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Topping off the oil

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Old May 16, 2011 | 01:55 PM
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Default Topping off the oil

Ive been doing alot of driving lately, and I noticed the car is a little under half a quart low every 3,000 miles. So I was going to start keeping a quart or 2 of oil in the back to keep the car topped off at all times. My question is, will it be ok if I use different brands of oil to top it off, or should I stick with the same brand no matter what? I take my car to the dealer for oil changes because I have lifetime free changes. Not sure what brand they use, but I used something different like Mobil 1 to top it off, it wont hurt the car any, correct?
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Old May 16, 2011 | 02:04 PM
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half a quart low.... as in, you put in 5 but now have 4.5 or you need half a quart to get it to safe levels?



I wouldn't worry about half a quart. As long as it's in the range and isn't low, it should be fine. Are you sure they're filling it up all the way to begin with? I was getting my Murano oil changed and they put in 4.3qts instead of 4.6qts (just an example, I don't recall exact measurements) but it was because the mechanic didn't know how to convert fractions into decimals. He didn't know that 5/8 = .625 so he just guessed.
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Old May 16, 2011 | 02:12 PM
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What dealership gave you free lifetime oil changes? Good deal.



How many quarts is the 07 engine? The 1.6 in the LC only uses about 3 quarts, so 1/2 quart down is a good chunk. But no, using a different brand isn't a big deal, so long as its the same weight (5w30 I'm guessing).



Just ask what brand they use at the dealership, they might even sell you some.
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Old May 16, 2011 | 07:34 PM
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3000 miles is exceedingly short for an oil change interval unless you are using the car as a taxi or a race car. Using synthetic oils, 4-5000 is more like it.



If you are talking about losing 1/2qt in 3000 miles, that is considered "normal" oil consumption. If it bothers you, top it off with whatever you feel like. As long as the oil you top off with is suited for the temperature range you will be experiencing, it does not matter at all what oil you use to top off. Mobil 1 anything will be fine.
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Old May 16, 2011 | 08:41 PM
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SOME synthetic oils CAN NOT be mixed with other types of oils. Your best bet is to read the bottle and see what it say's



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Old May 16, 2011 | 10:54 PM
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Okay, theoretically if you are going to put a PAG chemistry air conditioner oil in your engine crankcase you might have problems. 99.999999273% of the people in the world will not have this problem. You would have to TRY to get two off-the-shelf engine oils that were incompatible to the extent that mixing in 15% of one would do any harm.



From Mobil:

Can different synthetic motor oils be mixed together?

Mobil 1 is fully compatible with conventional motor oils, semi-synthetic motor oils and other synthetic motor oils, should it be necessary to mix them. However, it is important to note that the superior performance of Mobil 1 will be reduced by diluting it in any way.
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Old May 16, 2011 | 11:12 PM
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Ask the dealer what brand / type of oil they use then go buy yourself some. How often do you change your oil? I use standard oil so I change my oil every 3000 miles or so and my car is usually about 1/8th quart low after the 3000 mile mark. Its kinda like a reminder that it's time for an oil change.
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Old May 17, 2011 | 07:35 AM
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I drive my car like a jailbird fleeing from the po-po. Thus, I change mine with Mobil 1 Full Synth every 3,500 miles. I think it's overkill, but I want this baby to last 15 years
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Old May 17, 2011 | 08:09 AM
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I've changed my oil every 3000 miles for 130,000 miles.
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