oil change question

[Vahagn23]

Hi, i had to get my oil change at 3/12/08 or at 5500 miles I havent reached 5500 miles but passed the due date, so should I change it now or wait till 5500 miles, and is AGIP good oil cuz thats what my dealer uses, and I was thinking of taking it somewere else to change oil with more popular brand names like that F1 Motor Oil

[Vahagn23]

anyone?

[Porta]

It's always whichever comes first, but your first oil change is always the most important. You should change it pronto.

[frankoV]

This sounds like it could be the second change, but the suggestion remains strong: change it! Be consistent with the 3 months/3000 mi. A few extra dollars spent is worth it to avoid the hint of problems.

Probably should change the air freshener at the same interval.

[XterraVersa]

Switch to synthetic & go with a good filter. You could change your oil change interval to every 5,000 miles & ignore the months.

In reality you could ignore the months now if you wanted to and wait for the mileage.

There have been many studies showing the 3/3,000 interval a scam by the oil companies & quick lube places. Regular oil in modern cars can last over 5,000 miles with out a drop in performance. Synthetic oil can last 50,000 miles so long as you change the filter every 5,000 miles. Congress has even had hearings on this trying to get car manufacturers to change their recommended change intervals. I have seen a few vehicles say every 5,000 miles regarless of driving conditions.

I have a friend who drives over 6,000 miles per month & he has yet to change the oil in his suburban. The brand evades me now, but he send a small sample in at every filter change to the company to see if its needs replacing. Close to 80k miles & they have not told him to change it yet.

[07Vsdn]

go by mileage.

i also think frequent oil changes are overated. we change the versa's oil every 7000-7500 miles.

i'm doing my own little test with my briggs and stratton 6.5 hp push mower! bought it new 4 years ago and have yet to change the oil! starts up every summer and runs like a champ!

uh, won't be doing that with my cars, though...

[Vahagn23]

Cool, lol ye it is my second oil change, I guess im gettin Synthetic oil now. I only used the Nissan Dealer because they woul put the original nissan filiters.

[kcourtad]

here is my deal with the months and oil... oil sits at wal-mart for how long before it sold and if its every 3 month then they would have to take the old stuff off the wall and throw it away... or is it that since its in the motor after using it a few time it just heating up and being used wears it down... i never understood how it all works out... kuz they dont even put a date on my V or any car that ive ever owned... but others ive see it... its probley kuz i used to get my oiled changed twice a month...

[Versa Madness]

I only used the Nissan Dealer because they woul put the original nissan filiters.

Just because the filter says Nissan on the side does not mean it is the best filter for the car. I just did my first change and noticed that the factory filter was made in Japan while the Nissan replacement I got at the Nissan dealer was made in CHINA. The wall thickness of the filter seemed a little on the thin side.

There are lots of good oil filters out there, Purolator and Wix being the two that come to mind with me. Just never, ever purchase or use FRAM. They are pure crap and studies prove it.

[Porta]

As the above poster has noted, months vs. miles does have a reason. Any type of oil has a shelf-life... and old oil is not good for an engine, neither is dirty oil.

You can push it with your oil changes but the reality is you don't know what it's doing to your car until it's too late, and the problems are a lot more expensive than regular oil changes.

How long do you want your car to last? I just retired a Mazda 323 at 17, and the engine was running problem free right up to the end, which is more than I could say for the rusted-out brackets, mounts and break lines
Modified by Porta at 6:25 PM 3/28/2008

[bucksnort]

Wow, the myths about engine oil continue. Consumer reports did tests a couple of years ago on a taxi cab fleet with oil analysis to back up their findings. Changing oil at 3K is a waste unless you drive short trips all the time. 5K will be the minimum for changing with manufacturers stating 7500K for oil changes. Why change you oil twice as much as needed? Do you use an oil analysis that tells you your oil is bad at 3K or are you carrying on the myth? Changing synthetic at 3k is a total waste of your money bud. And does an oil analysis tell you your synthetic has worn out at 3K? Oil companies love the myth because they sell twice as much.

I would agree the first change at 3000-3500 miles.
Modified by bucksnort at 6:42 PM 3/28/2008

[Porta]

Call it a myth if you like. Ultimately it's your own pocketbook that it boils down to. What do you feel more comfortable doing... spending 30 bucks every 5k you drive, (unless the date comes sooner), or dropping a new engine into your car because you scrimped on the oil changes?

There are testimonials galore that even go farther on oil type, and how to drive a car during the break-in period.

Bottom line is, if you've owned a well maintained car, and you've owned a poorly maintained car, you'll know the difference. If the car rusts out before the engine dies... bonus.

[KimberKenobi]

unless you live in an area where they salt the roads and your car could start rusting in as little as 3 years...

[Zadkiel]

I'd follow all the recommended service stuff until the warranty expires, that way they cant say, "You didnt use the recommended oil or didnt use us, no warranty for you!"

[Johniboi]

So Im confused with something about the oil change process also, once its time to change it do you HAVE to go to the Nissan Service? or can i go to a local gas station or something?

[XterraVersa]

So Im confused with something about the oil change process also, once its time to change it do you HAVE to go to the Nissan Service? or can i go to a local gas station or something?

You NEVER have to go to the dealer to keep your warranty in tack. Anyone who says otherwise is a LIAR.

[bulld0g]

just make sure you keep your documentation if you have it done somewhere else or if you do it your self keep your receipts

[Vahagn23]

lol havent had time to make an appointment with the dealer, their appoints come at the most uncomfortable times, and it takes almost a day for them to change oil whats with that lol.

[blockmachining]

See Versa forum "synthetic oil". There might be some information in that forum that could help you determine what you would like to do.

[Vahagn23]

See Versa forum "synthetic oil". There might be some information in that forum that could help you determine what you would like to do.

lol i was just about to click on it too

[Ever Victorious]

lol havent had time to make an appointment with the dealer, their appoints come at the most uncomfortable times, and it takes almost a day for them to change oil whats with that lol.

You don't ned to go to a Nissan dealer to get this done. Just about any dealership with a quick service lane can do it for you, at YOUR convenience.

Case in point, I use a GM Goodwrench quicklane at a Chevy dealership near work. Their filters are the same quality as Nissan replacement filters (because face it, they're probably all made in the same factory and just painted with different brands... it's extremely doubtful that Nissan actually manufactures their own filters), and they do it when I drive up with no appointment. They use Mobil1 Synthetic, which is my preferred oil. I also get a free 20 oz coke and a car wash out of it. :P

Also, dealers and lube places will give you a discount if you provide your own materials. If you feel uncomfortable with the products provided by where you take it, take in a substitute.

I've considered bringing in a K&N oil filter for my changes, just never actually did so. Others on the board provided their own oil to get a discount. If you're using synthetic, that's actually probably a good money saving idea, because the amount they charge extra for sythetic is MORE than it would cost to just buy the oil off the shelf and bring it in.