You guys told me to come back with my first issue

[MoPHo]

Purchased my '09 Civic on Jan. 20th. Realized that I was a couple days past the '3 Month Rule' for oil change but then remembered to check the break in rules on the manual. The manual is telling me to change the oil every 7,500mi. Not just for the break in, but everytime I change the oil. It also tells me to change the oil when the 'Oil Meter' (this electronic measuring tool that ranges oil on a scale from 0%-100%) hits 15%.

I was always under the impression that you follow the break in rule and then change the oil every 3 months or 3,000 mi, whichever came first. The manual doesn't really go into to explain why it's every 7,500mi or to use any special type of oil.

You guys have any input on this matter? My mileage is just a shade under 3k right now and I'm mulling changing the oil over the next couple of days but I'm not sure. Perhaps call my dealership and ask them?

 

[nickbits]

3000 mi seems excessive.

My car also recommends every 7500mi for normal driving and 5000 for extreme conditions.

My previous car (BMW) recommened every 15,000mi.

 

[TitaniumJohnson]

My new '09 Mustang also lists 7500 miles between changes. I'll probably do it at the 5000 mark, and use the top end synthetic. After all, if I'm changing the oil half as much as I used to, I don't mind paying twice as much. 🙂

 

[Titan]

my old '94 jeep cherokee lists 7,500 miles in the manual. I do that or six months, whichever comes first, as I commute 1 mile a day. I just used a mobil 1 filter for the high mileage and I want to keep my clean engine clean.

 

[JulesMaximus]

How is that an issue? 😕

 

[SlowSpyder]

I change the oil in my daily driver ever 3-4k miles. Do you guys have to use any kind of special filter? I know the oil (especially synthetic) could probably go longer, but I worry about the filter. Thanks.

 

[woodie1]

I tried to get the dealer to do the 1st oil change on my new Acura early too. He insisted I wait until the 'Oil Change Due' alert came up or 7,500 miles. After that I used the 6 months/5K miles rule.

 

[MoPHo]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
How is that an issue? 😕

Because it's my first car and i love her and i dont want her to get hurt and i'm not sure what to dooooooosssss!!! That and everyone IRL, not AT world, is telling me to just follow the manual but I've never heard of waiting 7,500 miles to change the oil...

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: MoPHo

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
How is that an issue? 😕

Because it's my first car and i love her and i dont want her to get hurt and i'm not sure what to dooooooosssss!!! That and everyone IRL, not AT world, is telling me to just follow the manual but I've never heard of waiting 7,500 miles to change the oil...

Edit-Just follow the manual.

 

[SJP0tato]

Originally posted by: MoPHo
Because it's my first car and i love her and i dont want her to get hurt and i'm not sure what to dooooooosssss!!! That and everyone IRL, not AT world, is telling me to just follow the manual but I've never heard of waiting 7,500 miles to change the oil...

It's pretty common with most new cars.

It's this suggestion in the manual that gives credit to the belief there's "special" oil put in the car from the factory. Maybe it's true or maybe not, but I'd trust the written guidance of Honda engineers who planned, designed, built, then tested the engine over gut feelings, hunches, or internet suggestions. :laugh:

 

[Kermy]

I also have a 09 Civic. Currently at 5400 miles with 30% on the oil life meter. Going to wait for 15% before I change oil. Honda recommends it for a reason.

 

[rdp6]

Follow the manual. Use oil which meets at least the minimum spec for your car.

That said, you are not permitted to abandon good practices like checking fluid levels periodically. I know my car burns about a quart of oil in 10K miles, so I keep a quart in the trunk to top off occasionally.

My car: 1st oil change at 5K, 2nd at 10K, and after that every 10K. There may be some timing guidelines for those who don't drive much, but I reliably drive 1K in 2 weeks, so I don't recall what those guidelines are. Probably yearly changes in that case.

 

[yelo333]

Originally posted by: MoPHo
Purchased my '09 Civic on Jan. 20th. Realized that I was a couple days past the '3 Month Rule' for oil change but then remembered to check the break in rules on the manual. The manual is telling me to change the oil every 7,500mi. Not just for the break in, but everytime I change the oil. It also tells me to change the oil when the 'Oil Meter' (this electronic measuring tool that ranges oil on a scale from 0%-100%) hits 15%.

I was always under the impression that you follow the break in rule and then change the oil every 3 months or 3,000 mi, whichever came first. The manual doesn't really go into to explain why it's every 7,500mi or to use any special type of oil.

You guys have any input on this matter? My mileage is just a shade under 3k right now and I'm mulling changing the oil over the next couple of days but I'm not sure. Perhaps call my dealership and ask them?

I have a 07 civic w/ 20,500 miles. I am certainly no car guy, but here is what I know:

The original break-in oil does have some extra stuff in it, moly? You're supposed to leave it in for at least 4,000 mi. Just search for "honda break-in oil."

