Maintenance Schedule - Dealer vs Car Manual?

[TJPark01]

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).
Joo

That is probably the best course of action.

 

[joedoe]

My dealer recommended 5000 miles interval for city driving. He said that 3750 miles is to often because of semi-synthetic oil they're using.

 

[redswd]

My dealer recommends 3000 mile, no time limit, oil changes for me. It makes sense to me in my case because I make a lot of short trips which I'm told is harder on oil. Using a synthetic might extend the interval but is using a synthetic worth the cost?

 

[TJPark01]

My dealer recommends 3000 mile, no time limit, oil changes for me. It makes sense to me in my case because I make a lot of short trips which I'm told is harder on oil. Using a synthetic might extend the interval but is using a synthetic worth the cost?

It's an age old question, with no real answer. The benefits of synthetic isn't going to be apparent, until the car is old and had many miles put on it. If you're gonna sell the car before the 10 year 100k mile mark, I doubt it makes a discernible difference. However, you will be doing the next owner a huge favor.

 

[redswd]

It's an age old question, with no real answer. The benefits of synthetic isn't going to be apparent, until the car is old and had many miles put on it. If you're gonna sell the car before the 10 year 100k mile mark, I doubt it makes a discernible difference. However, you will be doing the next owner a huge favor.

I was taught by my parents when I was a kid that if you are going to have posessions, especially costly ones or those you are fond of, you take care of them the best you can. (My Genesis is both) I'm 64 now and have found that advice to be a no brainer. Your post got me thinking.
I did a little research yielding a couple articles:
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/synthetic_vs_conventional_oil/index.html
http://www.firstfives.org/faq/oil/oilartcl.html

 

[TJPark01]

I was taught by my parents when I was a kid that if you are going to have posessions, especially costly ones or those you are fond of, you take care of them the best you can. (My Genesis is both) I'm 64 now and have found that advice to be a no brainer. Your post got me thinking.
I did a little research yielding a couple articles:
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/synthetic_vs_conventional_oil/index.html
http://www.firstfives.org/faq/oil/oilartcl.html

I have very little doubt that synthetics are superior to conventional lubricants in almost every way. But when you factor in cost it doesn't really make sense for the average consumer. Now if you have a specialty vehicle like a porsche, corvette, or something with say direct injection supercharger like an Audi S4. Then it seems to make more sense. But a normally aspirated Hyundai that the manufacturer doesn't require the use? The only reason I use Mobil 1 is that I buy the oil in bulk for less than $2 a quart and buy the filters from the dealer and change the oil in my garage. If I had to pay 80-100 bucks for an synthetic oil change I wouldn't be doing it, but that's just me.

 

[nearwater]

I have very little doubt that synthetics are superior to conventional lubricants in almost every way. But when you factor in cost it doesn't really make sense for the average consumer. Now if you have a specialty vehicle like a porsche, corvette, or something with say direct injection supercharger like an Audi S4. Then it seems to make more sense. But a normally aspirated Hyundai that the manufacturer doesn't require the use? The only reason I use Mobil 1 is that I buy the oil in bulk for less than $2 a quart and buy the filters from the dealer and change the oil in my garage. If I had to pay 80-100 bucks for an synthetic oil change I wouldn't be doing it, but that's just me.

I agree.
I've been using Mobil 1 since 2002 on all my cars. But on certain cars, there was a report/rumor that the Mobil 1 seemed to promote valvetrain noise.
It didn't bother me much and decided to keep using it.

My car is at the dealer getting her first oil change done. Since they're free of charge, I'll be using the generic oil for now and probably switch it to synthetic next time.

BTW, is changing the filter pretty much straight forward when you look under the car?
I haven't changed a drop-in filter and was wondering if it requires some special tool to remove the filter?

Dan

 

[TJPark01]

I agree.
I've been using Mobil 1 since 2002 on all my cars. But on certain cars, there was a report/rumor that the Mobil 1 seemed to promote valvetrain noise.
It didn't bother me much and decided to keep using it.

My car is at the dealer getting her first oil change done. Since they're free of charge, I'll be using the generic oil for now and probably switch it to synthetic next time.

BTW, is changing the filter pretty much straight forward when you look under the car?
I haven't changed a drop-in filter and was wondering if it requires some special tool to remove the filter?

Dan

For the V8. Yes, you need a 27mm socket, which isn't standard fare. You also need the correct filter gaskets, all which come provided with the factory oil filter. You should also have a torque wrench to sent the filter back in place 25NM is the spec, but you can get away with taking a pen, or a touch up paint brush and drawing a line across the filter housing, when tightening the filter housing back on, just align the paint marks.
http://www.genesisowners.com/hyundai-genesis-forum/showthread.php?t=1471&highlight=oil+filter

 

[nearwater]

For the V8. Yes, you need a 27mm socket, which isn't standard fare. You also need the correct filter gaskets, all which come provided with the factory oil filter. You should also have a torque wrench to sent the filter back in place 25NM is the spec, but you can get away with taking a pen, or a touch up paint brush and drawing a line across the filter housing, when tightening the filter housing back on, just align the paint marks.
http://www.genesisowners.com/hyundai-genesis-forum/showthread.php?t=1471&highlight=oil+filter

Thanks for the info, TJPark!
Wow, 27mm? That's huge.
Not sure if you're familiar with VWs, but I do have a socket I bought for my old VW that I never got to use.
They also have drop-in filters for the VR6 engines.. Can't recall if it was 24mm or 27mm.

