2013 G37 sedan with 29,000 miles. Question on oil change intervals

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Jun 29, 2022
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Hello, I have been doing tons of research on this topic and wanted some advice on oil changes for a car driven weekly not daily but always short distances ( I know, take it on the highway) I know what I should do there now going forward but this past April I got my car inspected and my mechanic of 25 years said I did not need an oil change even though I asked him for one ( it had been 13 months and 1500 miles) I said ok, thanks for being honest but here it is almost July ( almost 17 months and 1800 miles ) and I’m thinking he is wrong or didn’t look at the actual oil. Driving 1800 short distance miles for 17 months on one synthetic oil change does not seem right to me ( I’m thinking one change a year and get it on the highway more if possible) so I’m going to go get it changed ( thoughts on this) also should I take it somewhere else or my original mechanic . Side note, the guy who used to run the shop retired, he always changed my oil every year but the new manager said ( I’m not gonna do something you don’t need) thanks
 
He should have given his opinion then changed the oil when you asked for it. It's your car and your money. Your post is a bit confusing, your mechanic of 25 years refused the oil change or the new manager refused the oil change? Then you say the guy who used to run the shop but retired always changed your oil.
 
My shop of 25 years had a lead guy I always dealt with and who changed my oil each year even under the similar low mileage conditions although maybe not as low as this last time. He retired, so at the shop the new lead guy is the one who said I did not need an oil change at 13 months and at 1500 or so miles. I said ok figuring I’ve trusted this place for years and maybe he is right but my gut says it should be changed. I’m not gonna bother with an analysis etc because I believe at least once a year is probably best bet for peace of mind etc
 
Just wondering what people thought about this particular scenario. Insist on once a year, trust him, try a new place? etc
 
I change my oil once a year on my 15 Q40. I put between 4 and 5k miles in that time. Ever since I started using a sn rated diesal oil the auto trans shifts much better. Seems the higher viscosity of the engine oil has done something to the engine and it makes the computer shift the 7at like a normal transmission. Please don't talk crap unless you own an Infiniti G37 and are familiar with how it shifts and the endless search for a solution.

That being said 17 months shouldn't be a problem how hot our VQ,s run
 
I would make this new owner my best friend Lol since he's looking out for his customer and not his wallet
 
Well next question is when do I change the oil if not now?How much longer? I do trust the place but being that I’m not a mechanic and kinda ocd about taking care of stuff I feel like I’m neglecting / possibly harming my engine. I guess I could do an analysis to know for sure what condition it in.
 
I think I’ll just call them and ask to get it changed and say I want to do it once a year regardless. I think that’s a reasonable timeframe for this particular case
 
Many people have sent in oil samples for analysis from engines that have sat 2, 3, 4, 5 years with minimal miles put on them and in just about every case I recall, the analysis said the oil was 100% fine. That said, I know some automakers say change the oil based on mileage or if you don't drive that many miles, still change it annually.

Why not trust him ? He's not going to tell you to do something (or not do something) that will cause damage plus he's turning away $$$ (granted, a busy shop would probably avoid oil changes if they could).
 
I'd change it every year regardless of mileage, especially if you like the car. Also don't forget about the other fluids too.

Time or mileage.... whichever comes FIRST.

UOA's don't show short tripping moisture building up in the engine as sludge, or what happens to an cellulose based oil filter saturated with moisture.

I'd inspect the PCV system for clogging and replace the PCV now too.

highway vs traffic with 2 different commutes(obviously extreme).
100hrs of driving at 60mph = 6000 miles
100hrs of idling in traffic = 0 miles

In the above situation, what would be the oil change interval for both drivers using mileage? This is why its time or mileage, whichever hits the interval 1st.
 
The story is discombobulated.

“this past April I got my car inspected and my mechanic of 25 years said I did not need an oil change even though I asked him for one”

Then,

“the guy who used to run the shop retired, he always changed my oil every year but the new manager said ( I’m not gonna do something you don’t need) thanks”
 
The story is discombobulated.

