08 Accord EXL I4 - what is the Oil change interval?

[tkubik]

I realize these new Accords have a "maintenance" minder system that tries to calculate when you are due for service based on driving conditions etc. All that aside, what is hte average number of miles between oil changes? My 03 Highlander and 02 Golf were 8k / 3 months between changes. Can I assume Accord is roughly the same?

[Ice]

Yes

[LateNites]

Just got my oil changed yesterday when my light came on, had 8300 miles on it

[RTexasF]

You can not assume anything. Everyone's driving style, traffic, and temps differ. Other than the very first oil change (5K) let the system tell you when to change the oil, it's quite accurate. It might be 4K or 8K depending on the many variables.

On a personal note I would not be comfortable going past 5K miles with conventional oil no matter what the brain said! One thing you can do is at least change it annually, that much is a given.

[THE DARK KNIGHT]

when u guys do an oil change... do you drain out the old and put in new, or just re-fill ?

[Ice]

when u guys do an oil change... do you drain out the old and put in new, or just re-fill ?

Never ever refill and call it an oil change... Completely drain out old oil, replace filter, put in new oil. Always...

[Sporin]

I'm in the mid 7000 mile range and mine says oil life 30%. My dealer's little sticker says to come in when it's at 15%. I actually will do it a bit sooner as I will have them swap my snow tires off and do the oil change all at once.

[The Critic]

When the Maintenance Minder shows 15% remaining or one year, whichever comes first.

Service intervals may be as short as 3k, or as long as 10k.

[USAFRET]

I changed the factory fill "dino" oil at about 4500 miles; the "oil life monitor" was reading 50% left. My dealer's tech argued with me for several minutes telling me I didn't need to change the oil.
I insisted, so they changed my oil and replaced the dino with fresh Mobil 1. Even with the 10 minutes spent "chatting" with the advisor they had me in and out in about 30 minutes and charged me $53.

All my internal combustion engines have Mobil 1, which includes my wife’s 01 PT Cruise (bought new in Oct 2000), John Deere lawn mower (bought new in 1993) and my Craftsmen snow blower (bought new in 1983).

[jang859]

i just changed my oil for the first time the other day. 6700 miles (most of it pure highway) and my minder was at 40%. I put in mobile 1 (non synthetic). i heard its good to wait a year to go synthetic as it is still "lightly breaking in".

[WisAccord]

My maintenance minder went to 15% at about 9,400 miles. I do mostly highway driving on my commute. At that interval, I'll only run synthetic oil.

I changed my factory fill at about 4k when the MM was at 60%. I'm glad I did that!

[npolite]

I'm in the mid 7000 mile range and mine says oil life 30%. My dealer's little sticker says to come in when it's at 15%. I actually will do it a bit sooner as I will have them swap my snow tires off and do the oil change all at once.

Why not swap the tires yourself and save yourself $20?

[1stHonda]

i'm at 300 miles and i'm still at 100%. Do I really have to take it to the dealership to get an oil change? I read the manual on how to reset the oil life so I really want to take it to my local mechanic who only charges me $15 for a complete oil change....

[npolite]

i'm at 300 miles and i'm still at 100%. Do I really have to take it to the dealership to get an oil change? I read the manual on how to reset the oil life so I really want to take it to my local mechanic who only charges me $15 for a complete oil change....

No you do not need to take it to the dealer. Just make sure to keep the break-in oil in until 15%.

[USAFRET]

i'm at 300 miles and i'm still at 100%. Do I really have to take it to the dealership to get an oil change? I read the manual on how to reset the oil life so I really want to take it to my local mechanic who only charges me $15 for a complete oil change....

No, you are not required to have the dealer change your oil, you can reset the oil life monitor yourself. But I would advise you keep receipts of the material/labor/date/mileage etc in case you should have some warranty issue that Honda or the dealer needs you prove you have "maintanied" the car to Honda specs.

[jang859]

the debate here seems to be wether to keep the break in oil until 15 percent or not. i kept it in until 40 and it seemed pretty old at that point.

as a compromise i'm not putting in synthetic until next oil change to keep the break in process going a bit longer.

i changed the oil myself and documented the warranty pampthlet that i had done so.

[zZz LoNeLy zZz]

i bought my car back in december and i just barely hit 2k miles on it with oil life 70-75%. should i bring the car in for an oil change or wait till i hit 5k or 6k miles in about another 3 month?

[8thGenInspire]

i bought my car back in december and i just barely hit 2k miles on it with oil life 70-75%. should i bring the car in for an oil change or wait till i hit 5k or 6k miles in about another 3 month?

yea dude definitely wait. just wait till your oil life reads 15-20% (5k or maybe higher depends on how you drive) right now its way to early.....

