Hey guys,
I have a 2004 ABP TL with almost 16,000 miles. My oil life is at 30% now (been like that for a week). I'm driving from Atlanta to Miami (~700 miles) this weekend. I called the service department, and they said I'd be fine driving down, and they told me I should wait for the Maintenance Minder System to tell me what service I need to get. Do you guys think I'll make it? What if it goes to 0%?

 

Well, if 100% oil life = 7500 miles then 30% = 2250 miles. If your round trip is 1500 miles, that is still well under 2250. But if you are just too concerned about it, go ahead and change it, that way your mind is at ease for the trip.

 

I don't even follow the oil life percentage....I do it every 3K miles...

 

700 miles is nothing. Keep in mind that that oil life meter drops faster if your driving your car hard. So unless your tearing it up at every light you come to, it wont hit 0% from 30% in 700 miles. And its just oil. Its not like your car is going to blow up and die if you go a little long on 1 oil change. Your way past the break in period anyways so most of the crap should have been flushed in previous oil changes.

 

Thanks guys for the help. What will happen if I go past the 0%?

 

nothing...dont worry about it.

just get it changed when you get a chance, but nothing will happen even if you drive 500 more miles at 0%, providing that your car is in good health.

it's like asking, "can i drink the orange juice 1 day after the buy before date?"

 

Agreed ... nothiing.

From what I have heard, the car maintenance minder doesn't even measure the quality of the oil. It simply makes an "estimation" based on a variety of factors including hard driving (as mentioned above). Therefore, 0% doesn't neccesarily mean anything. Your oil could have some life left in it or it could have gone bad at 25%. An oil analysis is the only way to truly find out.

 

ya, besides, the whole 3000 mile oil change thing was a marketing gimmick that was created by jiffy lube. decent driving and good oil should be good for about 5k miles, though, i do it at about 4k

but ya, the analysis is the way to go

 

If I'm close and I have a road trip ahead, I change it anyway, what's the dealer going to do, refuse to do the change?