New guy with oil-change question

[Annoyedgrunt]

Hello everyone. This website was recommended to me by a friend of mine who said it is THE place to get good oil information, so if you don't mind, I have a few questions...

-I recently bought a '09 Nissan Rogue for my wife, and it is coming up on 1000 miles. Should I change the oil now, or wait until the manual's stated 3,750-mile interval oil change?

-Should I use regular oil, or synthetic for the first oil change? The manual doesn't say either way; just says to use oils that have API or ILSAC certification.

-If I should keep on using regular oil, how long before using synthetics?

-Are synthetics worth the hype? Or will regular oil do, as long as you change it religiously?

Thanks for any help, fellas!

 

[hate2work]

1) Seems to be lots of controversy about that, some change the FF early while others don't. I haven't seen any evidence that supports changing it early, although I have done so myself.

2) Either type of oil will work well for you, the key is to stay on a regular maintenance schedule. Syn oils let you run the OCI a little longer, but don't provide any better protection like some of the companies would like you to believe.

3) You can switch to syn whenever you want. In fact, you can switch back and forth with no problems.

4) Regular oil will do just fine, if, as you suggested, you change it religiously. Syn worth the hype? That depends on a few things...

 

[daves87rs]

1. Change it whenever you feel...many do the 1000 mile mark..

2. How is the driving? Mosty city? Highway?

3. Synthetic filled cars come from the factory...no wait, if you want.

4. I suppose that it depends on many factors...lease? Buy? Is she hard on cars? It can if you have the right use for it.

 

[bmwtechguy]

Use regular oil for the stated oil change interval. You could upgrade to synthetic and go for a longer oil change interval, but remember you have a warranty and will most likely need to show proof of regular oil changes in the event you have a warranty claim on the engine. Synthetics are usually capable of of longer intervals with certain oils claiming very extended oil change recommendations. I would stick with 6000-7500 miles as a max while using synthetic oil under warranty, just to avoid hassles if a warranty issue comes up.

 

[Annoyedgrunt]

She drives it to work and back, I'd say it's about 70% highway and 30% city driving. And she is not hard on it, this is her first "nice" car, after a long succession of POS beaters, so she treats it like royalty! I think I'll just go and find some good conventional oil and change it out this weekend, and then again right before the 3,750 mark just to stay in warranty.

 

[lewdwig]

Pennzoil dino.

 

[Durango]

Originally Posted By: Annoyedgrunt
Hello everyone. This website was recommended to me by a friend of mine who said it is THE place to get good oil information, so if you don't mind, I have a few questions...

-I recently bought a '09 Nissan Rogue for my wife, and it is coming up on 1000 miles. Should I change the oil now, or wait until the manual's stated 3,750-mile interval oil change?

-Should I use regular oil, or synthetic for the first oil change? The manual doesn't say either way; just says to use oils that have API or ILSAC certification.

-If I should keep on using regular oil, how long before using synthetics?

-Are synthetics worth the hype? Or will regular oil do, as long as you change it religiously?

Thanks for any help, fellas!


Annoyenedgrunt,

My general rule is not to risk your warranty. The oil already in the engine is proper and I would wait til the manual indicates to change it UNLESS THE DEALERSHIP TELL YOU THEY WILL DO IT SOONER! That way if anything goes wrong then you can finger the dealership.

For myself I too might get a new car and as always use what the manual says for typical OCI's. I'll use dino oil until after the first year and then switch over to synthetic the delaership offers.

Durango

 

[paul246]

Changing your oil early won't void your warranty, neither will doing it yourself (keep receipts) nor will using synthetic within prescribed intervals.

This debate over changing FF oil early is stupid, really.

Personally, I would rather dump the shavings and other freebies that are inevitably in the FF oil and filter sooner rather than later.

 

[KW]

Change it now with dino if you like then again at the end of a regular OCI. Then a nice synthetic in the grade the motor calls for using the longest OCI's listed in the owners manual.

My choices for synthetic are Mobil 1, Amsoil, Schaefers and Penzoil.

 

[dwendt44]

He's in Arizona so the heat may affect his dicision.
Synthetic is great for high heat.
Highway use is easy on oil, so no real need to change it out REAL soon.
Many go about 1000 miles; change it, go 2000-3000 and change it again. That would put you close to the 3750 mark.
THEN go to syn.

 

[Mark888]

Originally Posted By: Annoyedgrunt
Hello everyone. This website was recommended to me by a friend of mine who said it is THE place to get good oil information, so if you don't mind, I have a few questions...

You will get lot of information here, but not everyone will agree and you may be more confused than before.

My vote is wait until 2000 miles and then change with a full synthetic. Normally a full synthetic can longer than 3750 miles. Check your owners manual to be sure 3750 is the recommended oil change interval for normal service. It may be the OCI for severe service, but you should can go 7500 miles with a full synthetic if that is allowed under normal service to maintain the warranty.

 

[heavyhitter]

Grunt,
I was/am in the same shoes. I have a new Frontier, I just changed my factory fill at 998 miles. I willed it with dino GTX (mainly because I had it in stash) I will run that for 4k and then I am switching to synthetic. There is no science behind my method but this is my plan.
To be honest AFTER I dumped the FF I felt like it was a waste, The oil came out looking new but thinking I may have taken out break in material gives me piece of mind.