On Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:34:27 -0500, Jim Elbrecht >
wrote:

>Dave Smith > wrote:
>
>>On 25/02/2011 11:53 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>-snip-
>>
>>>
>>> I also change oil at 7500 miles, not the 3000 often wrongly touted as
>>> proper interval.
>>
>>That could be risky. I often go over the time periods but I do get my
>>oil changed every 3,000 miles. Oil changes are one way to extend engine
>>life and ignoring them can get expensive.
>
>I don't know how often it got changed in the first 100k-- but my
>daughter just traded in her perfectly running 1997 Grand Am that she
>changed when the dash light told her to. It had over 250k on it &
>didn't use a drop of oil.
>
>My Impala has 130k on it & have been following GMs recommendation to
>wait until the dash light tells you it is time. I don't pay much
>attention to it any more-- but while it was still making me nervous,
>it would run 6-8000 miles between changes.
>
>Jim

That dash light comes on when oil pressure is too low, that means
you've been running with low oil for a long time before that idiot
light came on. Don't you ever check your oil level? That light on
your dash is not for indicating when to change oil, least not on
vehicles from that era... that's strictly a low pressure warning lamp.
Some newer vehicles do warn when it's time for general service. But
if you're running with low engine oil pressure you're doing far more
engine damage than from extending the time between oil changes.