Maintenance Schedule - Dealer vs Car Manual?

[jchung]

Just went in for my first oil change for the 2010 4.6.

I live in the DC Metro area (Northern VA).

The service department said that Hyundai considers the DC Metro area as "severe driving conditions" and requires oil changes every 3750 miles.

I drive 50 miles per day commuting and It doesn't appear to me that I would fall under any of the other circumstances cited for "severe driving conditions" in the manual.

I suspect the service department is just doing a CYA or just trying to get more money. But, I certainly don't want to risk anything that might put the warranty at jeopardy.

I'm inclined to just follow the maintenance schedule in the manual which states every 7500 miles.

Any advice?

Thanks!

Joo

 

[TJPark01]

Oil change issue is a contentious one. I had my oil analyzed by an independent laboratory after changing the stock fill at 1200 miles to Mobil 1 5W-30, I left it in there for 10 months and 5500 miles. The test came back with high levels of metals. The lab indicated it was probably due to the engine breaking in. I would recommend short interval changes for the first year, then probably extend the changes to once every 6 months with a good synthetic, any will do, Pennzoil Platinum, Mobil 1 , Valvoline Synpower, or what ever is on sale.

 

[RogerB]

Well, I live far to the north of you, jchung, in Ottawa where driving conditions are much more harsh. I was told to change oil every 6000km. That works out to once every 3728 miles. I don't worry about that. Oil changes don't cost that much and the failure to change oil often enough can cause problems. Also every 6000km is easy to remember.

 

[STREETS]

3500 miles to change using any oil type under any condition seems way too soon on todays vehicles and oil. Dealer must want to see you every other week and support OPEC!

I like 5000 on conventional, 7500+ on synthetic on V6 or V8 motors. Harder working, higher rev 4 cycl may warrant a stricter routine. At 7500 miles- stop and go with highway- oil is not too dark with zero impurities at the bottom of the catch pan.

 

[Disaster]

I agree with TJPark01. You might want to do the first couple changes earlier, while the engine is breaking in, but then you should be able to space them out. The only way to know for sure, is to send your oil to a place like Blackstone to get an idea how well it is holding up between changes. Giving the cost of the oil changes, it would probably be worth doing just that, in a year. At Blackstone, the analysis is $22.50, less than an oil change.

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

 

[nearwater]

Ah, the never-ending oil debate.
I also agree that the 3750 mile interval in way too often.
I am planning on bringing in my car for her first oil change @ 3k miles, but after that, I plan on changing every 5k miles.

Dan

 

[sandy]

I always go by the book. I figure if the mfg is willing to warranty the motor for 100k miles, they probably gave some serious thought to their suggested oil change intervals. Most likely they even built a margin of error into the 7500 mile interval. In fact, my previous Jaguar XJ and Saab 9-5 Turbo had mfg suggested intervals of 10k miles. Have there been studies that show more frequent oil changes are a plus (done by other than oil companies)? Or that expensive oils other than what they mfg specifies are advantageous? The bottom line for me is to do-what-I'm-told.

Of course, more frequent oil changes are a small price to pay if it makes you happy.

 

[dataguy]

I'm in a 7K mile cycle using synthetic oil. I figure it gives me a 500 mi cushion on the manufacturer's recommendation on conventional. And my dealer said that synthetic was entirely unnecessary (though it makes me feel better, so I'm all about sandy's philosophy about doing whatever makes you feel good).

Aside from the cost, the time and inconvenience of changing the oil is enough reason to extend the interval. I don't intend on holding this car longer than the powertrain warranty, and as long as I meet the recommendations, I should be fine on any problems that arise.

 

[Mark_888]

The problem with the 100K mile warranty is that Hyundai will not replace your engine unless it pretty much fails. If it starts making a lot of noises, experiences 10% power loss, etc, they are very unlikely to replace it, chalking it up to "that's normal." That is one reason why I use synthetic oil, especially on the 3.8L V6 where the oil drains out of the top mounted filter into the crankcase every time the engine stops.

