On Feb 21, 10:17*pm, "Private" > wrote:
> "navaidstech" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
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> >I used to take my 92 Saturn SL1 to the dealer for oil changes when it
> > was new, as this is what I was told by their salespeople.
> > Little did I know, I could have taken it to Mr. Lube and paid half of
> > what the dealership charged me (about 60 dollars back in early
> > nineties), but... I was young and stupid back then and didn't know any
> > better.
>
> > Soon as the warranty expired, I started doing my own changes and at
> > 100,000 km I switched to Synthetic. Almost 18 years later I'm still
> > using the same brand of Synth oil and a el-cheapo filter from Canadian
> > Tire.
> > The car now has 554,000 kms on it (334,000 mi) and about the only
> > MAJOR engine job I had to do on it was timing chain swap about 2
> > months ago (one of the guides shattered).
> > The compression in each cylinder is 185+ PSI cold and dry. Engine
> > consumes about a quart every 10,000 kms (6000 mi) and that's when I do
> > my changes too - no sooner and no later than that.
>
> > Alex
>
> IMHO, This is excellent service life, and your maintenance program and
> schedule is obviously working well for your driving conditions and your
> driving style. *I suspect you do mostly highway with few short trips, have a
> std tranny and keep your revs low. *Are you still on your original clutch?
>
> Good luck,- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks!

I did exactly that ever since I got the car. Kept the revs at between
2000 and 2500 on the highway, which put me at around 60-65 mph. VERY
RARELY has the engine gone past 2500 RPM.
I did a lot of highway driving up until about 3 years ago when I got
transferred to a work location much closer to my house. I used to
drive about 40 miles each way for about 15 years, 80% of which was
highway miles. The engine went through all sorts of weather conditions
that you can encounter up here in the Toronto area - very hot summers
and cold winters - I think the money I invested in Synthetic oil sure
have paid off.
I currently drive about 15 miles each way, and it's a 50-50 mix
highway/city streets. I have a feeling that this increased stress will
eventually kill the clutch, which has never been replaced since I
bought the car.