Oil Change Intervals

[Ros]

I was a bit late on my first oil change (at 4K miles) so I had one done this weekend and the dealer window sticker staring me in the face says my next change is required at 7K miles or in 3 months. Is the new recommendation from dealers every 3K / 3 months? I don't want to give a dealer any ammo to refuse a warranty repair down the road but it seems that changing oil 4x a year or 4x in 12K miles is a bit excessive?

 

[SD Rebel]

I was a bit late on my first oil change (at 4K miles) so I had one done this weekend and the dealer window sticker staring me in the face says my next change is required at 7K miles or in 3 months. Is the new recommendation from dealers every 3K / 3 months? I don't want to give a dealer any ammo to refuse a warranty repair down the road but it seems that changing oil 4x a year or 4x in 12K miles is a bit excessive?

That is excessive. Many FCA dealerships only want you to bring it it when the monitor says so or at 1 year. Usually busy dealerships don't want to do an oil change unless you are actually due based on the maintenance computer. Most computers will go down to 15% at around 4,000 - 10,000 depending on your driving habits.

If you want to be conservative and extra careful, the recommendation is 5,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first, this is assuming you are using high quality oils. If you do a lot of idling and driving in a dusty environment, or towing, you would be classified as severe duty and you may want to do it at around 4,000 miles as per the manual.

 

[mikeru82]

I was a bit late on my first oil change (at 4K miles) so I had one done this weekend and the dealer window sticker staring me in the face says my next change is required at 7K miles or in 3 months. Is the new recommendation from dealers every 3K / 3 months? I don't want to give a dealer any ammo to refuse a warranty repair down the road but it seems that changing oil 4x a year or 4x in 12K miles is a bit excessive?

That's an old dealership trick practiced by less reputable dealerships. It doesn't matter what the dealer tells you, what matters is what's recommended by the manufacturer. Dealerships make money from oil changes, so the more often they can get you in their service bays, the more they make. Many dealerships are no longer recommending changing oil every 3 months/3k miles. Probably because they are too busy as it is. But a couple of them in my area are still doing this.

 

[securityguy]

That's an old dealership trick practiced by less reputable dealerships. It doesn't matter what the dealer tells you, what matters is what's recommended by the manufacturer. Dealerships make money from oil changes, so the more often they can get you in their service bays, the more they make. Many dealerships are no longer recommending changing oil every 3 months/3k miles. Probably because they are too busy as it is. But a couple of them in my area are still doing this.

Agreed. The 3K oil change intervals are an 80's thing. Made big by Jiffy Lube. Anyone that still falls for that has been living under a rock. They do the oil change only to tell you that you also need a cabin filter...engine filter...blinker fluid...wiper blades...etc. etc.

 

[GKIII]

Agreed. The 3K oil change intervals are an 80's thing. Made big by Jiffy Lube. Anyone that still falls for that has been living under a rock. They do the oil change only to tell you that you also need a cabin filter...engine filter...blinker fluid...wiper blades...etc. etc.

****, that reminds me. I'm due for my first blinker fluid change.

 

[Idahoktm]

I'll do the first one in a week or so at a little over 3k miles. After that, once a year which comes out to 5-7k miles.

 

[Klicht87]

The manual recommends every 10K miles, if I remember correctly. Although I didn't buy my truck at my local dealer (bought a few others), they offer free oil changes every 5K miles since I take both of our vehicles there for everything.

If anyone doesn't know, these free oil changes are kind of a scam because they expect you to buy their "dealership-recommended" tune up packages that cost quite a bit.

 

[Jako]

The manual recommends every 10K miles, if I remember correctly. Although I didn't buy my truck at my local dealer (bought a few others), they offer free oil changes every 5K miles since I take both of our vehicles there for everything.

If anyone doesn't know, these free oil changes are kind of a scam because they expect you to buy their "dealership-recommended" tune up packages that cost quite a bit.

10K is best case scenario on "oil meter" which I believe could be possible depending on use of vehicle (all highway). I change the oil more frequently than required but I calculate my "balance" based on the miles driven and percent of oil life used.

 

[SD Rebel]

The manual recommends every 10K miles, if I remember correctly. Although I didn't buy my truck at my local dealer (bought a few others), they offer free oil changes every 5K miles since I take both of our vehicles there for everything.

If anyone doesn't know, these free oil changes are kind of a scam because they expect you to buy their "dealership-recommended" tune up packages that cost quite a bit.

