How far can i go without an oil change in my Chevy Cavalier 2003?

Answer 1

With the correct Oil and Filter 25,000 miles or 1 year what ever comes first.

Hope This Helps. ------------------------- I don't know what kind of oil the guy with the 25,000 mile answer is using but it is wrong in the real world. You can check the owner's manual for recommended service intervals but as an automotive engineer of 50 years, I offer my opinion. If you are using conventional oil (non-synthetic) it is recommended to change every 3000 miles. One could argue that this is a ploy by the car manufacturers and oil companies to cheat you out of your money faster but there is logic behind it. Conventional motor oil breaks down into different chemicals over time due to the heat, pressure and contamination of every day use. It converts into an acid that stops protecting and lubricating your engine and this is why to keep your engine in top shape, 3000 miles is recommended. But unless you drive like Dale JR or are towing, you can go up to 5000 miles without worry. Now if you really want to protect your engine and space out your intervals, go with synthetic oil. Long story short, it does not break down and the only reason you change it is to evacuate the carbon, metal, contaminants that it collects (so get a really good filter that will last, like Mobile 1 or Fram). I use Mobile 1 full synthetic (not blend, which is a mixture of conventional and synthetic) and I change my oil in my cavalier every 10,000. You could easily go to 15,000 without worry. I have rebuilt many cavalier engines both old and new and I can always tell which engines had synthetic in them. I just did a long block replacement in a 2004 Cave that was driven by a speed demon of a kid. Luckily his dad used synthetic and there was negligible wear on the rings which is unheard of with crazy drivers. One disclosure about synthetic, it does cost almost double what conventional oil does, but the extra cost is more than worth it if you plan on keeping this car as long as possible.