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Bobby MSME

Spark Member
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Everything posted by Bobby MSME

  1. Keep full synthetic for recommended mileage interval. Next oil change consider following owners manual, at least until the power train warranty runs out. Who needs to argue with the dealer's service writer?
  2. Unless you are on a very tight budget, I would have it done by someone who does it for a living. This oil change is may be once in the life of car, and it is not worth the effort for a DIY job. Engine oil change is better for DIY projects.
  3. I would use the recommended oil from the owner's manual...a synthetic blend. My guess is the full synthetic might have a slightly different viscosity than the blend. . That may be why you hear the slight groan for a couple of seconds, which is the time difference between the full synthetic versus the blend to reach all moving parts. Anecdotally, I have gotten 150,000 miles without any engine problems using regular 10-30w oil for decades. But it is true synthetic oil can go longer intervals than basic oil.
  4. My 2017 Spaark used to emit a distinct sound of the lock cylinder spinning when I turned the key in door lock. That sound is now gone. However the door lock works fine and even works remote using the App from my phone.
  5. Ignore the sticker the dealer person stuck on your windshield. That sticker is a means of getting your business more often. 7500 miles is the correct oil change interval by the book. My new 2017 Spark came with 2 free oil changes to be used withing 2 years of purchase. I had the 1st one done after 11 months and the final oil change will be done just before the 2 year mark. I am retired and do not put many miles on the car. When I worked in Chicago full time, my round trip was 70 miles every working day. The odometer was very busy in those days because I worked 6 days / week!
  6. Save your receipts for buying the oil & filter, in case dealer gives you hard time on warranty.
  7. Very good info, ChevyBeat, thanks for doing the research! I will most likely buy on eBay...it is not much more there.
  8. Hi chevybeat,,,exactly what I am looking for!! Thanks !! But I am not familiar with that web-site. Have you bought anything from them? How is the summer going in India? Monsoons should arrive soon haha
  9. Anyone knows of a gadget which would plug into the computer port under dash (left side) and display coolant temp? I prefer to not use the phone. TIA
  10. The intercooler mounted on bumper looks like it belonged there! Very cool!! Too bad MN requires front license plates. Here in FL we don't, and that makes front end look clean.
  11. Short trips in cold weather will kill cars faster than Secretariat on a fast track
  12. 2011 HHR seems to be a really good car made by GM, since my wife has been unable to break it after 7 years and roughly 60k miles of digital driving. Still has original brakes, battery and tires! (digital driving = foot is always on either gas or brake pedal, no coasting ever)
  13. If synthetic oil turns black after 3000 miles, it can mean that one or more cylinders are mal-functioning due to bad valves or messed up spark plug firing. JMHO.
  14. Men tend to change oil and girl friends more frequently than necessary compared to women changing oil and boy friends. Just an observation! After 57 years of driving car, here is what learned about oil changes. It depends on your driving habits and health of your engine. oil which looks fairly clear on the dipstick and does not have a burned smell has more life left. Motor oil has 2 main functions, lubricate piston rings and remove some heat. Those 2 qualities are retained by oil if it passes the visual and smell test. If you make lot of short trip, your engine will collect more w
  15. I am using the standard gas from gas stations which says 10% ethanol mix. My 16 month old 2017 Spark LS with CVT is running very quiet, and while idling, it is hard to hear the engine.
  16. a triple yes! Do not fix what ain't broke. Keep in back of your mind, all those recommended maintenance items are skewed towards extra margin of safety. Because not every one treats their cars well. If the engine oil looks good, don't rush to change it. It is good for a reason, that you have driven carefully. If tranny fluid is not leaking, leave it alone. Any good filter will do good job of trapping harmful particles. If coolant fluid looks good without any hint of brown rusty look, you can ride more with it. This was a lesson I learned the hard way. I simp
  17. Looking at owner's manual for my 2017 Spark LS, there is no fluid change specified/necessary for the CVT under normal operating conditions. Under severe operating conditions, owner's manual recommends changing transmission fluid every 45,000 miles. "Severe" applies if any of following applies: . Mainly driven in heavy city traffic in hot weather. . Mainly driven in hilly or mountainous terrain. . Frequently towing a trailer. . Used for high speed or competitive driving. . Used for taxi, police, or delivery service.
  18. Did ya get a kit or had it done at the dealer? If it was a kit what was aprox cost? TIA.
  19. I totally believe about the Benz. Any model of any year can produce some problems. Even multi-million dollar space ships have blown up on occasion. Then there is this story about a Rolls owner whose 20 year old car's tranny broke down while on vacation, and he called the company for help. Rolls Royce flew in a mechanic with a new tranny to his vacation town and the car was back in business. Several weeks went by and the car owner had not received the repair bill. So he called Rolls Royce asking how much he owed for the repairs. He received the following reply from the company.."Dea
  20. I sort of realized it, but the subject matter never gets old!
  21. I have not measured the spare tire in my 2017 Spark LS, but I think it is same size as other tires on car, and it fits neatly at bottom of trunk.
  22. It is just not the imported models which the dealer mechanics can mis-diagnose. I can write a book on all the screw-ups by dealer mechanics with wrong diagnosis on all my several new bought GM cars since 1964. Being a degreed mechanical engineer, many times I was able to study and diagnose the problem myself, and then to their credit, the dealer mechanic did fixed the problem correctly, after I told them what the problem actually was. Just over a year ago, I had a simple coolant change ordered at the dealer, and next day I had check engine light come on which never had that happen in 9 y
  23. One of the most venerable posters on this forum (retiredoldgearhead) has well over 100,000 miles on his car with few serious issues, and he has said that he does not baby the car. But keep in mind, this is one of the cheapest cars on the market, so can not expect durability of a Benz or Rollsroyce or even a Buick. And there will be a few lemons produced at this price of Spark.
  24. I seldom opt for anything non-standard, but I have to admit, those tires and wheels do look upscale, like a grand touring car!
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