Hello all,
I've been a sometimes lurker here for quite some time, but I finally have a reason to register and post. I'm working to ween my girlfriend off of taking her car to the dealer for as many service items as possible. We've recently bought tires from Discount Tires (for about half the $$$ money of her last set from a dealer), gotten a new battery at WalMart (150% longer warranty for 66% of the cost), and now it's time for an oil change (to be performed by yours truly).
I'm sure I could just get brand X oil and a cheap filter in 5w-20 and be along my way, but I thought it might be worth while to solicit some opinions here, given her/our unique (as they might be) circumstances. First, the requested information:
1. What kind of vehicle you have 2002 Honda Civic EX w/ 1.7L engine.
2. What your owner's manual says -- not just viscosity, but certifications (look for acronyms like API SM, ILSAC GF-4, etc.) and change intervals as well From page 209 of the manual: "Always use a premium-grade 5W-20 detergent oil displaying the API Certification Seal."
3. Where you live Houston, Texas (20F on our coldest days, 110F on the warmest, but mostly in the 75-95 range).
4. How you drive (easy? hard? fast? slow?) She is a very very conservative driver, rarely exceeds 2,000 RPM.
5. What your daily drive is like (short trips? long trips? city? highway?) Trips are more occasional than daily, with perhaps 1-2 short (1-3 mile in city) trips per week, and 1-2 mid-range (15-20 mile on highway) trips per week.
6. Whether your car has any known problems The car has only 87,000+ miles on the odo, and is mechanically in perfect condition (no leaks, good mileage, sounds and feels fine).
Additionally, I would add that one of my primary concerns with getting the cheapest 5w-20 I can find is the low mileage per year. Given her current patterns, she has been changing oil on the order of every 18 months or so. She does also travel internationally for periods of sometimes several weeks, so it may happen that the car is not driven for a month or two at a time.
Does this pattern of use justify a blended or pure synthetic to protect against some kind of breakdown? How about a word on filters as well? Would a synthetic element do better in periods of dormancy, or long (per calendar) OCI's?
As with any forum, and on any subject - I certainly appreciate any thoughts, suggestions, references, questions, or other input; and I look forward to reading your comments!
I've been a sometimes lurker here for quite some time, but I finally have a reason to register and post. I'm working to ween my girlfriend off of taking her car to the dealer for as many service items as possible. We've recently bought tires from Discount Tires (for about half the $$$ money of her last set from a dealer), gotten a new battery at WalMart (150% longer warranty for 66% of the cost), and now it's time for an oil change (to be performed by yours truly).
I'm sure I could just get brand X oil and a cheap filter in 5w-20 and be along my way, but I thought it might be worth while to solicit some opinions here, given her/our unique (as they might be) circumstances. First, the requested information:
1. What kind of vehicle you have 2002 Honda Civic EX w/ 1.7L engine.
2. What your owner's manual says -- not just viscosity, but certifications (look for acronyms like API SM, ILSAC GF-4, etc.) and change intervals as well From page 209 of the manual: "Always use a premium-grade 5W-20 detergent oil displaying the API Certification Seal."
3. Where you live Houston, Texas (20F on our coldest days, 110F on the warmest, but mostly in the 75-95 range).
4. How you drive (easy? hard? fast? slow?) She is a very very conservative driver, rarely exceeds 2,000 RPM.
5. What your daily drive is like (short trips? long trips? city? highway?) Trips are more occasional than daily, with perhaps 1-2 short (1-3 mile in city) trips per week, and 1-2 mid-range (15-20 mile on highway) trips per week.
6. Whether your car has any known problems The car has only 87,000+ miles on the odo, and is mechanically in perfect condition (no leaks, good mileage, sounds and feels fine).
Additionally, I would add that one of my primary concerns with getting the cheapest 5w-20 I can find is the low mileage per year. Given her current patterns, she has been changing oil on the order of every 18 months or so. She does also travel internationally for periods of sometimes several weeks, so it may happen that the car is not driven for a month or two at a time.
Does this pattern of use justify a blended or pure synthetic to protect against some kind of breakdown? How about a word on filters as well? Would a synthetic element do better in periods of dormancy, or long (per calendar) OCI's?
As with any forum, and on any subject - I certainly appreciate any thoughts, suggestions, references, questions, or other input; and I look forward to reading your comments!