How do you do it? On my Patriot, the minder comes on usually well past the 3000 mile mark after I've already changed the oil. I wonder if I could save myself the trouble and just use the service minder or if I need to stick with the 3k rule.
Follow the service minder or change oil at 3000 miles?
kadetklapp
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How do you do it? On my Patriot, the minder comes on usually well past the 3000 mile mark after I've already changed the oil. I wonder if I could save myself the trouble and just use the service minder or if I need to stick with the 3k rule.
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3,954 Posts
I don't think you have to change at every 3k miles.. IMO I think its something the dealership does to get more money out of you. I think the owners manual says something like 5k miles. I usually wait until my service light comes on and determine whether I should get it changed or not. It depends on how I've been driving.
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Well, I wouldn't go 13,000 kms on factory oil in a brand new engine...but that is what the book calls for.
Personally I changed first time at 7,000 km (4,400 miles +/-).
Then I changed at 13,000 to keep warranty up and due to the miles I drive and how I drive them, my oil change light doesn't come on until I'm at warranty called for 13,000 km changes. Which for me is every 4 months, so 3 times a year.
Make sure you use a filter capable of working that long, no Fram junk...I use a high mileage filter from a subsidiary of Purolater (I think)...I trust my mechanic...his recommendation.
My oil draining out looks as new...that clear brown colour, no dark to it at all, no smell, no thickening. I haven't sprung for a test as I'm confident that my daily drive is burning the contaminants out and that the oil is doing its job even over that number of kms.
Our oil, 5-20, is all semi synthetic or full synthetic, depending on whose brand it is so it will do the job.
Now, I drive a 80 kph highway 40 minutes up to my work area then do 4 hours of what most of you would call off-roading as I go from mine to mill to plant to whatever and then I do 45-50 minutes of 110 kph back down.
Its the stop and go, city stuff that is severe service, my highway jaunts keep my vehicle running great on long oil changes...your mileage may vary as they say.
Around here an oil change, on sale, is $40. I spend $120 a year...if i was to change every 3,000 miles or 5,000 km I'd spend $320 and be tossing a lot of perfectly good oil.
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I do whatever the jeep tells me, so every time that comes in.
Modern engines have such tight specs and modern oil formulas, its best to just go with what the manufacturer suggests.
Extended break ins for engines no longer exist. Most cars/trucks are 0-500 miles now and its usually to break in other drivetrain components other then the engine. Usually a few WOT's are done to seat the rings is all it takes to break the engine in. The engineers have done plenty of testing of oils to determine a quick change after driving a new engine is not needed anymore.
Modern engines have such tight specs and modern oil formulas, its best to just go with what the manufacturer suggests.
Extended break ins for engines no longer exist. Most cars/trucks are 0-500 miles now and its usually to break in other drivetrain components other then the engine. Usually a few WOT's are done to seat the rings is all it takes to break the engine in. The engineers have done plenty of testing of oils to determine a quick change after driving a new engine is not needed anymore.
I change mine when the change oil message pops up in my odometer. I figure the engineers that designed the algorithm for calculating oil life must know a thing or two about oil, and since Chrysler also gave me a lifetime powertrain warranty, that it must be ok to follow. I usually average 5200-5600 mile intervals, though the last two changes the message appeared at about 3800 mile intervals. Not sure what changed, other then the wife has been driving it a bit more 
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I usually change the oil within a 1000 miles of the Jeep telling me to change it which is usually around 6000 miles or so. It did go off earlier than that in Januayr, but that was after really working the engine hard for a week pulling a trailer across the country (SC to NV). So I think the computer can tell when it needs changing.
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It will probably take me about a year or so to hit the 3k mark. Should I go in before that or wait to see if my change oil light comes on? I have about 200 miles on it now.
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I'm at the dealership right now waiting for my first oil change to be done. Today is 6 months to the day since I picked up my JP new with 2.5 km on it, I wondered the same thing as you but decided to follow the OM and have it changed every 6 months or 13,000 km. For me 6 months came first as I'm only at 11,000 km, but obviously if the oil change indicator had of come on earlier I would have been here earlier. I've also managed to fill it up using only Shell gas so far, about 26 fill-ups, not sure if that makes a difference or not.
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As Doogals says...every 6 months OR the miles, whichever happens first.
Low mileage, short trips actually are harder on the oil than highway driving.
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1,843 Posts
I change every 4k miles. Actually my change oil indicator just turned on.
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