[dennisho18]

i change my oil every 3000 miles or 3 months. Its overkill but w/e i have to keep this car for the next 10 years

[The Critic]

i'm at 300 miles and i'm still at 100%. Do I really have to take it to the dealership to get an oil change? I read the manual on how to reset the oil life so I really want to take it to my local mechanic who only charges me $15 for a complete oil change....

You need to keep the factory fill in until the oil life monitor shows 15% remaining.

At the minimum, wait 3k.

[zZz LoNeLy zZz]

keeping the oil life at 15% will probably take me another 5-7 month from now. i'm going through my 4th month since i had the car and i'm barely at 2050 miles with 70% oil life. i guess i'll wait till it hit 15% or 5k whichever comes first. is it safe to not change the oil for this long? i only drive from home to work which is about 3-6 miles from where i live.

[8thGenInspire]

keeping the oil life at 15% will probably take me another 5-7 month from now. i'm going through my 4th month since i had the car and i'm barely at 2050 miles with 70% oil life. i guess i'll wait till it hit 15% or 5k whichever comes first. is it safe to not change the oil for this long? i only drive from home to work which is about 3-6 miles from where i live.

yea i don't drive my accord that much as well. i'm not saying wait till 15-20% on each oil change - just the first one because your supposed to keep your break in oil for a long time or something like that.

[jang859]

speaking of which i just changed my oil but i overfilled it so i have a quicki appointment with a honda repair shop tomarrow morning to get it filled up again to the correct level. :o

[Demonik]

http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/showthread.php?t=16509

In case no one saw it the first time around

[jang859]

ok, so it turns out i put in approx half of a quart too much. the shop found it was not bubbling and i only overfilled it 4 days ago, so they just drained a little.

watch out guys. i replaced the oil filter and put in the recommended 4.4 liters and ended up .5 liters too full!

i mean, i put in like 3.5 ran the engine checked it, then didn't think anything of it and put in another liter and it ended up overfull!

[8thGenInspire]

OK, so I have a question. I got the 80,000 mile warranty on my accord so I get free oil changes. I was wondering when you go to the dealer do you get to choose the oil you want to use? Yeah, this is a pretty dumb question but this is my first car and I was wondering. B/C I really want to put in Mobil 1 5w20 but my Mom is saying that they just change it with what ever oil they have.. is this true or can I choose what type of oil?

[garthian84]

when u guys do an oil change... do you drain out the old and put in new, or just re-fill ?

Is this guy f-ing serious?

[Accord2004]

I realize these new Accords have a "maintenance" minder system that tries to calculate when you are due for service based on driving conditions etc. All that aside, what is hte average number of miles between oil changes? My 03 Highlander and 02 Golf were 8k / 3 months between changes. Can I assume Accord is roughly the same?

Go with the owner's manual for scheduled maintenance. SOme shop manuals give a different schedule.

My suggestion is do oil changes 2 times per year. If you drive in the city or stop and go all the time, you'll need to change the oil every 3,000 miles.

The oil changes is the major thing because it keeps all moving parts in smooth operation.


By the way, how does the I-4 drive? I have been reading on DOHC and I have always wondered about their power.

[RTexasF]

i just changed my oil for the first time the other day. 6700 miles (most of it pure highway) and my minder was at 40%. I put in mobile 1 (non synthetic). i heard its good to wait a year to go synthetic as it is still "lightly breaking in".

If it said Mobil 1 on the bottle it is synthetic. The waiting a year thing is absolutely false and has no basis. Whoever told you that has no clue.
I changed mine to Mobil 1 0W20 at about 3400 miles and that was four years ago. It has not used any appreciable amount of oil since the break in period, never had to add any. Changes are 7500-8000 miles or annually whichever comes first. Keep in mind that there is no oil minder on mine.

[zZz LoNeLy zZz]

i'm hearing mix review about doing your first oil change. my friend who spoke to a subaru mechanic said its best to drive up to 2k then replace the oil, drive another 2k by exceeding the rpm you normally break in, then the oil and your done. this car is 6 month now since i got it and never replace the first oil change. barely hitting 3k with 60% oil life still. i'm thinking of just bringing it in since its been so long and i don't want it to ruin my car in the long run.

[sjlee]

OK, so I have a question. I got the 80,000 mile warranty on my accord so I get free oil changes. I was wondering when you go to the dealer do you get to choose the oil you want to use? Yeah, this is a pretty dumb question but this is my first car and I was wondering. B/C I really want to put in Mobil 1 5w20 but my Mom is saying that they just change it with what ever oil they have.. is this true or can I choose what type of oil?

