Confessions of a wife...er, I mean oil beater.
Went to a Pep boys today and grabbed a quart of Valvoline (full) synthetic. It said to change every 3,000 miles or 3 months... at $4.49 a quart!! I quess I'm just cheap, or maybe it's cause I used to be poor, but 3k at that price is a joke. Don't they know your supposed to conserve?? Fact is, people won't change til oil is so expensive that they see the light of reason.
I got a friend with an Audi Quattro who changes Mobile 1 out at 2k. I offered to take it off his hands at every change. I figured I'd get the oil tested, then blend it off 2 used for one new in my Corolla, drive 5k and get it tested again. He acted insulted!!
Frankly, if your car is old and leaks or burns some, I wouldn't change it at all if I was putting in a quart or so every 3-4,000 miles. Just change the filter once a year and top off when low. I used to have a 89 Corolla2 which I bought used from Avis. Yes, A Leased Car!! Had 25k on it and they had never changed the oil... believe me I checked!! I changed every 5-6k til it had 170k or so and then simply topped off. It burned a little and leaked a little at 170k, but I went to 210,000 mils or so like that with out a problem. Regular old oil; what ever was on sale down at K-Mart or whereever. Donated the car to the Salvation Army cause I didn't want to spend the bucks on it after I had used it as a pick up by taking out the back seat. Shocks were shot, needed new brakes and drums and rotors. But the tranny was strong and the engine ran like a top.
Went to a Pep boys today and grabbed a quart of Valvoline (full) synthetic. It said to change every 3,000 miles or 3 months... at $4.49 a quart!! I quess I'm just cheap, or maybe it's cause I used to be poor, but 3k at that price is a joke. Don't they know your supposed to conserve?? Fact is, people won't change til oil is so expensive that they see the light of reason.
I got a friend with an Audi Quattro who changes Mobile 1 out at 2k. I offered to take it off his hands at every change. I figured I'd get the oil tested, then blend it off 2 used for one new in my Corolla, drive 5k and get it tested again. He acted insulted!!
Frankly, if your car is old and leaks or burns some, I wouldn't change it at all if I was putting in a quart or so every 3-4,000 miles. Just change the filter once a year and top off when low. I used to have a 89 Corolla2 which I bought used from Avis. Yes, A Leased Car!! Had 25k on it and they had never changed the oil... believe me I checked!! I changed every 5-6k til it had 170k or so and then simply topped off. It burned a little and leaked a little at 170k, but I went to 210,000 mils or so like that with out a problem. Regular old oil; what ever was on sale down at K-Mart or whereever. Donated the car to the Salvation Army cause I didn't want to spend the bucks on it after I had used it as a pick up by taking out the back seat. Shocks were shot, needed new brakes and drums and rotors. But the tranny was strong and the engine ran like a top.