Oil Change every 3700 Miles? Scam?

[rhart6]

Do I really have to drag my 08 QX56 into the dealer every two months? When asked why they said we cant use synthetic oil and it should be changed that often. I have AMG Mercedes, Turbo and other Porsches, Aston Martin, etc all of which go a year or more between changes. What is the real deal. I have 9,000 on this otherwise decent SUV is there any reason I can't put in synthetic oil and stop this nonsensical back and forth to the dealer? Part II. Will my warranty be voided if I go in once a year and stop lining the dealer pockets every 60 days?ThanksRick

[marlin29311]

No need to post this multiple times...but as i stated in your other thread...

The infiniti warranty states that you must change the oil at least every 6 months for 7500 miles in order to keep the warranty in check.You can most certianly use synthetic oil in the engine if you wish.

For a car that is driven daily, it is recommended that you change it every 3-4k miles because of the deposits that build up in the oils - it's not that the oil is breaking down, it's that there are contaminents in the oil. Are you driving all of your other supercars 1k miles a month? If not, then you don't need to change the oil that often.

[maxnix]

First, please complete your profile.

Second, you need to read around the previous posts here. The VK engine is optimized for low friction by using smaller journals and looser rings. One advantage of taking it to the dealer is that an experienced tech will usually take a tour underneath to see if any problems with which they are familiar are developing. You can take it elswhere, but quicke lube places don't always do the best service. The problem with exteneded OCI is that whether or not you run true synthetics or not, the crankcase doesn't know and the oil becomes just as contmainated with blowby and condensation regardless. Don't know about MB, but BMw is one of the worst perpertrators of extended OCI because it saves them money on factory furnished maintenance. The MB engines in general also have a larger oil capacity, so may travel a bit farther between OCI.

You should be able to prove the 3,750 OCI for warranty coverage. Urban driving is considered severe duty, as are mountins and high speeds.

Funny a guy who has the scratch to own the cars you do balks at relatively inexpensive OCI procedures. I would be performing aggressive OCI on your Porsches and AM also if they were mine! Fluids and filters are cheap compared to parts.

[rhart6]

I figured I'd receive sarcasm re the other cars. But this still does not explain why 400 and 500 HP engines don't seem to be concerned about these contaminants. Why? Certain cars that cost twice the money and have twice the HP should have the same issues. Yes, MB holds a ridiculous amount of oil but Aston Martin does not and Porsche is in between, and they only recommend 1 X year oil changes. The German cars are driven 1000 mi per month so that is on par with the QX.Thanks Just trying to understand this insane service schedule.

[rhart6]

PS I did try to find a thread about this and couldn't. By the way are the answers given here by the factory folks or other real owners?Don't get me wrong I love the QX56 so far other than all the trips to the dealer which is 80 miles away. (one way)

[96Qowner]

We've thoroughly examined the oil change issue here, and have determined that clean oil is ALWAYS better than good oil.

On that basis, make your own calculations. If you think your oil isn't picking up contaminants, and isn't breaking down from heat and age, then extend your oil change interval.

But clean oil is always better than good oil.

(BTW, I have a nearly 400,000 mile Accord that I bought new with 42 miles on it - original engine).

Here are just a few of the dozens of threads about various oils, oil analysis and change intervals:

zerothread?id=112537

zerothread?id=80769

zerothread?id=54540

zerothread?id=325690

zerothread?id=107770

zerothread?id=339532

zerothread?id=337253

zerothread?id=242645

zerothread?id=206674

These are just some of the threads I found searching for the abbreviation "OCI". You'll find many more searching for other terms, including early posts on the Infiniti General Forum by Fred, a petroleum chemist, and others with embedded links to oil research papers.

Happy reading!

[marlin29311]

Do I really have to drag my 08 QX56 into the dealer every two months? When asked why they said we cant use synthetic oil and it should be changed that often. I have AMG Mercedes, Turbo and other Porsches, Aston Martin, etc all of which go a year or more between changes. What is the real deal. I have 9,000 on this otherwise decent SUV is there any reason I can't put in synthetic oil and stop this nonsensical back and forth to the dealer? Part II. Will my warranty be voided if I go in once a year and stop lining the dealer pockets every 60 days?ThanksRick

After re-reading...why not just do your own oil changes? Cheaper, easier, and more reliable....

[maxnix]

But this still does not explain why 400 and 500 HP engines don't seem to be concerned about these contaminants. Why?

Just trying to understand this insane service schedule.

That is because people who can afford these cars have more money than automotive sense. At least you are trying to understand the underlying engineering.

Once you do, you will see all OEM are only interested in getting your car beyond the initial warranty period when major repairs are on your dime, not theirs. They are in the business of selling cars, not proloning the life and performance of the ones currently owned beyond the initial warranty period. If you want to insure your car performs as close to new many miles down the road, you need to perform more aggressive maintenance. As an example, let me ask you how many times have you mechanically exchanged the ATF in your QX56? Have you installed an auxiliary ATF cooler for your 2.5 ton vehicle? Why not? Dont' think a transmission designed for a lighter vehicle requires it?

Read those last two sentences carefully and consider the implications. The most important is that OEM maintenance schedules are the minimum maintenance required to keep it rolling past the initial warranty.

Yeah, if I had any of the new AM, I would probably be changing the oil every 500 miles. I would probably park it in my living room at night, too.

[Q45tech]

In 2007, 12.7 million vehicles were sent to junkyard in US, less than half are due to a total loss accident. So 6 million cars abused and allowed to fail by owners.

http://www.nada.org/NR/rdonlyr...o.pdf

20 pages of great current data on dealerships , costs, profits by department etc.average wages per dealer employee by state

[jimbyjimb]

If you really want to get into it have your oil sampled. To maintain warranty follow manufacturer reccomendation. For any car out of warranty I would then make my own educated decisions based on type of use and how much I like the car. I tend to change the full synthetic in my Q45 between 3-5,000 miles. I do mostly freeway driving well outside rush hour with very little stop and go, and cruise between 55-75 mph depending on how tired I am at 330 AM. If you develop an understanding of how oil works and how engine wear occurs and factor in your specific driving style and the amount of punishment doled to your ride then you decide. You'll find in the automotive world in general there are many self-proclaimed experts with varying amounts of experience and education. Just use common sense and you'll be okay. Also factor in that you can't change the oil too often but changing it too late is damaging.

[maxnix]

For a 3rd party source,

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com