Automotive question - oil change

[meegbear]

In have a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix with 71800 miles on it.

The sticker for the oil change has the date 9/21/11 or 72400 miles. I checked the gauge and it says I have 60% oil remaining.

Should I get the oil changed when I hit 72400 or wait til it reaches a certain percentage?

Thankyouverymuch.

[oneshooter]

1. Go ahead and change the oil.

A couple of hundred miles either way won't make ant difference to the engine. Also look at the drive where you park the car, there is maybe a small leak that will show as a dark spot of oil.
If you are using regular oil then it should be changed every 3000-3500 miles. With synthetic this will change to every 4000-4500 miles. Be sure to use a quality filter, I prefer Fram.

[meegbear]

3. I goto a garage for it ...

they replace the oil, the filter, etc.

I don't mind doing it, I figure that if I hit the mileage and I still have 50%+ for oil, I could go a bit longer.

[Lance_Boyle]

7. 3K oil change interval is wasteful and of no value in terms of

engine longevity. The age-old 3K change granddad used to do is way overkill even for today's non-synth oils. 5K is on the paranoid side of oil change intervals for non-synth. Always go with what the *owner's manual* says, not what the guys at Quickie Lube or granddad tell you. You'd be hard pressed to find any modern car (except super/hypercars) where the manual specifies an OCI of less than 5K miles. Mine specifies 10K and that can be extended to 15K for certain types of driving.

[LynneSin]

10. About the mileage - need to look at how the car is driven

I put on about 6-7k miles a year which technically means I'd only have to change my oil twice a year. But 90% of my driving is in the city - which means my car does alot of start/stop driving with traffic lights and stop signs. That kind of driving is harder on a car than someone who drives on highways most of the time.

So I get my car oil changed about 3-4 times a year. I try to go every 3 months but if money is tight I may wait til the next month but never more than that.

[Shagbark Hickory]

2. If you are burning or leaking oil, you can always add more if needed

without having an oil change.

[marzipanni]

4. I looked it up on Car Talk's website

By gauge, do you mean the dip stick? Those guys in Cambridge say this-

"Ideally, it should be right at the full mark. If it's at or below the add mark, that means you're a quart low and should add a quart of oil to the crankcase. If it's in between the two marks, you can add part of a quart to bring it up to the full mark (the distance between add and full represents a quart, so use that to estimate how much of a quart you need). Be aware, however, that since oil flows slowly when it is cool, the dipstick may not immediately reflect any oil you just added. So estimate the amount of oil you need based on your first dipstick reading, and then check it again later that day or the next day to be sure you're near the full mark."
http://cars.cartalk.com/content/advice/oilchanges.html

It seems that you should add a part of a quart of oil now (and at intervals if necessary) to make sure you have the right amount for the next 600 miles 'til you get to 72,400.

[meegbear]

5. The guage is electronic ...

when I get the oil changed, I hit the button and it says 99% full, so I'm trusting it's accurate (and it was done).

[bluedigger]

13. That type of gauge doesn't measure capacity - it measures useful oil "life".

You should never be at 60% full oil capacity - you want to keep that topped up, and you have to check it with a dipstick under the hood. (Or look for a big stain in your driveway.;-)) Newer cars electronic brains can calculate your oil life based on the vehicle's driving history and sensors, though. It's a pretty rough estimate really. As others have said the modern guideline is around every 5,000 miles, maybe more. I do mine more often because I have a Jeep and like to play in the dirt a little.

[Major Nikon]

6. I always go by the gauge

Naturally oil change places always want you to change your oil every 3 months or 3K miles. This is not what most car manufacturers recommend. I always go with what the owner's manual says. I've ran more than one car to over 200K this way and I never get rid of a car before it has 100K miles. I've never had one bit of engine troubles doing this.

One thing you'll want to check your owner's manual for is when to change your tranny fluid. Those quick oil change places will want to do a complete flush. This is not what most manufacturers recommend and could potentially be hazardous to your transmission. I always go to the dealer when it's time to change the tranny fluid.

[undeterred]

8. The oil has to want to change.

Thats what I've always been told. :hide:

[OriginalGeek]

12. haHA!

I like it. :-)

[LynneSin]

9. Older Oil gets dirty - when it's dirty it is less effective

and a $30 oil change is way cheaper then having your engine fixed especially if your gaskets blow.

And as someone who use to own a Pontiac and sometimes let the dirty oil stay too long in her car - let's say I wish I had been more dependabe.

[Throd]

11. When in doubt, change it out.