How does this sound for moms car...

[blupupher]

My mom has moved closer and I will be starting to take care of most of her maintanance.

She has a 2007 Saturn Vue with the 2.2 L (Ecotec?) motor with an automatic transmission. She has ~140,000 miles on it now. Most oil changes have been done at an oil change place by her house, not sure on what oil or filter. I have done a few for her over the years, usually with conventional 5w-30 oil and whatever filter (cartridge type Supertech, Fram etc).
Most of her driving is 50+ mph, maybe 8,000 miles a year. She is easy on the accelerator, summertime temps are 100°F+, wintertime may get to just below freezing a few days a year. Her car is parked outside. I think the 5w-30 recommended by GM will be fine for that. It does not burn oil, but has a small oil leak (more like seep) at the valve cover, but @ 3000 miles on the oil it is still almost full on the dipstick.

I was planning on using a Fram Ultra and some Pennzoil Platinum 5w-30 I have for her next change.
Her car does have an OLM, so I was thinking when the OLM says change, just do a drain and fill leaving the filter in for another interval.
No idea what the current OLM interval is for her (I found out she has been doing every 3000 miles like her oil change place suggests

) So it will be interesting to see what the OLM actually says. I guess if it is closer to 10,000 miles I will change the filter too; although I have read that most of these OLM tend to turn on around 5500 to 7000 miles, and if that is the case, I will do 2 oil changes on the one filter.
I am also hoping for another good Advance Auto or Auto Zone clearance this winter to add some more 5w-30 syn to my stash (I have a ton of xw-20, but only 5 qts of 5w-30).

 

[jayg]

How about a nice HM full synthetic and change it once a year in the summer? That holds up to the 8k interval well and the driving conditions would be fine for it. The high mileage additives may help with the weeping seals and won't hurt.

M1 HM 5w30 or even Maxlife 5w30 would do fine at an easy 8k miles with highway speeds.

 

[skyactiv]

I'd be really more concerned about the timing chain tensioner and guides on that with 140K on it. I've seen plenty of cars with exotics in the junkyard with engine failure due to the junky timing chain design.

 

[skyactiv]

ECOTECS, NOT exotics. Auto spell correct bork.

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Do you have NAPA auto parts nearby? They have NAPA ful syn on sale for $2.99/qt. I recently bought 4 cases of 5W-20, 4 cases of 5W-30 and 1/2 case of 15W-50 to refill my stash. Can't beat the price.

 

[Nick1994]

Pennzoil Platinum also comes in HM. I'm using that in my grandparent's Trailblazer. I've also used it in my Camry. They sell it at Walmart.

I'd change the oil and filter once a year with 5w30 PPHM & a Fram Ultra.

 

[blupupher]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv
I'd be really more concerned about the timing chain tensioner and guides on that with 140K on it. I've seen plenty of cars with exotics in the junkyard with engine failure due to the junky timing chain design.

From what I have read, this was a problem on the early Ecotec engines (2000-2003). Something to do with the oiling on the top of the chain that was fixed in later models.

I may look into a HM oil for her later, but I am going to use the PP for the first change since I have it already.
Like I said, I tend to buy my oil on clearance but never grabbed anything but xw-20 since that is all I use (till now). If I find a good deal on HM 5w-30 I will get some. Good thing is I have a while to worry about it.

 

[FranklinJL]

Napa 5w30 syn I'm good stuff...on sale right now

 

[gallydif]

PP sounds great. Currently they're running a $10 rebate per 5qts as well. How about resealing that valve cover too.

 

[CT8]

What is wrong with what has been done?

 

[barkingspider]

Run cheap Dino 5w30 and OCI every 6 months, or a good syn 5w30 and OCI once a year. Fixing the valve cover seep is cheap and easy

 

[bubbatime]

High mileage 5W30 Maxlife every 5000 miles. Saturns are notorious for drinking oil, so be sure to check the oil level every few weeks.

 

[blupupher]

I will get around to fixing the valve cover leak eventually, I did not even notice it last time I was under the hood. She just told me the oil change place told her it needed to be done, so who knows.

 

[blupupher]

Well, I got it all done back in October (here is the old oil filter). Mileage was actually ~122,500. I used PP 5w-30 and an Ultra filter. I also did a pan drop and filter change in the transmission (7 qts Havoline Dex VI), plug change, coolant drain and fill, and a few other things. Barely a leak from the valve cover, not going to worry about it, but will keep an eye on it. She said it drove a lot better after she got it back. I told her to not change the oil till the oil change light came on, and call me when it did. I was going to keep the filter in for 2 changes.

So I was talking to her today and asked what her mileage was and if the OLM light had come on yet, I figured she was close. Well she says not to worry about it because she to a quickie lube place last week after ~7,000 miles.

Her OLM light had not even come on (or even the 500 mile flash that it is coming due).
She said she just thought it had been a while and it needed to be done. :sigh:
I told her not to go there again. I told her to call me in 5000 miles and I will take care of it.
I specifically bought some Valvoline Synpower 3-pack deal from Walmart so I would have some 5w-30 for her, as well as a Bosch D+ filter to use after the second use of the Ultra.

I guess I can't complain too much though, at least she tries to take care of her car (unlike my sister that went 10,000 miles on bulk Pennzoil and a Pennzoil (Purolator) oil filter with torn pleats).

Sorry for the rant, just a little frustrated, and my wife would just look at me with a blank stare. I am sure some of you may understand.

I guess it is payback for all the times I did not listen to my parents when I was younger and the frustration I caused them.

 

[SilverFusion2010]

At the risk of being flamed


/sigh Women. Can't teach em, can't beat them with a stick

Let her get a few thousand on that bulk oil and change it early. Consider it a cleaning interval

 

[blupupher]

Originally Posted By: SilverFusion2010
At the risk of being flamed


/sigh Women. Can't teach em, can't beat them with a stick

Let her get a few thousand on that bulk oil and change it early. Consider it a cleaning interval


LOL, yeah, but it is not just women, My brother in law is similar.
His F150 ('04 with the 3v 5.4) is in rough shape. He would change the oil at a qucikie lube whenever he thought about it, usually 6000-7000 miles on bulk conventional (even though they put a sticker on the window).
I did a lot of work on it last fall (over $1,200) to get it back into running shape again ). I told him to let me know when he goes another 3,000 miles (put a sticker on the windshield, not that he apparently looks at it) so I could change it again (oil coming out looked pretty bad, filter has lots of carbon/metal in it, just wanted to get a quick change in it).
Back in April we had a family get together that he brought his truck to, he was at 3,500 miles and a qt low.

He "forgot" to tell me.
I got it changed (filter looked a little better, but run for less time).
I know I am a little OCD (not as bad as some here though) about maintenance, but it is frustrating when you try to help yet they don't do simple things like tell me when it is at a certain mileage or follow pretty simple instructions.

I told my mom to tell me when it is at 133,000 miles (about 4000 miles) so I can change it again.