Dexterity

Hello I recently got my 2003 nissan maxima se and havent done a oil change yet. I almost drove 3000 miles. I need advice on the type of oil and oil filter.

what recommend oil and oil filter should I get?
and how many miles can I drive before an oil change is needed?

Shift_A32B

iTrader: (14)

5w-30 Castrol GTX with Wix oil filter. That's my setup.

02pearlmax

iTrader: (8)

Whatever you do stay away from FRAM filters. They're cheap with cardboard insides and have been known to fall apart on people.

ShocknAwe

iTrader: (3)

All the high end oil filters are basically the same, I prefer K&N personally but thats because they are readily available to me and not expensive. The lower end ones DO use cardboard and no sense in cheaping out on a $15 product anyways. You need to find out if it has been changed with syn oil in the past or if it has been a conventional oil all its life because you need to stick with its history. Conventional lasts about 3k and syn last about 5k give or take and depending on how hard you are on your car. If you do mostly city driving then it will need to be replaced more often but if its mostly highway then it can go longer. I would go with a syn/conventional blend, best of both worlds in performance and price. Hope you're doing it yourself too! GL

2damax

Thats interesting. I have never heard of blending oils before. In fact, I was always advised not too. I use mobil 1 5w-30 syn with nissan dealership filter. The filter there is even less than the fram at walmart.

IL_Maxima

I use Mobile 1 5w30 full synthetic with dealer filter.

Gizm0

iTrader: (1)

http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/stop...-your-oil.html

I use Mobil1 full synthetic 0W40 with Mobil1 filter - Oil change every 5k to 7k miles

Child_uv_KoRn

iTrader: (7)

+10000000

Use this to find the deals http://slickdeals.net/f/1532155-DIY-...2?sduid=513911

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

Filters: Wix, Mobil 1, and K&N are the best. I've read studies that indicate Fram filters are crap. However, interesting enough, Fram Tough Guard was indicated to be just below Mobil and K&N in quality. So when I get
those oil change specials at Autozone, I only buy when I can at minimal get a TG filter. Otherwise get TW Mobil.

Oil: (IMO) Synthetic blend is the way to go. If you burn a little oil, and you likely do, then a 5 or 10w40 is the way to go to reduce consumption.

Brand is really a personal preference. I've run Castrol and Valvoline with great success. However, expect some difficulty finding any brand in a X w40 as autozone and advance carry limited selections.

Dexterity

Thank you for all your help I will search for those types of filter and oil

ffcbairn

AMSOil 10W30 with AMSoil EA filter, 10K miles between changes

Rods03Max619

iTrader: (5)

I use Castrol GTX and a Purolator Filter, oil Burner when switch out engine for a low mile one will be using Castrol Edge and a Filter that can go 7500 miles to cut back on oil changes every 3000 miles....

nismopc

iTrader: (3)

SuperTech 5w30 High Mileage and Purolator Classic filter now that Walmart stopped selling their SuperTech filters.

About to hit 180k and it's a oil burner.

03VQMAX

iTrader: (46)

Amsoil + Amsoil= Peace of mind.....

ffcbairn

Peace of mind is when you're getting over 30mpg, why change anything that gets you to peace of mind?

Stonelove670

good information

ShocknAwe

iTrader: (3)

not physically blending them yourself. The cheap syn oils are a syn/conventional blend to keep the cost down. Yea definitely NEVER blend oils yourself. I use 5w in the winter and 10w in the summer

nibs

I'm currently running Asmoil 5W-30 XL w/ the Amsoil Absolute Efficiency filter. This is for my first oil change in my I-30 since I purchased it. The previous owner had used Castrol GTX High Mileage and left it in there for about 6months, so I wanted to make sure I had a good filter to clear everything out.

I'll change at ~7,500 miles per owners manual. My 5th gen really only seems to take about a gallon of oil (its ~4.3 quarts in the manual, but I let mine drain for over an hour and a gallon was flirting with the line.) Amsoil XL is only $22.75 for a gallon as a preferred customer, and the signature series is less than $31.00. I pick up at my local warehouse, so I have no shipping. My dealer, who I'm happy to put you in touch with, rebates the preferred customer fee after you sign up as long as you are new to Amsoil and not switching from another dealer.

After this OCI I'll probably go with Signature Series and a Purlator Gold filter and keep changing at 7,500.

Amsoil member is great because it also gives you good pricing on what many consider to be the best ATF (and PS) fluids for the max.

UncleSmitty

iTrader: (1)

Had the same question when I first bought my Maxima so I called Universal Nissan. The second I heard, "Yea we use Mobile 1 everything for the GT-Rs," it was pretty much a done deal for me. I'm **** about my car so I do an oil change every 3-3,500 miles.

Donnie

I have a 2000 Maxima with 215,500 miles that I just bought. It has always had Valvoline full synthetic oil, weight unknown and filter unknown. The oil and filter get changed every 6k miles and it doesn't use, burn, or smoke any oil. It does have a rear valve cover leak that will be replaced this weekend along with plugs. I bought Denso Platinum plugs, but I heard NGK should be the ones to go with. Any thoughts or ideas? Is 5W30 a good weight to go with? I think someone told me that's what the car calls for.

ffcbairn

5W30 is what the car calls for.

I used up to a 20W50 when I lived in Las Vegas. Was always happy with that but it's not good to go that thick when it is colder. I also experimented with a 0W30 but that was too thin and it leaked where thicker oils did not.

Donnie

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BigLou55

iTrader: (6)