GM OLM dead wrong

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: ekpolk
Originally Posted By: ADFD1
. . .
Years ago they preached checking oil each time you gas up the car, I think that is still the rule of thumb. I usually check it every 500 miles. On something that has no history of oil use that could be extended. . . .


Yes! It may be overkill, but if you log just one "save" in a lifetime (or maybe even five or ten years), then all the "extra" oil checking will have been worth it.

In my Camry hybrid, every fillup or 500 miles is about the same thing. Except during the hurricane season, when as a rule, I never let a car go below one-half of a tank. And I still like to check every time. I actually worry about wearing out the hood release mechanism. But hey, I'd rather pay to fix that the pay to get a new engine.

Hey, beat the heck out of your hood release and dipstick -- they're far cheaper than a new engine.



Well at least it is coming out that other people's cars use some oil...I have wondered how "you people" LOL can go such long OCI??? I get mad that one of my Jeeps uses maybe a qt every 3k (180k on the ticker; now I do not feel so bad knowing others have to add oil. But still...are there any out there or is it realistic to say a car can go 9k on dino without using any...I know some claim that????

I check my oil maybe once a month on my 2 Jeep Grands, but my mom, dad, g/f, etc. don't do it...they tkae them in when they are due, or check it if they are going out of town...THAT IS IT.

I am not saying it is right...I agree with many of you guys who are debating me...but I am taking off my BITOG hat and looking at it from the g/f point of view; that's all.


I often wondered how some people could run a 10K or longer OCI and add no make up oil? I add about 1 qt in about 3500 miles in my Aerostar. My Jeep and E-150 oil changes are based on time and not miles, so I never had to add any oil to either one of them. I often wonder how many miles it would take for one of them to use up a qt of oil. I once ran my Caprice "severe service" for 5000 miles and had to add a qt of oil.

Boy did I hate that car. Not because of the oil I just hated that car.

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: Junior
Poster: FastSUV
Subject: Re: GM OLM dead wrong

I DO ALL THISE THINGS..in fact my cars in in execllnt condition...but the avg soccer mom who doesn't know as much about cars as us has to trust others to care for their car. She took he camary in every 3k to the quick lube...the OLM is something totally new to her and she doesn't like that the OLM now means she has to riase the hood on a regular basis when she is a single mom of 2 and works full-time and know nothing of cars. IF GM did not allow the OLM to go so long, then this would not be an issue...

----------------------------------------
10 minutes for you to teach her. 5 minutes a week after that. Or, you just check it for her. Either way problem solved.

By the way, I'm mildly offended by the single mother stereotype. Rather than coming on here hating the OLM, maybe it would be a better idea to teach her the basics about cars and the consequences of not checking the oil, tire pressure, etc.


You are kidding me right? If I did not like single Mom's then she would not be my g/f. It is not a sterotype and that is basically a summary of how she told it to me. She said that if one of us (oil men) had to walk in her shoes and deal with all the stuff she did, then we would understand why she doesn't want to have to work on her car.

You must be missing the posts where I mentioned that she wa good about maintenance on all her cars. Its just that she had the quick lube place or the dealer do it all and trusted them so she did not have to worry about it.

Surely you can see my point that to someone like that, a car is the least of their worries. IF SHE NEGELCTED IT THEN YOU'D BE RIGHT to beat me down about it. But she does not. on he Camry she took it in every 3k and did what the quicklube told her nit needed. Problem solved.

But on this new car, she is frustrated and the OLM is a new thing for her after years of the 3k thing. Can't you see how a non-car person (especially a person of many responsibilities) would not like having an extra worry of something they do not know or obsess about like a car. We on BITOG are anal about our cars, but when you take someone who is not that way and then try to explain why their new car is low on oil and why the OCI triple what they were used to, it frustrated her.

READ MY POSTS...I agree with many of you'd points on people who don't take care of their cars, etc. But she does have a history of having the scheduled maintenance done and now I am having to tell her that is not good enough. Can't you see that?

At least a few of have said you see my point; even though I myself agree that checking the oil is no big deal, my post was to vent that the OLM is recommending an uber-long OCI on dino for millions of people who simply will not check the oil in between because on their old car that they did every 3k at the quicklube, oil burn-off was not an issue for them because 3k was not long enough for that to happen in a significant enough amount. 9k on the otherhand, is A LOT of miles on dino oil and IMHOP, GM should have a check oil level reminder for the "sheep" that at least comes on at 50%!!!

