Oil and filter for a neglected car

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Hello everyone. My mother just came to visit for a few days. My step dad does not really baby vehicles. Her car needs service. The car is a 2004 Pontiac Vibe GT. My mom keeps records on what was done and when. The car has 185000 miles total. The current oil and filter have 10200 miles on them using SuperTech conventional oil and filter. What oil and filter should I use knowing the car does not get the care it should?
 
Go for long oil change intervals using Walmart sourced Castrol Edge Extended 5w-30 or Mobil1 Extended. Then put on a Fram Ultra oil filter for longevity. All perfect for people who don't like changing oil very often, they can go the distance, like 1-year oil changes.

Edit: Just make sure someone is checking oil level once every 2 weeks to make sure level is up there. Sometimes this doesn't get done, no way around it though.
 
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If you think it will be a while between oc, I would use a long drain interval synthetic like Amsoil signature or M1 EP and filter such as Fram Ultra, M1, or Amsoil.
 
I thought about Amsoil but it costs $9.10 in shipping to get it here and do not know where to get it local at dealer cost. I am sure the car could use some Amsoil Power Foam and PI as well.
 
^^^ Put in the 5-minute Engine Flush (your choice of brands) before changing the oil to any Walmart oil synthetic you want. The Fram Ultra has so much dirt capacity it can make it to a year no problem.
 
The Vibe doesn't have a demanding engine, so any syn labeled oil from the least costly source should be okay.
The fact that the thing has gone 185K and ten years with limited maintenance shows this.
I'd put a decent long drain filter on it.
The Fram Ultra would probably be the lowest cost choice.
Maybe your step dad should learn to take better care of things?
 
Originally Posted By: Inspecktor
Contact Pablo on this site- I believe Amsoil changed shipping charges, and I think there is a discount through his website.


I wish Amsoil could compete with the 15,000 mile oils at Walmart on cost. 5-quart jugs at Wally are hard to beat. Its sad, true.
 
I would have to agree, I buy M1 for all my cars at Walmart, because the price is unbeatable. Just over $22 for 5 quart jugs, versus $33 for 1 gallon jug of the same oil at my local parts store.
 
Originally Posted By: boundarylayer
^^^ Put in the 5-minute Engine Flush (your choice of brands) before changing the oil to any Walmart oil synthetic you want. The Fram Ultra has so much dirt capacity it can make it to a year no problem.



He didnt say anything about wanting to pull the oil pan to clean or replace the oil pump pickup/screen.
 
Originally Posted By: DSparks
Originally Posted By: boundarylayer
^^^ Put in the 5-minute Engine Flush (your choice of brands) before changing the oil to any Walmart oil synthetic you want. The Fram Ultra has so much dirt capacity it can make it to a year no problem.



He didnt say anything about wanting to pull the oil pan to clean or replace the oil pump pickup/screen.


Maybe he can reduce the amount of Engine Flush to 1/4 quart to ease concerns there about loosening so much crud it clogs the oil pickup.
 
+1
M1 EP, M1 HM, EDGE Gold bottle and a Fram Ultra.
Here M1 EP is not on rollback so I'd go with HM.
You could try talking them into doing a short oci with ST SYN for 2-3k miles then go with name brand, but might not if neglect car already
 
When I lived at home, I was the one that changed the oil in this car at 3000 miles using whatever oil changed specials were going on at the time. I have not seen or touched the car in two years. My step dad is just like that with cars. He has never taken good care of them. I am trying to help my mom's car safe for her to drive.
 
Keep using the same oil that has been used. Do your mum a favour and reduce the OCI for engine oil and filter change to 5000 miles and be done with it.

I would NOT go for the extra cleaning and stuff on a vehicle with 185k on it despite it only being 10 years old.

Changing the oil regime for the vehicle in this instance with all the SYN stuff can be likened to changing to changing the belief structure of the owners which is likely to crack and cause their breakdown.

Owners that run their vehicles in this manner are not interested in a clean healthy engine IMO, its just a car with the lowest maintenance possible to go from here to there, for them.

I would not do anything that may introduce engine leaks or weeps due to masked false seals.

Your efforts will not be appreciated or understood unless the observer is a BITOG fanatic and you will be perceived to be the one in need of help when viewed by the non BITOG community observer (Mum and Step dad) and not the vehicle in question that needs the help.

Let the vehicle die a natural non BITOG death in peace. In most instances it will probably go on for longer than you think without intervention.
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If you are concerned about the care the car gets, check the brakes while you are changing the oil. A lot of people don't think about them until they are making a lot of noise or not stopping the car as they should.
 
Originally Posted By: Inspecktor
If you are concerned about the care the car gets, check the brakes while you are changing the oil. A lot of people don't think about them until they are making a lot of noise or not stopping the car as they should.


I do plan on pulling the tires, rotate them and look at the breaks. I rode in the car today and it clunks in the front end on rough roads. Check all fluids, check tire preasures, etc. it has a K&N air filter in the stock airbox.
 
Originally Posted By: s1mp13m4n
I rode in the car today and it clunks in the front end on rough roads. Check all fluids, check tire preasures, etc. it has a K&N air filter in the stock airbox.


Clunk? Could be bad CV transaxle joints. Common to happen at around that mileage. Of course maybe just macpherson strut towers.
 
Originally Posted By: ElastoHydro
Originally Posted By: s1mp13m4n
I rode in the car today and it clunks in the front end on rough roads. Check all fluids, check tire preasures, etc. it has a K&N air filter in the stock airbox.


Clunk? Could be bad CV transaxle joints. Common to happen at around that mileage. Of course maybe just macpherson strut towers.


I hope things are a little loose. Lol. I hope the car is not unsafe to drive. We will see what I find. Maybe the plastic inner fender are bouncing around. I can dream.
 
Originally Posted By: s1mp13m4n
Hello everyone. My mother just came to visit for a few days. My step dad does not really baby vehicles. Her car needs service. The car is a 2004 Pontiac Vibe GT. My mom keeps records on what was done and when. The car has 185000 miles total. The current oil and filter have 10200 miles on them using SuperTech conventional oil and filter. What oil and filter should I use knowing the car does not get the care it should?


Hey! Don't over think this. The Vibe is comfy with the SuperTech? Put the same thing back in. 10K oci is about right, and SuperTech is good oil.

Wayne
 
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