Need Oil Change Advice

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Feb 2, 2018
Messages
34
Location
Richmond, VA
Hello all, I am starting to think about how to get a balance between saving money while keeping the car in good condition throughout its life (6 years/180k miles)
I drive 3000 highway miles and a couple of short trips each month.
Should I do:
1. SuperTech oil + SuperTech filter every 1 month/2500 miles ~$210/year
2. Cheapest Dexos1 Gen2 oil + Fram Ultra filter every 2 months/5000 miles ~$210/year
3. Mobil Annual oil + Mobil filter every 3 months/10000 miles ~$240/year

I check the dipstick once every week. I figure that the oil color changes from amber to dark brown very quickly (after ~1000 miles use), no matter which kind of oil put in (Mobil Super, Castrol Magnatec etc) . I have heard that carbon is the main factor and frequent oil changes can keep the carbon away. And I always feel the motor starts to feel a bit noisier after ~2000 miles.

Which of the options would you pick? Personally I doubt if the Mobil AP could last 20k miles and so I think a 10k interval should be conservative enough ensuring proper lubrication. My car is a 2017 Nissan Versa, 8 months old/25k miles now. Nissan recommends 6 months/5000 miles interval. Thank you for your help and have a good day.
 
Last edited:
Just change it every 5k on dino SuperTech - especially with all your highway driving. keep it topped off between changes and you'll be fine. Oil filter doesn't matter - SuperTech or cheap Fram is all you need.
 
You will be wasting money and good oil using the Mobil annual or AP oil. Stick with any major brand that meets the specs for your Nissan.
 
I agree with PimTac here.

I have 220k miles and counting in my Nissan Altima 3.5 VQ. Candidly I would run Mobil Super 5w30 or Havoline DS 5w30 in your car. Oil filter... Fram orange can is a fine choice. Or if you want to keep a filter on for 2-3 runs go with a Fram Ultra.
 
^ YEAH!!!!! What he said.
smile.gif
 
Hey guys, I appreciate your help. Maybe I am over-maintaining my car but I have seen some UOAs here that the conventional stuff (e.g. Mobil Super) got thinned out a grade by 3000 miles. I think the wear will be significantly higher if the oil is thinned out?
 
One more question, the Fram Ultra got 99% efficiency @ 20 microns while the SuperTech is 95% @ 30 micron and Mobil Filter is 99% efficiency@ 30 microns. How much damage will be done to the engine for having a less efficient filter?
 
I don't worry to much about the efficiency myself. Maybe being foolish with that. Having said that I do use the Supertech filter. As to your original question that opened this discussion I would go with the Conventional Supertech. I perhaps would go 6000 miles or the two months to save even more. With highway miles I would think it may be OK. Yet I would also be ok with less miles on the oil so your call.

I think the more often changes with Supertech vs. annual change with M1 would be a better way to go with the engine. Just my two cents. Let us know what you decide to do. Also I have a Versa Note and love the car. I don't think there is much sump capacity in them so I tend to change the oil pretty often in mine. 3000 miles OCI. Oil does darken up pretty fast in the engine. So I like to not put to much demand on the oil when there is so little of it in the engine.
 
Last edited:
I highly, highly doubt Mobil Super 5w30 would shear out of grade in a motor that's in a Versa.

My VQ 3.5... whole other matter. But I don't run oils forever and day in it.

Mobil Super will have up just fine in your Versa. We have a member who went 14k miles with Mobil Super in his truck that did a lot of towing... And Mobil Super stayed in grade. Far more strenuous circumstance than your car's motor will ever see.
 
Originally Posted By: bigt61
Just change it every 5k on dino SuperTech - especially with all your highway driving. keep it topped off between changes and you'll be fine. Oil filter doesn't matter - SuperTech or cheap Fram is all you need.
this. Changing it every 2500 is wasteful.
 
I actually use the Ultra for THREE 5K synthetic blend OCIs on 2 vehicles in my sig (the Jeep & Grand Marquis) & for TWO 10K full synthetic OCIs on the xB in my sig. As long as your engine is clean, it can take it. There are also members here who will cut open filters & post pictures of how they did (I usually just do my own).
 
Look for any major brand of full synthetic that is under $20 on sale with an available rebate. You will find once you start looking in earnest they really aren't that hard to find. Then at 5000 miles run an UOA and see what the TBN tells you about how much life is left in that oil.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Fulgore
One more question, the Fram Ultra got 99% efficiency @ 20 microns while the SuperTech is 95% @ 30 micron and Mobil Filter is 99% efficiency@ 30 microns. How much damage will be done to the engine for having a less efficient filter?


None. Toyota and Honda OEM filters are like 50% efficiency and they run a long time. The main things I like in a filter are:
1. Not Purolator aka Tearolator
2. Silicone ADBV

I like the Fram Toughguard or the regular Wix/Napa Gold. For you, I'd run a Toughguard with conventional for 5000-6000 miles, change it every other or run a TG with synthetic, change every 10,000.
 
Originally Posted By: Fulgore

3. Mobil Annual oil + Mobil filter every 3 months/10000 miles ~$240/year



If you're piling on the miles that quickly, why change it at 10k when it's designed to go twice that distance? You're a perfect candidate for 20,000 mile intervals with all that highway driving.

Although, until your warranty is up, you need to stick with what interval Nissan recommends (in which case don't use such an expensive oil)
 
Originally Posted By: Fulgore
One more question, the Fram Ultra got 99% efficiency @ 20 microns while the SuperTech is 95% @ 30 micron and Mobil Filter is 99% efficiency@ 30 microns. How much damage will be done to the engine for having a less efficient filter?
You will never realize a difference with the oil filter choice as the air filter is the most important filter on an engine.
 
ST Syn can easily go 5000 miles. Throw a FU on there and only change the filter every 20k.

I realize you're still under warranty, but after:

You're a great candidate for extended drains. I see you've considered Mobil1, but Amsoil advertises extended drains also. I took a quick look on their site and if you went 15k with one OCI it would be $52 (if you didn't join "the club").

At ~36000 miles/year that would be less than 3 changes and under $150.


As always, extend oil changes beyond manufacturer's recommendations with a UOA.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top