Changing your Sonic's oil.

[Bogus]

SHort trip city with synthetic I will be changing it between 3-5k. Regardless of what the experts say, I feel that the investment of a new vehicle is worth it to change the oil a little more often and not risk any issues. The slight increase in cost is worth it to not worry about the engine having an issue down the road. I plan on driving my car for far more than the 100k warranty. Only doing 10 oil changes in that time is unacceptable to me.

You should download the RemoteLink app. It tells your oil life percentage. Very handy tool.

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Just because YOUR first oil change was perfect doesn't mean everyone else's was too. There is a member (I don't remember who) who posted a thread with photos of his first oil change very early with lots of metal flakes throughout and a yellowish greenish tone floating on the surface.

Just like there have been a good number of lemon Sonics, breaking down and having serious problems. Mine never had those problems, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. There CAN be bad batches of oil and you don't know until you dump it.

To me, spending the $30 or so on new oil is way worth knowing my car has good oil and not worrying "I hope GM didn't put a bad batch in my car, oh well."

I like to trust car manufacturers but it really comes down to the guys at the factory trying to rush home. Do they care about your Sonic going down the line?

If you're having an issue regarding service or other concern, please DM us with your VIN, contact information, and situation. I am taking note of your issues. Thank you for posting.

Matt,

GM Customer Assistance

 

[Bogus]

If you're having an issue regarding service or other concern, please DM us with your VIN, contact information, and situation. I am taking note of your issues. Thank you for posting.

Matt,

GM Customer Assistance

Hi Matt,

I'm personally not having any issues with my Sonic. I was just stating that some people have had (or appeared to have had) bad batches of oil.

So far my service rep at my local dealer has been super helpful to me.

 

[Larry]

Just FYI, changed my oil at 1000 miles and it had tons of metal flakes in it. The oil itself looked fine though.

 

[Bogus]

Just FYI, changed my oil at 1000 miles and it had tons of metal flakes in it. The oil itself looked fine though.

Ugh reading this makes me wish I did my first oil change sooner than 8,500.

 

[$ub$onic]

That's a bit much

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[Bogus]

It wasn't by choice. :blankface:

 

[mitdr774]

You should download the RemoteLink app. It tells your oil life percentage. Very handy tool.

On Star is intentionally non functional in my car. I can scroll through the oil life percentage on the DIC if I want to, but I dont go by what it says anyways. I just changed my oil, about 3000 miles of 90% short trip city, and it looked okay but did not smell like oil with 76% life remaining should. I would rather spend an extra $30 here and there than risk an engine replacement. Would take quite a few extra oil changes to hit the cost of a replacement engine.

 

[$ub$onic]

It wasn't by choice. :blankface:

Dont feel bad my friend had a 1990 ford ranger he went 20 or 30k before changing his oil took out his oil pump

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[Bogus]

I would rather spend an extra $30 here and there than risk an engine replacement. Would take quite a few extra oil changes to hit the cost of a replacement engine.

You already went over the amount of an engine replacement. Since that would be under warranty... hehe

Dont feel bad my friend had a 1990 ford ranger he went 20 or 30k before changing his oil took out his oil pump

WOAH. That's crazy haha

 

[$ub$onic]

Ya that was a witch to change...... never again......

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[mitdr774]

I fully intend to drive this car to well past 200K miles. Warranty only lasts for so long and there are many ways for the dealer and GM to get out of covering the repair. I also no longer have all my reciepts from the oil and filters i purchased. Would make it hard for me to prove that I changed the oil. I spent 7 years working in GM dealers. I know the game that gets played when it comes to engine failure.

 

[$ub$onic]

I have a life time powertrain warranty

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[GeneralZod]

Ugh reading this makes me wish I did my first oil change sooner than 8,500.

I wouldn't worry. You can do an quick change at around 50% to get anything else out. Like I said before, the big pieces are ok and common. As long as the filter isn't clogged and bypassing. I have a feeling those big pieces flow back during the change.

Another thing about the metal flakes. In turbo cars, ductile iron parts take time to wear in. More so than NA engines. I saw this in most new turbo engines.

Speaking of which, you could tap in a bypass filter. You might melt down however, when you would change your oil at 25k miles.

