Oil change 2004 Vue

So...what makes something a "quality oil" and why does whatever that is not make it into the API's certification criteria?

Dav2.718

Reply to
David Hungerford
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Not that I want to start a war here.... and I truely love my Saturn so I don't want to bash them... but think about this:

IF changing the oil every 3-4k miles will increase engine life and performance.... and the light is saying to do it every 7-8k miles... then why would Saturn not want that? It probably won't do enough to the engine to make me say @#$@#$@#$ you Saturn!!! But it will probably do enough to require it to go to a service center in it's older age (perhaps a $$Saturn$$ one?), and I'll have to get a new car sooner (perhaps another $$Saturn$$?).... so it seems (possible?) that perhaps Saturn does not really care about the fact that 3,000miles may be healthier for the engiene as they could, potentially, get more money.

Reply to
Matt

I love this sort of conspiracy thinking. Do you really think GM engineers are setting around saying - "Yeah, lets stretch out those oil change intervals to screw the Customers?" In reality, they are probably doing everything they can to avoid having people show up at the dealership bitching and moaning about the engine in their car using oil, smoking, or making weird noises. There is no advantage to GM to have engines wear out sooner. The percentage of people who trade cars because the engine is worn out is tiny compared to other reasons. The people who are most likely to have oil related problems are likely to have purchased the car used. If anything, the oil change indicator will help improve the life of the average used Saturn since it will act as a reminder to a lot of people who otherwise never think about changing their oil on any sort of regular schedule (like my sister).

Think about this - if people change their oil every 3K miles instead of 6K miles, at least some of them are going to get it done at the dealer, and the dealer will make more money. My salesman told me to ignore the Vue's oil change light and have my oil changed every 3k miles. The dealership even had an elaborate display of a cut away engine showing the results of not changing the oil as often as they think you should (there was no actual documentation with the engine, just some scary wording). Of course the same dealership also routinely recommends engine flushes and expensive fuel injection cleanings. The guys that make money off oil changes are the ones who repeat the 60 year old advice to change your oil every 3000 miles. Who repeats this "wisdom" the most? - Jiffy Lube! This is the company whose employees can't even seem to change oil without stripping the oil pan plug, or forgetting to tighten the filter.

In addition to my Vue, I have a Ford that calls for 3000 mile oil changes under severe conditions (5000 under "normal" conditions). Unfortunately the definition of "severe" is open to wide interpretation. Since I am not at all sure what constitutes severe, I generally change the oil in that Ford every 3000 miles (and I am probably wasting money, but so be it). However, GM thoughtfully included an oil change indicator that factors in my driving style. Why wouldn't I trust it? This is a really good thing. People who choose to ignore the oil change indicator because their 56 Buick sludged up on HD30 oil are living in the past. I have seen engines that were sludged up. The last one was a 78 Olds 98 with a 350 that was subjected to a steady diet of Pennzoil 10W40. My 2003 Saturn is not a 1978 Olds. Oil is better now. Engines are better now. I've now done 3 oil changes with oil that was in the vehicle for more than 6000 miles. The oil I removed looked fine (I did not have an analysis done), the filter looked fine, the inside of the valve cover (what I could see through the oil filler) looked fine, the vehicles requires no oil between changes - what more can I expect? I am confident that when the vehicle goes to the junk yard, the engine will be fine.

Of course none of this applies to Toyotas, since they seem to sludge up on any oil under any usage.

Ed

Reply to
C. E. White

Well ok.. I am not a meachanic, nor do I play one on TV... I'm just going by what I was taught over several years of owning a Chevy (woops? :) and have carried it over to my new Saturn... The Chevy was a

1989 model so I'm sure many things have changed.... just gotta learn to trust that light I guess.
Reply to
Matt

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