GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I ran Mobil 1 in my 2001 Kia spectra for 8,500 miles to find out how the oil preformed under a some what small extended drain interval.Over all the oil did ok for this period and was told the oil could possibly go to 9,000 to 10,000 miles. The key word here is POSSIBLY. No longer though as the TBN level of the oil was kinda low. TBN is the oils ability to resist acids and corrosions in the oil. Both the NITR and OXID (Both are corrosive and were at 20.0. This would have continued to climb bringing the TBN down which needs to be higher to safely fight these 2 conditions.Over all Mobil 1 is a good oil if you follow the manufacturers recommended oil changes of between 3,000 miles to 7,500 miles but I wouldn't go any longer. If you do these kinds of oil changes you should have good results, and Mobil 1 does make a good product and doesn't claim extended drain intervals in the first place. Being a Amsoil dealer I am Bias towards Amsoil products and Amsoil does make a 7,500 mile oil change interval oil if anyone isn't comfortable with their 25,000 and 35,000 mile oil change intervals. I have recently replaced the mobil 1 with Amsoil's 2000 Series 0W-30 and will be following Amsoil's recommendation of 35,000 mile oil changes and 12,500 miles for the Super Duty Oil Filters. I will have another oil analysis run at that time. It'll be interesting to see how Amsoil's 0W-30 compares to Mobil 1s 0W-30 but at 3 times the length in service!

Attached files Mobil1oilanalysis.doc (58 KB) 

As a new Vibe owner I've been trying to decide which oil and filter to use. It very well may be "old school", but I've always stuck with the same brand I start with. I'm considering Amsoil as it is very popular among owners with performance 8cyl engines. Mobil 1 is also, as is Castrol and Royal Purple. I've been using K&N filters and plan on continuing with them. When I refer to the Vibe manual it makes no reference to the maintenance schedule when using synthetic oils. If I use a synthetic I would assume that I still am required to change oil at the 7.5k interval in order to satisfy the warranty. If so is there any real advantage to Amsoil? I am convinced that the product is as good as or better than Mobil 1 but it is more convenient to go to the local store with the availability of the Mobil product. A 30k interval is useless if it voids the warranty. Cost wise I can stick with dino and spend $18-$19 per change with filter every 3k, or spend $29 with filter every 7.5k. The cost difference is kind of a wash. I've got 650 miles on the car so far so I'm in no big hurry. I plan on the first change a 3k. I will care for routine maintenance myself as I wouldn't let anyone at the fast lube joints go near my vehicles with a tool in their hand. The dealers are way to time consuming and routine maintenance is an opportunity for piddling in the garage on a Saturday with a few beers.

Thanks for the information! What were your driving habits for that interval? (%freeway/city, spirited driving or babying the car)

Ten mile trips twice daily (work) and 10-30 weekly trips of various lenghts (city).

quote:I would assume that I still am required to change oil at the 7.5k interval in order to satisfy the warranty.Since when do oil changes occur every 7500?

If you follow the "Long Trip" maintinence schedule, it calls for oils changes at 7500 miles. A bit long for my taste. The most I would go is 5000 miles.Jim

You have to figure out what your car is worth to you. If you do not car you do not spend time and money washing it. You could then go 7500 miles before an oil change and not care which kind of oil or filter you use. Maybe once a year spend $20 and the fancy car wash to get the interior and exterior wash and vacuum. $2 for the cheezy air freshener. Car enthusiast spend plenty of time and money on their cars. If you notice that these cars last longer and have more resale value. A car is an investment. It is what it is. If you have a house and it needs paint every few years do you paint it or let it go. It comes down to the basics. If you like something take care of it or it should not be expected to last very long. Car enthusiast usually spend more than the average person to buy the best for their vehicles. The chrome tip on my wife's Vibe always gets a generous coating of wax and polish. Some people would say it is a waste. Those are the same people who only was their vehicles once every 4 months.

