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Old Aug 31, 2025 | 06:57 PM
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Default Oil Change Frequency

Hi, I understand the GM logarithm for oil changes but it is ridiculous. Mobil 1 says their synthetic oil is good for 10,000 miles. I live in Canada but the car is only driven from April - October then it is in storage in my garage for winter. I have a 2017 Grand Sport Collector Edition convertible with 6.2 dry sump engine. My car has 14,250 km (8855 miles). I have had to change the oil 5 times now according to the logarithmic data. The oil comes out clear and looks exactly like the oil going in. I just got a warning that I am down - AGAIN - to 6% oil. I don’t track the car and occasionally push it a bit on the highway but it is ridiculous to keep changing the oil this frequently. The whole idea behind synthetic is better lubrication and longer life. Any comments??
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Aug 31, 2025, 10:55 PM
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Push the reset and run it. I would at least go 6K or 2 years. Many go by miles and ignore the 1 year thing especially if it's parked in a nice dry garage.
Old Aug 31, 2025 | 08:31 PM
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Mobil 1 has a life of one year once inside engine.
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Old Aug 31, 2025 | 10:55 PM
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Push the reset and run it. I would at least go 6K or 2 years. Many go by miles and ignore the 1 year thing especially if it's parked in a nice dry garage.
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Old Sep 1, 2025 | 07:26 AM
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Originally Posted by C5FORFUN2
Push the reset and run it. I would at least go 6K or 2 years. Many go by miles and ignore the 1 year thing especially if it's parked in a nice dry garage.
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Old Sep 1, 2025 | 09:15 AM
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Originally Posted by Tweedy
Hi, I understand the GM logarithm for oil changes but it is ridiculous. Mobil 1 says their synthetic oil is good for 10,000 miles. I live in Canada but the car is only driven from April - October then it is in storage in my garage for winter. I have a 2017 Grand Sport Collector Edition convertible with 6.2 dry sump engine. My car has 14,250 km (8855 miles). I have had to change the oil 5 times now according to the logarithmic data. The oil comes out clear and looks exactly like the oil going in. I just got a warning that I am down - AGAIN - to 6% oil. I don’t track the car and occasionally push it a bit on the highway but it is ridiculous to keep changing the oil this frequently. The whole idea behind synthetic is better lubrication and longer life. Any comments??
Reset it. That's redicilous.
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Old Sep 1, 2025 | 11:27 AM
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Or you can rationalize changing the oil as the annual expense (especially if you do it yourself) is minor compared to the value of the car. I do offer some associates the 10 qts of M1 with about 1000 to 1500 miles on it. LOL.

Best wishes on whatever decision you make on your vehicle.
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Old Sep 1, 2025 | 12:32 PM
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Are you using the 0W-40 Mobil 1 Supercar oil, now recommended by GM. I think one issue for the 1 year change requirement is moisture. If you lived in the deep south with 100% humidity most of the year, the 1 year would be important. If you are in a dry climate, I wouldn't worry about the 1 year requirement. Using the best recommended oil will also help.

Last edited by kodpkd; Feb 26, 2026 at 08:54 AM.
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Old Sep 1, 2025 | 01:34 PM
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Here's Tadge's comments on how the OLI is programmed. You can read it and make your own decision.
You can also get the suction pump kit from Blackstone, then suck out a sample of your oil for analysis and use the results for an educated decision.


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Old Sep 1, 2025 | 01:34 PM
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You changed the oil 5 times. What year is the car? Engine and oil filter should be replaced annually max. Yes that is built into the maintenance reminder logarithm. Ultra low mileage is considered severe operation. Moisture and acids collect in the oil pan or sump when the vehicle is un-used. When a vehicle is driven on a regular interval the moisture and contaminants are burned off during warn engine operation. Every maintenance schedule for any piece of automotive equipment that I have seen in 47 years of turning wrenches has a max oil change interval of 12 months. If you don't think it is necessary, change when you want. It's your vehicle after all.

Happy Motoring!
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Old Sep 1, 2025 | 01:46 PM
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It's your car, do whatever you want. I will change mine once per year regardless. I will never understand paying tens of thousands of dollars for a vehicle and then never drive it and cheap out on maintenance. If you change your own oil you can do it for about $65 (depending on year/oil you use) and 30 minute to an hour of your time. It's cheap insurance and helps keep the car in tip top shape. Could you go longer? Probably, but why chance it? If you want to skip oil changes then oil analysis is a must. There's also a lot of evidence that doing 10k oil change intervals leads to engine sludge. Plenty of videos of newer cars that have sludge issues due to the higher oil change intervals. I would never go more then 5-6k on an oil change.
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Old Sep 1, 2025 | 11:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Tweedy
Hi, I understand the GM logarithm for oil changes but it is ridiculous. Mobil 1 says their synthetic oil is good for 10,000 miles. I live in Canada but the car is only driven from April - October then it is in storage in my garage for winter. I have a 2017 Grand Sport Collector Edition convertible with 6.2 dry sump engine. My car has 14,250 km (8855 miles). I have had to change the oil 5 times now according to the logarithmic data. The oil comes out clear and looks exactly like the oil going in. I just got a warning that I am down - AGAIN - to 6% oil. I don’t track the car and occasionally push it a bit on the highway but it is ridiculous to keep changing the oil this frequently. The whole idea behind synthetic is better lubrication and longer life. Any comments??
Just because "I don't agree with it" doesn't make the manufacturer's advice ridiculous. Yes, my Audi can go 10000 miles between oil changes but that is what Audi thinks. Does Mobil say their oil is good for 10000 miles? Or did they say "UP TO 10000 miles". There is a HUGE difference between the two. I don't think looking at the color is good for much besides old school checking since that is all they had. If my TEST helps, great. If you are still dissatisfied, get your own testing done for the oil you plan to use.