 

[TJPark01]

You also have to ask yourself how long you're gonna keep the car, and whether it's cost prohibitive for you to change the oil and filter. If you are leasing the car or plan on selling it in 5 years, you will never see the benefits of the synthetic or short oil change intervals. If this is the last car you may ever own, and plan on being buried in it, then it's well worth it. In terms of cost, people like Mark888 and myself who change their own oils and source the parts and fluids on the cheap; 6.5 quarts of synthetic and the filter in my garage costs me 23 bucks. I have seen $80-100 synthetic oil changes on this car. If I had to pay that, I would definitely either be extending the drains or not buying synthetic.

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[sandy]

You also have to ask yourself how long you're gonna keep the car, and whether it's cost prohibitive for you to change the oil and filter. If you are leasing the car or plan on selling it in 5 years, you will never see the benefits of the synthetic or short oil change intervals. If this is the last car you may ever own, and plan on being buried in it, then it's well worth it. In terms of cost, people like Mark888 and myself who change their own oils and source the parts and fluids on the cheap; 6.5 quarts of synthetic and the filter in my garage costs me 23 bucks. I have seen $80-100 synthetic oil changes on this car. If I had to pay that, I would definitely either be extending the drains or not buying synthetic.

I know what you're saying and it makes sense. My question really was is there any evidence to suggest shorter intervals are "meaningfully" better than those called for by the mfg? Advances in oil technology have made 7500/10000 mile intervals pretty much standard for most cars today so mfg's all over the world seems to agree with this.

To me, it's a little like doubling the dose of an Rx; if 10mg is good for you why not take 20mg?

Again, I'm not challenging anyone's preferences, just trying to learn if there are any real world benefits other than the satisfaction of playing it safe.

 

[sandy]

The problem with the 100K mile warranty is that Hyundai will not replace your engine unless it pretty much fails. If it starts making a lot of noises, experiences 10% power loss, etc, they are very unlikely to replace it, chalking it up to "that's normal." That is one reason why I use synthetic oil, especially on the 3.8L V6 where the oil drains out of the top mounted filter into the crankcase every time the engine stops.

If a modern day motor starts making a lot of noises, something is wrong and would be repaired under warranty. I don't know how you would measure the 10% power loss but it most likely would result from worn rings and tired parts, which probably wouldn't be covered. But, the question is, what's the evidence that more frequent oil changes (or synthetic oil) will prevent that or make a difference to the motor in the Genesis?

My wife's Acura RDX requires Mobil 1 but I think that is because of the turbo and I can understand that.

 

[TJPark01]

I know what you're saying and it makes sense. My question really was is there any evidence to suggest shorter intervals are "meaningfully" better than those called for by the mfg? Advances in oil technology have made 7500/10000 mile intervals pretty much standard for most cars today so mfg's all over the world seems to agree with this.

To me, it's a little like doubling the dose of an Rx; if 10mg is good for you why not take 20mg?

Again, I'm not challenging anyone's preferences, just trying to learn if there are any real world benefits other than the satisfaction of playing it safe.

You're 100% correct. There is no empirical data to suggest that shorter intervals have a meaningful effect on engine life. Engine, Oil and filtration technologies have made the yearly oil change commonplace. Now people will point to a lot of race track testing, tests about film strength, flow rates in cold temps, etc, etc. Everyone has an opinion. Defaulting to the manufacturers spec is a good general rule of thumb. But, changing your oil more than is needed, can't hurt and at the end of the day is cheap insurance, granted you get it done correctly.
Some have cited extended drain intervals suspiciously coinciding with manufacturers free maintenance programs. There is so much conspiracy theory about this in the BMW circles it will make your head spin.

 

[Disaster]

I know what you're saying and it makes sense. My question really was is there any evidence to suggest shorter intervals are "meaningfully" better than those called for by the mfg? Advances in oil technology have made 7500/10000 mile intervals pretty much standard for most cars today so mfg's all over the world seems to agree with this.

