Which Engine Oil?

[iCryWheniGoPoop]

They call it 2 years but my dealer told me that's 4 oil changes. I'm not sure what that means, maybe they are figuring so many miles a year?

[gone_fishing]

They call it 2 years but my dealer told me that's 4 oil changes. I'm not sure what that means, maybe they are figuring so many miles a year?

 

Fine print off the website:

 

"Covers only scheduled oil changes with filter, tire rotations and 27 point inspections, according to your new vehicle’s recommended maintenance schedule for up to two years or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first. Does not include air filters. Maximum of 4 service events. See participating dealer for other restrictions and complete details."

[Z45]

They call it 2 years but my dealer told me that's 4 oil changes. I'm not sure what that means, maybe they are figuring so many miles a year?

 

GM Free Maintenance is a marketing ploy that forces the GM owner to go back to the dealership for oil changes. They hang out in the showrooms and look at the new cars while the service dept. looks for something they can upsell to the customer. They have a vested interest in having you come back again and again and again.

[Black02Silverado]

The thing is, GM Free Maintenance isn't free. It is built into the price, you paid for it you may as well use it.

 

My dad purchased a new GMC Sonoma back in 1989 and the dealer offered free oil changes as long as he owned the truck. He got a free oil change every 3,000 miles or three months which ever came first. He took it in every 3k miles for the entire time he owned it, which was until 2000. I say he got a good deal on that one and the dealer lost out.

[RyanbabZ71]

Tanstafl

 

There ain't no such thing as a free lunch

 

Learned that from my senior yr hs gov teacher

 

 

Ryan

[LS 1st Gen]

Is anyone else suspicious that the dealer might not be using the correct 0-20 for the free oil changes? Call me paranoid but I can just see these techs not really caring and using good ol' 5w-30.

[KARNUT]

Is anyone else suspicious that the dealer might not be using the correct 0-20 for the free oil changes? Call me paranoid but I can just see these techs not really caring and using good ol' 5w-30.

I was going too say lifes too short too worry so much, then I remembered back when I had my trailblazer ss. That called for mobil one oil, I always would check my oil that night to make sure the level was right after they change my oil. One time the oil was way over full, I called the service dept ask too come by and get it drained down some. On the drive over it dawned on me there would be no reason for that oil to be in bulk, not many cars call for mobil one oil. Sure enough I ask the tech about it and they did another oil change out comes the qt cans of oil. Bad part about that is the oil change on that was between 12 and 15 K. Pays to ask to make sure.

[SlavO]

I went in for one my first oil changes... 6 miles down the road low engine oil light came on... I called them and they said it takes the same as the old 5.3. Now I just go in and ask for my 8.5 and oil filter I took a pic of it and sent it to the servies manger. He's the donkey that told me the 14 don't take 8.5. Be careful guys... I'm sure in a year or 2 they will be better... But if they can't do a oil change. I'm not going there for anything

[RobZ71LM7]

I do my own oil changes. It's not worth my time nor the risk of the dealer screwing something up for 4 "free" oil changes. I'm also too concerned that they would wash my truck. *eek*

[bladz1454]

Not to take the topic off track but since the 5.3 motors now take a monstrous 8.5 quarts, wouldn't you think that you can drive that motor a good amount further between changes now?

[Black02Silverado]

Not to take the topic off track but since the 5.3 motors now take a monstrous 8.5 quarts, wouldn't you think that you can drive that motor a good amount further between changes now?

 

 

One would think this is true, but there are still all kinds of different factors that come into play on how well the oil will hold up. Yes a larger sump will increase oil life, but driving style, geological location, ie, extreme heat or cold, number of starts cold and hot, idle time, interstate driving, things like these all come into play on how long the oil will last. Not to mention, this is a completely new engine design, so there are other factors that come into play, variable displacement oil pump for one.

 

Safe to say that you could run up to 8k miles with no issue, but anything beyond that I would run a used oil analysis to make sure the oil is doing its job per your driving conditions and style.

 

I'm not familiar with the new 2014's and up owners manual but there should be listed two kinds of driving styles, severe conditions and normal. For the most part, most of us follow under the severe condition I would think. So that is what I would follow on preventative maintenance.

