Another "New car, what oil should I run?" thread.

[PulMax]

Its a 1997 Buick LeSabre, has been very well kept, same owners for the past 143,000 miles (car has 153,000) Obviously, it has the 3.8

Previous owners took it to the same mechanic every time for all work and oil changes every 3k.

I'm planning to use Wix filters, because thats what the nearest parts store sells. What oil and viscocity should I be using?

 

[speedtc]

Any conventional 5w30 or 10w30. Whatever the recommended weight is.

 

[schwartr88]

Valvoline Maxlife would be a good choice of oil.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

Don't forget the VSOT and/or SLOB!

Oil was SL or SJ back then, wasn't it?

 

[m2200b]

3800 run and are recommended for 10-30. I'd use 5w30 conventional or 10-30 or 5w30 synthetic only in your winter.

 

[bighead]

Yeah I wouldn't run a 10w-xx up there during winter. You *could* Auto-Rx it IF you feel it needs it. If it's been religiously maintained, then it probably won't need it (althought it certainly couldn't hurt either). Choose your favorite oil and enjoy your ride.

 

[memo]

Wix oil filter is a good choice. You getting a Napa part? They have silver and gold.

As far as oil, it's already a high milage car, I'd just get a cheap conventional oil (unless you want to run longer OCIs) and just drive it in to the ground.

How is that 3800 holding up? I'm in the market for a Mustang, but in Indiana, the prices are really over inflated. I'd probably acually have to go to Ohio to get a decent price on one.

Anyway, I need a car this summer and a Grand Prix GT is my backup car. My friend has a GTP, but his brother was a GM mechanic for awhile and he said that the 3800 cars were the ones that stayed out of the shop the most (they had the least amount of problems). I'm acually hate GM, except for the Vette small block and the 3800. Both are proven and are stout. GM has produced some other *** engines. Anyway, how is your car holding up with that milage?

 

[pbm]

I'd use 10w30 in the warmer months and 5w30 in the colder ones. If you are going to continue with 3K OCI I would use the cheapest SM oil I could find. I think 5K (and 6 months) OCI's will keep her going another 100K minimum. Nice car, good luck with it.

 

[PulMax]

quote:

---

Originally posted by memo:
Wix oil filter is a good choice. You getting a Napa part? They have silver and gold.

As far as oil, it's already a high milage car, I'd just get a cheap conventional oil (unless you want to run longer OCIs) and just drive it in to the ground.

How is that 3800 holding up? I'm in the market for a Mustang, but in Indiana, the prices are really over inflated. I'd probably acually have to go to Ohio to get a decent price on one.

Anyway, I need a car this summer and a Grand Prix GT is my backup car. My friend has a GTP, but his brother was a GM mechanic for awhile and he said that the 3800 cars were the ones that stayed out of the shop the most (they had the least amount of problems). I'm acually hate GM, except for the Vette small block and the 3800. Both are proven and are stout. GM has produced some other *** engines. Anyway, how is your car holding up with that milage?

---

Not Napa, just an unrebadged Wix.

The engine is holding up superbly. Quiet, no blow-by, pulls like a train.

 

[hominid7]

For your climate and your cars miles, Havoline 5w30 conventional year-round along with your excellent choice of WIX filters gets my vote.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

Ya think?

 

[memo]

What does the owners manual suggest? I thought the 3800 got 10w30. I could be wrong, I'm not a GM expert, but for 97, I'd imagine that's what the manual suggest.

You might want 5w30 if you have to deal with really cold winters or something.

As long as you change the oil in time, I don't think you can go wrong with any dino brand. I keep talking about walmart super tech, but on some truck forums, some owners are getting over 300K miles on that stuff.

I know it's hard to think about using a no name sprawl mart no name oil. I read up on it and thought about it for about 6 months before I tried it. My test car was a CRX and now I have moved on to the syn in my turbo car. The stuff is decent if not as good as name brand oils.

The whole oil is oil statement has some truth behind it. As long as you aren't driving very hard, doing unusual load stuff with your car, the most important thing is just to change your oil on time.

 

[jorton]

Pennzoil 5w30.

 

[jmacmaster]

Wisconsin can get REAL cold in the winter. I know; I'm from Minneapolis. I wouldn't run a
10W-whatever weight. I'd run a 5W-whatever.

 

[PulMax]

Looks like 10w30 for most of the year, and 5w30 when we get down to near zero, according to the owner's manual. Guess I'll do that.

 

[Blue99]

My vote is 10w30 in the summer & 5w30 for the colder temps.

The GM 3.8L was spec'd 10w30 up thru 2001, while many other GM engines were 5w30, so some reason exists for the heavier viscosity at start-up.

 

[Winston]

I'd run 10W30 in the summer and 5W20 in the winter.