Honda's take on the 3000 mile oil change

[widman]

Today the local Honda dealer did the first oil change on my daughter's Honda Odessey Touring at about 7,000 miles when it hit 0% oil life.
The dealer said not go go by the computer, that it wasn't designed for this area (suburban DC) and that she needed to bring it in every 3750 miles. Never even asked what kind of driving she did. (works out of her house, closest store is 7 miles, most are 14).

 

[Pablo]

Interesting - the dealer told us to ignore the OLI and bring it in the FIRST time at 3750 - then follow the OLI.

 

[simple_gifts]

Thread should be titled "Honda dealer's take on the possibility of doing 1/2 as many oil changes as they want to"

 

[pitzel]

How convenient that your dealer would try to fill your head full of baloney

. Ask them if they still feel that way after you tell them that you will be not visiting their dealership for oil changes, because of advice that directly contradicts that of the manufacturer without any scientific basis whatsoever.

Can't they fund some better way of making money other than preying on their gullible customers?

 

[marcre]

Interesting point made by the dealer. I'd be interested to hear them explain that, they may have a valid point. You should have asked what area it was made for.

 

[Auto-Union]

GM OLM on my cousin's short-tripper minivan goes off about that point.

 

[Toy4x4runner]

sounds reasonable. my 4runner's manual says 3,750 for "severe", which to me sounds more like normal driving. however I think i'll do some UOA at 4-5K and see how it's doing. I'm not sure I believe 100% in those 10,000 mile oil changes. This woman came in in a 2yr old Benz 2 seater Fancy pants car and said she needed a qt of oil. She actually knew it called for a Syn oil. I asked her what were the oil change intervals and she said 10K. I checked the dip stick, 1 qt low and the oil looked HORRIBLE! She said it was changed 5-6K ago at the dealer. It was so black it looked like goop. the Service manuals says for lubrication specs to take the car to the dealer! doesn't even say what grade/api to use!! I even checked the dip stick. and she's had problems with knowing what oil spec last time it was a Qt low. So After seeing a newer benz go 6K, 1 qt low and the oil is blk as tar... i'll pass on those 7-10K changes; unless it's on a highway vehicle and UOA's are performed.
However, I think the dealer could of at least asked what kind of driving the van is used for and maybe suggested a 4K interval for starters.

 

[oilboy123]

Maybe the dealer did not use a syn oil?

 

[Cutehumor]

haha. you should call honda corp to tell them what the "dealer take on the 3000 mile oil change" sounds like they want to take your daughter for her $$$ with oil changes/tire rotations/brake inspections. The nissan dealer wanted my dad to do a coolant flush, inspect his brakes, and have him buy new tires. But he went there for only a 30k tranny flush. This was the same dealer that didn't want to fix his headgasket leak under warranty. of course he said no.

 

[427Z06]

widman, call the dealer and ask him to send you a signed letter on their letterhead stating which parts of the owner's manual maintenace schedule you should ignore and listen to their advice, and which parts of the owner's manual maintenace schedule you should follow. Send a copy of that letter to the Honda District Service Rep.

 

[HondaMan]

427 has it right on.

The best dealers follow what Honda has set forth. Dealers that have their own adds & services are to be avoided.

At the Honda dealer here in Austin, I called to schedule service when my van had about 3k ... ( overhead AC vent would not close properly )
Before I could tell them why I wanted to come in, the service advisor said, "We shouldn't need to see your van till you have around 7500 miles, is there something wrong?"

The dealer sends out a service minder reminding you to follow the van 'service minder & OLM'.

I don't truly follow the Honda service minder as I have my own ideas, but it is nice to know that my dealer is not trying to push 'their' own schedule of ideas on me vs. what Honda says I should be doing.

 

[harryliuusa]

I thought that oil life is a smart new design which will monitor the condition of oil.

If that is the case, the % of oil life left should be based on conditions of driving--severe condition should shorten the life faster.

My 06 Accord shows 90% oil life left after 500 miles of driving. It is 90% local commute driving. This should be categorized as severe for 3750m.

I am not sure what to follow--dealer put a sticker reminds me to call for oil change appointment when the oil life is 15% left...

 

[Idrinkmotoroil]

Honda has widdled away so much of the dealer service work in recent years. They are extending maintenance further and further on tranny fluids, spark plugs, valve adjustments, and going away from timing belts, etc.... . The poor dealers need to find creative ways of making more money on the service end, so they just tell their customers to ignore the OLM's.

 

[Cutehumor]

Idrink,

I agree. if honda didn't build excellent cars and with the extended service intervals. no one would ever go to the dealer mechanic for anything unless for warranty work.

 

[BrianWC]

The OLM is supposed to vary its results based on input from the engine and sensors (rpms, temps, etc). Am I right? If so how could you ever not need to trust it? I'm pre OLM but my dealer still sends me service reminders based on the longer intervals. I guess I should oblige their integrity every now and then, but then where would I get my oil changing kicks?

 

[Dominic]

It ticked me off badly when I saw duramax diesel trucks coming in (12qt sump) getting oil changes every 3k. Cadillac Northstars with 8qt sumps were just as bad too.

 

[Baveux]

I am driving a Pontiac and a Buick, some will say cheap GM car. The OLM light or warning come on at around 8500 km or 5200 miles. The oil (dino) coming out of both vehicle is always analysed and found acceptable for the time in service.

IMHO 3000 miles oil change is a waste of time,money, and ressource. ;-)

 

[martyi]

My 2006 Honda Ridgeline has an OLM like yours and I thought it was a nothing more than a knock-off of GMs. I heard at the Ridgeline forum that it is similar in concept to GMs but much different in design and how/what it measures. I'm not sure in what way it does its job but a guy at the forum with some inside Honda sources is finding out and when he reports on it I'll bring the info over here.

Most Ridgeline owners have said at the forum that their OLM shows 15% oil life expectancy (this is when the first service due signal comes on) anywhere between 5000 and 7000 miles. That much difference in miles tells me that it indeed is monitoring driving habits, engine revolutions and temps, engine load, etc. rather than being just some sort of idiot light. The Honda maintenance minder is calibrated for dino while some of GMs monitors are calibrated for synthetic oil, depending on the car model.

There are some things I don't think the OLM can know that would impact on the OCI such as if synthetic oil is used, which should last much longer than the OLM would indicate. Also, certain severe conditions such as driving on very sandy or dusty roadways, etc. However, the few Ridgeline owners that have had UOAs performed have found that the monitor pretty well reflects the condition of the oil. It is a wonderful tool and the technology has been time tested for several years now. I would trust it and the engineers who designed your Honda motor much, much more than I would the service manager.

 

[ChromiumSteel]

After having 4 Honda cars my feeling is that you don't need dealership mechanics for anything other than an occasional timing belt(which is too much for me). 3000 oci's with premium motor oil and those things will go 300,000 miles.

 

[Ray H]

Agree completely. Just because a light says you can go 7,000 miles between oil changes does not mean that's the best schedule to follow for longest engine life. Honda's engineers didn't write the U.S. market owner's manuals. Honda's U.S. marketing department wrote it - and they were acutely aware that long maintenance intervals are a selling point for "time-stressed" Americans. (translation: crybabies who can't be bothered with anything that cuts into their time in the coffee/break room or shopping malls)