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

 

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.

 

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

 

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.