GM OLM Dilema: Help me with my OCIs...

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: FZ1
You can offset some are all of the additionl cost of syn with better mpg. Do you own math using your personal oci and see.


Let us know what oil you used before and what MPG you got.

Then tell us what oil you went to and what MPG you now get.

Also prices of what you paid for each oil and OCI.

I'd like to see the math to see how much $$ your seeing.

Thanks, Bill

 

[FZ1]

I went from dealer fill to M1 and got up to 1 mpg better. So......3250/20mpg =162 G.........3250/21mpg =154 G. So..........8 G. X $4 = $32 dollars saved by spending $10-20 more for syn oil. Each persons facts will be different,but all should do the math.

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Quote:
The typical cost of regular oil isn't 1/2 of most synthetics. It's more like at the 60-65% level.



At the local Wal-Mart I can get 5 qts of Pennzoil, Castrol, Valvoline, QS, Halvoline for *less* than half of PP, Mobil 1, Syntec or QS Q whatever (I've stopped trying to figure out their syn names).

Mobil 1 costs $23 for 1 qts. Mobil 5000 cost $9.

Not even close to 50%...

These are not on sale prices. Everyday.

The last 4 cases of oil I just bought cost me less than ONE 5qt jug of Mobil 1 EP at Wal-Mart. 48 qts vs 5 quarts.

Take care, bill


But that's you, Bill. You're always ahead of every curve in creation.

...and you gotta check that every day low price. 48/quarts? vs. 5?? That's 9.6:1 ration. So, even if you were paying $1/quart ..the EP would be selling for almost $10.

Since it's selling way below $10/quart ..then you're getting it for under $0.50.

Where are you buying this again??

Everyday low price at my WM means from the upper $2 range to the lower $3 range for everything from yellow bottle to one of your HM oils. Anything other than ST in a synth is in the $5-6 range.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: zulu
... Should I pick an arbitrary mileage (4-5K) or do I stick with the OLM?


Just run the OLM down to the teens and then do an oil/filter change. That's what I do with my 2007 2.2L Ecotoc. Ecotecs hold ~5qts and are not known to be tough on oil. ~19% gets me to 7-8Kmi. I take it a step further and use 5w20 to help maximize MPG.

Joel

 

[Cutehumor]

Quote:
While there are a ton of tightwads that manage to exist on "free after rebate" or "buy one get one" and such things, it's something that not everyone can adopt as a policy (think about it folks, the entire DIY population can't be sustained this way who's going to pay for the shelf space?).


Gary I'm still waiting for you to offer Free after rebate Amsoil

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: zulu
Should I pick an arbitrary mileage (4-5K) or do I stick with the OLM?


I go by oil splotch color, time and OLM; I factor those three together to arrive at my decision.

1. Oil getting a dark brown with with a black outline on a white paper towel? Change it out.

2. Has 4 months gone by? Change it out.

3. 50% left on the OLM? Change it out.


I believe it's more important to save the engine than to save the oil.

 

[terminaldegree]

I used to be in the 3mo/3000 mile camp, then I started buying synthetics on sale and did 6mo/5000 mile intervals.

Money's tight and I'm down to 1 vehicle in the household, so now I am using the OLM: down to 50% with cheap oil/filters, 25% with good conventional oil and filters, and 0% with synthetic and high quality filters. My purchasing decisions are determined by what's the best deal.
It frees up time and money to either pay attention to other things (which my g/f appreciates), or maintain some other area of the vehicle more.

 

[Cutehumor]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: zulu
Should I pick an arbitrary mileage (4-5K) or do I stick with the OLM?


I go by oil splotch color, time and OLM; I factor those three together to arrive at my decision.

1. Oil getting a dark brown with with a black outline on a white paper towel? Change it out.

2. Has 4 months gone by? Change it out.

3. 50% left on the OLM? Change it out.


I believe it's more important to save the engine than to save the oil.


I've been changing oil in my car for at least 6 month intervals and longer for the past 8 years. Where's my engine failure?
I've seen engines fail before. Coolant leaks and no oil in the engine did them in.

 

[oldmaninsc]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: zulu
Should I pick an arbitrary mileage (4-5K) or do I stick with the OLM?


I go by oil splotch color, time and OLM; I factor those three together to arrive at my decision.

1. Oil getting a dark brown with with a black outline on a white paper towel? Change it out.

2. Has 4 months gone by? Change it out.

3. 50% left on the OLM? Change it out.


I believe it's more important to save the engine than to save the oil.


I've been changing oil in my car for at least 6 month intervals and longer for the past 8 years. Where's my engine failure?
I've seen engines fail before. Coolant leaks and no oil in the engine did them in.


EXACTLY! Old school thinking sure dies hard! Got to love the "scientific" ways people come up with for determining OCI!