Honda Car Forum

I bought an '03 Element in December which is coming up on 3000 miles. I
asked a kid at the service counter and he told me that Honda says not to do
the first oil change until 7500 miles for proper break in, and that there
were additives in the oil for the purpose of break in.

Should I change the oil for the first time in my new Honda at 3000 miles, or
wait 7500 miles like this kid says?

Thanks,


Jason

"Jason Mc New" <gennief@noverizonspam.com> wrote in message
news:41ca80b59fc516ec4f56210f6f3b6c8c@news.teranew s.com...
> I bought an '03 Element in December which is coming up on 3000 miles. I
> asked a kid at the service counter and he told me that Honda says not to
do
> the first oil change until 7500 miles for proper break in, and that there
> were additives in the oil for the purpose of break in.
>
> Should I change the oil for the first time in my new Honda at 3000 miles,
or
> wait 7500 miles like this kid says?

Check the book that came with it.
Look in the glovebox.

Well, that would be the obvious answer and the manual does say to change it
every 7500. I'm looking for the opinion of the Honda hardend wrench turners
in here. This is my first new car (and my first Honda) and I plan to do all
of the maintenence on my own, as I always have on all my vehicles. I grew
my wrench turning abilities on VW's so Honda-ism is new to me.


Jason



"Stephen Bigelow" <sbigelowPOV@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:X9uXb.13181$iVf1.3254@twister01.bloor.is.net. cable.rogers.com...
>
> "Jason Mc New" <gennief@noverizonspam.com> wrote in message
> news:41ca80b59fc516ec4f56210f6f3b6c8c@news.teranew s.com...
> > I bought an '03 Element in December which is coming up on 3000 miles. I
> > asked a kid at the service counter and he told me that Honda says not to
> do
> > the first oil change until 7500 miles for proper break in, and that
there
> > were additives in the oil for the purpose of break in.
> >
> > Should I change the oil for the first time in my new Honda at 3000
miles,
> or
> > wait 7500 miles like this kid says?
>
> Check the book that came with it.
> Look in the glovebox.
>
>

"Jason Mc New" <gennief@noverizonspam.com> wrote in message
news:41ca80b59fc516ec4f56210f6f3b6c8c@news.teranew s.com...
> I bought an '03 Element in December which is coming up on 3000 miles. I
> asked a kid at the service counter and he told me that Honda says not to
do
> the first oil change until 7500 miles for proper break in, and that there
> were additives in the oil for the purpose of break in.
>
> Should I change the oil for the first time in my new Honda at 3000 miles,
or
> wait 7500 miles like this kid says?

Our local Honda dealer said exactly the same thing when I brought my wife's
Pilot in at 3700 miles. Honda apparently has put the word out to its
dealers that 7,500 is the preferred 1st service to allow the engine to break
in properly. The oil is (I was told) a special break-in oil.


>
> Thanks,
>
>
> Jason
>
>

After a bit of Googling that does seem to be the correct answer. Is there a
certain type of oil filter you guys prefer in here for these engines? The
VW crowd is vehemently for/against various filters and has a lot of
supporting documentation. After owning VW's my whole life I now have an
Element, and Impreza and an 85 Mustang. Go figure. Change is good though,
I guess.


Jason


"twaugh5" <twaugh5@cox.net> wrote in message
news:aUwXb.57655$u_6.13713@lakeread04...
>
> "Jason Mc New" <gennief@noverizonspam.com> wrote in message
> news:41ca80b59fc516ec4f56210f6f3b6c8c@news.teranew s.com...
> > I bought an '03 Element in December which is coming up on 3000 miles. I
> > asked a kid at the service counter and he told me that Honda says not to
> do
> > the first oil change until 7500 miles for proper break in, and that
there
> > were additives in the oil for the purpose of break in.
> >
> > Should I change the oil for the first time in my new Honda at 3000
miles,
> or
> > wait 7500 miles like this kid says?
>
> Our local Honda dealer said exactly the same thing when I brought my
wife's
> Pilot in at 3700 miles. Honda apparently has put the word out to its
> dealers that 7,500 is the preferred 1st service to allow the engine to
break
> in properly. The oil is (I was told) a special break-in oil.
>
>
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> >
> > Jason
> >
> >
>
>

"Jason Mc New" wrote in message
> This is my first new car (and my first Honda) and I plan to do all
> of the maintenence on my own, as I always have on all my vehicles. I
grew
> my wrench turning abilities on VW's so Honda-ism is new to me.

Even the new VWs don't require a first oil change until 10K miles nowadays.
I'd follow the owner's manual...

Cheers,

Pete

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 18:26:14 GMT, "Jason Mc New"
<gennief@noverizonspam.com> wrote:

>I bought an '03 Element in December which is coming up on 3000 miles. I
>asked a kid at the service counter and he told me that Honda says not to do
>the first oil change until 7500 miles for proper break in, and that there
>were additives in the oil for the purpose of break in.

Yes Honda does say that the oil is special. If you register at Honda Owner
Link and look in the maintenance FAQs you'll find this:

" Your Honda engine was delivered with an oil that is specially
formulated for new engines that have not yet developed their "natural" wear
patterns and may contain minute particles from the manufacturing process.

American Honda strongly recommends this special oil be left in the
engine long enough for these wear patterns to develop, usually until the
first maintenance interval specified in your Owner's Manual, based on your
specific driving conditions."

>Should I change the oil for the first time in my new Honda at 3000 miles, or
>wait 7500 miles like this kid says?

IMO it depends on which maintenance schedule you intend to follow based on
climate and driving profile - normal or severe. Personally I tend to
choose somewhere in the middle and change my oil every 5K miles so that's
what I use for a new car's first change.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

Don't do it till 20,000 miles. Honda oil is from dinosaurs and you know how
long they lasted in the ground, millions of years!




How to turn off 'Maintenance Required" light:

1. Hold trip/reset button on dash
2. Turn key to "ON" or start engine
3. Hold button til light goes out

On 15 Feb 2004 15:47:43 GMT, drpimpdaddi@aol.complaint (He Hate
Retards) wrote:

>Don't do it till 20,000 miles. Honda oil is from dinosaurs and you know how
>long they lasted in the ground, millions of years!

if (you == !helpful) {
sky=blue;
}

ook at that funny book they put in your glove box. Read what they say
about the first oil change and go by it (and yes, the kid is right).

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 18:26:14 GMT, "Jason Mc New"
<gennief@noverizonspam.com> wrote:

>I bought an '03 Element in December which is coming up on 3000 miles. I
>asked a kid at the service counter and he told me that Honda says not to do
>the first oil change until 7500 miles for proper break in, and that there
>were additives in the oil for the purpose of break in.
>
>Should I change the oil for the first time in my new Honda at 3000 miles, or
>wait 7500 miles like this kid says?
>
>Thanks,
>
>
>Jason
>