I'm planning on doing it this way as well. I can't get my head under there, but if you've got long arms it shouldn't be a problem. I've got a pan like this:

Amazon.com: Blitz 5070 6 Quart Oil Drain Pan: Automotive

What do you mean ballooney?

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/t...09-50737PM.jpg

Does that look like ballooney to you?

The service interval on my Mercedes turbo diesel (2005 E320 CDI) is 15,000 miles as well, and that's WITH a turbo.

I just had my first service over the weekend. When I called to schedule I confirmed that they were using the ester oil and confirmed again when I got to the dealership on Saturday morning. Of course the entire first service was free.

I do have "free" service for my first year. I pay for the oil and they do the work. :ugh2:

My GF drives a Mercedes, so I don't mind the service cost on the Z at all. Routine maintenance on her car is pretty pricey.

if no specific needs is really required, maybe, and just maybe, we are getting banked on because nissan feels the need to charge us about 12 bucks a quart plus labor and stating that it's recommended but yet other oils will work just fine.

someone needs to do an oil analysis and get this stuff straighten out.

Well, keep in mind it's a $30k + car. $12 a quart really shouldn't be an issue for the demographic that this car targets.

Well, Nissan isn't saying that other oils won't work. In fact, the owner's manual states that any oil that meets the API spec will work just fine. And there are other oils out there with ester that cost less. I'm only running the Nissan Ester oil until 5000 miles, at which time I'm switching over to Motul 300V. The unique thing about Nissan Ester oil is that it's the only conventional ester oil that I'm aware of. All the other ester oils I've come across are synthetics. It's a good idea to run a conventional oil until about 5000 miles. You can most likely switch to synthetic sooner than that, but I like to stay with conventional to 5000 just to be safe. Anyway, the reason ester is recommended is that some people experience clicking noises with non-ester oils.

but seeing how nissan is the only one distrubting this oil, all i see them doing is overcharging people for oil that doesn't really have much of a difference compared to other name brand companies, who actually have lower prices for oil with just about the same result.

unless someone does a oil analysis.

But there IS a difference. It is the only conventional ester oil on the market (that I'm aware of). If you don't care about the ester, then yeah, just go with Castrol GTX or whatever. But if you do want the ester, and it's too early to switch to synthetic, then Nissan's stuff is pretty much your only choice.

Okay i had my oil changed at 1200 miles the idiot in me assumed they would put in nissan ester oil. Of course after reading this thread i had my douts and i read the service sheet and they put in "5.0 Formula Shell 10w-30" Wich i am sure wont hurt the car but it still pissed me off a little.

So i called them and said we asked the same question (seems my 370z was the first to be serviced there) and they said it meets the requirements. I told him NO it does not, i am pretty dam sure it does not wich is why nissan is only recommending there own. So now they are doing research and if its "okay". It sounds like they want to keep using there cheap crap becuase they doint have nissan ester oil at there facilities becuase they wouldnt let me come in and get it changed out and pay for out of my own pocket.

Said they would get back to me. I dont drive to much so i am not to worried but now i need to do research to see if This shell crap has esters in it, i assume no it doesnt

I am at 800 miles and will be changing into Royal Purple 5W30 @ the 1,000 mark. I have the K&N oil filter and the RP ready to go.

Nissan is not wrong in this situation. The oil they gave you meets the requirements of the owner's manual and your car will fine. The ester based oil is a "recommendation", not a "requirement". You can ask for another change with the ester based oil at no cost to you, but they are in no way obligated to give you one.

For the record its not Nissan its "North Bay Nissan" the dealership. Nissan the company it self would probably have put in the oil they recommond. Dealerships i suspect after reading this, uses what ever oil they have around from there supplyer, wich my guess also is the cheapest stuff they can get.


I made it very clear i will pay out of my own pocket. I expect nothing free. They dont even have the ester oil in stock from my understanding, wich is why they wont let me come in.

from the manual "wich is available at a NISSAN dealer." If i go in and request the nissan ester oil i am pretty dam sure they "have" to give it to me. I suspect calling "Nissan the company" would result in the dealership aquireing the oil.

The goal was to use it for a little bit until i decide what i want to put in it, normaly i use royal purple, i had no intentions of "formula shell" to ever make it into my car.

I wasn't trying to say the company Nissan, I thought it was obvious that I meant the stealership you went to.

They will give you what you request, but it might not be immediately. You say they don't even have it in stock, so they will have to order it. Also keep in mind that the ester oil is $12/quart, which is pretty expensive. Your car will be more than fine with the Formula Shell oil, but if you want to spend more I'm sure they will have no problem accepting your money.

What is Ester Oil?

Every manufacturer will have you believe that their oil is the only one to use. Everybody wants your money and wants you to think their oil has some sort of magical pixie dust in it.