I remember a number of very heated discussions recently on the subject of changing your HHR's oil either at the 5000 km mark, or letting it run though its life as per the Oil Life Indicator. A bit surprising how strongly people felt about the whole thing - it's only oil, for crying out loud!

So with the Oil Life Indicator, my very first oil change at 0% oil life occured at 16,000kms, or 8 months after I purchased my HHR (That's close to 10,000 miles). That was the original oil that the car came with. Now keep in mind tht I do mostly highway driving, and this was mostly over the summer time.

I have noticed now that it is winter that my oil life is decreasing at a faster rate than previously.

Just thought I'd throw this out and see what kind of comments this brings in.

 

I had been changing mine religiously at 3,000 miles and/or 6 months whichever came first...but have decided to wait this time until it got down on the DIC. It has been 5 months since last oil change when I switched to Penzoil Platinum. I am now at about 25% at 5 months and the oil is just starting to change collors 5,000 miles later.

 

Our last changes were at about 4-5%. My wif'es went about 11,000 miles, mine was about 8500.

 

Other than the first oil change for my HHR, which I changed out at 5,000 kms, I more or less follow the DIC.

I change my oil twice a year; April and October (after winter and before winter).

When I changed the oil in October, I had just over 13,000 kms (8100 miles) on the oil and the OLM was at 16%.

You will notice that oil life will deplete more in the cold weather than in the warmer weather.

 

I too did my first at about 5000kms. Waiting for the DIC to get close for the second, then going to synthetic. Still cheaper than regular oil every 5000kms. BTW, oil never "wears out", the additives do, and it gets dirty.