maintenance question

I just bought a 2002 chevy camaro (3.8L). It's about time to change the oil, and this is the first time I've had a camaro w/less than 20K miles on it. I want to take good care of her, so I'd like to know what anyone would recommend as a high-quality oil that will help keep the engine in good shape. I always changed my own oil & filter & done most of the maintenance work myself, but only on older cars. Any input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Katie

Let me be the first to welcome you to the forums Katie, i think you'll find the people on here very helpful. As for oil, it's all the same. Cheaper, more expensive doesn't matter. I wouldn't recommend Synthetic, no matter what they say about it protecting more. It's to runny for my liking. If you want a thick oil, get a 10W 30 Blend, if you want a blend that's not as thick get a 5W 30 oil.

yeah all oil is pretty much the same, only difference is the additives. synthetic oil is runny and not worth the price, like z28josh said go with 10w 30 blend for a thick blend or 5w 30 blend for a mid-ranged blend.

Katie: You might want to refer to the "Best Oil" thread under this same General Discussions column. Everyone seems to have their own opinion, and most are based on at least some education, or experience. I would still suggest looking up "Atomic Alex" on the internet. She will tell you more than you ever thought you wanted to know about oil. Good luck, and welcome to the Forum. :)

I'd like to know what anyone would recommend as a high-quality oil that will help keep the engine in good shape.

Any name brand oil of the right viscosity range will do as long as it meets the requirements of the auto manufacturer. No name oil is a problem because it may or may not meet the specifications given on the bottle. Premature engine wear will eventually tell you if the product is good but that is an expensive experiment.

Another thing that I like to do is to use a Molybdenum Disulphide additive. They call it anti-scuff in machine shops. I use Molyslip but it is hard to find. Mr. Moly is another brand and may be easier to find. They won't stop the valves from wearing but it seems to reduce other problems.

Good luck.