Will I Void My Warranty?

[Dave Hess]

How hard is it to meet the Corvette spec GM 4718M ??

I notice Group III oils easily meets this spec.

 

[ekpolk]

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................. it's to get folks to understand that THEY don't have to prove that they did the right thing in the first place. The mfr has to prove that they caused the problem.

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That is the part of your post I am unsure of. Extreme example: You need to change the oil in your new Z06. Your car payments have cleaned you out and the dollar store has some SA grade oil for $.25/qt and some cheapie filters. You change your oil, with oil that does not meet manufacturers specs, and 7K miles later the Vette ends up in the shop with flat cam lobes, gunked up rings and thrashed rod bearings due to a plugged drysump pickup. You have an instance where a customer used non spec oil in his vehicle, a ridiculous example, but an example nonetheless.

Just from my side of the counter, when an engine comes in for an oil related failure, the burden of proof is on the customer to provide maintenance records. The records include the maintenance intervals as well as the materials used during the service. If you have a customer that cannot provide these records, or provide record that indicate they used maintenance items that did NOT MEET MANUFACTURER SPEC, then tough for the customer. I do not think it is too much to ask an owner to at least maintain the vehicle with items that meet the minimum spec.

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I understand that your perspective at the service department may be just as you describe. But under applicable law, if the mess gets to court, it will be your manufacturer who has the initial burden to prove that the failure is the customer's fault. Of course, under the facts you've presented (SA cheapo oil destroys Corvette engine), that would be an easy burden to meet. If fact, most lawyers (myself included) wouldn't touch such a case with a ten foot pole, since it's obvious who will (and should win). As a result, you rarely see the spectacle of a mfr having to fight to win such a case. They're won on a practical basis, as you describe.

 

[Oil Changer]

Thank you for your inquiry,

Mobil1 0W30 motor oil will be just fine, it will meet the GM 6094M
requirements and is an excellent choice for the winter climate that you
will experience.

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Thank you for choosing ExxonMobil products.
If you need further assistance, please contact ExxonMobil at 1-800-ASK-MOBIL

-Matt Jacob

This is the response to my e-mail to Mobil. So between this and the understanding of the GM specifications through research (read the links), I will confidently use this oil through the winter. I will change out my Mobil 1 5W30 at the end of November (it's still kinda fresh) and run th 0W30 worry free and with complete confidence.