Help me convince the girlfriend..

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One of my rules is to run nothing but full synthetic in a turbocharged gasoline engine. She's not getting that for $22.
 
While I think your GF is doing just fine with her maintenance, you could join her for the next service and observe the oil/filter change and ask a question or two WITHOUT causing friction. Ed
 
Originally Posted By: toneydoc
If the cost is 22 bucks for 4 months and the girl is happy with it, count your blessings. And if something DOES happen to go wrong, you do not get the blame for it. Sometimes you need to let it go.


This.

She has a belief concerning her car. You can try to change her belief, and thus make her feel attacked and criticized, or you can learn to distinguish between what is really important and what is actually trivial....
 
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Originally Posted By: toneydoc
If the cost is 22 bucks for 4 months and the girl is happy with it, count your blessings. And if something DOES happen to go wrong, you do not get the blame for it. Sometimes you need to let it go.


This.

She has a belief concerning her car. You can try to change her belief, and thus make her feel attacked and criticized, or you can learn to distinguish between what is really important and what is actually trivial....


Make her feel attacked and criticized? Buddy did you even read my last post? While I appreciate your input, you have this whole situation backwards. I am simply asking for OCI recommendations. The dealer says nothing over 3000. I was CURIOUS if I could get some useful input on whether or not it can be stretched passed that.

Seems like the consensus says $22.xx every 3k is pretty fair. Ill stick with that.
 
when she starts getting slammed with services she does not need at top dollar and she starts complaining about the price just say go ahead next time dont listen to me either
 
As big as BITOG has grown and as much as people have learned and shared.. it is nearly 2014 and mechanics still push the 3k mile oil change or bust concept from our grandparent's day and time.

Makes me shudder lol.
 
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: Astro14
Originally Posted By: toneydoc
If the cost is 22 bucks for 4 months and the girl is happy with it, count your blessings. And if something DOES happen to go wrong, you do not get the blame for it. Sometimes you need to let it go.


This.

She has a belief concerning her car. You can try to change her belief, and thus make her feel attacked and criticized, or you can learn to distinguish between what is really important and what is actually trivial....


Make her feel attacked and criticized? Buddy did you even read my last post? While I appreciate your input, you have this whole situation backwards. I am simply asking for OCI recommendations. The dealer says nothing over 3000. I was CURIOUS if I could get some useful input on whether or not it can be stretched passed that.

Seems like the consensus says $22.xx every 3k is pretty fair. Ill stick with that.


I did read your post.

I maintain two cars similar to hers, and I would run a good synthetic for 7,500 miles. The dealer is charging a fair price, but I would choose differently. Her 2.4T has the same engine as my XC, which has 180,000 on it. If you want to know more about her car, search some of my posts on Volvos.

Buddy, there is a more important concern here than the car, or what oil to run. Pay attention to what's important to her, not to minor nuances in car maintenance. You're not yet married, so you may not understand...but you will...someday...
 
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A couple things to note-1) these engines tend to run pretty dirty, so 3K all city isn't the worst thing. Also, at that price I doubt they're draining the cooler, so they're only really changing 5.5 qts out of 6.5. 2) These cars tend to consume oil. While it would be great if she checks it every 1K, chances are good she's like most people and never checks it. So, this will reduce the chance she's driving around w/2 quarts in the sump.

In short, I think there are worse problems to have.
 
Here is my "case".

I am married... and my wife likes to demand to get everything done at the dealership for her car (especially while under warranty).

I let her go to the dealer during the 3y/36k Honda warranty... even when I am seeing $82 bills for Castrol Syn-blend (billed $12 per qt!). Talk about a rip-off. However, once the warranty is done, I can do my thing.
smile.gif


$22 is not bad... just make sure they change the filter and go over the invoice/bill and see what they are doing and hold them to that.

Filters are supposed to be dirty... that tells me they are doing their thing. If the filter is dirty, that tells you it is not letting that junk in the engine. Tell her that. Don't be dismissive about her habits, especially because there is a "Pride of Ownership" happening here. She is being "good" here and wanting to do the right thing. I can think of dozens of people who neglect their cars, no pride of ownership... so I would rather have a frugal hyper-care person than a neglectful owner.

Maybe you could get her to a 7500 synthetic OCI by convincing her it is a better product.
 
If you want to go synthetic, next oci, just put the quarts of your blessed holy oil and chosen filter in the trunk, and have her tell them to do the change with that. Maybe they'll cut off $2, and you're down to $20 for the labor+carwash.
Heck sometimes I pay $20 and end up with a mediocre carwash.
 
