Newman Boy

As you can see, I have a 2015 Z51. I called the dealership today to schedule an oil change because my oil life indicator was at 13%. I was advised I should have my oil changed every 3000 miles and to ignore the oil life indicator.

That is the first I've heard of this. The manual states that if the oil life system is ever accidentally reset that the oil needs to be changed within 3000 miles.

Anyone else been told this?

Thanks,

Jim

Glen e

a lousy dealer, follow the oil minder...

If they say this about oil changes, what else will they tell you?

Find a new dealer, there are 3000 of them...

Glenmcp

Up to you, but I go with the manual. The life indicator uses a formula of time and how the engine is being used. The dealer just wants business.

Newman Boy

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I have changed the oil 3 track events, 15W50 for the track and then back to 5W30 immediately after the event. I have 13,000 miles on the car. I had the oil change done at a local shope as I brought my own oil.

I assume if I follow the oil life indicator rather than the every 3,000 miles my warranty will still be valid. Agree,

Much appreciated,

Jim

meyerweb

Yes, agree. No question at all.

The service department is simply trying to maximize revenue. It certainly won't hurt anything, other than your wallet, to change the oil and filter more often, but 3,000 miles is something out of the 1960s. With modern metallurgy and oil, it's totally unnecessary. Even if I wanted to do frequent oil changes I wouldn't do more than every 5,000 to 7,000 miles (or one year).

dataporter

IMO 3000 miles is way too soon to change the oil. Haven't done this with my C7, but with my C5 I used the minder and sent few oil samples to Blackstone Labs and they said I could have easily waited another 1000 miles or more... Consumer Reports said (not necessarily about Corvettes) that you can go 7,500 miles between oil changes.

HBsurfer

3000 mile oil changes was a marketing campaign by Jiffy Lube that has really worked. I have never had a car or even heard of a car manufacturer who recommends 3000 mile oil changes in the owners manual. I change every 5000 miles because it is easy to keep track of. Probably overkill but I do it myself and enjoy it. Going by the oil life indicator is fine. I trust the GM engineers know more about your car than the service tech at your local dealer.

Newman Boy

Again, thanks for the prompt responses.

Much appreciated,

Jim

The dealership has a person who really knows Corvettes. I'm going to bring this up with him. I suspect he will be quite upset with what service told me.

Black and Red

That is a bunch of bull%##t. Go by the oil life indicator. They tell you that to get more of your money. Talk about being crooked.

z28lt1

Agree with all the others. And keep an eye out for other up-sells. This dealer will likely recommend you do other things before GM, such as plugs, coolant, transmission and other fluid changes well before it is due.

For one of our other Chevy's (not the Corvette, I service that myself) I had a dealer recommend all kind of crap GM did not call for at my service interval. They bring their little board with samples of clean and dirty fluid along. I was prepared for this (because I've dealt with them before) and pulled out a copy of the manual's service requirements, and pointed to the services GM recommend and said I want these, all of these, and nothing else. A little hemming and hawing later, they did it. But, on the service record (which I think every GM dealer can see) they wrote "customer refused XXXXX mile service". That pushed me over the top as I didn't refuse the service, I did everything GM called for, just not the crap they called for. That was the last trip I've ever made to that dealer.

carpe dm

Curahee

I've always heard that oil should be changed at least once a year, even if oil life indicator says it's not needed.

Always Red Dave

Now how low do you guys let your oil life indicator go before you change your oil?Mine is currently at 24% and I am planning on changing it in the spring.

meyerweb

In the C7, the OLM will drop to zero after 12 months, even if the car is never driven.

Always Red Dave

Thanks did not know that . Couldn't figure why driving only 3000 miles this year and the oil life indicator was down to 24% and yes I should have looked in the owners manual .

Larry/car

Oil doesn't deteriorate sitting on the shelf or sitting in the oil pan. You can accidently reset the oil life system.

joemessman

fdxpilot

The C7 oil monitor incorporates a time factor, a change from the C5 and C6 systems. After one year, your oil life should be zero, regardless of any other driving you have done.

KemahGT

I'm not Bob the Oil Guy but I think the above statement is untrue.

meyerweb

I'e got a few quarts of oil that have been sitting on various shelves for about 35 years. (Yeah, they got shoved to the back and forgotten.) Anyone wants to use them just pay for shipping.

In a sealed container any deterioration would be very slow, but in a crankcase, exposed to oxygen, combustion byproducts, and water, oil will very definitely deteriorate over time.