New Civic oil change question

Crack the manual open. The dealer is just trying to get you in sooner/more often for increased revenue.

The maintenence light doesn't come on (indicating time for an oil change among other items) if I remember correctly till 15%. Also, I'm not sure if it still holds true for 2008 models, but previous years the owners manual strongly warns to NOT do the first oil change prematurely for proper engine break-in.

Wayne wrote in news:Xns9ADC7A457AEFAwayne2201yahoocom@207.115.33.102:

what does the OWNERS MANUAL say? I'd follow that before I'd listen to a dealer who says otherwise.

Just to make them look like idiots, ask them to tell you where in the book it says that you should change it at 40% and then find a new place to get your car serviced at because if that shop hoses you on this, you can imagine what else they will be taking you to the cleaners on.

You should leave the break in oil as long as possible but no sooner than 15%. If you can leave it at 10 or 5 the better.

Heh. My dealer now comes to me after each service reporting that they have a new service schedule that they recommend, rather than following the maintenance minder. Oil changes at 3500 Miles, and changes for everything else as well...

I laugh at them each time, tell them to keep thier pamphlet, and walk out... ;-)

no, there's a much more appropriate place for them to locate it...

I've stopped getting most of my services done there anyhow, especially now that the warranty has expired on my '06. The dealer I used didn't offer Mobil-1, anyhow, so I have been using a local car wash that also has a "fast oil change" that they added about 6 years ago.

These guys are more thorough than a couple of the dealers I have dealt with, and all of the fast-lube chains. They always change the drain plug and crush washer on every Honda, without it needing to be requested, and they have never given a bad recommendation (air filters, cabin filters, oil or tranny "flushes", etc). If anyone is in the Western NY Area and looking for a place they can trust, I HIGHLY recommend the Delta Sonic chain, especially the location on Delaware Ave in Buffalo.

Now enough of the commercial... ;-) Not too often you find a service place you can really trust, though, and I have put them all through the paces locally... ;-)

Bullshit. Please read your owners manual. It will answer this question and it is loaded with all kinds of other useful information.

"Truckdude" wrote in news:wVpfk.257912$ snipped-for-privacy@en-nntp-02.dc.easynews.com:

I can't BELIEVE that people would seek 'advice' from newsgroup posters before their own new auto's owner's manual. Especially on something like a new car's oil changes. Or that anyone would trust a "digital readout of oil quality".

Well, in this case I believe that the owner's manual says to trust the "digital readout of oil quality"...

At least mine does...

We agree up to your last line. If someone is going to follow their Honda owners manual, then he will pay attention to the Maintenance Minder display. From what I have been reading on this and other forums, people love their Hondas and trust the engineering behind them, except when it comes to oil changes. Regarding oil and filter changes, many people want to change the oil following the same schedule that grandpa did on his old Chrysler or whatever, rather than the following the recommendations of Honda. It escapes me why some people fancy themselves as more knowledgeable about their car's maintenance requirements than the engineers who designed the cars in the first place.

Don't drive a Civic, but a 2008 Ridgeline.

Dealer told me to use the maintenance minder when I purchased the car. Haven't changed oil yet.

Now at 4800 miles-display says 30%. Figures out to change oil at 6800+ miles.

We agree up to your last line. If someone is going to follow their Honda owners manual, then he will pay attention to the Maintenance Minder display. From what I have been reading on this and other forums, people love their Hondas and trust the engineering behind them, except when it comes to oil changes. Regarding oil and filter changes, many people want to change the oil following the same schedule that grandpa did on his old Chrysler or whatever, rather than the following the recommendations of Honda. It escapes me why some people fancy themselves as more knowledgeable about their car's maintenance requirements than the engineers who designed the cars in the first place.

"trailer" wrote in news:g5odla$boa$ snipped-for-privacy@registered.motzarella.org:

Now tell us HOW that maintenance minder arrives at the 30% figure of "oil quality".

don' know Jim.

From what the dealer told me, driving habits figure in the computation.

I'm a lightfoot.

Now tell us HOW that maintenance minder arrives at the 30% figure of "oil quality".

"driving habits"? sure! "driving" is part of the computation too!

as i understand it, the math is done on things like # of cold starts, time idling, time at high revs, full throttle use, engine temperature, etc.

i believe # of cold starts is the biggest factor for the average driver.

My wife's '07 Accord first oil change was at 6800 miles and my '08 Fit first oil change was at 8000 miles.

From my 2008 Fit owner's manual:

"Based on the engine operating conditions and accumulated engine revolutions, the onboard computer in your vehicle calculates the remaining oil life and displays it as a percentage."

See? Full of all kinds of useful information. ;-)