Usually, you do NOT get to choose what oil you want to use if you're getting "free" oil changes. Most likely, it'll be a conventional oil that you may or may not have heard of. For instance, the closest Honda dealer purchases oil in bulk from a oil company located in the state. On the other hand, the local Acura dealer uses Castrol Syntec.

[sjlee]

i'm hearing mix review about doing your first oil change. my friend who spoke to a subaru mechanic said its best to drive up to 2k then replace the oil, drive another 2k by exceeding the rpm you normally break in, then the oil and your done. this car is 6 month now since i got it and never replace the first oil change. barely hitting 3k with 60% oil life still. i'm thinking of just bringing it in since its been so long and i don't want it to ruin my car in the long run.

You won't ruin your car by following the maintenance minder... just drive it until the oil life indicator is at least 15% (I personally wait until 5% - when the Service light comes on). Drive the car like you always will (whether that means aggressive or conservative in your case), and the car will break-in just fine.

You won't hurt your car by following what that Subaru mechanic tells you... you'll just end up paying for two additional oil changes.

[zZz LoNeLy zZz]

You won't ruin your car by following the maintenance minder... just drive it until the oil life indicator is at least 15% (I personally wait until 5% - when the Service light comes on). Drive the car like you always will (whether that means aggressive or conservative in your case), and the car will break-in just fine.

You won't hurt your car by following what that Subaru mechanic tells you... you'll just end up paying for two additional oil changes.

i'm afraid that it will take me a yr or more to change my first oil and that scare mes

[sjlee]

i'm afraid that it will take me a yr or more to change my first oil and that scare mes

Why? Oil doesn't go bad in a year. If you need proof that the Maintenance Minder system is accurate, do a used oil analysis (UOA). Companies like Blackstone Labs will conduct an analysis on the oil that you send to them and make recommendations. Blackstone's costs range from $22.50 (regular) to $32.50 (if you also want TBN).

You can either take an oil sample when you have the oil changed (either do it yourself or have the mechanic do it) or you can buy a pump (~$30) that will allow you to get an oil sample via the dipstick tube.

BTW - The oil life indicator isn't linear. Just because you're at 60% with approximately 3k miles, doesn't automatically mean that you'll be at 20% at 6k miles.

[GotIt]

I spoke with my dealer regarding the oil change minder of 15% left, they told me they go by the miles , not the minder lights, which could of gone approx
9k, with stop\go traffic and heating up the motor, I have always changed such as every 5000 miles, I had a CR-V and it was done every 5K, I know there was more oil changes, but I like to keep the oil cleaner, my next dr has one as well, when he change the oil, it was very thin.

[dexterdog]

Just remember oil is cheap(or at least it used to be). I prefer changing with regular frequency. Now I do have more faith in the motor oils produced today than I do with filters.

[sjlee]

I spoke with my dealer regarding the oil change minder of 15% left, they told me they go by the miles , not the minder lights, which could of gone approx
9k, with stop\go traffic and heating up the motor, I have always changed such as every 5000 miles, I had a CR-V and it was done every 5K, I know there was more oil changes, but I like to keep the oil cleaner, my next dr has one as well, when he change the oil, it was very thin.

Of course the dealers would say that... it means that you'll come in more often for oil changes.

There's no harm in changing your oil more frequently... it'll just cost you more to maintain your vehicle over time.

Many people have had used oil analysis (UOA) done and have found that the Maintenance Minder system works very well.

[zZz LoNeLy zZz]

Why? Oil doesn't go bad in a year. If you need proof that the Maintenance Minder system is accurate, do a used oil analysis (UOA). Companies like Blackstone Labs will conduct an analysis on the oil that you send to them and make recommendations. Blackstone's costs range from $22.50 (regular) to $32.50 (if you also want TBN).

You can either take an oil sample when you have the oil changed (either do it yourself or have the mechanic do it) or you can buy a pump (~$30) that will allow you to get an oil sample via the dipstick tube.

BTW - The oil life indicator isn't linear. Just because you're at 60% with approximately 3k miles, doesn't automatically mean that you'll be at 20% at 6k miles.

i guess i'm so used changing oil every 3k miles or 3 month, which ever comes first. that is why i'm so paranoid by it. i'm hearing mix review but seem like all the people in this forum reccommend to wait until it hit 15% or 6k miles. i'll do that and hopefully in the long run it won't hurt my car.

[markymrk720]

Hi...

