tcinla

So, after a month and a half of ownership I have about 1,200 miles on the odo. Oil life indicator is around 78% or so. I search the forums for 'First oil change' and didn't get hits on when I should do the first one.

I know the manual says 7,500 miles but I've never gone that long. I don't want to get into a argument about the quality of 'modern oil formulations' . I'm just looking for first hand experience on when I should get my first oil change. Just looking to protect my investment.

dvilin

Since the oil change is free I got mine for my non Z51 at around 500 miles.

Eff A Ford

I'm getting mine done at 20% oil life left.

I don't want it to see a dealer any more than it has to. I've heard too many horror stories.

sTz

It can be confusing as your oil life indicator will not always match the owner's manual, but you really can't go wrong with either, not to mention that OnStar will be nudging you too.

Although, shorter intervals will certainly not harm anything. The decision is obviously up to you.

Personally, I tend to follow the oil life indicator, or sooner...

MAKC7

You only get so many free oil changes within the first two years and you can get one every other day if you want, but when they're gone, they're gone.

nmvettec7

I own a 2015 C7 base model with 4 free changes. I get one done every 6 months at my local dealer.

JerryU

FWIW, I got my C7 Z51 in October 2013, 13 months before the bulletin that said change dry sumps at 500 miles. Many dealers were following the 4 free changes in 2 years at the time, starting only when the OLM said less than 20%. If you put on few miles then you would only get 2 free oil changes since time is part of the OLM algorithm and after 12 months it would read 0.

However I changed my oil at 1500 miles on my own, because that is what I wanted to do! IMO, free is not worth the issues with possible poor lifting practice causing cracked rocker panels. The mechanics helper who often works the oil change bay may not do as it states in the Servile Manual after changing, which is to run the car to get the oil past 175 F, then wait 5 minutes to let in drain but not more than 10 minutes so excess doesn't flow back to the oil pan and giver a false low reading! Then after the level check, adjust as needed!

It's too easy to set the dial on the pump from the 55 gallon "Oh-So-Peachy" oil blend that was the cheapest meeting the GM dexos spec! Therefore I change my own oil and have since day 1! Note I did not have a drop of oil in my air intake tube or air cleaner. My oil was also never overfilled, checked when I got the car home from the 120 mile trip from the selling dealer and it was 1/4 inch (1/4 quart) below Max.

bjones7131

I got my first at 500 miles, nonz51

C7 BOB

Got my first oil change after Museum Delivery (3,600 miles) and trip to Las Vegas (1,300 miles) and local driving. Total was over 5,000 miles. (29%)

767guy

C7 Coupe, first oil change at about 1200 miles. There will always be some measure of contamination in an engine build and the filter will pick up MOST of it so I dump the oil and filter early on and run the second oil load to about 30% on the OLM.

Just as a side bar I picked up that habit with all my piston powered engines over the years probably from 45 years in aviation....owned two of my own. Every tech I dealt with believed with the aircraft piston engine you run it for the first hour for initial ring seating, dump the oil ( manufacturing contaminants) then do fresh oil and filter for the remaining break in ( Mineral oil for the aero engine so as to not polish the cylinder walls prior to a good ring seat).

This may be a carry over from the 60's, 70's and 80's when many piston aero engines had oil screens rather than oil filters so manufacturing debris was more of a concern...oh well, old habits die hard.

767guy

I think you have it figured out.....

iclick

I like doing the first oil change on new cars early, like 1000 miles--then every 5k or one year, whichever comes first. You could get your first now, then another in one year or when the OLM gets to a percent value that looks right to you. I would follow the 5k/1 yr. plan regardless of what the OLM tells me, but if it got to 0% ahead of that schedule I would do it then.

bams12

Not trying to hijack but......I just bought a brand new 2016 and was never told about any free oil changes .Is this a dealership thing or a GM sponsored oil change. By the way my car is "base" not "z51" .

Zymurgy

It is included in every new Corvette:

2-Year Scheduled Maintenance
2 Years/24,000 Miles
2 visits

Rebel Yell

I usually go 3K on the factory oil in any new car I have bought. Did the C7 at 1200 because I was heading out for a long road trip. I like to leave home on new oil just cause it makes me feel better.

bjones7131

If you got the window sticker for your car, look under the std. eqp. block in the top left corner. It states 2 oil changes and the first 500 mile is not included in that.

Larry/car

I change oil when the OLM tells me the change is due.

Snowwolfe

It would be a cold day in hell before I would ever take my Corvette to a dealership for a oil/filter change.

joemessman

This is the correct answer. That is essentially what the manual says. I have 25K on mine the first oil change was at about 7,500 it showed 1% life left. At about 15,000 it showed 1% oil life left. At 22,500 it showed about 1% left. If you go a year, and don't have many miles on it will indicate an oil change regardless of the mileage. So in summary it is about every 7,500 miles or a year, which ever occurs first. If you want to disregard what the manual says, and I don't know why you would, it is a free country. Old habits die hard as they say.

Zymurgy

All depends on the dealership. Young Chevrolet in Dallas uses drive on lifts to do oil changes. No worry about cracking the rocker panels. They know to use Mobil 1 (they use retail 1 quart containers). I have a Z51 and they put in 9.5 quarts and give me the half quart left over. Oil level is about mid-way up the hash marks on the dip stick. Just they way I like it. They are very meticulous with the entire process. There is an area in the bay where you can stand and watch everything they do. They treat my car as well as I would treat it.