2012 2LT Oil Change

[SCCUBSFAN]

We just bought a new 2012 V-6 Twilight Blue on 3/7, traded in an 08 LT. The wife is loves all the new stuff on the 2012. Now for the dumb question, we're both retired and only drive short distances 5-10 miles at a time. The town we live in has 3 major 4 lane roads with speed limits of 45 - 50 and some minor traffic backups and back roads with speeds of 55. We're driving to FL in May, do you folks think we should change the oil prior to leaving. Way back we changed oil after the first 500 miles after a break-in period on a new car. On the 08 we normally changed oil between 3000 miles and no more than 5 months regardless of what OLM said. Thanks

 

[2010BlkGraniteNox]

We just bought a new 2012 V-6 Twilight Blue on 3/7, traded in an 08 LT. The wife is loves all the new stuff on the 2012. Now for the dumb question, we're both retired and only drive short distances 5-10 miles at a time. The town we live in has 3 major 4 lane roads with speed limits of 45 - 50 and some minor traffic backups and back roads with speeds of 55. We're driving to FL in May, do you folks think we should change the oil prior to leaving. Way back we changed oil after the first 500 miles after a break-in period on a new car. On the 08 we normally changed oil between 3000 miles and no more than 5 months regardless of what OLM said. Thanks

I wouldnt have it changed, I find the first oil change @ 500 and changing at 3k miles is wasteful

I follow the OLM to 10% or change it every 6months (around 7k miles for my Nox)

Use a quality oil

Make sure oil change/dealer puts back the correct amount of oil, twice I've had my work nox and now the 3.6L impala I drive shorted a quart

Make sure they use correct PF63 filter vs PF48 (more commonly used and lots of them in stock because GM changed in 2011)

Check your oil levels (HFV6 is known to shear oil)

 

[Black02Silverado]

It wouldn't hurt to get the factory oil out. Is it a waste, maybe. I do it for the fact of all the wear material that is in that oil. No need to have it in any longer than needed.

As for the oil change. GM has updated their OLM in the Lambda line of vehicles to reflect a sooner oil change due to the fact that the 3.6 engine is harder on the oil than most others. I would follow the OLM and see if it tells you to change out at around 4 to 5k miles. If so then that is a good point to do so.

 

[2010BlkGraniteNox]

It wouldn't hurt to get the factory oil out. Is it a waste, maybe. I do it for the fact of all the wear material that is in that oil. No need to have it in any longer than needed.

As for the oil change. GM has updated their OLM in the Lambda line of vehicles to reflect a sooner oil change due to the fact that the 3.6 engine is harder on the oil than most others. I would follow the OLM and see if it tells you to change out at around 4 to 5k miles. If so then that is a good point to do so.

My 2012 with a 3.6 and my 2010 Nox 3.0 w/ the update to the OLM is coming out to around 9K

 

[Black02Silverado]

My 2012 with a 3.6 and my 2010 Nox 3.0 w/ the update to the OLM is coming out to around 9K

Interesting, our 11 Acadia is showing 5% OLM at around 5k.

 

[dietz4ibanez]

I want to say that our Nox is around 5-6k on the OLM when it needs changed.

 

[Z_Ghost]

A lot of short trips can be hard on the oil, it never gets hot enough to burn off the mosture that can collect in the crankcase.
Just make sure to take it out for a good drive every othe week.
I always like to change my oil before I leave on a long trip (3500 + miles)

If your using Synthetic oil I see no problem going 5000 miles.
I kind of go by the OLM but I tend to keep a eye on what the oil looks like but never go much over 5000 miles

 

[2010BlkGraniteNox]

Interesting, our 11 Acadia is showing 5% OLM at around 5k.

Just had the oil change on my 3.6 Impala (2012)

last was 84xx
this was 17684

OLM was @ 2% when I finally got it in for the oil change

My Nox doesnt rack up the miles as my company car does

 

[dietz4ibanez]

That's the way it should be. I hate racking up miles on personal vehicles.

 

[Colt Hero]

For the record, I did not change my factory oil out until I hit 5664 miles. Then I changed it at 13,128 and then most recently at 18,688. On this last change interval, the vehicle took one 2500 mile round-trip and the oil life monitor reached 0% at right about 5000 miles (then I changed it about a week and half later).

As for the actual oil I've been using - it's been Pennzoil Platinum Full Sythetic, but I don't know if that's going to continue. I HAD been buying the 5Qt jugs at Wal-Mart for $18.79, but overnight the price jumped to $25+!! I always thought $18.79 was a low price (heck - it was less expensive than Wal-Mart's SuperTech store brand!), but I'm not going to pay $25 going forward! Looks like SuperTech Full Synthetic in my future. I've already been using SuperTech dino oil on my '97 Taurus and '02 Impala for 10 years now, so no big deal. SuperTech Full Synthetic goes for $20+ at Wal-Mart. Sounds fair to me...

 

[2010BlkGraniteNox]

For the record, I did not change my factory oil out until I hit 5664 miles. Then I changed it at 13,128 and then most recently at 18,688. On this last change interval, the vehicle took one 2500 mile round-trip and the oil life monitor reached 0% at right about 5000 miles (then I changed it about a week and half later).

As for the actual oil I've been using - it's been Pennzoil Platinum Full Sythetic, but I don't know if that's going to continue. I HAD been buying the 5Qt jugs at Wal-Mart for $18.79, but overnight the price jumped to $25+!! I always thought $18.79 was a low price (heck - it was less expensive than Wal-Mart's SuperTech store brand!), but I'm not going to pay $25 going forward! Looks like SuperTech Full Synthetic in my future. I've already been using SuperTech dino oil on my '97 Taurus and '02 Impala for 10 years now, so no big deal. SuperTech Full Synthetic goes for $20+ at Wal-Mart. Sounds fair to me...

Could be a "time" in GM's formula to figure out the % to mile ratio. We do not have any "sensor" that detects oil life, its a formula GM uses. In my company car I average 4k a month, the first oil change was 1% at 84xx