quote:You have to figure out what your car is worth to you. If you do not car you do not spend time and money washing it. You could then go 7500 miles before an oil change and not care which kind of oil or filter you use. Maybe once a year spend $20 and the fancy car wash to get the interior and exterior wash and vacuum. $2 for the cheezy air freshener. Car enthusiast spend plenty of time and money on their cars. If you notice that these cars last longer and have more resale value. A car is an investment. It is what it is. If you have a house and it needs paint every few years do you paint it or let it go. It comes down to the basics. If you like something take care of it or it should not be expected to last very long. Car enthusiast usually spend more than the average person to buy the best for their vehicles. The chrome tip on my wife's Vibe always gets a generous coating of wax and polish. Some people would say it is a waste. Those are the same people who only was their vehicles once every 4 months.I do consider myself an enthusiast. That is the reason that I’m participating on this board. I consider people with a common interest a good place to share the enjoyment of that enthusiasm.I was under the impression that by using a synthetic oil, that 3k mile oil changes would be wasting the inherent benefits of the synthetic. I’m in no way trying to cut corners on expense. If someone were to explain why 3k mile oil changes with synthetic oil would be anything other that stupid, I would be glad use that maintenance interval. I posted what I thought to be a valid response to the administrators topic. When reading his signature I thought I was presenting this question to an individual with some degree of knowledge in synthetic compounds. My hopes were that not only I, but other members of this forum would gain a bit of knowledge.I would very much like to take you up on the courtesy that you extend in your signature, “Just here to lend a hand to people who have questions about their Vibe”I do have questions about my vibe. None of which involves evaluating the cars worth, or if I should or should not paint something on my house. I suppose I have acquired an attitude from reading your response and I apologize if I’ve misinterpreted your intent. The “Enthusiast” in me, is deep rooted in the search for NOS parts(New old stock, for the non enthusiasts out there) or date coded parts for a car that is most likely older than you. I for one do not judge an enthusiast by how well he waxes his fart pipe.

how is it possible you have to change it every 25k miles?????dirt and metal particles and carbon etc get in the oil, especially in a racing engine.

I don't buy in to the 25k mile changes either and I would never wait that long. I was thinking that 7.5k was too long for dino but fine for the synth. When you talk about a racing engine all this oil change interval stuff goes right out the window. Your signature is quite impressive. Under 12 is fun isn't it? ZZ502 or built your own? 68 Z28 all original,,,,,You're an enthusiast!! Nice car

25,000 to 35,000 mile oil changes are possible because of the filter being used. AMSOIL Super Duty oil filters, filter in the range of between 3 and 10 microns. It can even filter water out of the oil to a certain extent. Your normal off the shelf filter at your local parts store filters in the range of 25 to 40 depending on what filter you buy.The oil filters are recommended for 12,500 miles or 6 months. At this time you would change your filter but continue to use the oil in the engine only replacing the oil that was in the oil filter.I personally do the 35,000 mile or one year oil change interval. In the next few thousand miles I'll be at 12,500 miles on the oil filter and at the same time will be having a oil analysis done. The reason you can go these extended periods is because AMSOIL oil doesn't break down. Along with the great filtration of amsoil filters these intervals are very safe as can be backed up by oil analysis.The 3,000 mile oil change interval was only made so the oil companies could get they hands on more of your money anyway.AMSOIL has been in business since 1972 and recommended 25,000 mile oil changes ever since.

Derek --Does AMS guarantee it's product? If I buy AMSOil and an AMS Filter, and it screws up my engine because I abide by their 25,000 mile oil change schedule, do they cover the damage done to my engine?

