New car - sat for a month - change oil?

[ptrck]

In August, I purchased a new 2014 Chevrolet Spark.

During August and September, I placed 700+ miles on the vehicle.

I was out of state for work during the month of October, so I filled my car with gasoline and fuel stabilizer, washed and waxed it, parked it in my garage, and disconnected the battery.

I've returned from my work trip and am unsure about whether I should change my oil and filter prior to starting my car.

Part of me feels like I should, because the oil has been sitting for 30+ days. On the other hand, is it a good idea to replace the factory-fill oil this soon?

I appreciate the help - I just want to get back to driving my car again.

 

[Nate1979]

Follow the OLM and owners manual. What % is the OLM at? Sitting for 1 month doesn't have any effect on the oil.

 

[Quattro Pete]

No.

 

[sciphi]

Drive it. I'd be more worried a mouse or other critter made a nest than about an oil change on new oil.

 

[RamFan]

No, don't change it merely because it sat for a month. If you want to change it because of break-in metals, that's up for discussion.

Also, if you make trips like this often. I'd recommend buying a battery tender and hooking it up, instead of disconnecting the battery. Just my preference.

 

[bubbatime]

Wow a whole 30 days? Whoopee. Don't worry about it.

 

[Samuraidog]

I wouldn't worry about it, even if it sat for a whole year.

 

[ptrck]

Thanks everyone - I appreciate the (insanely) quick replies.

The OLM is sitting at 89%, but I wasn't sure if it would factor in periods of the vehicle sitting with the battery disconnected.

I frequently make month-long trips several times a year, so a battery tender does sound like a good idea. Maybe I can drop enough hints around the house before Christmas...

Thanks again guys!

 

[widman]

Don't change it.

I work out of two offices, two homes. I have cars at both. Sometimes it is as much as three months before I get back to one or the other.

 

[gallydif]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Drive it. I'd be more worried a mouse or other critter made a nest than about an oil change on new oil.

+1

 

[nwjones18]

Yeah a month is nothing.. We have cars that routinely sit that long. No worries at all.

 

[crazyoildude]

Some of my vehicles sit for over a month and there is never an issue..As for gas i have let gas sit in tanks for 6 months and again never an issue.

 

[Chris142]

I let the oil go 3 YEARS in my truck. Uoa showed it to be good as new

 

[Indydriver]

Let's see...you bought a "new" 2014 model in August '15 and you're worried about not driving it for 30 days. Funny.

 

[splinter]

Originally Posted By: Indydriver
Let's see...you bought a "new" 2014 model in August '15 and you're worried about not driving it for 30 days. Funny.

Yeah I buy all my new cars towards the end of the then-current model year.
Saves me thousands of dollars. "We're dealing!"

Then I promptly change the fluids (except brake) for a solid TBO baseline. Not recommended for normal folk, though.

 

[gathermewool]

Fuel stabilizer for only a month???

I think everyone else pretty much covered how a month of sitting is NOT a big deal. A lot off cars sit on the sales lot longer than that before being sold.

 

[BrocLuno]

I've got trucks that sit for a whole season between runs. The oil may get changed once a year ... They been like that for decades. No bad oil and no engine failures (mechanical). I have had critters chew up under hood wiring ...

The battery tenders are a god send to vehicles that sit. Do a nice hob wiring in the "pig tails" so you can plug, un-plug easily and it'll fire right up like you just parked it.

Modern unleaded fuels do not go bad that fast. The tanks are basically sealed to prevent fumes from escaping, so there is not a big change in chemistry

 

[Nick1994]

A month is nothing. I'd be concerned with if you short trip the car, you put 700 miles on it in 2 months? Doesn't sound like you hardly even drive it. Sometimes I do that in a week!

 

[Blinker]

Hahaha thanks for the good sunday humor

. You did a veru good job with waxing it and putting fuel stabilizer in it but don't be worried at all that it "sat for a month". Just forget the fact it sat for a month and go ahead change it when the time comes.

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: ptrck
In August, I purchased a new 2014 Chevrolet Spark.

During August and September, I placed 700+ miles on the vehicle.

I was out of state for work during the month of October, so I filled my car with gasoline and fuel stabilizer, washed and waxed it, parked it in my garage, and disconnected the battery.

Lesseee last of those were built approx July/Aug of '14, means oil is at least a year old and maybe as much as two, especially if it were one of the first ones off the line back around Sept '13...