Switch from M1 to Honda Genuine??

[tpattgeek]

I'll make this short and sweet... 07 Civic A/T, R18 engine, 45K miles, bought brand new and used M1 5-20 every 5k miles till about 2 weeks ago when I put in M1 0-20. My driving habits are very conservative and I do about 70%hwy/30%city daily. The manual says Honda Genuine is highly recommended, and although that may just be marketing rubbish, can anyone familiar with Honda engines see ANY benefit with switching to Honda branded syn blend oil? I guess I would use 5-20 (or 0-20 if it's available). The weight is not an issue for me. I was just curious if I'm missing out on anything that will have any extra benefits for my car I'm wanting to keep forever. On the flip side, anyone see any disadvantages? BTW, I do all the OC's myself and will change it at 5k miles no matter what. I just love doing the work and the slightly extra cost is worth the peace of mind.

Thanks!

 

[chubbs1]

The only benefit (if it is one) is that Honda Genuine seems to have a lot more Molybdenum in it as opposed to a lot of OTC oil in its weight. Moly doesn't make an oil good, though, it can make a good oil a little better IMO. So Bottom line is your bottom line, if you can get it cheaper than the M1 get it, if not I'd stick to whatever is on sale. Honda engines are tough...and it is marketing hype!

 

[tpattgeek]

How's your civic like PU?

 

[Johnny]

Considering your service history and the way you maintain your car, I would stick with the Mobil 1.

 

[Bill in Utah]

5k OCI in a Honda? 70/30 Hwy? Driving like an adult?

ANY 5w-20 oil like Motorcraft, Pennzoil YB, QS, Mobil 5000 and so on.

In 300,000 miles it will not know ANY difference on what oil type or brand you use. Really!

Bill

 

[Mr Nice]

I got the same exact car (2007 Civic EX, but with twice your mileage) and I do 10K miles on Mobil 1, if I use dino its 5K miles.

 

[shrooms]

Save a ton of money and go PYB, M5K, MC.

 

[tpattgeek]

Originally Posted By: shrooms
Save a ton of money and go PYB, M5K, MC.


A ton? 10 - 20 bucks every 6 months - 1 year? I doubt that's considered "a ton" by someone who at least has Internet connectivity and the knowledge to get to this site... I can probably save more money by taking cool showers every night, but I'm not going to, because I won't be comfortable....

BTW, I didn't intend this to be a syn vs dino. It was weighing the pros and cons of Honda oil vs M1, although I do appreciate everyone's opinions.

 

[qdeezie]

My thought is from a long life perspective, as long as you use any decent synthetic motor oil, which Mobil 1 clearly is, you should be ok.

 

[bepperb]

Well, the huge disadvantage might be when you find that the Honda Genuine oil is just rebottled Mobil you overpaid for. Some grades are/were imported Idemitsu, it should say that on the bottle, but even then I think it's a waste of money.

 

[shrooms]

Originally Posted By: tpattgeek
Originally Posted By: shrooms
Save a ton of money and go PYB, M5K, MC.


A ton? 10 - 20 bucks every 6 months - 1 year? I doubt that's considered "a ton" by someone who at least has Internet connectivity and the knowledge to get to this site... I can probably save more money by taking cool showers every night, but I'm not going to, because I won't be comfortable....

BTW, I didn't intend this to be a syn vs dino. It was weighing the pros and cons of Honda oil vs M1, although I do appreciate everyone's opinions.


Fine, you want to spend TWICE for the same OCI, then go ahead. YOUR money. I don't care.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Ask "Why did the Honda (and toyota) engineers spec 5x the moly" over most OTC oils? Oh, just to add cost and NO benefit to engine life and mileage

Didn't Honda reduce also the Est sevice life of their engine run on 20w to 75K from a previous "over 100k"? Or did the power density increase do this? Or is it internet folklore like 95 percent of the drivel here and elsewhere? I agree with Bill, 5k oci run conventional. Oil isnt "conventional" anymore and synthetic ISNT synthetic anymore. They've met in the middle. Plus 20w isnt the compromised oil that 5w-30 or 10w-40 were/are. You'll find little vii, good stability and reduced deposits in any brand or shelf position.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: tpattgeek
Originally Posted By: shrooms
Save a ton of money and go PYB, M5K, MC.


A ton? 10 - 20 bucks every 6 months - 1 year? I doubt that's considered "a ton" by someone who at least has Internet connectivity and the knowledge to get to this site... I can probably save more money by taking cool showers every night, but I'm not going to, because I won't be comfortable....

BTW, I didn't intend this to be a syn vs dino. It was weighing the pros and cons of Honda oil vs M1, although I do appreciate everyone's opinions.


45k miles in 3 years? That would be 3 oil changes a year. $90 saved so far. (at "only" $10 per oil change)

Lets take it out to 300,000 miles. Sixty oil changes @ $10 saved per oil change. $600 saved. (If six hundred is not a lot of money let me know, I'll send you my address so you can send me the check!

)

Take that $600 and spend it on 200 gallons of fuel @ $3 a gallon. Get 35 mpg? That savings is 7000 MILES worth of fuel!