I'm sure they would gaurantee against damage but you would be caught between a rock and a hard place. GM would blame the 25k interval and Amsoil would blame the mechanical components. In the mean time your stuck with a problem. If you stick with GM's maintenance interval the problem belongs to GM as long as you are under warranty and the lubricant meets the GM standard. I would think that Amsoil and the other synthetics meet GM standards. I think this answers my original question. If you stick with GM's schedule it most likely doesn't matter which lubricant you use from a warranty viewpoint, but which lubricant is best for the engine? At 7.5k does it really matter?

quote:If you stick with GM's schedule it most likely doesn't matter which lubricant you use from a warranty viewpoint, but which lubricant is best for the engine? At 7.5k does it really matter?I don't know what you're asking me...but I change at 3000.

With the 7.5k interval I'm only talking about synthetic. I've changed oil at 3k when using dino oil. What I'm asking is if I use synthetic on this engine is any brand really better than another if you change oil and filter at 7.5k?

Yes AMSOIL warranty's it's products. If there products ever are shown to have caused a mechanical problem of any kind, AMSOIL will pick up the entire bill. Oil analysis would prove if the oil was the problem.Here is AMSOIL own warranty.http://www.performancemotoroil.com/Warr ... nuson.htmI have a 2001 Kia Spectra. It's got the 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty. It has AMSOIL all over it with the statement "This vehicle only requires only changes every 35,000 miles" They can not legal void your warranty because I don't follow whats in the manual. To void the warranty they would have to prove the oil caused the problem. This would have to be proven with oil analysis. If this ever happened, AMSOIL's warranty would cover the problem.Now in 30 years guess how many times AMSOIL has had to replace a engine because someone did one of their 25,000 or 35,000 miles oil change intervals? None.AMSOIL has never been fined by the FTC for false advertising. AMSOIL has never been sued in court. There is nothing on the Better Business Bureau website. No one has ever proven AMSOIL can't do what they claim they can.AMSOIL places a oil study a independent lab did on Mobil 1, Pennzoil, Castrol Syntec, and Quaker state on ever bottle of 0W-30 they sell. They clearly show that AMSOIL preformed over twice as good as any of the others. If this info was not correct does anyone honestly believe any of these other oil companies would stand by and let AMSOIL claim these false results? Heck no they wouldn't! They'd sue the crap out of AMSOIL and the FTC would shut AMSOIL down but yet in 30 years this has never happened.People like the 25,000 to 35,000 mile oil changes because it saves you a lot of time and money, because of all the oil changes you would have normally done at 3,000 miles. AMSOIL protects your equipment better. Gas mileage improves, and wear dramatically decreases.This is why people enjoy and like the extended drain intervals AMSOIL pushes.Did you know that over in Europe the average oil change is 12,000 miles? Yes it's true. They are actually trying to raise it to 18,000. Yet here in the states the 3,000 mile oil change is pushed in your face everyday.Learn the facts for yourself. Look and see if you can find any legal dirt on AMSOIL. A company that has been around since 1972 should have something right? I welcome everyone to research this. I think you'll be surprised what you find.I started selling AMSOIL because I used it for years before and have all ways been blown away by the difference in gas mileage and performance once a vehicle is switched over. The oil analysis I have had run at 12,000 miles and more have all ways come back that it's safe to continue to use the oil. I felt I could honestly stand behind a product and feel 100% confident when I tell a person they can safely go 35,000 miles between oil changes and do it in my own vehicle. There are good oils out there. Mobil 1, Royal Purple, and Redline are probably the best of the best. I feel AMSOIL is better than any of them and actually have tests on my website that back up my thinking. Really it boils down to what your going to do with your vehicle.Are you going to keep it after it's paid off or not? Do you care about getting your oil changed every 3,000 miles? Do you really care if you pick up 1 or 2 extra MPG? If you don't then a high quality synthetic isn't for you. If you do want any or all of these benefits then you might want to look into a high quality synthetic.

Is Amsoil carried in any stores?

Derek --You've found a boost in fuel economy as well?

quote:Derek --You've found a boost in fuel economy as well?Yes I personally have. I gained about 30 miles extra per tank since switching to AMSOIL. Most of my co-workers that have switched to AMSOIL say they have picked up around 40 to 50 miles extra per tank.It really does help fuel economy.