You can easily go this long with Amsoil and you shouldn’t let either your dealer or your owners manual dictate to you anything different. It’s funny that within the last 5 years or so both Mobil 1 and Castrol Edge came out with oils that last 15,000 miles and nobody said a word…hum. Amsoil Dealers such as myself take a lot of flak over our long drain intervals, but we know they work. I love it when people say they change their oil often because “it’s cheap insurance” no it’s not cheap it’s very expensive and time consuming.

But the big kicker is this; the people that bad mouth extended drain intervals have never tried them, especially Amsoil. Now I have tried the 3,000-mile thing for nearly 20 years and guess what? It sucks and it cost too much so for those of you who haven’t tried Amsoil try not to make comments when you have no proof that it doesn’t work.

Anyone else had such a screwed up dealer?
Is this a Toyota thing or is my dealer a crook?
If the mineral gunks up the engine since I should be using synthetic, who do you think should pay?

Any suggestions on who to contact to get this straightened out? FTC? Attorney General? Toyota? Lawyer?

I have written the dealer for answers but they ignore my questions.

I will be changing my own oil, from now own.
Anyone want a couple of free oil change cards from my local Toyota dealer (crook?)?

My in-laws, who also follow the same car care routine, sold their late 80′s GMC Suburban to their daughter with 220,000 miles, she then drove it for a further 60,000 miles. Thing was still running! She sold it on again and last we heard was still on the road.

Nobody knows what’s good or bad for a vehicle better than a good fleet manager. If a fleet manager were to say that he’s going to save money by not changing oil, his ass would be canned. We can test oils that have been ran to give them an idea of how close they are to breaking down. What I can say is not all oils are created equal. Our oils cost a little more, but they can double their miles on ours vs our competitor’s. That saves in oil and in maintenance.

If you’re using a good oil, there’s no reason to change your oil every 3k.

And to the guys who are driving new cars and not changing oil. I’m flabbergasted. Assuming your oil doesn’t completely break down and you’re out an engine right away, eventually the small metal fragments that develop with engine wear are going to ruin your engine.

Before I get into that though I want to say that Auto Tech makes one very astute statement which is to …. Check Your Oil!…. It is vital part of owning and driving a vehicle to be aware of the periodic maintenance required to keep it running and failure to check the oil can be catastrophic.

His statement that my posts are uneducated is unwarranted and incorrect. As for the statement of wanting to save a few bucks he is correct… but that seems to be the main focus of Get Rich Slowly; save money by paying attention to the many small ways we nickel and dime ourselves out of money so I don’t understand why he thinks what I’m saying is wrong. One average vehicle’s Amsoil oil change annually is approximately $65 v/s eight oil changes in 24,000 miles which would cost around $50 each at most quick lubes and adds up to $400. The annual cost saving in dollars alone is $335 not counting the time saved.

As for my education I’m a Quality Control Professional in the automobile industry. In addition to my Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Louisville I am also a graduate of Villanova University where I earned a Master Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. I am also very well read in the technology and parameters of lubrication and filtration as they apply to motor vehicles.

I am also an avid auto enthusiast, who has been servicing my own vehicles for over 40 years, as well as an avid motorcyclist. I sponsor several race teams that use Amsoil Racing Products in such varied venues as Go Kart Racing, Legends Cars, Drag Racing and Motorcycle Land Speed Racing at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

There are very few cars on the road today that have the 3000 mile interval in their owner’s manual. The owner’s manual is the best source available to any car owner when it comes to what the manufacturer recommends. If you doubt this statement then go get your owner’s manual and check for yourself. The manufacturer’s recommendation is based on an average quality oil and filtration which doesn’t take into account the advantages of premium synthetic oils and their counterparts, synthetic media filters.

