http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2007-07-26-oil-change_N.htm?csp=34


Isn't it possible that it's the frequent oil changes that contribute to longer-lasting engines?

Agreed.
Conventional oil is relatively cheap, and I don't see how more-used oil could help at all. Not sure why automakers would possibly risk their reliability by letting lazy people go even farther over their oil change intervals.
I think my novi helps turn my oil to crap faster too.... time to change it this weekend.

I generally go by the DIC, but I don't use conventional oil.

But I do agree... time to change it this weekend.

Modern engines and oils have made changing your oil at 3,000 or even 5,000 miles a complete, I mean a complete, waste of money. I started using Mobile 1 full synthetic in my Durango from day one. I let it go for 10,000 miles before I changed it out. Had the oil tested and it was still in better shape than most dyno juice oils with very few to no impurities in it. The biggest issue is the oil filter itself. Change this out every 5,000 miles and you can use full synthetic for well over 10,000 miles. The 3,000 to 5,000 mile change out was required back in the 70's, doing it today is simply a waste of money. I never believed it myself until I saw the results of the actual tests on my own vehicles.

Oil isn't the only variable though. I also worry about the oil filter. Especially if you use Fram which has a tendency to become useless after a little bit of use.

When I first got my car, my light came on at or around 3000 miles using exxon oil(I know, don;t get on me, I did not know alot about cars back in 2004)

Now since I use better oil the change oil light does not come on until after 4000 miles so I basically change it at 4000-4500 miles considering about 85-90 of my driving is highway miles.

You actually don't want your light to come on at all. Ever! It isn't an oil change light but an indication that your oil pressure is dangerously low and to pull over immediately, and do no drive it.

If it comes on at only 4500 miles then you may have oil burning. STRONGLY recommending checking the dipstick at 2000 miles and again at 3000 to see if it has lowered.

Good article just got in my email today:
http://www.blackstone-labs.com/newsletter.html

Maybe he means the DIC that has the oil life meter?

I believe the manual will tell you that the DIC goes by RPMs and Engine temps to determine the life of the oil. But it doesn't take into account synthetic oil vs. regular. I haven't let mine go below 10%. Usually I change it before the DIC is close to even 20-30% in which I am around 3,000 miles, I use Mobil 1 Synthetic.

Yea I have the no digital DIC, sorry about that.

I've noted the "change oil soon" light on my GT comes on around every 7000 miles...so most of the time I have already changed it by the time it comes on...whichleads me to believe that it is getting its signal from the odometer...it has behaved no differently between conventional oil and my switch to full synthetic.