As mentioned you could hit 10,000 miles based on the oil meter under very low stress conditions. It could be 4,000 if you drive under severe conditions, most of us would fall in the 7,000 - 8,000 mile range.

For low mileage drivers, especially with many people working from home these days, regardless of what your oil meter says, you need to do it annually at least if you want to keep your 5 year / 60K powertrain warranty. My oil computer is still at around 45% by the time I hit a year just as an example.

 

[GKIII]

The manual recommends every 10K miles, if I remember correctly. Although I didn't buy my truck at my local dealer (bought a few others), they offer free oil changes every 5K miles since I take both of our vehicles there for everything.

If anyone doesn't know, these free oil changes are kind of a scam because they expect you to buy their "dealership-recommended" tune up packages that cost quite a bit.

That hasn't been my experience. They even throw in Pennzoil Platinum without fussing at my dealer.

 

[Klicht87]

That hasn't been my experience. They even throw in Pennzoil Platinum without fussing at my dealer.

Do they try and force you to buy the dealer recommended tune up packages. I should have worded it differently. I just meant that my dealer gives free oil changes but they force your hand when the "dealer-recommended" packages come up to recoup some of that profit. I'm not saying the oil changes are bad.

 

[mikeru82]

Do they try and force you to buy the dealer recommended tune up packages. I should have worded it differently. I just meant that my dealer gives free oil changes but they force your hand when the "dealer-recommended" packages come up to recoup some of that profit. I'm not saying the oil changes are bad.

In what way do they force your hand? Can you be more specific? It's one thing if they offer it to you. It's another thing if they hang onto your truck until you agree to buy one of those packages.

 

[CrazyWorld]

Speaking of dealerships.....

The service writer at my dealership asked me if I've ever rotated my tires.​

How the heck does he think I got here?

 

[Scram1500]

Speaking of dealerships.....

The service writer at my dealership asked me if I've ever rotated my tires.​

How the heck does he think I got here?

That reminds me of the time I called the parts store for a headlight bulb. They said "What for?"

I said, "So I can see at night".....

Gotta watch out for the dummies nowadays

 

[GKIII]

Do they try and force you to buy the dealer recommended tune up packages. I should have worded it differently. I just meant that my dealer gives free oil changes but they force your hand when the "dealer-recommended" packages come up to recoup some of that profit. I'm not saying the oil changes are bad.

Nope, nobody tries to sell me anything. Some dealers are better than others.

 

[Klicht87]

In what way do they force your hand? Can you be more specific? It's one thing if they offer it to you. It's another thing if they hang onto your truck until you agree to buy one of those packages.

What mine has done is not give you the free oil changes if you choose not to perform those tune-ups. They don't keep your vehicle or anything like that. My dealership is a Chevy/Ford/Chrysler/VW. When I had my Chevy at this same place, they stated "we can't keep giving you the free oil changes even though you bought your truck here if you don't take these dealer-recommended maintenance packages".

It's not a big deal, this thread may be getting a little off topic. Just letting people know there may be some fine print with anything that's free.

 

[GKIII]

What mine has done is not give you the free oil changes if you choose not to perform those tune-ups. They don't keep your vehicle or anything like that. My dealership is a Chevy/Ford/Chrysler/VW. When I had my Chevy at this same place, they stated "we can't keep giving you the free oil changes even though you bought your truck here if you don't take these dealer-recommended maintenance packages".

It's not a big deal, this thread may be getting a little off topic. Just letting people know there may be some fine print with anything that's free.

That dealer just sounds like garbage. The free oil changes are covered through MOPAR, not out of the dealer's pocket.

 

[mikeru82]

It's not free if they force you to buy something to get it. Especially if what you are required to buy has an inflated price.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

I get the oil changed when I get to it. If the truck acts up I beat it with large wrench until it shuts up and gets back in line.

 

[Jackpot50]

I have a buddy who is buying signature series from me and has still been going by the oil life monitor in his vehicle, I don't understand it either....
However, after I use up my last change of OE I will be going to the XL line. It's a 12,000 miles change regardless of usage and the more towing I do with the trailer the more it will save me in the long run.

I have the same sentiment, premium synthetic oils have come a long long ways compared to oils from 20 years ago. But to each their own, people will still do what they want until you can convince them otherwise. I will still sell them the best oil.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

Thr first time you change oil in this thing you will wait tell it tells you