[BullShifter]

My dad bought a 2010 Accord 5 months ago and only has put 1400 miles on it so far. The oil life says 80% still. People are saying to change the oil in these cars longer than before but it will take him years to get those miles. What is the recommendation for a situation like this?

 

[Zembonez]

Change it every 5000 miles and be happy. It took that oil millions of years to be made... a few extra months one way or the other isn't going to have any effect on it.

People overthink the oil change myth regularly.

 

[Danielc409]

Maybe every 6 months I think if you don't reach your mileage.

 

[BullShifter]

Change it every 5000 miles and be happy. It took that oil millions of years to be made... a few extra months one way or the other isn't going to have any effect on it.

People overthink the oil change myth regularly.

5000 miles wont be a few extra months it will be 2yrs or more!

 

[DrivenDreams]

My first oil change was 8 months after I bought it at 5800 miles. It has been 6 months now, and I still have 30% left at 11000.

Just follow the maintenance system on your car. It calculates the oil usage on the way you drive, engine load, speed etc. so you won't have to guess. If you don't drive much that means the oil is just sitting there, unused when your car is parked. Nothing will happened to it. There are few here that had their oil up to 7500 miles.

 

[Ilovemy06VtecV6]

My dad bought a 2010 Accord 5 months ago and only has put 1400 miles on it so far. The oil life says 80% still. People are saying to change the oil in these cars longer than before but it will take him years to get those miles. What is the recommendation for a situation like this?

By not using and thus "sitting oil" in the oil pan due to car not being used much or lightly used, , the oil does not experience the thickening or thinning changes you see when the car is being used in summer, for example. Even if the oil was left another 2 years, it still will only take the oil 30 seconds at most to circulate whether you leave ht eoil in there for another 2 years or not. If it makes you feel better, you can change it once every year but I think you are wasting perfectly good oil that still has the chemicals needed to maintain viscosity and that doesn't just go away or disappear somehow.

Leave it in and let the Oil Minder mind you. Trust on this one. Remember, you don't just have dino oil, all oil has Viscosity Index improvers and FM-Friction Modifiers as well as Anti-wear chemicals for it to last over 5000 miles in production or in the field use. Since your car is parked, those chemicals are still there waiting to be used do not just disappear.

Leave the oil in, it's still good!!

 

[Deity]

+1^

 

[xJoeMama78]

In the manual it says to change the oil when the MM tells you to or once a year if you don't drive enough to have it pop up in a year. For ease of dealing with any potential warranty claims, I would change it once a year.

 

[YRMed]

For you the rule should be:

Within the span of 1 year of use, if OLM tells you it's time to change oil, change the oil. If the OLM does not tell you to change the oil and you are approaching the end of the 1 year of use, change the oil. Doing 2 oil changes a year would be a waste if your dad drives so little.

 

[RTexasF]

Change it annually under his driving conditions which is what Honda says to do.

 

[kevster]

I am a believer in changing the oil at 1,ooo miles for the first oil change to remove the break in oil.. than fill it up with Mobil 1 synthetic and a high grade oil filter, reset the oil reminder per the manual, and than follow the 5k rule or oil reminder..

 

[Zembonez]

5000 miles wont be a few extra months it will be 2yrs or more!

Well... a few months wasn't meant literally. He could change it once a year and be fine. It won't hurt a thing.

 

[RTexasF]

I am a believer in changing the oil at 1,ooo miles for the first oil change to remove the break in oil.. than fill it up with Mobil 1 synthetic and a high grade oil filter, reset the oil reminder per the manual, and than follow the 5k rule or oil reminder..

Honda specifically says NOT to change the factory fill oil early. They are one of the few that uses a "break in" oil so to speak. Having said that I changed mine to M1 0W20 @ 3500 miles.....just couldn't stand it!

 

[Baldeagle]

At least once per year, regardless of mileage. Oil becomes acidic with time and eats into the metal.

http://www.engineoilinfo.com/acid.htm

Even if the miles are still relatively low after one year (3,360 at this pace), change it. The acid will hurt the engine. Definitely go synthetic. Synthetic will resist acid more than conventional oil.

 

[SatinSilver]

I am a believer in changing the oil at 1,ooo miles for the first oil change to remove the break in oil..

The factory fill oil is loaded with extra molybendum from the plant to help break in the engine. There's been some threads on here discussing oil consumption and the possibility it's linked to changing the factory fill oil too early.

Not all new cars are like this so it's best to listen to the manufacturer. For example, the new Buick Regal calls for it's oil change at 600 miles. aranoid:

 

[BullShifter]

Honda specifically says NOT to change the factory fill oil early. They are one of the few that uses a "break in" oil so to speak. Having said that I changed mine to M1 0W20 @ 3500 miles.....just couldn't stand it!

Exactly, that's why I asked the question originally. I don't want the oil to sit in for a year or more.

 

[toomanyaccords]

My dad bought a 2010 Accord 5 months ago and only has put 1400 miles on it so far. The oil life says 80% still. People are saying to change the oil in these cars longer than before but it will take him years to get those miles. What is the recommendation for a situation like this?

My rule of thumb is whichever occurs first: maintenance minder @ 10% or 5K miles or 1 year.

Your situation is complicated by the fact that it still has the break-in fill (i.e. the oil has extra engine assembly moly in it).

If it were mine, I'd leave the break-in oil in till at least 5K, even it it takes a year or slightly more. I'd also try to put more miles on that car. Maybe he can let another family member drive it for a while?

The other risk is he may not be breaking the engine in correctly. Perhaps pampering it rather than varying the RPM's over the tach and gear range.

 

[BullShifter]

I should switch with him but he will probably smoke in my and I don't want that.

 

[Zembonez]

I should switch with him but he will probably smoke in my and I don't want that.

ACK! :thumbsdow

NOBODY smokes or eats near my vehicles - much less in them.

 

[chinososerious]

I noticed that some of ya get ya oil change when ya hit 5000 miles. My Miles show like 2800 but im down to 20% oil remaining. Are ya just refilling the oil as ya go along or is their something wrong with my oil burning so much? i usually just drive the car locally.