 

[doitmyself]

FastSUV, I understand your point and think it is valid. For many here, it is hard to comprehend life outside the BITOG bubble that assumes the general public shares equal (BITOG) "common" sense.

I think the manufacturers' quest to produce and/or market "maintenance free" vehicles creates somewhat of a Catch 22 situation. I think the general public needs to be re-educated about the need for periodic maintenance checks in spite of the huge service intervals we now enjoy.

In the old days, regular service to MANY components resulted in regular maintenance of vehicles (except those that only serviced when something broke).

Today....maintenance free batteries, "lifetime" tranny fluid, sealed bearings, no zerks, 5 yr./130K coolant, 100K plugs, extended OCI/OLM. Is it no wonder that so many interpret this as "NO maintenance until interval reached"?

Yes, each person is responsible for their own mistakes (not reading/following owners manual), but the marketing strategy to turn low maintenance into no maintenance is enabling the dumbing down of our society.

A real example: One of my college student employees replaced his Ford Tranny at 5 years/ 130K. I asked if he ever serviced the tranny and his response was "no, the manual says it is lifetime fluid"(FYI, actual cause of death is unknown).

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: FastSUV
...on her Camry she took it in every 3k and did what the quicklube told her it needed. Problem solved. But on this new car, she is frustrated and the OLM is a new thing for her after years of the 3k thing.


You see, your plan makes sense but misses one important piece of the puzzle. What about cars that use oil within that 3K period? Lots of cars do. They still require a check of the dipstick from time to time.

Is her G6 an Ecotec? Ecotec owners routinely report very long intervals called for by the OLM; on mine I've seen as long as 10,700 miles, depending on the season and my driving habits. In the winter, it can tell when I do more idling time in the driveway, more short trips and more cold starts, and it shortens up the interval. Its quite noticeable. On the other hand, my 78-year old dad sees about 3500 miles in his V6 Impala, which comes as no surprise to me since all his driving is short trips in town.

By the way, you don't have to follow the OLM exactly if you don't want to. If going all the way to 0 sounds like too much, change it early at, say, 20% or 40% or whatever other number you like.

I mentioned earlier that I'll bet the oil has been a quart low for a long time, probably since the previous oil change. It was underfilled. But without ever checking the dipstick, not even once, its impossible to verify.

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: css9450
Originally Posted By: FastSUV
...on her Camry she took it in every 3k and did what the quicklube told her it needed. Problem solved. But on this new car, she is frustrated and the OLM is a new thing for her after years of the 3k thing.


You see, your plan makes sense but misses one important piece of the puzzle. What about cars that use oil within that 3K period? Lots of cars do. They still require a check of the dipstick from time to time.

Is her G6 an Ecotec? Ecotec owners routinely report very long intervals called for by the OLM; on mine I've seen as long as 10,700 miles, depending on the season and my driving habits. In the winter, it can tell when I do more idling time in the driveway, more short trips and more cold starts, and it shortens up the interval. Its quite noticeable. On the other hand, my 78-year old dad sees about 3500 miles in his V6 Impala, which comes as no surprise to me since all his driving is short trips in town.

By the way, you don't have to follow the OLM exactly if you don't want to. If going all the way to 0 sounds like too much, change it early at, say, 20% or 40% or whatever other number you like.

I mentioned earlier that I'll bet the oil has been a quart low for a long time, probably since the previous oil change. It was underfilled. But without ever checking the dipstick, not even once, its impossible to verify.


I see what you are saying, but in 3k her old car did not use enough to worry about checking it. I check mine all the time but many people do not and that is usually fine for a car that doesn't go 9k on an OCI LOL.

And it was not low because she got it with 15k on the ticker and the dealer had just changed the oil and of course I checked the oil even before she bought it

BTW it is a 3.6L VVT and that same engine in Caddys I calls for M1?? Funny how in the Pontiac they call for dino.

 

[Audi Junkie]

I know people who spent $40k on a car and "CAN'T" cheak the oil. You know how most people are, they give up before trying.

