"Oakparker" <oakparker@gmail.com> wrote
> Two comments on the discussion:
>
> 1. I understand that maintenance and service needs will be
different
> for every driver.

IMO, this was a valid basis before the advent of technology
that allowed direct monitoring of engine etc. wear. From my
reading of this Maintenance Minder system, a computer
effectively gages the wear on an engine's parts better than
a guesstimate of any individual's driver's habits. It does
make perfect sense, and in theory, it should save the owner
money on maintenance and repairs. How this will pan out in
practice is something else.

In addition, note the little blurb I posted before says the
computer "judges your driving conditions and habits" in
determining, for one, when the oil should be changed next.
So it /is/ monitoring every driver's habits.

> However, we do not want to be in a position where
> we are in the middle of nowhere and suddenly a light comes
on for a
> requirement for significant maintenance.

I think you're underestimating the thoughtfulness of the
design of this system.

ISTM that when the code for changing the oil comes on the
dash, that means you have, say, another 1000 miles or so to
go before things even begin to look grim.

Just consider the margin of error behind the old-fashioned
(in comparison) recommendation to change one's oil every,
say, 5000 miles. Will the engine catastrophically fail if it
is instead changed at 5500 miles? Not likely.

Brake pads similarly have a squeal indicator to tell the
driver when the brake pads are low. But the truth is, the
pads need not be changed as soon as the squeal starts.
There's still a fair amount of pad left.

Engine coolant: So what if it goes another week beyond the
two-year spec?

> So, are there any Honda
> manuals that at least have rules of thumb for the major
maintenance
> and service needs?

The Owner's Link I cited before does have mileage guidance
for certain components.

> 2. Concerning the timing belt. When we bought our 2006
Civic LX, the
> dealership told us there is a timing belt and it has to be
replaced
> every 90,000 miles.

Funny dealer. The parts site below confirms the 2006 Civic
LX has a timing chain, like High Tech Misfit suspected. Your
dealer's service people would seem to be not up to date yet
on the latest Hondas.

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...mws/prddisplay.
jsp?inputstate=5&catcgry1=Civic&catcgry2=2006&catc gry3=4DR+L
X&catcgry4=KA5AT&catcgry5=CAMSHAFT-CAM+CHAIN

I know chains don't last forever. OTOH, they're supposed to
last much longer than timing belts. Perhaps the latest
materials are made so the chain is supposed to last the life
of the car, or until certain symptoms are indicated.

The 2006 Honda Ridgeline I mentioned earlier has a timing
belt.

> (This is an improvement on the 1998 Civic which
> needed it replaced every 75,000 miles).

That doesn't sound right for the 1998 Civic, unless it's a
severe driving condition spec. I am too lazy to check at the
moment.