Dan

 

[TJPark01]

Thanks for the info, TJPark!
Wow, 27mm? That's huge.
Not sure if you're familiar with VWs, but I do have a socket I bought for my old VW that I never got to use.
They also have drop-in filters for the VR6 engines.. Can't recall if it was 24mm or 27mm.

Dan

Yeah it's a big socket, but any autoparts, or decent hardware store should have one to fit on a 1/2 inch ratchet. The oil filter housing is made by Mahle which is one of the largest German autoparts makers in the world. They make parts for a lot of the European models which use the cartridge type filters. There are a lot of good reasons to use those filters. Less waste, and the housing is all plastic, saving weight. You can read more here if you care:

Mahle Oil Filtration Moduals

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[nearwater]

Yeah it's a big socket, but any autoparts, or decent hardware store should have one to fit on a 1/2 inch ratchet. The oil filter housing is made by Mahle which is one of the largest German autoparts makers in the world. They make parts for a lot of the European models which use the cartridge type filters. There are a lot of good reasons to use those filters. Less waste, and the housing is all plastic, saving weight. You can read more here if you care:

Mahle Oil Filtration Moduals

Thanks again for your kindness of sharing the info.
Looks like you're the kind of person whom I should ask regarding technical stuff.

Dan

 

[TJPark01]

Thanks again for your kindness of sharing the info.
Looks like you're the kind of person whom I should ask regarding technical stuff.

Dan

Sure, send me a PM anytime, I will try and help out any way possible. I do a lot of basic maintenance myself, because I have access to a full size garage with a lot of tools. I'm not a mechanic, but I play one on TV.

 

[Disaster]

Thanks for the info, TJPark!
Wow, 27mm? That's huge.
Not sure if you're familiar with VWs, but I do have a socket I bought for my old VW that I never got to use.
They also have drop-in filters for the VR6 engines.. Can't recall if it was 24mm or 27mm.

Dan

You can buy a big expensive metal socket, but there is a cheaper plastic one sold that works fine.

Here is a set, but if you are lucky, you can stumble into the single one for about $15 bucks.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I1E8WW?tag=seowa-20"]http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I1E8WW?tag=seowa-20[/ame]


P.S. I understand the theory behind oil canisters, but the reality is a bit different. I've bought and replaced them on my Mercedes and Volvos. They were always more expensive than metal canister filters and in some cases made it difficult not to spill oil on the surrounding components.

 

[DavidNJ]

Interesting thread.

1) Many (most?) dealers try to increase the frequency and add stuff to the service to increase the cost. Just like adding 'paint treatments' at closing, it is all very high markup designed for profitability. It is the manufacturer who has the warranty costs and their engineers who determined the manufacturer's schedule.

2) There is a lot of metal that wears in the first few hours of use: bearings and bearing surfaces, cylinder bores, piston rings, cam lobes, lifters and lifer bores, valve guides, etc. Race cars using flat tappet cams still use break-in oil. Roller tappet cars don't really need it and its is gone from street oils because of emissions restrictions. There is also assembly lube.

3) Nearly all bearing surface wear comes when the engine is starting and there is no oil pressure. Synthetic oils are much better at that time. They are also much better at elevated temperatures and don't break down.

4) You still accumulate gas that blow by the piston rings and moisture and the attendant acids when it evaporates. The blow by is a design issue and should be pretty low on a modern car because of emissions laws. It can be higher on race cars using a vacuum pump or multiple scavenging section dry sump to evacuate the crankcase. That requires a regular change of any oil.

5) Short periods of operation tend to leave moisture related issues requiring more frequent changes. High load situations (trailer towing, lots of hill climbing, extended periods of hard acceleration or high engine speeds (not too likely in the US) all can cause temperature related breakdown. Again, much less or negligible with synthetic oils. Long periods of limited use also cause moisture problems. Care of race engines over the off season is a PITA.

What do I do? Manufacturer's schedule and always use synthetic. I use Torco in the race engine and Mobil One in the street engine, but I doubt there is much difference between brands. The race oils don't have some of the additives used in street oils.

 

[Gambler]

I have very little doubt that synthetics are superior to conventional lubricants in almost every way. But when you factor in cost it doesn't really make sense for the average consumer. Now if you have a specialty vehicle like a porsche, corvette, or something with say direct injection supercharger like an Audi S4. Then it seems to make more sense. But a normally aspirated Hyundai that the manufacturer doesn't require the use? The only reason I use Mobil 1 is that I buy the oil in bulk for less than $2 a quart and buy the filters from the dealer and change the oil in my garage. If I had to pay 80-100 bucks for an synthetic oil change I wouldn't be doing it, but that's just me.

Where do you find Mobil 1 for less than $2/qt? The cheapest I've seen is walmart ~$20/gal == $5/qt. I'd buy a truckload for $2/qt...

 

[TJPark01]

Where do you find Mobil 1 for less than $2/qt? The cheapest I've seen is walmart ~$20/gal == $5/qt. I'd buy a truckload for $2/qt...

I wait till it's on sale and buy it with a corresponding rebate from manufacturer. I am not an oil snob in terms of brand. I will go for Mobil, Valvoline,Pennzoil, Castrol, what ever I can get that's on sale. For instance you can go to Checker's/Oreilly and get Valvoline Synpower for < $1 a quart. But you have to buy 2 gallons of it (eight quarts) and mail in a $25 rebate. I sign up for them so I get them emailed to me, usually will troll, PepBoys,Oreilly,Autozone,Walmart and Costco.
Also, Bob is the Oil Guy, has a section where people post rebates and sales, it's a good place to look as well.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=33&page=1