“this past April I got my car inspected and my mechanic of 25 years said I did not need an oil change even though I asked him for one”

Then,

“the guy who used to run the shop retired, he always changed my oil every year but the new manager said ( I’m not gonna do something you don’t need) thanks”
And then: My shop of 25 years had a lead guy I always dealt with and who changed my oil each year even under the similar low mileage conditions although maybe not as low as this last time. He retired, so at the shop the new lead guy is the one who said I did not need an oil change at 13 months and at 1500 or so miles. I said ok figuring I’ve trusted this place for years and maybe he is right but my gut says it should be changed. I’m not gonna bother with an analysis etc because I believe at least once a year is probably best bet for peace of mind etc
The story is discombobulated.

“this past April I got my car inspected and my mechanic of 25 years said I did not need an oil change even though I asked him for one”

Then,

“the guy who used to run the shop retired, he always changed my oil every year but the new manager said ( I’m not gonna do something you don’t need) thanks”
I explained it better in my follow up post. Sorry if I was unclear. I don’t think it matters anyway. The answers will always be some saying change it and some saying don’t worry about it. So I’m going to go with once a year. I’ll just tell the shop I appreciate their honesty but I’d prefer they change it once a year. Thanks for the responses 👍
 
Is it also true that color is relatively meaningless as far as determining if oil is still good or not unless it’s black or some real obvious sign that it’s bad?
 

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Is it also true that color is relatively meaningless as far as determining if oil is still good or not unless it’s black or some real obvious sign that it’s bad?

That oil "looks" pretty good you are correct, cant really go by that. It could be diluted or other ways you would be guessing at. You would have to have a sample tested to gain some kind of technical insight on to how much usable service it has left etcetera.

If it bothers you that much, I'd change the oil.
 
I don't know how your mechanic can tell if you need an oil change by looking at the dipstick or down the oil fill hole? At your rate, change it every year (makes you feel good) or every two years (my choice).
 
Looking good on a dipstick is too often used on forums. Only thing I look for on a dipstick is oil level. Secondary, the stick's deposits, sludge, varnish, crud, or rust are easy enough to spot.

Both my cars had an oil change this past weekend. The 'thin' oil layer on the dipstick was amber cleaner(neither are diesels). But, the oil in the jar looked like black ink. So, every time someone says how clean/amber/clear their oil is on the dipstick whatever miles, I can only laugh.

As I have already recommended, time or mileage. Stick with a yearly interval and check your oil often enough never to worry about it. Keep it full. And, if there is room, I'd even consider stepping up a filter size. I'm guessing that Nissanfiniti are still using the 6607 sized peanut filter. Pretty sure many can use the 7317. If vehicle sits for many days, listen for the cold start rattle, if any, and let your ears determine if the filter that you are using is good enough, or the oil, or the combo. Many filters will drain empty over a few days. Problem with car interiors is that they are well insulated from NVH and most couldn't hear a rod about to go thru the block.

Had a situation where the neighbor changed his oil/filter with whatever combo was on sale at the local autopart. Since that change, every morning I heard that startup clatter echoing out of his garage. I yelled to check the oil. He came over and said he did a change few days earlier and now noticed the clatter, and was going to ask me about it over the next weekend. Told him to get a new filter ASAP. Swapped that evening, topped off, and all was well. Failing ADBV valve, or BPV, is easy enough to hear during the 1st cold start rattle of the day, especially if vehicle sat for a few days. Act on your hearing.

Some shops are taken their ethics, morals, reputation, or environmentalism to an extreme.... If a shop won't change your oil because of the low miles, tell them that a yearly requirement is needed for the 'phone scam extended warranty'. If they still refuse, tell them that you idle, with the AC on, 100's of hours every month, reading the daily newspaper at the park. Not sure what is going on with techs/shops nowadays, but do what a customer asks and be informative concerning it. Better to say, its is NOT needed for the mileage, but can be changed out by TIME, whether calendar or idle hours too, and we'd be happy to take care of that for you... obviously, there were too busy to care about their customer.
 
Looking good on a dipstick is too often used on forums. Only thing I look for on a dipstick is oil level. Secondary, the stick's deposits, sludge, varnish, crud, or rust are easy enough to spot.
Well not entirely true the dipstick on my New Mazda black and very hard to read the only thing I don't like about the car so far.
 
I had a 08 G37 6mt for over 8 years. change every 5-7k and use Mobil 1 0w40. I used 5w30 in the beginning but those engines like the thicker oil.
 
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