GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I have an AWD Vibe and live in Alberta, Canada. I'm having trouble trying to decide which maintenance schedule to follow. According to the owner's manual the interval should be either 6000km or 12,000km depending on the type of driving you do. Based on that I should be bringing it in for service very 12,000km since 90% of my driving is highway. However, when I called the dealer after about 10,500km to make an appointment I asked them if there was a specific maintenance schedule for Canada (I've had this on previous vehicles from Toyota). Their response was that it should have an oil change every 5000km! So, I sent an email to GM Canada and got the same answer, every 5000. Decided to check with Toyota re: the schedule for the Matrix and they say every 8000km! So, it should be somewhere between 5000 and 12000km, quite a range if you ask me. Plus, I can't see how changing the oil every 5000km will work in with all of the other scheduled maintenance tasks that would still be on a 6000 or 12000km schedule. With the mileage I put on I'd be changing the oil every 6 weeks on a 5000km schedule. We also have a Toyota Tunda 4X4 that is driven over 35,000km/year, much of it on gravel roads or offroad, and the oil change schedule for IT is only every 8000km!So, anyone have some advice on this? I don't want to do oil changes twice as often as actually necessary just because someone thinks 'more is better'. It's easy for GM Canada to say that when I'M the one who has to shell out the extra dough!

I've always tried to follow the highway driving plan and haven't had any issue with engines. This is the first vehicle that I'm using Synthetic in so I will use the highway plan. I'm sure mineral oil can go that length but I'm not sure about the additives. Anyone?

Dino oil can't handle the 25,000 mile oil changes I do. That's why I love Amsoil oil so much.

I've always followed the "Severe" service schedule in the manual, i.e. 5000 km oil change intervals. With the winters that we can get in Sask (although pretty mild the last few years) I figure it's worth the extra protection. Another thing to think about. I'd hate to have some kind of engine problem only to find out GM Canada turns a cold shoulder because you didn't change the oil as often as they said. Sad, but still... As for extending the interval to long(er) intervals. I thought one of the reasons for more frequent oil changes was to replenish the additives, detergents, etc. and to remove engine dirt, grime and so on that has been picked up and deposited in the oil. Anyone can expand on this?

I read the onwers manual and if you do freeway driving, don't toe, and you don't drive in a construction site, then GM recommends 7000 mile intervals.

Yeah, that's what it says in the manual (12,000km in Canada), but if you ask the dealer or GM Canada they say 5000km regardless. That's a BIG difference (especially in cost). But as has been said, I'm afraid that they wouldn't honor any warranty issues if I didn't follow the 'severe' schedule so I guess I'm stuck with it.

I'm reviving this old topic becuase I'm a little hesitant...Since a majority (75%) of my driving is straight up and down I-95, I've decided to follow the 7.5K mile interval recommendation. This will be the first time I've done this with a car. I've always done the 3K mile interval. Since I am going with the longer interval, should I go with a synthetic oil or will the regular oil be ok for the extended interval? Also, if asked, will the dealer do the oil change with a synthetic?(I know, I know, there has been many posts about synthetic motor oil)

I have been changing my oil every 5000-6000 miles for last 130,000 miles in my 93 Integra. Never had oil related problems. No oil leak and I never had to add oil between changes. I do about 50 % stop and go driving and 50% highway cruising at 70-80 miles.Most cars now days do NOT need to change oil every 3000 miles. I think 3000 mile interval was good guideline for cars from 70's and earlier. And it is a good guideline if you own an auto shop. Dealer loves to see you every 3000 miles (or 5000 Km). More business for them and more opportunity to sell you additional work or products. Do not listen to them. Go with what the manual says. If you don't do any "severe" driving, even at 7500 miles (12000 Km), there is built in margin. The manual is written by engineers, NOT marketing department, which means it is conservative and not overstated. Since customers are paying for the oil change, the manufacture has no incentive to overstate the oil change interval.

I also have changed my oil every 5-6K miles in every car I have ever owned and all of them (except the vibe) had over 50k on them when I bought them and they lasted well into the 100s. I changed the vibe at 2k then 5k and then every 5k after that with regular dino oil. I follow the 7500k plan for everything else.

I was looking at the on line manual for the 2005 Vibehttp://www.genvibe.com/images/...e.pdfMaybe I am not looking close enough but I dont see two different maintenance schedules...an arrangement that I usually see in a car manuals? ie a "severe" schedule and a "highway" more moderate one.