. My driving environment probably puts me somewhere in between the two, but I still ride my oil for the full 7500.
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WahlyIA
Champion Author Iowa

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Message Posted: May 3, 2012 1:09:44 AM

my dash board is telling me to change it now!
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sc331mustang
Champion Author South Carolina

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Message Posted: May 2, 2012 11:03:04 PM

I change the oil in my vehicles around every 5k miles or so. I do buy premium oil filters that will last the extended mileage. Most owner manuals recommend oil change at 5k or 7.5k miles.
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Need_Batteries
Champion Author Vancouver

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Message Posted: May 2, 2012 10:14:49 PM

Because I do it myself, I'll time it to convenience...on the weekends...when the weather is ideal.
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kookiwoogi
Champion Author Indiana

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Message Posted: May 2, 2012 10:27:32 AM

Every 3,000 miles or as soon as I can.
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PhilnTX
All-Star Author Dallas

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Message Posted: May 2, 2012 9:27:45 AM

Changed with the oil life computer says 5-10% life left. Last one was 6,500 miles

[Edited by: PhilnTX at 5/2/2012 12:28:30 PM EST]
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pissedoffdriver12
Rookie Author Lansing

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Message Posted: May 2, 2012 9:21:26 AM

first i check the viscosity, then for molecular breakdown, then i check for impurities such a sulphides and benzene etc... KIDING. every 3-4000
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hockeysta18
Sophomore Author Boston

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Message Posted: May 2, 2012 9:16:55 AM

usually when i remember. not changing it myself this time around. first time with my new (new to me) car i found my oil filter in a not so forgiving place... right infront of the passenger firewall, nearly impossible to reach and even harder to take off when you have zero space for leverage.
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DesertRat2011
Champion Author Riverside

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Message Posted: May 2, 2012 8:01:10 AM

Change mine every 5k + it's easy to remember 5,10,15,20,25 etc :)
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playtimeCLE
Champion Author Cleveland

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Message Posted: May 1, 2012 5:35:02 PM

"or go an extra weeek or so?"

I do it when I get to it, to be honest... but as close as I can to to when the car tells me I need to.
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tattoo666TX
Champion Author Texas

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Message Posted: May 1, 2012 4:38:59 PM

every 7500 miles (give or take 50)
Oil and filter
Balance and rotate tires
Check air filter
Check other fluid levels
Manufacturer recommends every 10,000 miles.
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rrtruck
Champion Author Austin

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Message Posted: May 1, 2012 1:30:17 PM

You're supposed to CHANGE that stuff? I thought you just kept adding to it every month. :)
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BlinkGrl
Sophomore Author Orange County

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Message Posted: May 1, 2012 8:39:26 AM

They dealers say that I go every 6,000 miles on my truck, but I tend to go at 5,000 just so that it's an easier number to remember and we do a lot of towing so I want to make sure it's clean oil that's running in that engine
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BUSSY
Champion Author Dallas

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Message Posted: May 1, 2012 7:43:21 AM

yes
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sheba24
Champion Author Long Island

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Message Posted: May 1, 2012 7:38:37 AM

every 3000 or 3 months.
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fkkf92
Champion Author Toronto

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Message Posted: May 1, 2012 7:05:02 AM

3 month or 6000 miles
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jorobins538
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: May 1, 2012 6:44:15 AM

On my wife's Cobalt there is a little "oil life" reading that starts complaining when it is time to change the oil - so that is when I do it.

On my car, I get free tire rotation every 6000 miles, so I just have them change the oil too.
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captain013
Champion Author Maryland

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Message Posted: May 1, 2012 4:31:28 AM

Regularly after 6000 miles at the dealers request. Told us we could go 7500 before worrying.
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MertieMan
Champion Author Lexington

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Message Posted: May 1, 2012 2:27:52 AM

My oil is changed faithfully every 5000 miles.
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PaylessKY
Champion Author Kentucky

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 9:12:41 PM

I just had mine changed yesterday 4/30/2012.
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ricebike
Champion Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 9:07:10 PM

i'm stretching it to every 6-7 months
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WEPSMAN
Champion Author South Dakota

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:18:14 AM

I change it depending on my driving. If I do alot of road miles, I will let it go longer than if I do all short trips. My truck, I change it depending on how much I tow with it. I do not have a "magic" number that I have to change my oil.
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CptSteve
Champion Author Illinois

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:35:43 AM

I have always gone 4-5000 on each change. And I'm at 159k miles and going strong.
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PatAZ
Champion Author Tucson

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:37:37 AM

I do it when the computer says it is time.
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fieldt
Champion Author Lansing

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:31:40 AM

I start thinking about it when the computer tells me I am at 50%.
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Dennis783
Champion Author Des Moines

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:26:59 AM

I plan for every 3,000, but most experts say you can go 5,000 these days, so if I go an extra week or two no biggie.
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_Sparty_
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:12:37 AM

Yes
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nvoelsch
Sophomore Author Eugene

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:07:39 AM

I change it when it needs to be done on my vehicles.
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bluenvoy
Champion Author Nashville

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 5:41:44 AM

It gets changed when I needs to be done on both of my vehicles.
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MudNutZ
All-Star Author Mississippi

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 5:23:40 AM

I always let mine go over.
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MIT05
Champion Author Massachusetts

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 5:23:19 AM

every 3000 sometimes early.
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prkuehn
Champion Author Arkansas

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 5:04:43 AM

It gets changed when it is due
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OceanArcher
Champion Author Mississippi

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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 4:45:37 AM

In my own car, I have been known to "let it slide" as much as a month. Wife's car has an "oil-life" monitor, and the oil will get changed at 50%. Probably could go longer, but don't want problems with her car
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