Originally Posted by artawesome

i too have had my cobalt since dec. i had oil change 2 weeks ago-was about 300 miles less then 3000. for my warrenty, i need oil changed every 3000 miles. might have had about 60% on oil

Originally Posted by tiny

i think its funny that people change it every 3k
if you use synthetic, trust the meter
when its below 20% or so, i wouldnt drive it like an *******
on my last oil change, i let it go down to 3%, had no problems, oil didnt look terrible, and this was at 8000+mi

i dont know why people wouldnt trust it, even if something goes wrong, you have a warranty, and you followed the car's instructions to a T

Originally Posted by c7015

I know ... do you guys not trust your gas gauge either ....

"oh its at half, better fill up so I dont get stranded on my way to the convenience store"

Originally Posted by kissmySS

Many motorists today are confused.

For several years General Motors, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have been installing monitors on their dashboards that light up to indicate when its time to change oil. GM monitors have frequently allowed motorists to drive 5,000 miles and as much as 7,000 miles or more before signaling that it's time to change oil. The Mercedes-Benz service system indicates 10,000-20,000-mile oil change intervals.

Naturally, this flies in the face of the 3,000-mile drain recommendation.

What's a Car Owner to Do?
Petroleum oil companies have insisted their oil needs to be changed every 3,000 miles, even for vehicles with the dashboard light. But the world's largest automaker, General Motors, states that oil change intervals should not be based on miles driven, but rather on driving style. In a feature story titled, "Supersize Me! GM moves to extend drain intervals," (May 2004 Lubes N Greases, vol. 10 issue 5), David McFall unveils the latest move in GM's strategic plan to cut loose drain intervals.

The GM solution is for motorists to depend on its patented Oil Life System (OLS). The owner's manuals in today's GM fleet no longer make specific mileage recommendations. Instead, the GM Oil Life System analyzes the engine's operational data including temperature, revolutions, speed, to calculate the rate of engine oil degradation and determine when an oil is nearing the end of its life. At this point a message on the dashboard signals that it is time to change oil.

Each OLS computer model is engine-specific because GM believes each engine behaves differently under the various driving situations and conditions. For this reason GM is on record as stating there can be no standard oil change interval. Both cars and driving styles vary. The OLS allegedly calculates all factors pertaining to the engine and the driver and thereby makes its oil change recommendations.

GM senior project engineer Robert Stockwell has been studying analyzed oil samples from vehicles with OLS.

"In all cases where the OLS signaled for an oil change it was before the oil was worn out," according to Stockwell. "Many of these samples were from vehicles with greater than 10,000 miles on the oil, a few with more than 14,000 miles and at least one with 16,000 miles. These intervals were recorded in vehicles using regular mineral oil. Synthetic oil gets even longer oil change intervals."



Hope this helps..............!!

Originally Posted by keeper51

Well I took my car in for it's first oil change at like 50% oil life left and was told right to my face by the mechanic which is a buddy of mine, not to bring it in till the oil life is near 0% because it's a waste of his time and my money because it really doesn't need to be changed before then. I talked to my step-dad about it and he's a class A mechanic and he said that the oil life meter is reliable and to go by it. Not to mention I did call GM headquarters in Oshawa to confirm this and they told me to use the oil life meter in the car because it was designed for that matter. I find it hard to believe that GM and it's dealerships would lie to us about that since they would want us to buy another car from them. Now maybe someone can educate me on oils a lil but our SS/SC are running synthetic oil, i've been told by mechanic this **** does not break down, i know mechanic who said they don't change the oil because synthenic does not break down, they just change the filter and add a litre when they do.

Originally Posted by kissmySS

oil doesnt break down? if hes filling it with a liter once in awhile....where do you suppose it goes? breakdown? or burning it?, either way not too good....just a thought!

Originally Posted by kissmySS

good point!......lol my bad.....


Anyways....while i got ya hear we need to plan a meet for us london and area boys and girls?....wont highjack this thread with details but keep an eye on our london treads...!
Hope all is well........

Originally Posted by kissmySS

Ya im rocking the warped summer tires....(theres a conspirecy theory i have) that sucks that your moving....to the KW, ah well give ryan c7015 and myself more reason to drive up i guess

Originally Posted by kissmySS

Ya im rocking the warped summer tires....(theres a conspirecy theory i have) that sucks that your moving....to the KW, ah well give ryan c7015 and myself more reason to drive up i guess

Originally Posted by phxSS

Good article. You conspiracy theorists crack me up. if GM wanted to lie to people, why would they hire a guy to analyze the engine's with the OLS? I think that wouldn't be smart in an age of cost-cutting and large lay-offs. I just checked my oil yesterday, andI've put over 7500 miles since last change, and my oil is fine! A little dark, but not thick, black and tarry, like you conspiracy theorists say. If you have the money to waste change it every 3k, but don' preach to us that go by the meter. We really don't give a **** about your opinion.

Originally Posted by jokieman

Psychotic episode? You can do what you want with your car, including driving it off a bridge, no one's telling you to do anything. We're all talking about what WE do. EEgads man, how exactly does that translate into us telling YOU what to do.