The 3000 mile oil change was needed in the earlier days of motoring due to the quality of petroleum oil additive packages and the design of air filtration which used an oil bath to trap dirt before it entered the engine. An oil bath air cleaner is very inefficient and was replaced around 40 years ago with the paper air filter that is still in use today; though that too is changing in favor of synthetic filter media which was pioneered by Donaldson Filtration, the world leader in filtration, during the Gulf War in the 1990′s.

The air filter is the most critical filter on any engine because the greatest amount of dirt in an engine’s oil system enters with the air needed to support combustion. The oil filter itself is the second most important filter because it must have the capacity to trap and hold the dirt that gets past the air filter as well as the wear metals and combustion byproducts that an engine produces and hold them for the entire drain interval.

As I have stated several times in this discussion I am an Amsoil Dealer and do not hide that fact. I use and sell Amsoil Lubricants and Filters because they are documented to perform as advertised which is an oil life of 25,000 miles in normal service. Amsoil oils are designed with the industry’s best and most robust additive package on the market today and are a premium product. They are not the cheapest oils nor are they intended to be wasted in engines that leak oil or are in such poor mechanical condition that they already use excessive oil.

Even our nearest competitor Mobil 1 has adopted an extended drain interval of 15,000 miles while GM, Ford and many other manufacturers have extended their own recommendations well beyond the quick lube, old school thinking of 3000 miles. In Europe the intervals are even greater often as high as 15,000 and beyond before oil change is needed.

If you want to use cheap oils and filters such as those typically offered by quick lube shops, Walmart and other so called bargains then by all means continue to change your oil at 3000 miles. It’s your money and you can waste it as well as the time required to follow the 3000 mile advice or you can step up to a premium quality synthetic oil and superior filtration and actually save money and time; the choice is yours.

I’m sure someone will answer this post with anecdotal evidence that he or she has gone “X” number of miles changing their oil at 3000 miles without any mechanical failures which they will say proves the validity of 3000 mile intervals. It does not prove anything in that it doesn’t back up the claim with statistical data showing how much wear and how much friction their choice has actually produced. Amsoil on the other hand has been proven through rigorous testing, using industry testing and industry benchmarks, to not only last 25,000 miles but to reduce wear and improve fuel economy by reducing the amount of friction in an engine.

Please, before you attack me or my reasoning about Amsoil, google Amsoil and try to find even one instance where what I’ve stated about Amsoil Products has been refuted. Amsoil is an American company that has been in the synthetic motor oil business longer than any other manufacturer anywhere. Amsoil has been selling synthetic motor oil since 1972 and is the only oil manufacturer that offers 25,000 mile oil life and backs it up with a guarantee that they will pay for any repair that is shown to be a result of Amsoil Lubricant Failure.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. If you want more info feel free to email me at amsoildealer@mac.com. I welcome your questions and will give honest answers backed up with lab data and proven performance.

Nick Roberts, LSSBB

If you are buying into this Amsoil product that Nick Roberts seems to have a passion for, I warn that periodic checks on oil level are required. You wouldn’t guess how many people go without checking their oil dipstick, leaving it to get checked during their 3000 mile oil changes. Now lets say that this person now changes to Amsoil product which lasts a year. That person then doesn’t check their oil for an entire year. What if they have an oil leak? Even the smallest oil leak will leave your car dry on oil by the end of the year, perhaps causing serious engine repairs because of engine seizure.

So whatever you decide to use as your oil, one thing should stay constant.

CHECK YOUR FLUIDS PERIODICALLY. IT IS GOOD PRACTICE TO DO A QUICK CHECK UNDER THE HOOD WHENEVER YOU FILL UP ON GAS. A TWO-MINUTE QUICK CHECK CAN SAVE YOU TROUBLES DOWN THE ROAD.

For example Amsoil 10W30 Synthetic Motor Oil sells for $8.70 a quart and the average Amsoil EaO oil filter is around 16.95 making total annual cost $60.75. Simple math shows that saves a lot of money in the long run. Amsoil’s 36 year history of making synthetic oil has been proven to last the stated 25,000 miles.