Did you guys even read the previous post that Demonik linked????

http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/showthread.php?t=16509

Please...

According to the analysis performed, the Maintenence Minder System would have been WAY off for the first oil change....comments??? Thoughts???

[sjlee]

Hi...

Did you guys even read the previous post that Demonik linked????

http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/showthread.php?t=16509

Please...

According to the analysis performed, the Maintenence Minder System would have been WAY off for the first oil change....comments??? Thoughts???

That's why I mentioned getting a UOA if in doubt about the Maintenance Minder system.

I also noticed that the OP in that thread also had good luck with MM previously. I'm due for my first oil change now (reading 10%)... and I only have a little over 5k miles. Maybe something is haywire with MM on the 2008s? :dunno:

[Left-Laner]

Bottom line: if you have MM, follow it. If you don't, these boards will help give you an idea of when to change the oil. Oil life in a car without MM isn't going to break down faster than oil in a car with MM.

Changing oil for the sake of changing it is a waste of money.

Changing it every 3000 is also a waste of money.

Please -- if your dealership tells you to follow the mileage and not the MM, you need to consider dealing with someone else. And yes, time is factored in MM.

With 70/30 city/highway ratio, I changed the oil 11,200 kms (7000 miles) at 10% OL remaining over the course of 5 months. I only need to change the oil 2-3 times a year :thmsup:

[dexterdog]

Hi...

Did you guys even read the previous post that Demonik linked????

http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=16509

Please...

According to the analysis performed, the Maintenence Minder System would have been WAY off for the first oil change....comments??? Thoughts???


On all the new motorcycles I have owned I change out the oil after the first 100 miles to clear out all the crap. Of course, a motorcycle uses less oil and is ran at much higher rpm.

Most people are not going to have their oil analyzed but the first change should be premature of the MM due to the fact the motor is so green and any metal particles, etc. should be removed. I wouldn't wait for the MM on the first change.

Personally, I don't know if I am going to go by the MM on future oil changes or pick 5k miles or something along those lines. It's not the oil I don't trust it's the filtration.

[dexterdog]

Changing oil for the sake of changing it is a waste of money.


I would rather waste an extra $200 on oil changes each year to change the oil with more frequency than not. It is a very small price to pay.

[Left-Laner]

Most people are not going to have their oil analyzed but the first change should be premature of the MM due to the fact the motor is so green and any metal particles, etc. should be removed. I wouldn't wait for the MM on the first change.

That is contrary to what the owner's manual says where it recommends you NOT change the oil early as the factory filled oil is not the standard dino the dealerships put in.

[Left-Laner]

I would rather waste an extra $200 on oil changes each year to change the oil with more frequency than not. It is a very small price to pay.

$200 is a lot of oil changes :D

[sjlee]

On all the new motorcycles I have owned I change out the oil after the first 100 miles to clear out all the crap. Of course, a motorcycle uses less oil and is ran at much higher rpm.

Most people are not going to have their oil analyzed but the first change should be premature of the MM due to the fact the motor is so green and any metal particles, etc. should be removed. I wouldn't wait for the MM on the first change.

Personally, I don't know if I am going to go by the MM on future oil changes or pick 5k miles or something along those lines. It's not the oil I don't trust it's the filtration.

Having a UOA done will tell you how well MM is working as well as how well the oil filter is filtering. If the UOA tells you that you don't have to change your oil out as frequently (ignore MM), then you'll save money in the long run.

I believe that modern engines don't have as much metal particles in it from break-in than older cars. Honda specifically states to not change the factory oil early. :dunno:

[sjlee]

I would rather waste an extra $200 on oil changes each year to change the oil with more frequency than not. It is a very small price to pay.

Very small price for what? Peace of mind? Why not change the oil even more frequently or do you consider $400/yr still a small price?

I know it's hard to know who to believe when it comes to maintenance. Do you trust the oil change places that tell you to change every 3 months or 3k miles when you know that telling you to come in less often will hurt their revenue? Do you trust the car manufacturer who tells you to follow their maintenance schedule when you know that having your car last longer will hurt their revenue?

:dunno:

[The Critic]

Oil analysis isn't very accurate if you only take a single sample, which is why OEMs and aftermarket additive companies usually take a baseline sample and samples throughout the duration of the service interval. They also take samples from more than one vehicle. Either way, while oil analysis is a good tool if used properly, teardowns still give you more information and is what's used during engine design.

[Mr.accord]

^+1 on that !!!!

