for you people that have had the car for awhile, if you use a synthetic oil, do you still base oil changes on the indicator?

 

If you exceed the oil life indicator, even with synthetic, you could void your warranty (if ever needed for engine failure...). Even synthetic oil manufacturers and many owners manuals that mention synthetic oil still state to follow the car manufactures oil change interval schedule.

I've only accrued 700 miles on my TL thus far. I plan to use the oil life monitor (as per manual, to an extent - as long as it doesn't take me past 5000-7000 or so miles) for the first change interval. After that, I will run a synthetic and follow the oil life monitor to 5-10% life remaining.

In all my vehicles up till the TL I was a 4500 mile change interval kind of guy - even with synthetic... This will be the first car that I will actually try and contain/control myself and following the "oil monitoring system". Now, if the oil is turning nasty black I may change early.

Smitty