On Thu, 25 Aug 2011 07:27:15 -0700 (PDT), Harry K
wrote:

On Aug 24, 7:45Â*pm, LouB wrote:
Metspitzer wrote:
All the oil change places still put 3000 in the window sticker.

Follow the $$.

If the manual says 7500 why do anything else?

I'll bet most, if not all, manuals give two service intervals. One
for normal, the other for 'severe' service.

Harry K

I just looked at mine (97 Lumina sedan) and it has "Short trip/city"
and "Long trip/highway" maintenance schedules.
It's a pretty lame format, showing pages for odometer increments.
The short trip/city has 3000 miles or 3 months, whichever first.
The long trip/highway has 7500 mile or 12 months, whichever first.
Darn, this manual has pages stuck together because my basement
flooded, and I'm throwing it away. But Chevy has a downloadable pdf
file and I just downloaded that. That's a new one to me.
I pasted what they say below.
Since most of the miles we put on it are my wife's 6 miles to work and
6 back, it comes under the short schedule.
And that's what I do, except it's sometimes closer to 4000 miles and
that 3 month stuff is crazy. Forget about that.
Maybe 6 months given out usage pattern.
Once a year we do a trip about 3000 miles and I usually change it just
before we go, along with doing any other maintenance I deem necessary.
That's when I check hoses, antifreeze, etc.
Not too long after we get back oil gets changed again.
I don't worry about going 500 over.

--Vic

################################################## ###
Short Trip
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or 3 months, whichever occurs first)
Follow the Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule if any
one of these conditions is true for your vehicle:
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailero r use a carrier on topo f
your vehicle.
If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercia1 application.
One of the reasons you should follow this schedule if
you operate your vehicle under any of these conditions
is that these conditions cause engine oil to break
down sooner.

Long Trip
Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first).
Follow this maintenance schedule only if none of the
conditions from theS hort TripKity Maintenance
Schedule is true. Do not use this schedule if the vehicle
is used for trailer towing, driveni n a dusty area or used
off paved roads. Use the ShoTrtr ipKity schedule for
these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed engine under
highway conditions causes engine oil to break
down slower.