My last change in April was - $26 for Mobil1 at Walmart, $8 for filter, took it to a dealer who services all cars and they charged $11 for the labor---total $45, the Chevy dealer here wanted $80.

 

Oil changes are very simple on the SS. It takes the special socket or a 32mm socket from the top side and 5 quarts of Mobil 1 and 20 minutes to do the job. And thats by a 61 year old guy!

 

Same here. My first and only oil and filter change at the dealer had to be done twice (the service manager caught it though at check-out). It actually does matter more than you might think. The pistons in the turbo motor are cooled from the underside by oil jets, and under high load high boost can get hot enough to cause most conventional oils to leave deposits. Synthetic has very high temp capabilities and the pistons will stay clean.

 

Hope you have better luck than me with "Lifetime" oil changes. I had the same deal with my CTS at Harriman Cadillac. They went out of business. But at least the ones that they did, they didn't charge me anything for, even though the CTS was also a Mobil 1 car.

 

Totally agree with you on this one Paul, and I'm 62.

 

It costs me 70 bucks to do a synthetic oil change at my dealership and that's in Canada. Cost wise its not really worth it to do it myself and this way I won't have to worry about possible warranty issues down the road. I was told it was relatively easy to get to the oil filter, but cant say since I haven't done it myself yet.

 

Lifetime of the dealer... sort of like our warranties... lifetime of GM. (tick tick tick)

 

With 35,000 miles behind me I havent had an issue with oil changes. I have used Mobil 1 and Q when the local parts place was out of Mobil. Q meets all the same spec's and ya save a $1 a quart. I have use the K&N($20) oil filter and the Bosch ($7) with zero issue. With the filter on the top side oil changes are a snap and run $50-$60

 

I just changed mine at 8Kmi, first time for me. SS had 6kmi on it when I got it. I switched to Amsoil 0W30 Signiture series with the Wix filter. I for sure notice better startups, mpg's. Have switched all vehicles. 05 GMC Sierra saw very nice improvments also especially the trans. Much nicer shifts I feel. Amsoil just released there new DEX VI replacement I plan on changing SS auto trans at 25k mi. to this new syn ATF.
https://www.amsoil.com/dealer/action...wsJune2009.pdf

 

I tried the K&N Oil Filter on my truck and I didn't see spending the money on it again. So I went with WIX with the anti-flow back on it.

But b/c I'm changing the oil on the HHR SS, I'm sticking to all Mobil 1 products.

If I can change the oil on my truck the SS shouldn't be that much of a trick.

This is what I needed to change the filter...

3/8 drive, 10" 3/8 extension, 3/8 to 1/2 swivel, and 1 1/4 shallow socket.


I tried using the standard 1 1/4 socket but it was too deep and limited the amount of room that I had to remove the filter. The shallow socket is made by Lisle (part#14700) and it's cost was about $12.