You might pass out if you pull an oil pan. I have seen washers and one time the head of a bolt.

Here is another thing to think about... the Escalade at 6L takes about 6 quarts (I have added a tad more depending on the filter used). Our 1.4L takes 4 quarts. VW 1.9 TDI spec says 4.5 quarts. It always took 4 even when sucking all the oil out of the filter housing. Quart for quart, our engine has more oil per liter.

 

[GeneralZod]

I fully intend to drive this car to well past 200K miles. Warranty only lasts for so long and there are many ways for the dealer and GM to get out of covering the repair. I also no longer have all my reciepts from the oil and filters i purchased. Would make it hard for me to prove that I changed the oil. I spent 7 years working in GM dealers. I know the game that gets played when it comes to engine failure.

It will be able to do it especially if you do highway miles. I bought mine on 9/4 and it is over 2400 miles.

And don't be the guy with the 1.8L that doesn't change the timing belt.

I did my time with timing belts, no more...

 

[$ub$onic]

It will be able to do it especially if you do highway miles. I bought mine on 9/4 and it is over 2400 miles.

And don't be the guy with the 1.8L that doesn't change the timing belt.

I did my time with timing belts, no more...

Yep every 100k

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[Bogus]

Bought mine end of May 2012, just past 16,500. hehe 90% highway.

 

[mitdr774]

Leap day purchase and already 12,700 miles. I fully intend to replace the belt around 60-75K unless the service interval is lower. With teh exception of my 96 K1500 I dont think I have let a chain in any of my cars go more than 100K. The 4.3 in the truck needs some help and will probably get a decent overhaul next year. Its only at 140k, but it has had a very hard life. Before it was mine it had at least 2 15K oil changes. Its amazing how heavy an oil filter can get after that many miles. BTW the same basic engine can now go 10k on an oil change. I find that hard to believe. My suspicion is that "owner maintenance cost" is more of a factor than the oil and engine really being that good. At least around me, most people seem to lease rather than buy and a lot of those that buy only keep a car for 3-5 years tops. Its a sales gimmick as far as I am concerned.

This is just my personal opinion, and I realize that it is not the same as everyone else.

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Hi Matt,

I'm personally not having any issues with my Sonic. I was just stating that some people have had (or appeared to have had) bad batches of oil.

So far my service rep at my local dealer has been super helpful to me.

That's good to hear. Thanks for letting us know.

Matt,

GM Customer Assistance

 

[GeneralZod]

Leap day purchase and already 12,700 miles. I fully intend to replace the belt around 60-75K unless the service interval is lower. With teh exception of my 96 K1500 I dont think I have let a chain in any of my cars go more than 100K. The 4.3 in the truck needs some help and will probably get a decent overhaul next year. Its only at 140k, but it has had a very hard life. Before it was mine it had at least 2 15K oil changes. Its amazing how heavy an oil filter can get after that many miles. BTW the same basic engine can now go 10k on an oil change. I find that hard to believe. My suspicion is that "owner maintenance cost" is more of a factor than the oil and engine really being that good. At least around me, most people seem to lease rather than buy and a lot of those that buy only keep a car for 3-5 years tops. Its a sales gimmick as far as I am concerned.

This is just my personal opinion, and I realize that it is not the same as everyone else.

I have had multiple cars with timing chains easily go over 200k without replacement. If you want a gimmick, it is a timing belt. It is a cause to bring in the car for service. It normally also requires "special tools," so getting it done at home is a long shot.

As for the 4.3L, it depends on the miles. I had a 4.3L go 20k plus with Royal Purple and WIX filters (mostly highway with heavy loads). That engine hit 430k miles before the transfer case took a dump. The timing chain was never replaced. For what it was, and what it was doing, it got great MPG.

My LT1, which I "baby" gets 10k changes. It isn't the engine, it is all about the oil, and the filter. The filter you say is heavy, is heavy from years of sluge. Don't believe me, try changing the newer oil around 1000 miles old. Let the car sit over the weekend. Don't turn on the engine. Just drain it, and watch what comes out. Works best in the summer. When I do that to my diesels, the oil will stay cleaner for a day or two of use. Normally it turns black after checking the level.