 

[joel95ex]

Originally Posted By: 360kid
Those Oil Monitors in GM's just plain suck. My dad has a Chevy Colorado. I changed the oil in his truck last weekend because his oil was toast and smelled burnt. He had gone well over 7000 miles and the OLM still said over 30% left. This is way too many miles on conventional oil.

I couldn't believe my dad was going that long between oil changes. He's a retired mechanic after all. He knew it had been over 7000 miles, but the Chevy dealer told him to follow the OLM on this model. So, against better judgment, he listened.

Anyways, I put in PP just in case he went that long again. At least he would have a better oil in there that can handle the long interval. I also put a sticker in his window and told him to call me at 5000 miles and I would change it regardless of what the OLM said. I ignore the OLM in my wifes Malibu too. They are completely worthless in the GM's.


if you made the switch to syn then i would recommend lots of dipstick checking for a while---many people have remarked about lots of consumption/loss for a while when making the switch....

 

[peterdaniel]

omg... it's threads like this one that encourages oil companies to put out eleventy thousand different oil's.. change the name, mix up the colors of the bottles and voila! have a really NEW and Improved product that everyone just rushes out and buy.

#1 Change your oil and filter every 5K miles. Period
#2 Use whatever oil brand you want.
#3 Use whatever filter you want.

#4 Any questions? See #1

 

[Junior]

Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: Junior
Poster: FastSUV
S


You are kidding me right? If I did not like single Mom's then she would not be my g/f. It is not a sterotype and that is basically a summary of how she told it to me. She said that if one of us (oil men) had to walk in her shoes and deal with all the stuff she did, then we would understand why she doesn't want to have to work on her car.

You must be missing the posts where I mentioned that she wa good about maintenance on all her cars. Its just that she had the quick lube place or the dealer do it all and trusted them so she did not have to worry about it.

Surely you can see my point that to someone like that, a car is the least of their worries. IF SHE NEGELCTED IT THEN YOU'D BE RIGHT to beat me down about it. But she does not. on he Camry she took it in every 3k and did what the quicklube told her nit needed. Problem solved.

But on this new car, she is frustrated and the OLM is a new thing for her after years of the 3k thing. Can't you see how a non-car person (especially a person of many responsibilities) would not like having an extra worry of something they do not know or obsess about like a car. We on BITOG are anal about our cars, but when you take someone who is not that way and then try to explain why their new car is low on oil and why the OCI triple what they were used to, it frustrated her.

READ MY POSTS...I agree with many of you'd points on people who don't take care of their cars, etc. But she does have a history of having the scheduled maintenance done and now I am having to tell her that is not good enough. Can't you see that?

At least a few of have said you see my point; even though I myself agree that checking the oil is no big deal, my post was to vent that the OLM is recommending an uber-long OCI on dino for millions of people who simply will not check the oil in between because on their old car that they did every 3k at the quicklube, oil burn-off was not an issue for them because 3k was not long enough for that to happen in a significant enough amount. 9k on the otherhand, is A LOT of miles on dino oil and IMHOP, GM should have a check oil level reminder for the "sheep" that at least comes on at 50%!!!


It's a stereotype because you make the assumption that all single mothers do not check their oil and then you proceed to call them "sheep", your girlfriend included.

Like many things in life, car ownership comes with responsibilities. The results you get are directly related to the effort you put forth and the level of responsibility you put on yourself. If the car was over a quart low on oil, then in my little world that is mild automotive neglect.

If one does not want to check the oil, then maybe the 3000 mile OCI is better for them. Who am I to stop one from spending $25 on an oil change rather than just spending 5 minutes a month and maybe $3 on oil for an OCI that is 2-3 times longer and will save money in the long run.

BTW, is see you point but in my opinion it is neither the fault of the OLM nor GM for putting it in their cars. It is a very useful tool if used correctly. Failing to check the oil is not the correct way to use an OLM. We as a society need to stop trying to protect everyone from themselves. For some, life lessons need to be learned the hard way.

 

[1999nick]

Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: css9450
Originally Posted By: FastSUV
...on her Camry she took it in every 3k and did what the quicklube told her it needed. Problem solved. But on this new car, she is frustrated and the OLM is a new thing for her after years of the 3k thing.


You see, your plan makes sense but misses one important piece of the puzzle. What about cars that use oil within that 3K period? Lots of cars do. They still require a check of the dipstick from time to time.