[byob199]

Bottom line is the maintenance minder is a “cute” add on to the car. If you feel the need to stretch a dollar and wait till it ticks to 15%, be my guest. My personal opinion is that 5000 miles are plenty of miles to have on a load of oil, any type on any car. I think it is a bit naïve to think a little sensor in your engine can give you all the valuable information necessary to decide if your oil is breaking down.
Relube and rotate at 5K and save in the end.

[The Highwayman]

My grandfather, father and brother were/are all mechanics. When the discussion about oil changes come up the quote I love best is "the price of a quart(or litre) of oil and a new crankshft bearing are about the same - it's the price of installation that makes the difference" The message - changing your oil often is cheap insurance. My dad's 1978 GMC 4X4 snowplow shop truck has over 400,000 miles on the 350ci V8 and has never been torn down except for the waterpump and timing chain. It has been abused and used to push snow in a severe winter climate for 8 hours at a time daily for months on end in our cold Canadian winter. And this is a product from the darkest days of domestic quality. He changes the oil at 3000 miles religiously.

If it gives you peace of mind to change your oil early do it - it's cheap insurance.

[sjlee]

Bottom line is the maintenance minder is a “cute” add on to the car. If you feel the need to stretch a dollar and wait till it ticks to 15%, be my guest. My personal opinion is that 5000 miles are plenty of miles to have on a load of oil, any type on any car. I think it is a bit naïve to think a little sensor in your engine can give you all the valuable information necessary to decide if your oil is breaking down.
Relube and rotate at 5K and save in the end.

What are you basing your "5k mile" rule for any type of oil (including full synthetic) on any type of car? UOAs? Engine teardowns? Seems to be "naive" to bash a "cute" sensor, but then go with an opinion not based on anything but personal preference. :dunno:

[The Critic]

What are you basing your "5k mile" rule for any type of oil (including full synthetic) on any type of car? UOAs? Engine teardowns? Seems to be "naive" to bash a "cute" sensor, but then go with an opinion not based on anything but personal preference. :dunno:

Exactly. We are open to different point-of-views, but you should at least back-up your statements with something more credible than a "it has always worked for me, thus it is the best way" type argument or example.

[berg]

What grade of moble 1(synthetic) are you all using on your Accords? I'm at 15% oil life left and wanna get it done soon.Wanna make switch to Full synthetic.I don't know what type is used at Honda dealer. lajohnvero4@yahoo.com

[sjlee]

What grade of moble 1(synthetic) are you all using on your Accords? I'm at 15% oil life left and wanna get it done soon.Wanna make switch to Full synthetic.I don't know what type is used at Honda dealer. lajohnvero4@yahoo.com

Why not just go with the stock weight of 5W-20? Otherwise, 0W-20 would probably work just as well.

[jaser416]

i'm at 300 miles and i'm still at 100%. Do I really have to take it to the dealership to get an oil change? I read the manual on how to reset the oil life so I really want to take it to my local mechanic who only charges me $15 for a complete oil change....

You don't have to take it to the dealer. I called my dealer service and asked them if I would void the factory warranty if I changed it myself. They told me as long as I kept my receipts and of course i logged everything into the maintenance book they give you. I just changed the oil on my I4exl and it was the easiest oil change i have ever done. Also, it is the smallest filter for a car I have ever seen. gl

[MrBigE]

You don't have to take it to the dealer. I called my dealer service and asked them if I would void the factory warranty if I changed it myself. They told me as long as I kept my receipts and of course i logged everything into the maintenance book they give you. I just changed the oil on my I4exl and it was the easiest oil change i have ever done. Also, it is the smallest filter for a car I have ever seen. gl

Heck yeah! Did mine 2 weeks ago - 10% life left, 7450 on the odometer. Unbelievably easy to change. My only change in procedure next time will be to poke a hole in the oil filter and let it drain before I remove it - that part was a wee messy.

[WisAccord]

Heck yeah! Did mine 2 weeks ago - 10% life left, 7450 on the odometer. Unbelievably easy to change. My only change in procedure next time will be to poke a hole in the oil filter and let it drain before I remove it - that part was a wee messy.


Put a ziplock bag over the oil filter before removing it next time. It catches alot of the mess.

[shogun]

I never heard of a special break in oils until I started reading Honda Forums. I will never let a car go over 5k miles w/o changing the oil & filter. I use Royal Purple which is over $7.00 a qt. Same oil used in racing engines costing more than our Honda's & Acura's.

[sjlee]

I use Royal Purple which is over $7.00 a qt. Same oil used in racing engines costing more than our Honda's & Acura's.

Really? Which NASCAR, Formula 1 or Indy teams use Royal Purple?