mfw2011

Rookie Author
Detroit
Posts:5 Points:22,900 Joined:Mar 2011
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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
Posts:9,337 Points:693,275 Joined:Sep 2003
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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. _____ 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
Posts:12,964 Points:2,480,660 Joined:Sep 2005
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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
Posts:16,175 Points:1,592,570 Joined:Jun 2008
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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
Posts:538 Points:426,760 Joined:Oct 2011
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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
Posts:4,462 Points:814,840 Joined:Jan 2011
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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
Posts:2,119 Points:488,290 Joined:Nov 2011
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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
Posts:2,865 Points:641,260 Joined:Jun 2011
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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
Posts:7,723 Points:2,770,015 Joined:May 2004
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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
Posts:656 Points:432,855 Joined:Sep 2011
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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
Posts:3 Points:485 Joined:Feb 2012
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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
Posts:209 Points:63,075 Joined:Mar 2012
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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
Posts:3,597 Points:481,805 Joined:Jun 2011
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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
Posts:8,540 Points:1,540,375 Joined:Nov 2008
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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
Posts:2,567 Points:344,480 Joined:May 2011
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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
Posts:17,461 Points:3,456,335 Joined:Aug 2003
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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
Posts:244 Points:62,320 Joined:Apr 2011
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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
Posts:9,887 Points:1,537,490 Joined:Oct 2006
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Message Posted: May 1, 2012 7:43:21 AM
yes
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sheba24

Champion Author
Long Island
Posts:2,285 Points:628,055 Joined:May 2011
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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
Posts:1,893 Points:2,582,490 Joined:Jan 2005
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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
Posts:4,722 Points:636,270 Joined:Sep 2009
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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
Posts:1,994 Points:454,655 Joined:Sep 2011
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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
Posts:14,768 Points:2,891,610 Joined:May 2005
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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
Posts:8,700 Points:1,577,450 Joined:Oct 2008
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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
Posts:10,015 Points:1,852,695 Joined:Oct 2005
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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
Posts:10,506 Points:2,021,935 Joined:Mar 2005
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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
Posts:13,171 Points:2,641,215 Joined:Jul 2005
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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
Posts:9,227 Points:122,020 Joined:May 2008
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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
Posts:3,910 Points:725,500 Joined:Mar 2011
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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
Posts:13,574 Points:2,699,885 Joined:Sep 2005
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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
Posts:1,991 Points:686,890 Joined:Mar 2011
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Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:12:37 AM
Yes
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nvoelsch

Sophomore Author
Eugene
Posts:137 Points:90,660 Joined:Nov 2011
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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
Posts:14,941 Points:1,873,415 Joined:Oct 2005
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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
Posts:910 Points:630,040 Joined:Nov 2010
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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
Posts:4,147 Points:1,387,325 Joined:Aug 2008
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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
Posts:2,931 Points:611,900 Joined:Aug 2011
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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
Posts:5,688 Points:1,324,375 Joined:May 2004
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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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