Is her G6 an Ecotec? Ecotec owners routinely report very long intervals called for by the OLM; on mine I've seen as long as 10,700 miles, depending on the season and my driving habits. In the winter, it can tell when I do more idling time in the driveway, more short trips and more cold starts, and it shortens up the interval. Its quite noticeable. On the other hand, my 78-year old dad sees about 3500 miles in his V6 Impala, which comes as no surprise to me since all his driving is short trips in town.

By the way, you don't have to follow the OLM exactly if you don't want to. If going all the way to 0 sounds like too much, change it early at, say, 20% or 40% or whatever other number you like.

I mentioned earlier that I'll bet the oil has been a quart low for a long time, probably since the previous oil change. It was underfilled. But without ever checking the dipstick, not even once, its impossible to verify.


I see what you are saying, but in 3k her old car did not use enough to worry about checking it. I check mine all the time but many people do not and that is usually fine for a car that doesn't go 9k on an OCI LOL.

And it was not low because she got it with 15k on the ticker and the dealer had just changed the oil and of course I checked the oil even before she bought it

BTW it is a 3.6L VVT and that same engine in Caddys I calls for M1?? Funny how in the Pontiac they call for dino.


In that Cadillac that calls for M1, it has an OLM calibrated for it. In either Car & Driver magazine or Motor Trend, I forget which, in a long-term test, they just changed the oil for the first time at 13,000+ miles.

 

[Canawler]

I can't believe I read the whole way thru this thread.
It's clear from the first post what you should do.
Obviously you and she are not comfortable with the intervals called for by the OLM... so ignore it.
Change the oil at the 3k mile intervals she is comfortable with, or the 5k-6k intervals you are comfortable with.
End of story.

 

[addyguy]

When I started reading this thread, I was with those that said you g/f was silly for not being willing/able to check her oil.

But i do know how busy life can get, and so, for a lot of mundane things, you have to find what works for you.

If your g/f has years of 'experience' in doing the 3k/3 month quick lube thing, and that works for her, she should go back to it and concentrate on the more important things in life.

So she spends a bit extra on OC's. Big deal. Lots more important things to worry about, these days.

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
When I started reading this thread, I was with those that said you g/f was silly for not being willing/able to check her oil.

But i do know how busy life can get, and so, for a lot of mundane things, you have to find what works for you.

If your g/f has years of 'experience' in doing the 3k/3 month quick lube thing, and that works for her, she should go back to it and concentrate on the more important things in life.

So she spends a bit extra on OC's. Big deal. Lots more important things to worry about, these days.


And that would be fine if the OLM gave you an option to choose between following the OLM OR choosing it to just warn you on a pre-determined interval. ARE YOU LISTENING GM???? Change the system to allow for either.

Anyway, my g/f has been made aware of all the caveats and she has elected to have me change the oil for her everytime the OLM gets to 50% & then 0% using dino or blend.

I had originally thought I'd use PP but if the oil will be changhed every 4-5k then she may as well use dino.

 

[Durango]

What I found interesting was that from a lettr/GM they indicate my OCI's for my 08' Impala SS is every 3K BUT according to the OLM/On Star the OCI for my car is considered 5600K.

Which one is better to guage my oil changes? I like the OCI better but my next change will be a good synthetic instead of dino.

Durango

 

[Junior]

Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: addyguy
When I started reading this thread, I was with those that said you g/f was silly for not being willing/able to check her oil.

But i do know how busy life can get, and so, for a lot of mundane things, you have to find what works for you.

If your g/f has years of 'experience' in doing the 3k/3 month quick lube thing, and that works for her, she should go back to it and concentrate on the more important things in life.

So she spends a bit extra on OC's. Big deal. Lots more important things to worry about, these days.


And that would be fine if the OLM gave you an option to choose between following the OLM OR choosing it to just warn you on a pre-determined interval. ARE YOU LISTENING GM???? Change the system to allow for either.



OMG! If you are going to ignore the OLM, is it really that hard to write down and remember the last time the oil was changed? How did we ever manage before OLMs?

"To sit back hoping that someday, someway, someone will make things right is to go on feeding the crocodile, hoping he will eat you last--but eat you he will." - President Reagan

 

[jdeare]

Does her car have a "Low Oil" light? That's what I use, along with the GM OLM. It routinely comes on when the engine is a quart low.