[KARNUT]

One would think this is true, but there are still all kinds of different factors that come into play on how well the oil will hold up. Yes a larger sump will increase oil life, but driving style, geological location, ie, extreme heat or cold, number of starts cold and hot, idle time, interstate driving, things like these all come into play on how long the oil will last. Not to mention, this is a completely new engine design, so there are other factors that come into play, variable displacement oil pump for one.

 

Safe to say that you could run up to 8k miles with no issue, but anything beyond that I would run a used oil analysis to make sure the oil is doing its job per your driving conditions and style.

 

I'm not familiar with the new 2014's and up owners manual but there should be listed two kinds of driving styles, severe conditions and normal. For the most part, most of us follow under the severe condition I would think. So that is what I would follow on preventative maintenance.

I must say Im surprised that a fellow amsoil dealer would say most people fall under the severe conditions, especially now that a lot of vehicles have on board oil monitors. Of the 30 plus years Iv been testing and using amsoil among other synthetics people tend to change their oil way too soon. In the 90s I did a lot of testing with 25k oil change and filter every 12k and never had a problem. One personal truck we did the add on filtration and went 50k on oil. The air and oil filtration theses days have advance to the point where extended drain should be more common. Add to that the high temps and better fuel injection, sludge isn't a problem either.

[Black02Silverado]

I must say Im surprised that a fellow amsoil dealer would say most people fall under the severe conditions, especially now that a lot of vehicles have on board oil monitors. Of the 30 plus years Iv been testing and using amsoil among other synthetics people tend to change their oil way too soon. In the 90s I did a lot of testing with 25k oil change and filter every 12k and never had a problem. One personal truck we did the add on filtration and went 50k on oil. The air and oil filtration theses days have advance to the point where extended drain should be more common. Add to that the high temps and better fuel injection, sludge isn't a problem either.

I tend to fall under the severe because now these newer engines are direct injection and so the fuel dilution is high and the oil takes a beating from that. Just like on the AMSOIL diesel oils, up to the model year 2007 you could go 15k or one year on an oil change, but since 2007 with the exhaust filters and regenerations the diesel oils are getting high fuel saturation and so now AMSOIL only recommends what the OE recommends on oil drains unless you do a UOA.

 

Our 2011 Acadia will not go past 5k on an oil change. The oil is beat to death, not the oils fault, but the harsh conditions that it has to live in the DI 3.6l engine. So I want to make sure my customers play it safe and follow the severe driving conditions unless a UOA proves they can safely go longer. Not to mention any turbo charged engine is automatically under severe. Like the Ford Ecoboost engine and Chevy Cruze 1.4.

 

I have a few customers that come in for an oil change with 20k+ miles on the oil and no problems and the UOA shows all is well.

[KARNUT]

I tend to fall under the severe because now these newer engines are direct injection and so the fuel dilution is high and the oil takes a beating from that. Just like on the AMSOIL diesel oils, up to the model year 2007 you could go 15k or one year on an oil change, but since 2007 with the exhaust filters and regenerations the diesel oils are getting high fuel saturation and so now AMSOIL only recommends what the OE recommends on oil drains unless you do a UOA.

 

Our 2011 Acadia will not go past 5k on an oil change. The oil is beat do death, not the oils fault, but the harsh conditions that it has to live in the DI 3.6l engine. So I want to make sure my customers play it safe and follow the severe driving conditions unless a UOA proves they can safely go longer. Not to mention any turbo charged engine is automatically under severe. Like the Ford Ecoboost engine and Chevy Cruze 1.4.

 

I have a few customers that come in for an oil change with 20k+ miles on the oil and no problems and the UOA shows all is well.

I know from experience when it comes to oil one size doesn't fit all, so if that works for you that's good. Once I get out of warranty I always go extended otherwise I wouldn't use synthetics.

[TexasDevilDog]

 

Fine print off the website:

 

"Covers only scheduled oil changes with filter, tire rotations and 27 point inspections, according to your new vehicle’s recommended maintenance schedule for up to two years or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first. Does not include air filters. Maximum of 4 service events. See participating dealer for other restrictions and complete details."

That's the GM thing. I negotiated 3 years free maintenance on the truck (an extra year, no limit on miles) I made sure to ask if that included the expensive maintenance at 3 years and they said yes.