My MM typically hits 15% at a hair over 5,000 miles, which seems reasonable to me. But this is just my opinion, and I do it because I'm lazy more than anything. I hope I'm not starting an argument, and if you want to change every 3k, that's up to you & it certainly won't hurt anything...Just leave the break-in oil in for 4k. 🙂

BTW, If you reset the MM before it hits 15%, you can still see the suggested maintenance code: key in to II, hold down sel/reset for >5 sec on the oil screen, note the code, then hold it down again until it beeps to reset

It seems it starts out slowly going from 100-90-80-70-60, then drops more quickly as you get closer to the lower end. So just because you're at 80% and 2,500 miles in doesn't mean it won't suggest you change the oil at a little over 5,000 miles.

IMHO, You certainly want to follow your own schedule for tire rotations -- the MM didn't suggest I rotate until nearly 10,000 miles.

 

[Mermaidman]

Originally posted by: MoPHo
I was always under the impression that you follow the break in rule and then change the oil every 3 months or 3,000 mi, whichever came first.

That's a myth perpetuated by Quickie Lube, as in: Get lubed before they ream you. 😛
Guess who benefit$ from exce$$ively frequent oil changes?

 

[thedarkwolf]

The 3 month or 3k miles thing is from the 1960s get over it. The only places still pushing that crap are the quick oil change places because they wants your money.

 

[MoPHo]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
The 3 month or 3k miles thing is from the 1960s get over it. The only places still pushing that crap are the quick oil change places because they wants your money.

What can I say, I must be retro. 😉

 

[ViviTheMage]

audi says wait 15k...riiiight.

I do it every 10k..unless the oil looks bad, i'll do it earlier.

 

[rh71]

Break-in rules should include doing your first oil change within the first 3k miles because of metal fragmentation from what I read. Then you start doing whatever the manual says.

 

[StageLeft]

ALWAYS go with the manual; the rest is just noise. Use OEM filters and what the manual says for oil changes. I would still think of changing the oil the first time earlier (common advice, too), but again if it doesn't say it in the manual it may be money in the toilet, albeit it not much. Once you've done that, though, go with the regular schedule. IMO only alcoholics and crack sniffers change every 3k simply because their dad or Midas dealer told them to.

The original break-in oil does have some extra stuff in it, moly? You're supposed to leave it in for at least 4,000 mi. Just search for "honda break-in oil."

I didn't know that; really it just supports the idea of the go with the manual!

 

[LOUISSSSS]

u should've changed your oil before 3000. i did my first oil change at 2k

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
u should've changed your oil before 3000. i did my first oil change at 2k

Honda puts additives in their oil, as someone pointed out, so you defeated their purpose.

Follow what the manual says. Honda paid a lot of engineers and scientists to know that the engine will be fine for what they tell you 🙂

 

[JDub02]

early "break in" oil changes aren't really necessary since modern engines don't really need a break in period because we can machine engine parts to much tighter tolerances. there shouldn't be much wear.

i change my oil at 6 months / 5k miles. my truck gets regular dino oil 10W-30, the mazda gets semi-syn 5W-20 (OEM). unless you're racing, your motor calls for it, or you want really extended oil change intervals, don't waste your money on the expensive oils.

also remember that if you're going to run 10k-15k miles on the good oil, it's really smart to change your filter once and top off. if your filter clogs up, it goes into bypass mode and filters nothing ... not good, but better than clogging entirely.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
u should've changed your oil before 3000. i did my first oil change at 2k

Honda puts additives in their oil, as someone pointed out, so you defeated their purpose.

Follow what the manual says. Honda paid a lot of engineers and scientists to know that the engine will be fine for what they tell you 🙂

oh really? in Honda's branded oil? what additives would that be that would make it better than mobil1?

i'm not saying mobil1 is the best, but what (in your opinion) is wrong with using mobil1 every 5k miles over using honda's "generic" oil.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
u should've changed your oil before 3000. i did my first oil change at 2k

Honda puts additives in their oil, as someone pointed out, so you defeated their purpose.

Follow what the manual says. Honda paid a lot of engineers and scientists to know that the engine will be fine for what they tell you 🙂

oh really? in Honda's branded oil? what additives would that be that would make it better than mobil1?

i'm not saying mobil1 is the best, but what (in your opinion) is wrong with using mobil1 every 5k miles over using honda's "generic" oil.

Zinc most likely and he was talking just about the special break in oil.

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
u should've changed your oil before 3000. i did my first oil change at 2k

Honda puts additives in their oil, as someone pointed out, so you defeated their purpose.

Follow what the manual says. Honda paid a lot of engineers and scientists to know that the engine will be fine for what they tell you 🙂

oh really? in Honda's branded oil? what additives would that be that would make it better than mobil1?

i'm not saying mobil1 is the best, but what (in your opinion) is wrong with using mobil1 every 5k miles over using honda's "generic" oil.

Nothing is wrong with mobil 1. It's just that Honda (and some other manufacturers) ship the car from the factory with oil that helps the break in process. If you take that oil out too soon you lose the benefit of it. After you pass that break in period you can use any decent oil that meets the spec for your vehicle. It's best just to follow the manual as has been said before. The engineers that designed your vehicle know it best.