My service rep at Nissan chided me for going 6 months between oil changes even though my mileage is appropirate for that period.

I have to admit, this isn't a case where the dealer tries to push you beyond the owner's manual. Nissan's owner manual (for my '09 Maxima) DOES say to change the oil every three months.

I've noticed, however, that the time period for other cars according to THEIR manuals is generally 6 months or even more.

So, why does Nissan still stand by the "three months or" part of the equation? I don't know any independent authority that still believes you need to change your oil every three months regardless of mileage.

Any insight / advice?

 

It makes them money when you don't drive the car but still go to them for service.

 

this. new cars using FULL synthetic (NOT mobile1 synth, castrol etc) can go 10-15k without issue.

but full synth is hard to find and probably expensive

i change my oil twice a year with the good ole cheap $7.99/quart ****

 

To clarify, I understand why the DEALER perpetuates this myth, but I'm talking about the manufacturer. Do Nissans reallllly need oil to be changed every three months? They say so - seems like an admission that they haven't improved with the rest of the industry in this regard.

 

Or the Nissan Dealership Association has a strong lobbyist.

 

this is very true. you see honda and toyota recommending oil changes at 7,500-10,000 to keep the numbers on the sticker low.

if you had to pay for 15 oil changes over 5 years as opposed to 5, the cost of ownership would be higher.

they answer is NO, modern cars do not need they're oil changed every 3/3000 UNDER NORMAL USE. Short trips and lots of cold starts, possibly. keep your eye on the level, cleanliness of the oil and change when you see fit

 

Hey atleast it isn't as idiotic as Lexus claiming the need for premium gas on their camry knockoff.

 

A lot of good points in this thread, and I'd like to add another one. The sad truth is that most people don't maintain their cars. Most people know the old 3month/3000 mile rule and ignore it not because they have done their research and discovered that modern oil in modern engines can last much longer, but actually just out of laziness. nissan is probably worried that if they go to a longer interval that people will also willfully disregard that interval, and stretch it even longer - perhaps to the point that it does start to cause a problem. They might be trying to hedge against that happening.

Also with the VQ's past propensity for oil consumption, they may be sticking to an interval that is shorter than industry standard just to make sure that doesn't rear it's ugly head again and start causing problems. eating a half a quart every 3000 miles isn't that big of a deal when you change that oil at 3000 miles and refill it. if the car is eating oil at a rate of half a quart every 3000 miles and you go 12 or 15k miles on it, then you have an issue.

 

well said

 

All the stealership is trying to do is suck you back into the shop more frequently. The 3 month/3,000 mile OCI is a myth.

I converted to synthetic oil in February 2006. Following my 2nd oil change in February 2008 I sent an oil sample into Blackstone Labs. The sample was Esso Extra XD3 0w30 PAO, full synthetic, and was after 12.5 months and 8,000 kilometres (5,000 miles).

According to Blackstone, my TBN levels were still quite high and I would have been good to go for a longer OCI. The 12.5 months was not a critical factor as according to Blackstone it is mileage rather than time which is key.

 

When did dealerships begin writing the owners manuals?

 

I question if the owner's manual recommends a 3-month, 3,000 mile OCI. Mine certainly doesn't.

 

I have no idea what you drive.
My 5.5 shop manual states 3 months. Page MA-7

 

Are there 2 schedules shown. There are for my 4th Gen. One is for repeated short trips of less than 5 miles (8km), extensive idling, dusty roads etc. Schedule 2 is for normal driving conditions and recommends the oil be changed every 7,500 miles (12,000) kilometres/6 months, with the oil filter replaced every other oil change.

I have always changed a filter with every oil change and never extended an OCI to 7,500 miles when on dino oil. I used to change it every 3,750 - 4,000 miles when using mostly Castrol GTX 5w30.

Changing oil every 3,000 miles/3 months is a) a waste of money, and b) a waste of a limited natural resource.

 

No longer too short.

 

OP:

Is there a light that comes on for your 09 advising you when you need service? I thought the 09s came with synthetic oil and the stealership charges an arm and a leg for an oil change. I strongly suspect that the balance of the service is largely visual inspections until it is time to change the coolant and the tranny fluid, if it in fact gets changed. I strongly suggest you send in a sample of your oil when it is supposedly due to Blackstone Labs and if they recommend that you were good to go I would bring that up with Nissan.

Do you think you have to comply with Nissan's oil change recommendation to keep your warranty valid? You don't have to go to the stealership for oil changes.

Does the stealership offer an oil change deal for the lifetime of the car?