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: Junior
Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: addyguy
When I started reading this thread, I was with those that said you g/f was silly for not being willing/able to check her oil.

But i do know how busy life can get, and so, for a lot of mundane things, you have to find what works for you.

If your g/f has years of 'experience' in doing the 3k/3 month quick lube thing, and that works for her, she should go back to it and concentrate on the more important things in life.

So she spends a bit extra on OC's. Big deal. Lots more important things to worry about, these days.


And that would be fine if the OLM gave you an option to choose between following the OLM OR choosing it to just warn you on a pre-determined interval. ARE YOU LISTENING GM???? Change the system to allow for either.



OMG! If you are going to ignore the OLM, is it really that hard to write down and remember the last time the oil was changed? How did we ever manage before OLMs?

"To sit back hoping that someday, someway, someone will make things right is to go on feeding the crocodile, hoping he will eat you last--but eat you he will." - President Reagan


Junior...you are being to hard on me again LOL. It is not that hard for me to write it down...I am speaking for those who are not as enlightened or enthusiastic about oil & cars as you & I.

People are gonna get confused if they can't rely on the OLM without having to top-off all the time (due to uber-long intervals)and as a result they have to start writing down their intervaqls and defying the factory OLM. Even that guy above said his GM letter (probably from the dealership though) was in conflict with the OLM.

 

[Trajan]

My 15K OLM doesn't keep me from raising the hood, pulling the dipstick, and checking the oil. Doesn't keep me from changing the oil early either.

My oil pressure/level sensor doesn't keep me from raising the hood, pulling the dipstick, and checking the oil level.

Doing the above keeps the yellow,(add oil), and red, (you're screwed idiot), lights from coming on. Unless of course there is a catastrophic failure.

My coolant senssor doesn't keep me from raising the hood, taking the cap off, and checking the coolant level.

My brake sensor doesn't keep me from, you guessed it, raising the hood, taking the lid off, and checking the fluid level.

My tire pressure monitor doesn't keep me from checking tire pressure.

My bulb sensor doesn't keep me from checking to see that the lights work. (Burning out while driving is another matter.)

The brake pad sensor doesn't keep me from checking and replacing the pads and rotors before that light goes on.

All those little techno toys, and I still rather rely on me.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: FastSUV

People are gonna get confused if they can't rely on the OLM without having to top-off all the time (due to uber-long intervals).


I've had people tell me the same basic thing about the oil pressure warning lights and gauges that have been in cars for 80-odd years- that it should measure level in addition to pressure because people get confused.

My opinion: People that don't understand something as basic as the difference between oil level and oil pressure, or between oil level and oil life for that matter, deserve whatever damage they get from neglecting any one of those parameters. The light/gauge measures pressure, the DIPSTICK measures level, and the OLM measures life. Three parameters, three measuring instruments. All must be maintained.

Yes, I know I'm in the minority on that.

 

[Junior]

Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: Junior
Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: addyguy
When I started reading this thread, I was with those that said you g/f was silly for not being willing/able to check her oil.

But i do know how busy life can get, and so, for a lot of mundane things, you have to find what works for you.

If your g/f has years of 'experience' in doing the 3k/3 month quick lube thing, and that works for her, she should go back to it and concentrate on the more important things in life.

So she spends a bit extra on OC's. Big deal. Lots more important things to worry about, these days.


And that would be fine if the OLM gave you an option to choose between following the OLM OR choosing it to just warn you on a pre-determined interval. ARE YOU LISTENING GM???? Change the system to allow for either.



OMG! If you are going to ignore the OLM, is it really that hard to write down and remember the last time the oil was changed? How did we ever manage before OLMs?

"To sit back hoping that someday, someway, someone will make things right is to go on feeding the crocodile, hoping he will eat you last--but eat you he will." - President Reagan


Junior...you are being to hard on me again LOL. It is not that hard for me to write it down...I am speaking for those who are not as enlightened or enthusiastic about oil & cars as you & I.

People are gonna get confused if they can't rely on the OLM without having to top-off all the time (due to uber-long intervals)and as a result they have to start writing down their intervaqls and defying the factory OLM. Even that guy above said his GM letter (probably from the dealership though) was in conflict with the OLM.


I'm not a proponent of making everything idiot proof. I favor education and personal responsibility. I'm not personally attacking you.