Who intends to do their own oil changes for their Challengers?

I will, for one. I have heard too many scare stories of dealers putting in cheaper 10-30W oil (doesn't work with MDS) instead of 5-20W; and taking cars for long joy rides. One SRT Charger owner said that a dealer tech did burnouts with his car and drove it 91 miles! [:@]

Based on recommendations, I will be using Mobil 1 synthetic. Royal Purple is also excellent but costs twice as much at almost $9 per quart.

 

I intend to replace all the fluids with synthetic. Royal Purple is my engine oil of choice.

 

I have a budy that owns a quick lube and he takes really good car of my cars . I would never leave me challenger or any of my other cars at a dealership .royal Purple is a really good oil but I will most likely run a synthetic blend .

 

How often do you change oil? Months...miles?

 

Depends on how annoying it is to change the oil on the engine. My 3.5L is a royal pain in my back and I just have the dealership do it. If it is easy, I'll do it myself as long as that will not void the warranty. I pay close attention to what my dealership puts in and if they put the wrong thing in, I make them replace it. I had to do this last time when they put in 5W-30 in my Intrepid, when the manual specifically states using 10W-30 only unless the temperature will consistently be below 32 degrees F, which my area is rarely under outside of the winter months.

 

I consider several factors. Was the car mostly driven street or racing over a period of time? How hard did I run the car during those periods? How often did I hit and hold full boost? If I drove it through the summer what was the avergae temp oil temp indictated while driving? What was my average water temp during summer driving? Yea sounds like a mouth full but I let the car and the condition of the oil and oil filter tell me. It's not really a milage/time based oil change.

 

Make sure you read the warranty and don't break any seals. I know the rear axle has a seal and the dealership is the only one who can break and replace the seal. If broken then it might void the warranty on that componant. Also you need proof of the proper oil intervals being followed as changing is concerned. Just read and cover your butt.

 

The other thing is if something major does go wrong, if you did it yourself whether or not it was a result of something you did, car companies have been known to void the warranty because you did it instead of themselves no matter if you have the receipts to prove it.

 

I will probably change mine every 5K miles with Royal Purple. I am not a believer in the 3K miles myth the oil companies want you to believe.

 

With you Jeremiah. I used to be a believer in every three thousand miles, until I researched oil. Mfgr's were saying for normal driving conditions, 7500 miles is OK. I have hunkered down on the 5K myself for ease of remembering. Plus, if I go over (right now I'm at 6) I can just pick throw it on their and get on schedule at the next interval. Last changed at 60K, now at 66. I will change it this weekend and just put 4 on it this time at 70K.

The only thing that concerns me is 5w20? Being that thin, I've never been a sythetic oil believer, but maybe I go with that.

Right now I use Shell Rotella T 10w30 (you have to order it as they don't keep that weight in stock 15w40 -what I put in my bikes- is what they keep in stock). 5w20, that' just seems pretty close to 3 in 1 to me....