The Petroleum Quality Institute received a good deal of feedback about the story we ran last week concerning Senate Bill 778, which if approved in its current form, will mandate a minimum of 10,000 mile oil changes for all vehicles in the State of California by January 1, 2018.

Will the State of California Stretch Oil Change Intervals to the Point of Pain for Consumers?

But before getting into the feedback PQIA received, it is important to note that the California Senate Appropriations Committee has delayed consideration of SB 778 until no later than May 29, 2015. Whether opposed or in favor, the delay means there is more time to be heard.

Now for a summary of the comments PQIA received.

First, a significant number of readers shared a concern best captured by one that said: "Only in California could something like this be enacted into law. I can only hope the folks who have lubrication related failures and their warranty claims are rejected by the OEM's have the right to sue the state for reimbursement of the expenses they incurred."

Punctuating and adding to this point, one said, "All they care about is ramming more legislation down our throats in the name of cleaning up the environment without thinking about what it does to auto, truck and farm equipment operators and what happens to the cost of vehicle operation in California. This is why people are leaving California in large numbers and moving to states that have far less restrictions and operating costs. Hopefully the voters will someday wake up and vote the people authoring these insane bills out of office."  

There were others, however, that spoke out saying that while the goal of 10K drain intervals was good, they questioned the State's interest to mandate it. These thoughts are best captured by an email to PQIA that said, "I do think it is a good idea to make oils last longer, but I do not think it is a good idea to mandate it.  Driving conditions vary from vehicle to vehicle and oil that can go 10,000 miles still gets dirty.  What about the filter? Stop and go driving?  Plus consumers like me still like to change their oil frequently."

Then there were those that expressed frustration about current market conditions. An example of this was best captured by the following comment:

"10,000 miles is beyond most OEM recommendations for oil changes, including those that have EPA fuel mileage estimates of 25 mpg or more. Passenger vehicles getting lower mpg would be at risk without a doubt. On the bright side, this would force auto service centers into a position to choose and use better quality engine oils for their clients. Engine oils that barely meet API specs or worse yet have no API rating would and should be eliminated from the mix. Premium Full Synthetics will be the best option for service centers and consumers alike. The auto industry is headed in that direction anyways."

These comments, along with the many others PQIA received make it clear that many have strong opinions about California's Senate Bill 778 and all were not in favor of it. The primary reason for opposition is because there are currently no industry standards/tests to certify 10,000 mile oil change performance. Further, even if there were, they say the duty cycles and other variables of engines differ too much to draw such a line in the sand. And if such a line is drawn, it will likely compromise the life of a car's engine.  

So whether for or against SB 778, make your voices heard by contacting Senator Allen's office at:  

Capitol Office 

Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4026
Fax: (916) 651-4926

District Office 

Redondo Beach, CA 90278-3279
Phone: (310) 318-6994
Fax: (310) 318-6733