Edit: BTW, my car was sat in storage for 4 months which s about 33.33% of a year. According to the result for 0W40, I can go from 4500 to 6000 which is a 33.33% increase.
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Old Sep 3, 2025 | 07:24 AM
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Once again, Oil is cheap, engines are not.

I change mine once a year no matter how little mileage it has, usually under 800 per year.

Your car, do as you will.
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Old Feb 25, 2026 | 11:28 AM
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Originally Posted by C5FORFUN2
Push the reset and run it. I would at least go 6K or 2 years. Many go by miles and ignore the 1 year thing especially if it's parked in a nice dry garage.
I have a 2022 Stingray and I keep it in a temperature controlled garage here in Florida. I put maybe 2k miles on it since my last oil change approximately 1 year ago.

I am seeing opinions that are going both ways. Color is still good and I’m reluctant to schedule an oil change. Any comment?
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Old Feb 25, 2026 | 12:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Only1cannoli
I have a 2022 Stingray and I keep it in a temperature controlled garage here in Florida. I put maybe 2k miles on it since my last oil change approximately 1 year ago.

I am seeing opinions that are going both ways. Color is still good and I’m reluctant to schedule an oil change. Any comment?
I'm not sure how much a temperature controlled garage affects the oil. I mean, it's a lot hotter in the crankcase.

Maybe do yourself a favor and forget the opinions, smell, taste, color, feel, etc which is subjective. Get objective answers. Go get yourself an oil test done at a laboratory for under $50 and really know as opposed to guessing.
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Old Feb 25, 2026 | 03:19 PM
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I change mine annually as I have yet to hit the miles. I make sure to do it and keep records as this will help when its time to sell.
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Old Feb 25, 2026 | 04:04 PM
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Originally Posted by boraxman
I change mine annually as I have yet to hit the miles. I make sure to do it and keep records as this will help when its time to sell.
Help how? Maybe for private party sales. Last time I saw receipts in the car was in the early 90s.i do often see receipts in the trash bin of the detailers trash bins. Cars come so sanitary you can almost eat off the dash.
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Old Feb 25, 2026 | 04:38 PM
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Originally Posted by aklim
Help how? Maybe for private party sales.
Only way I have ever sold and many want to see and appreciate maintenance records...Now on on my 96 Toyota truck, probably not so much.
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Old Feb 25, 2026 | 08:56 PM
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Some OEMs say 2 years (BMW among them) others don't. Synthetic can last anywhere from 6000-15000 miles.

Each person knows their driving style and use case. I'm totally comfortable with 8000 miles and 2 years. If you are as well do that.
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Old Feb 25, 2026 | 09:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Macleod52
It's your car, do whatever you want. I will change mine once per year regardless. I will never understand paying tens of thousands of dollars for a vehicle and then never drive it and cheap out on maintenance. If you change your own oil you can do it for about $65 (depending on year/oil you use) and 30 minute to an hour of your time. It's cheap insurance and helps keep the car in tip top shape. Could you go longer? Probably, but why chance it? If you want to skip oil changes then oil analysis is a must. There's also a lot of evidence that doing 10k oil change intervals leads to engine sludge. Plenty of videos of newer cars that have sludge issues due to the higher oil change intervals. I would never go more then 5-6k on an oil change.
Time is money. One hour less of my time every other year plus a statistically minuscule increase to risk, no brainer to not do it.

Your assumption is that the risk equation is worth it. I don't think the math behind that checks out. I'd argue 8k not 5-6k is where the stats start to change (I've been tracking my oil for years on all cars I own and my OLMs reach sub 5% when driven regularly around 8-9k. I'm a fairly aggressive/abusive driver. My Ranger right now is at 2% and has 9994 miles on it, at 11 months old, for example).

Saying someone is "cheaping out" is a categorically unfair as a statement. You can't be "cheap" when you're not significantly increasing risk statistically by doing nothing.

Putting in sub-standard oil, that would be cheap.
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Old Feb 25, 2026 | 09:13 PM
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Originally Posted by boraxman
Only way I have ever sold and many want to see and appreciate maintenance records...Now on on my 96 Toyota truck, probably not so much.
Define "appreciate"? Is it "Thank You" or is there a $ followed by numbers? I haven't sold a car recently but when I did, I used the maintenance as a thing to try get more money after they list their bottom line. Each time it was like "Nope. I expect it to be done.". IDK about your state but in WI, whatever you trade in reduces your taxable amount. So that is some money there. Also, people seem to get harder and harder to deal with and even belligerent a time or two. It also can shoot my weekend to hell if I have a few appointments set up, assuming they even show up. Then there is the issue of payment. With all of that, I kinda gave up on PP sales. I just couldn't make ends meet to justify that little of an extra between PP sales vs trade in when I see the simplicity and tax benefit.
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