The bottom line is if you come here and ask for peoples opinion and value anything, the COST is going to get involved because that is what we do. And in your situation there is nothing that screams that you have to run a syn. Any 5w-20 vs a syn 5w-20 is not going to be ANY DIFFERENCE in your engine.

$600 is a lot of money since it is not needed.
So don't be so hard on someone who is trying to help.

Bill

 

[tpattgeek]

It's been 3.5 years, and the car is getting driven less now since we have a newer family vehicle and it's now my work commute car (or single person trip car). It seems I'm doing about 10k miles/year now.

Yes, I know any small amount will add up over years and years, and I know my application doesn't scream synthetic, but I've discussed that here several times with both of my vehicles, and just wanted to talk about Honda vs. M1. I understand people want to help me save money and I do appreciate it, but is the ONLY benefit to synthetic longer OCI's and more detergents? Are the "better cold start protection" and "better engine protection" just myths and will offer absolutely ZERO improvement over any old dino? Maybe I've been mislead by all the syn hype.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Plenty will disagree with me but your vehicle will last the SAME with ANY 5w-20. Syn or Conventional (which in a 5w-20 is more of a blend and syn is group III)

Look at your comments. 5k MAX OCI. 70% HWY. Adult driven. Your in the south east. So no 40 below zero. Startup wear? None. If there is so much start up wear how does everyone else make it to 100,200,300k with "normal" oils?

I know what works. I'd never recommend anything that I would not tell my Mom or Daughter to do.

JMO....

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: tpattgeek
The manual says Honda Genuine is highly recommended, and although that may just be marketing rubbish, can anyone familiar with Honda engines see ANY benefit with switching to Honda branded syn blend oil? Thanks!
Nailed it. Can't think of any reason, other than a lower price (not likely) to switch to Honda syn blend. As has been suggested, use a quality name brand dino previously mentioned, or an on sale/promo full synthetic like QSHP/UD or PP and be happy with OLM(MM) or 1 year max.

 

[Hounds]

A couple of small points, tpatt: When your owner's manual was written, "Honda Motor Oil" (meaning the bottled product sold by your Honda dealer) was, in fact, Mobil Clean 5000. It was, and still is, a conventional oil. (And a pretty good one, too. See http://www.pqiamerica.com/testresults3a.html.)

Recently, as you may know, Honda turned to ConocoPhillips (COP) for its bottled and bulk oil products. COP also happens to be Ford Motor Company's supplier for Motorcraft 5W-20 weight motor oil. In that weight, MC is a semi-synthetic oil. I (and a few others who trade COP) believe it's unlikely that COP will create another (different) bulk or bottled 5W-20 weight product just for HMC, which means that Honda customers who purchase "Honda Motor Oil" in the future will, in fact, be buying COP's semi-synthetic Motorcraft oil sold under a Honda label. This will work out well for the customer: whereas before you would have been buying XOM's conventional 5W-20 weight oil, now you'll be buying COP's 5W-20 semi-synthetic. It might be a bargain.

Of course, you can purchase the exact same product already, and likely save a few dollars more while you're at it, simply by buying Motorcraft 5W-20 oil at WalMart.

In any case, I agree with Bill in Utah that it really doesn't matter what you run in a Honda Civic (said the guy who's owned all sorts of Hondas). With 5K oil changes, your's will last forever. I also agree with you that the fun part of any oil change is doing it yourself.

 

[zulu]

Same car, 2010, manual tranny. I drive about 60 highway/40 city and about 12k each year. I follow the MM to 15% which is averaging about 5500-6200 depending on the weather. I use conventional simply because I have no reason whatsoever to use synthetic in this application. If I get less than 300k on this combo, I will be highly surprised.

Sidebar, why don't you follow the maintenance minder? Not only will it dictate your OCIs, but also tells you when to change all your fluids/ filters, adjust valves, rotate tires, etc.

 

[shrooms]

Originally Posted By: tpattgeek
It's been 3.5 years, and the car is getting driven less now since we have a newer family vehicle and it's now my work commute car (or single person trip car). It seems I'm doing about 10k miles/year now.

Yes, I know any small amount will add up over years and years, and I know my application doesn't scream synthetic, but I've discussed that here several times with both of my vehicles, and just wanted to talk about Honda vs. M1. I understand people want to help me save money and I do appreciate it, but is the ONLY benefit to synthetic longer OCI's and more detergents? Are the "better cold start protection" and "better engine protection" just myths and will offer absolutely ZERO improvement over any old dino? Maybe I've been mislead by all the syn hype.


Sny is not hype. You want longer OCI's then yes, go for it. But for 5K OCI, no. Not needed. Matter of fact, with today's GF5 standard, they're DESIGNED for longer OCI. So, the choice is yours. Want to spend MORE and waste good oil, your money.

Here's an example of PYB GF5 dino. http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2035641&page=all

Yes, it's 5W30, different engine, etc. But the point is that a $12 oil got great results. The V6 report went for almost 12K! IMAGINE a Civic where they're EASY on oil. You can go 7500 and it won't break a sweat. Shoot, MORE than that!

 

[cp3]

I just got my buddy to check and Honda 0w20 is less than half the price of M1 up here. Cheaper than PP unless it's on sale too!

I agree with the majority though, should go longer on either.