Using 3000 mile intervals as the interval for changing oil, at $50 per oil change, adds up $400 over the same 25,000 miles that one Amsoil oil change will cost $60.75 Simple math and common sense says that adds up to an annual savings of $340.25.

One case in particular that stands out in my mind is a woman who bought a brand new Cavalier. At 42,000 miles she brought it in as the engine was blown. She was requesting a new engine under warranty. When the factory rep inspected the car, it still had the original oil filter on it. Her request was denied. IF she had changed the oil, her engine would have been fine. If the car had truly been a lemon and the engine had blown anyway, GM would have paid for a new engine ONLY if she had followed the maintenance schedule.

It has been said elsewhere but I will repeat it, if there is any possibility that you may be eligible for any warranty work, follow the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule and keep your receipts. If you want to push the envelope with oil changes to save some money, wait until after the car is old enough that there is no way you’ll ever need warranty work done. If you don’t follow the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule, you void the warranty.

Some of the things you are saying is correct but you seem to be more interested in selling a product than saying the truth.

Anyone who says that the 3000 interval is scam is a retard.

First off, this 3000 interval has been around for years now. You see, older cars that run on conventional oil and don’t run as efficient as today’s cars needed an oil change every 3000 miles. Many people still drive those cars, so the 3000 still applies if they are using oem recommended oil.

They still advertise the 3000 mile interval to cover the wide range of service intervals for cars on the road. If they decided, “Well newer cars are much more efficient and only need to have their oil changed at 10,000 miles, so lets just advertise that.” Then the people who drive older vehicles like myself, would rag the shit out of their cars and blame the shops.

Yes they make money off of it as well when applied on newer vehicles. Some of the more honest techs however, will let the customers know if they have an extended service interval, especially dealers. Jiffy lube will not, on a count that they are untrained retards.

The best thing to do if you are a responsible owner is service your vehicle according to the manufacture’s specification. The chart can be found in the back of the owners manual.

Just because you are cheap and don’t want to spend money on oil changes, don’t go telling others not to. Their vehicles may be older and require more service than yours.

I am currently studying for my Associates Degree in Applied Sciences in the feild of Automotive Technology. Every one of my professors have taught us how important it is to maintain your vehicle. They also tell us that new oil technology and newer vehicles don’t require as much maintanance as before.

IN CONCLUSION, REFER TO YOUR MANUFACTURERS SERVICE CHART.

SERVICE INTERVALS ARE STATED AT 3000 MILES TO ACCOMADATE A WIDE RANGE OF VEHICLES AND DRIVING CONDITIONS.

SAYING IT IS A SCAM IS JUST AS STUPID AS SAYING GETTING ANNUAL DOCTOR CHECKUPS IS A SCAM. SURE, YOU CAN GO WITHOUT SERVICING YOUR CAR JUST AS NOT GOING TO THE DOCTOR. BUT YOU WILL FEEL LIKE A FOOL WHEN YOUR CAR BREAKS DOWN OR WHEN YOU FIND OUT YOU HAVE CANCER.

When I bought my van (Plymouth Voyager), new, waaaayyyy back in 1996, the book said every 7,500 miles. I doubled that. Only replaced the oil (and filter) every 15,000 miles. Yes, that’s right. Fifteen Thousand miles.

I sold (actually traded for some concrete work on the dam and spillway of our pond (barter, it’s great!) — anyway, got rid of the van a few years back with 185,000 miles on it. No problems with the engine (tranny went out, but that’s a different issue).

The guy I traded it to has driven it for another 3 years and it’s currently at 220,000 (ish) miles and has never had a problem with the engine.

Fifteen thousand miles, folks.

3,000 is a sham and a waste of both your time and your money.

$15-20 every 3 months is a small price to pay for the alternative.

Americans probably spend $15-20 in 3 days on gasoline, so changing your oil, even if its useless, is not that harmful. But anybody who’s seen your oil drain out sees how nasty it looks, to say the least.

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