Most manufacturers have backed off the 10,000 mile service interval kick, that they tried to achieve 5-10 years ago. The oil couldn't handle it (even synthetic) and they were having to create too large oil sumps to achieve reasonable oil life and engine wear.

As I mentioned above, the only way to know for sure, how your oil is doing is to have it tested. Barring that, one should stick with the manufacturer's recommendations which might be a bit conservative for city driving (oil changes at 3k or so.)

Keep in mind, oil is the lifeblood of the engine. It is the only thing that keeps metal parts from scraping against one another. It breaks down and loses it's lubricity properties. It fills with metal wear particles. It mixes with combustion gases which creates unfriendly chemicals. It's flow characteristics in hot and cold weather change.

 

[JOwest]

My dealer reccommends change oil every 6,000km or 3 months whichever comes first. Since I put on about 1,000km per month I end up doing the oil change every 3 months or about 2,000 miles! I drive very short trips every day.

 

[Disaster]

My dealer reccommends change oil every 6,000km or 3 months whichever comes first. Since I put on about 1,000km per month I end up doing the oil change every 3 months or about 2,000 miles! I drive very short trips every day.

That doesn't match the manufacturer's recommendation is probably too often. The general rule, is every year, if you don't put a lot of miles on a car. However, because you are making lots of short trips and having a lot of start stop cycles, 5000 to 6000km might be appropriate. Sounds like you could stretch those changes out to 5 to 6 months. The only way to be sure, however, is to have your oil analyzed.

 

[TJPark01]

My dealer reccommends change oil every 6,000km or 3 months whichever comes first. Since I put on about 1,000km per month I end up doing the oil change every 3 months or about 2,000 miles! I drive very short trips every day.

The manufacturer recommends under severe driving conditions:
ENGINE OIL AND FILTER - EVERY 3,750 MILES (6,000 KM) OR 6 MONTHS.

What you are doing is probably overkill. If it makes you feel better and the cost is not an issue for you, and you plan on keeping the car for a very long time, it's certainly not going to do any harm. However, it does seem a bit excessive.

 

[Sayantsi]

Just went in for my first oil change for the 2010 4.6.

I live in the DC Metro area (Northern VA).

The service department said that Hyundai considers the DC Metro area as "severe driving conditions" and requires oil changes every 3750 miles.

I drive 50 miles per day commuting and It doesn't appear to me that I would fall under any of the other circumstances cited for "severe driving conditions" in the manual.

I suspect the service department is just doing a CYA or just trying to get more money. But, I certainly don't want to risk anything that might put the warranty at jeopardy.

I'm inclined to just follow the maintenance schedule in the manual which states every 7500 miles.

Any advice?

Thanks!

Joo

If your commute is 50 miles on the highway, some stop and go traffic, and some cruising, you are on the normal schedule - severe is for long-time idling, driving on dirt roads, regular short trips under 10 miles, and extreme temps, something you don't really have in nova.

Follow the manual and go with the 7500 mi interval. Also, pay attention to the mileage services, but be wary of what the dealership's service department says. My experience is that they don't really know about the car and follow department rules rather than Hyundai's guidelines.

 

[TJPark01]

Follow the manual and go with the 7500 mi interval. Also, pay attention to the mileage services, but be wary of what the dealership's service department says. My experience is that they don't really know about the car and follow department rules rather than Hyundai's guidelines.

The manufacturer's recommendation definitely carries more weight then the dealers. Dealers make nearly nothing on new car sales, sometimes they lose money. The dealerships money maker is financing,parts and service.

 

[jchung]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I like the idea of going with the shorter maintenance intervals (3750 miles) for the first year and then switching to the manufacturer's quoted maintenance interval (every 7500 miles).

My commute is about half highway and half stop & go traffic. So I personally wouldn't call it severe.

Joo