When should I do my first service?

[balancesheet]

Purchased the car in 5/2009 and am very happy with it – no problem and no noise. I only use the car to commute to work (10 miles round trip) so my millage is pretty low (about 2,000 miles). Do I need to have the car serviced anytime soon? Any suggestions or recommendations?

[kerrton]

Hello, and welcome to the Rogue forum, glad to you have you with us!!

Plesae review the brief guidelines for posting at the top of the main Rogue page. It gives good tips for searching the existing wealth of knowledge that already exists on this page from knowledgable people as well as just regular Rogue owners seeking to increase their knowledge.

The answers to your topic have been posted in extensive detail, so there's no need to start a new thread. Please see the Glossary/FAQ page listed at the top of the main Rogue forum page, here's the direct link: zerothread/307234

Look under the FAQ section under "break-in period" and "synthetic vs. conventional oil". Also, if you use the search function there are more threads on this topic that have not yet been integrated into the main index FAQ yet. If you run into any troubles or have additional questions, please post in any of the above referenced topics.

Also, I encourage you to post often with not only questions but also share you experiences and thoughts. Your contributions are much appreciated!!

[casperfun]

Bought mine 8/31/2009. Have 5000 miles. I was planning on waiting until the weather warms. Really was waiting til spring. But I did it for the heck of it when it was 50 degrees. Day before was 60 degrees. Didn't think we freeze so soon after. Anyway, then the blizzard came.

I see no problem until the weather warms up. Break-in the engine a bit. Nissan supposedly put special synthetic the first time around and since you dont use the car much, I say use the factory stuff to its fullest potential. I dont know why people change oil after 1000 miles. Too careful with kiddy gloves and babying our car, then some joe shmoo ends up denting you ride while your parked innocently.

You don't strain the engine, 10 miles round trip gets the engine warm up nicely. I say when weather warms and get the recalls done if not addressed yet. And your free oil change if you get a first couple ones.

Point is, no strict plan, go with the flow, enjoy the car. Wait til spring, I say.

[ahhbeebee]

9 months without an oil change? Probably not recommended even if there's only 2000 miles on the vehicle.

[kerrton]

Wow, I missed that detail, 9 months is WAY too long if you do predominately city driving, I can't believe anyone would put off an oil change for that long.

Don't overcomplicate or overthink things, just follow the maintenance schedule. Schedule 1 applies to most drivers and is 6000 km OR 3 months. If you do happen to drive almost exclusively on the highway and don't encounter extreme conditions then you can use schedule 2, which 12,000 km or 6 months. Follow that strictly and you'll be fine, otherwise accept the consequences!!

[takeshi]

10 miles round trip gets the engine warm up nicely.

If it's 10 miles round trip (5 miles each way) it's right on the edge of Schedule 1 per Nissan:

Quote »SCHEDULE 1 (Every 3,750 miles or3 months, whichever comes first)Schedule 1 features the same 3,750-mileservice intervals as PremiumMaintenance; however, with Schedule 1fewer maintenance items are regularlychecked or replaced than with thePremium Maintenance schedule. UseSchedule 1 if you primarily operate yourvehicle under any of these conditions:● Repeated short trips of less than 5miles in normal temperatures or less than10 miles in freezing temperatures● Stop-and-go traffic in hot weather orlow-speed driving for long distances● Driving in dusty conditions or on rough,muddy, or salt-spread roads● Towing a trailer, or using a camperor car-top carrier[/quote]

[sileung]

All I've done are tire rotations and regular oil changes. I think it was somewhere on this forum where I read that those 'maintenance schedule' is not required and just recommended.

When I go into the dealership, the maintenance package includes fluid level inspection, check the brakes and tires. No work is actually done on the car.

I do suggest having the brakes checked, but as far as fluid levels, that can easily be done by yourself. Paying $150 to the dealer to 'inspect' the car is too expensive IMO.

Regular oil changes and monitoring your car closely should be adequate

[shotgun]

I'm confused! The factory installed oil is specially formulated for break-in. If you don't put any miles on your Rogue, then how is the break-in oil going to do the job?

I have a similar situation. I have a total of 323km (200miles) on my Rogue since I purchased it October 5, 2009. I only use it on short highway trips and not in poor weather. I would be considered "schedule 2" and had not planned on an oil change till I hit 5000km!Is this a mistake?

Thanks

[kerrton]

Well these schedules are guidelines, and your driving habits are a unique case so I don't know if there is a solid answer.

If you buy a new car with synthetic break in oil and basically don't drive it (300 km in 5 months), how long is the oil good for? This is a non-standard situation so perhaps the standard oil change intervals don't apply. I'd say take the car out for some longer road trips once in a while and vary your speed so the engine has a chance to break in, the key is to not hold a constant speed/rpm for too long to properly break in the engine.

Here are 3 discussion threads on the topic with good info that might help you make a decision:

zer...eriod

zerothread/293586

zer...eriod

[DanTheMan]

I will be a schedule 2 oil change, but I did my own change at around 1100 miles. I always like to change out oil, in a new motor, around this range. I should have got an oil analysis, but wasn't thinking

I will be going to my dealership in another 5K, or so for the next change. I used PP for the first change.

Cheers!

[balancesheet]

Took the Rogue in for an oil change and 3 recalls. Thanks for everyone's advise.