Finally downgraded the beater...

[daves87rs]

I really think my beater/commuter (the cobalt) has a pretty good life for a beater. Always waxed, clean, with all maintenance up to date (will be getting new struts soon)

But facing a money crunch soon, it's time to be a little smarter in building that stash. So, the days of running all the cars on full synthetic are over. I kinda feel like I'm wasting money on synthetics anyways, since 1)Ecotecs are easy on oil 2)While saving the engine is great, the salt/winter here in MI will rot a car quick....

So, since my local hardware store running 9.99/5qt jugs of a pretty good oil ( Service Pro syn blend), I've picked up a few jugs to give it a try. I might bump the OCs to 3x instead of two, paired with a simple purolator filter for a 5k run.


I'm still picking up a little bit more syn (a few quarts here and there of Napa syn), but I'm thinking a blend now may be all I need....

Now I know there are plently of sales on full syn, but a 14 dollar oil change sounds much better than a 30 one...

 

[HTSS_TR]

The last few I bought in order earliest to latest:

1 jug QSUD for minus $5 after rebate
2 Chevron Supreme oil changes with Fram filters for $10.99 each
11 quarts PU for minus $15-20 after rebate

So I got 26 quarts and 2 filters for about nothing.

 

[The Critic]

Don't you get your oil changed at a shop?

Why not just go for the $15 LOF special at your favorite tire shop? There seem to be quite a few of those in your area.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Me ?

There are some $15-20 oil change coupons in Penny Savers USA every week, but I change oil my self to save time.

 

[01rangerxl]

$10 for five quarts is pretty good, but I don't know if even that would be enough for me. I don't know, I just feel more comfortable running a full syn and knowing if I need to, I can do 8-10K miles on an OCI and not really worry about it. 6-8K miles is more typical, but I have gone up to 10K.

I can't remember the last time I waxed my truck, but it had to have been in 2009. She got totaled in early 2010 and hasn't seen wax since. Still, I never stopped using syn oil. My truck looks worse than at least 90% of vehicles on the road, but is probably maintained better than at least 90% of vehicles on the road.

 

[fdcg27]

The Service Pro oil will be just fine for a 5K run, and probably much more than that.
If cost is becoming a consideration, but you also want to be conservative, why not use synthetic oil and run it to 0% OLM?
The GM OLM seems to do a very good job in predicting oil life for non-DI GM engines. The jury is out on the DI engines.
The assumptions built into the logic for this OLM include nothing more than an API spec 5W-30 conventional.
My thinking is that if you ran a synthetic to 0% OLM, you'd still be fairly conservative and you'd likely still save money, since the OLM will typically allow much more than 5K with a 2.2 Ecotec, based upon what I've seen in cars owned by people I know.

 

[ChrisD46]

It would be less expensive to run QSUD ($20.00) for 7500 miles / 6 months than it would to run dino (approx.) $14.00 for 5000 miles / 4 months.

 

[Billy_D]

You should be fine running 5000 OCi.

 

[Doog]

I never pay more than $3 for a quart of syn oil. If you are paying $30 then you aren't shopping well. Start watching the rebate section here. If you have a shop change your oil...start DIY. Most of my oil changes cost me $15 for full synthetic.

 

[Stanley Rockafeller]

I only ran syn on my beater (97 Escort) b/c it saved me from having to crawl under it more frequently to do oil changes. Maybe once a year (15k mile OIC's) at MOST was my OIC with M1 5w30. car loved it, and even in -30C temps never leaked or burnt a drop regardless of how hard my GF beat on that little thing!

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
It would be less expensive to run QSUD ($20.00) for 7500 miles / 6 months than it would to run dino (approx.) $14.00 for 5000 miles / 4 months.


Right on.

It AMAZES me how bad that (otherwise intelligent) people are at math. They buy into the false economy that conventions are somehow a "cheaper" solution. Syns are a better oil, a better buy, and saves even more on filters.

Some will never understand this.

 

[Danno]

In Canada, the math is PP $25, PYB $11 (WM on sale).
$9 oil filter cost.

Math says use conventional oil if you got with 7,500 syn or 5,000 mile conv. OCIs.
PYB is no slouch.

