OIl Changes - Good Reading If you Have Time

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Automotive News | December 3, 2007 - 12:01 am EST

A 7,500-mile interval between oil changes is emerging as the industry standard. Automakers cite improved vehicle quality and longer-lasting synthetic motor oil.

The reduction in factory-recommended service visits is good news for consumers. But it's potentially bad news for dealerships, which could lose service and parts business that accompanies oil changes.

An Automotive News survey finds that the traditional 3,000-mile oil change interval is out of date. In general, seven vehicle brands prescribe intervals of 5,000 to 6,000 miles, and four have intervals of 10,000 miles or more. Automakers caution that they base their recommendations on normal driving conditions.

More than a third of brands use onboard software to determine when oil needs to be changed, based on the vehicle and how it is driven. As more automakers introduce software to gauge oil life, oil changes will become even less frequent. Factories that use such software monitors say intervals of 8,000 to 10,000 miles between changes are typical.

With a 3,000-mile interval, new-vehicle buyers often returned to dealerships for service three times a year. Longer intervals between oil changes enable customers to make one or two annual service visits.


Building loyalty
Bruce Wertz, general sales manager of Fort Bend Toyota in suburban Houston, says dealerships are struggling to find ways to get service customers to return.

"The old rule was, if you could get the customer to come in three times after you deliver them a new car, you pretty much owned them," Wertz says. "You can't put a price tag on that loyalty."

Peter Lord, General Motors' executive director of service operations, says the expanded oil change interval is more convenient for time-pressed customers. GM has simplified maintenance schedules and grouped services in an effort to encourage customers to get more work done when they return to the dealership, he says.

That initiative could lead to higher-dollar repair orders, Lord adds.

"The dealer may see customers less frequently," he says. "But when they come in, it's for their complete maintenance needs, not just a quick oil change."

Leonie Wanke, a spokeswoman for American Suzuki Motor Corp., says minimizing customers' service needs while protecting their vehicles "seems to us to be the best way to keep customers loyal."


Sales promotions
To boost business, many automakers provide their dealers with promotions for such things as tire sales and rotations.

"The best customer retention tool we have in our product line is prepaid maintenance" contracts, says Miles Johnson, a spokesman for Hyundai Motor America. "This brings the customer back to the Hyundai dealer for oil changes and tire rotations on premium plans."

For the 2008 model year, Chrysler LLC introduced a 6,000-mile oil change interval and vehicle software to monitor oil life, says company spokeswoman Patti Georgevich. Company research showed Chrysler customers averaged 5,700 miles between oil changes.

"There have been a lot of questions and concerns about how this will impact dealerships," Georgevich says. "We feel that when all this shakes out, the ultimate result will be improved customer satisfaction and retention."

Ryan Beene contributed to this report


Time for a change
Automakers most often recommend a 7,500-mile interval between oil changes. Many car companies now use onboard software to determine when a change is needed. Recommendations by brand
Acura: Software senses when oil change is needed
Aston Martin: 10,000 miles or every year
Audi: 5,000 miles in first year; 10,000 miles in later years
BMW: Software senses when oil change is needed
Buick: Software senses when oil change is needed
Cadillac: Software senses when oil change is needed
Chevrolet: Software senses when oil change is needed
Chrysler: 6,000 miles or 6 months; 3,000 miles in severe conditions*
Dodge: 6,000 miles or 6 months; 3,000 miles in severe conditions*
Ford: 7,500 miles; 5,000 miles in special conditions
GMC: Software senses when oil change is needed
Honda: Software senses when oil change is needed
Hummer: Software senses when oil change is needed
Hyundai: 7,500 miles
Infiniti: 7,500 miles
Isuzu: Software senses when oil change is needed
Jaguar: 10,000 miles
Jeep: 6,000 miles or 6 months; 3,000 miles in severe conditions*
Kia: 5,000 to 7,500 miles, depending on model
Land Rover: 7,500 miles
Lexus: 5,000 miles or 6 months
Lincoln: 7,500 miles; 5,000 miles in special conditions
Mazda: 7,500 miles
Mercedes: 13,000 miles or every year*
Mercury: 7,500 miles; 5,000 miles in special conditions
Mini: Software senses when oil change is needed
Mitsubishi: 7,500 miles
Nissan: 7,500 miles
Pontiac: Software senses when oil change is needed
Porsche: 12,000 miles or every year
Saab: Software senses when oil change is needed
Saturn: Software senses when oil change is needed
Scion: 5,000 miles or 6 months
Subaru: 7,500 miles
Suzuki: 7,500 miles
Toyota: 5,000 miles or 6 months
Volkswagen: 5,000 miles
Volvo: 7,500 miles
*Software senses when more frequent oil change is needed, but factory prescribes oil change interval.
Source: Companies