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used oil analysis. Without her knowing. Send it and get results back. Then find a used oil analysis of a same engine similar mileage and on synthetic on a longer OCI on here. Show her.. Put it as simple as possible.


But in the end, as long as dealer is actually changing filter 22 bucks ain't bad. But those filters if I remember correctly are a pain in the [censored].
 
+100 for Astro14 remarks.

You have a conscientious girlfriend. Do a little "recon" by joining her at the next trip to the dealer.

Maybe the engine would be better suited to synthetic, but 3mo/3k on SN GF-5 conventional is probably more maintenance than a majority of non-BITOG engines get.

Nurturing the relationship is what's important here.

Take care,
Gary
 
Originally Posted By: Tucson Five-O
+100 for Astro14 remarks.

You have a conscientious girlfriend. Do a little "recon" by joining her at the next trip to the dealer.

Maybe the engine would be better suited to synthetic, but 3mo/3k on SN GF-5 conventional is probably more maintenance than a majority of non-BITOG engines get.

Nurturing the relationship is what's important here.


Take care,
Gary


Gary I appreciate your comments but i still feel my original point of this post is being overlooked. It was an OCI recommendation. Nothing more. I'd bore you all with how happy we are with each other, but ill spare you. I will say we are BOTH car enthusiast. The only thing we criticize each other on is our different taste in music. Minus that small detail, she is pretty much the female version of me.

Like i said my entire reason for this post was for an OCI recommendation. With the oil being a synthetic blend, I was thinking she could get maybe 5000 miles+ out of the oil change.. Maybe stretch that $7.33 per 1000 miles a little longer. I didn't take the oil cooler or the engine being an oil consumer into consideration. I do accompany her to the dealer because i love spending time with her plus I make sure the dealer doesn't try to push any [censored] onto her. For example, before we were together they replaced some bulbs without her consent which cost an extra $35. Just last September they wanted to replace the hood supports for $80.

Thanks,
David
 
Originally Posted By: Flareside302

But in the end, as long as dealer is actually changing filter 22 bucks ain't bad. But those filters if I remember correctly are a pain in the [censored].


yes they are. more $$$ too. i sure wish there was a way to check to see if its new.. without loosing oil.
confused.gif
 
Although oil has gotten a lot better over the years, what cars do to that oil is a lot more severe also. What use to go out the tail pipe now stays and contaminate the engine oil, due to pollution standards. I realize you see a lot of people who like to push the oil to the limits. With a turbo, with city driving and with $22 a oil change. I have to go with the consensus and lean towards the safe side of oil changes. If I had a turbo, I would change it every 3000, oil is cheap by repair standards.
 
LOL...

Even if the oil spec isn't perfect for the turbo, the 3k change interval will negate that issue. At 22$ with filter you really can't complain, that is a great deal from any dealer.

What the OP did is correct. He suggested something different to his GF and she declined to listen and he left it at that.

She IS being conscientious about maintaining the car, and that is better than 98% of the entire female population when it comes to anything car related. That is something to be very grateful of.
 
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: Flareside302

But in the end, as long as dealer is actually changing filter 22 bucks ain't bad. But those filters if I remember correctly are a pain in the [censored].


yes they are. more $$$ too. i sure wish there was a way to check to see if its new.. without loosing oil.
confused.gif




Aren't they. Topside canister? Newer volvos are not sure of your model. If so you won't loose any oil.
 
Not exactly...the filter is on the front passenger side of the engine. Canister type. I recommend that you get a tool to fit the canister if you ever take over changing this car's oil yourself. Drain plug is on the rear of the engine, in the center. 17mm bolt. You have to remove the engine splash pan to get at both (7 12mm bolts).

Volvos are known for PCV system failures. The "flame trap" or "oil trap" as they're known, consist of a box on the front of the block, under the intake manifold and a series of vacuum hoses. Run the oil too long (as many Volvo owners have) and they get plugged up, causing seal leaks, and in extreme cases, seal failures.

Changing the oil too often simply wastes $$, but the dealer will charge you about $600 for a PCV system replacement, so you're not really wasting much.

If you're really only looking for an OCI recommendation on her car, then here it is: Change it in accordance with the manual, which is 7,500 miles. Use only a synthetic with an ACEA A3/B3 or A3/B4 rating.

Good oil is cheaper than a PCV system replacement.
 
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