 

[HTSS_TR]

If you do 10k on syn or 5k on dino with 1 filter every oil change then PP cost less. If you have a shop do oil change with your parts, add $10 labor per oil change then PP costs much less.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
It would be less expensive to run QSUD ($20.00) for 7500 miles / 6 months than it would to run dino (approx.) $14.00 for 5000 miles / 4 months.


Right on.

It AMAZES me how bad that (otherwise intelligent) people are at math. They buy into the false economy that conventions are somehow a "cheaper" solution. Syns are a better oil, a better buy, and saves even more on filters.

Some will never understand this.


The simple answer is because most people on here do not use their of choice anywhere close to its capability so they can "feel" better. If I do not use my conventional oil of choice at least 7K miles I am short changing myself.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Don't you get your oil changed at a shop?

Why not just go for the $15 LOF special at your favorite tire shop? There seem to be quite a few of those in your area.


Nope..only in the winter. Rest of the year I change it myself...

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: Doog
I never pay more than $3 for a quart of syn oil. If you are paying $30 then you aren't shopping well. Start watching the rebate section here. If you have a shop change your oil...start DIY. Most of my oil changes cost me $15 for full synthetic.



While it's good to shop, I just don't have the time I used to to shop around. Like with the Napa syn, I would have had a case by now. But I have like 3 quarts!

And I trust VERY few people with my car. Even when I have to go to the dealership, I watch the car like a hawk...

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
If you do 10k on syn or 5k on dino with 1 filter every oil change then PP cost less. If you have a shop do oil change with your parts, add $10 labor per oil change then PP costs much less.


While true, with this car, I work not far from home. That said, they are often heavy city driving with a decent amount of idling at a light.

Often I might hit the time limit before I hit the milage one. While syn can take a good beating, after 3 months of hard abuse (severe use) in traffic, I'd still go for fresh oil anyways.


Now if i can get back to more freeway driving, then that would help too...

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: dave1251
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
It would be less expensive to run QSUD ($20.00) for 7500 miles / 6 months than it would to run dino (approx.) $14.00 for 5000 miles / 4 months.


Right on.

It AMAZES me how bad that (otherwise intelligent) people are at math. They buy into the false economy that conventions are somehow a "cheaper" solution. Syns are a better oil, a better buy, and saves even more on filters.

Some will never understand this.


The simple answer is because most people on here do not use their of choice anywhere close to its capability so they can "feel" better. If I do not use my conventional oil of choice at least 7K miles I am short changing myself.



True. At times I think I'd have to run my current oil much longer to get the true use out of it. And with my daily, I refuse to push any more than 6 months....


Also guys, keep in mind this is only for my Cobalt. I have have a pretty decent stash of syn for my other two cars, which do need them for certain reasons.


I might also chicken out anyways and run to napa to pick up a case by the end of this month and save these jugs for others...

Not sure why I suddenly have an urge to use a blend...

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
It would be less expensive to run QSUD ($20.00) for 7500 miles / 6 months than it would to run dino (approx.) $14.00 for 5000 miles / 4 months.


Right on.

It AMAZES me how bad that (otherwise intelligent) people are at math. They buy into the false economy that conventions are somehow a "cheaper" solution. Syns are a better oil, a better buy, and saves even more on filters.

Some will never understand this.


What amazes me even more is how people, seemingly good at math, can cherry pick pricing and OC mileage intervals to make their choice look good and then wonder how others "will never understand this".

There are these little things called local oil pricing, availability, driving habits, conditions and personal preference. It seems that "some will never understand this" and continue with their blanket statements.

 

[fdcg27]

How old is this Cobalt?
Does it have GM's IOLM system?
If it does, the OLM accounts for driving conditions and ambient temperatures, so it can be relied upon to provide guidance on safe OCI limits.
Since you bought the blend oil, I'd use it in the Cobalt without hesitation.
The 2.2 Ecotec does not place any special demands on its oil and the IOLM setup assumes the use of any 5W-30 oil of the appropriate API spec, maybe along with GM 6094M, which any decent API spec oil will meet.
The only real problem I've ever heard of with these engines involved either the timing chain or tensioners on early engines.