Free oil change percentage for 2014 Sierra

Chad2815 · February 13, 2015

If my dealer told me they wouldn't give me one of the 4 free old changes after spending that much money Inwould be talking to the sales manager.....that's not a good way to treat paying customers. Sales bring in buisness and service keeps them. I did my first one at 2000 and they told me it wasn't an issue, so there is no hard rule for them to go by.

2016 Sierra Owner · February 14, 2015

My dealer says anytime I want it changed they will do it no matter the time,mileage or what OLM says.

AdamC93 · February 14, 2015

I took mine all the way down to 5%

Cowpie · February 14, 2015

I never used the dealer free oil change stuff on my 2013 and won't on my 2015. Not that it is all that bad, just that I usually can never get there when they are open to do it, so I just do it myself. Always been a little leary of the so-called "techs" they usually have doing oil changes anyway. I change out the engine oil by the first 2000 miles and the rest of the drivetrain by 3000 miles. They wouldn't do that for free anyway. The free oil changes thing is nice marketing tool for them, but it has no sway with me. I just listen to them talk it up and just get it over with then forget it. I am not driving 25 miles to get my oil changed by the dealer. Can't hardly call it "free" traveling that far.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · February 14, 2015

I never used the dealer free oil change stuff on my 2013 and won't on my 2015. Not that it is all that bad, just that I usually can never get there when they are open to do it, so I just do it myself. Always been a little leary of the so-called "techs" they usually have doing oil changes anyway. I change out the engine oil by the first 2000 miles and the rest of the drivetrain by 3000 miles. They wouldn't do that for free anyway. The free oil changes thing is nice marketing tool for them, but it has no sway with me. I just listen to them talk it up and just get it over with then forget it. I am not driving 25 miles to get my oil changed by the dealer. Can't hardly call it "free" traveling that far.

I haven't had any problems with the one I go to and luckily it's right in my town. 25 miles isn't that far though lol, maybe $10 roughly round trip. It's understandable though if you can't seem to be there when they're open. You can try making an appointment. I'm the type to do want to do the stuff I know I can do, but being that I get 2 years or 24,000 miles of free maintenance and my dealer is actually a good one I might as well take what I can get for free. Especially since these things hold 8 qts and I plan on using full synthetic when I start doing it myself.

GPGuy · February 14, 2015

This is interesting to know for future reference.

Cowpie · February 14, 2015

That is the issue when living more rural. The dealers all around me don't keep the same hours as the larger dealers in the cities. Appointment would do no good for me, as my schedule is so hectic that I really don't have the time to take out and go have a dealer change the oil. It would cost me over $500 in lost revenue with my business just to take the time to go to a dealer any day during the week. Really not an issue. I just change the oil myself when I need to do it, on my off time. I get my oil in bulk, because of business use, so my oil is reasonable in cost. 8 qts means little to me. My commercial stuff takes up to 10 gallons at each oil change.

Similar thing with the last two dealers offering this Warranty Forever stuff. Lifetime drive train warranty. Only condition... I could not do anything more than change a wiper blade or put on my license plates it seemed like. If I ever turned a wrench on my pickup and did a service or repair, the warranty was shot. What a crock. I was raised a farm boy and still live on the farm I grew up on in the 60's. I am going to turn a wrench on my vehicle whenever I darn well feel like it. I voided that add on warranty in the first month. It was a freebie from the dealer so I didn't care.

Some of these things are great for those that all they really do is gas up the vehicle and drive. Not implying anything negative. It just was marketed to folks that are primarily around metro areas. Small rural dealerships don't offer the flexibility of the big city dealerships. Just part of living in fly over country. Some times I do envy those that have better access to this kind of thing like free oil changes and can keep their vehicles clean for more than 24 hrs. I take mine to town to wash it, and by the time I get home it already has a layer of dust on it. Only time I can keep it clean for any reasonable time is on a road trip.

crafferty · February 14, 2015

I haven't changed the oil in my 2014 yet but I'm waiting until it hits 0%. I've been changing the oil in my vehicles since I was 16 so that's 9 years now. And I've never noticed a difference between changing early, changing right at 0% (or the mileage interval) or even past a couple hundred. In my opinion as long as the engine is operating like normal your oil will be fine. Now if your actively towing or hauling that's a different ball of wax. I'd then change right at 0% the first time to see how the oil looks and gauge from there. On the performance cars I owned I've always ran synthetic and changed between 3-5k. My 2012 GT500 I ran it hard for 5k and the oil looked fantastic still. I'm sure a lot of people will give me flack for this post but the color of my oil doesn't lie.

Spurshot · February 14, 2015

I did my first oil change at 0% oil life left...=9000 miles. I put in Mobil 1 pure synthetic and I'm still on that oil at almost 16k now. I will follow the OLM for future changes, which is conservative, considering the OLM is for a syn blend.

Guys that want to change their oil at 3k or 5k or such are living in the past (assuming no racing or towing). It certainly won't hurt anything, but it won't meaningfully help either.

I drove my 99 1/2 GMT800 6.0L over 200k using Mobil 1, changing at the OLM indication (5k). It never burned oil nor showed (still) any indication of wear out. My last truck, a 2008 Vmax 6.0L, I changed at the oil at the OLM indication (9k) using Mobil 1, and it was at 150k when I sold it without any indication of wear out. Both trucks are continuing to run perfectly.

Crf450r420 · February 15, 2015

My dealer is every 5000 miles for as long as I own the truck.

ahahnu · February 16, 2015

I've done two freebies so far. Didn't know there was a limit, good to know. I'm a 5000 mile changer. My V has 150k on it and I use amsoil in it, everywhere. I plan to do the same with the Sierra, but will use what they are giving me. Really the tire rotation is a nuisance so let them do it.

Spurshot · February 17, 2015

I remember the first time I saw a 5000 mile recommended oil change. I think it was 45 years ago.

laughlin68 · February 17, 2015

we usually tell people to make an appointment at 25%

we usually tell people to make an appointment at 25%

we usually tell people to make an appointment at 25%

Is that you Sheldon Cooper?

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · February 17, 2015

With the modern oil we have now you can go 5,000 city miles on conventional oil. The most wasteful I've seen someone say was that they change full synthetic at only 3,000 miles even though full synthetic can go 3 times that easy.

Cowpie · February 17, 2015

The interval seems to be only a waste to those that do things differently, as if we should all conform to some standard determined by others. If an owner is comfortable with changing earlier than most folks think they should, and has no problem with the cost, then it really is a non issue for everyone else. Each person has to determine their own comfort level and go with that. I could care less if someone changes their oil at 3,000 miles or 30,000 miles. It isn't coming out of my wallet, and there is no "waste". Used oil is recycled anyway.

Most folks seem to like the 5000 mile thing as their comfort zone. Cool. If they sleep well at night and feel good about what they are doing for their ride, then who am I to say they are foolish. When you consider the money folks will throw away on virtually worthless stuff all the time, a few quarts of oil and a filter really seems like straining at gnats. And changing oils early cannot be classified as stupid. One might not be able to justify the reasoning for changing sooner than necessary, but it sure is a far cry from stupid.

I would not change at 3000 or even 5000 miles. I am comfortable with longer intervals, but I back them up with used oil sample testing to verify the length I go is appropriate. I am not one to just do something blindly. I get free oil sample analysis as part of my commercial bulk oil purchases, so it is convenient for me to send one in for my personal stuff also. Not everyone has to take the time to do used oil sampling, but it can ease a person's mind to know their oil choice is holding up like it should.