Honda Car Forum

I know this subject is beaten to death, but my situation is a little
different. 2004 Civic LX purchased June 28. Severe driving is 5,000
miles/6 months, but, while my driving is severe (almost all city stop and
go), there is very little of it. I am coming up to 6 months and only have
3,000 miles on the car. So the question is, should the first oil change be
based on mileage or time? the maintenance schedule isn't specific on this.
note that if I can resist temptation I plan to die with this car (not in it,
just with it)

somewhere someone said

> I know this subject is beaten to death, but my situation is a little
> different. 2004 Civic LX purchased June 28. Severe driving is 5,000
> miles/6 months, but, while my driving is severe (almost all city stop and
> go), there is very little of it. I am coming up to 6 months and only have
> 3,000 miles on the car. So the question is, should the first oil change be
> based on mileage or time? the maintenance schedule isn't specific on this.
> note that if I can resist temptation I plan to die with this car (not in it,
> just with it)
>
>

I say RTMF ...

--
Rob Fruth - Houston, Tx
http://www.rfruth.net

1981 Raleigh for errands & fun ____ __o
1997 Trek 2300 for real fun ! ____ _ \ | _)
2000 Civic hatchback (_)/ (_)

steve eddy wrote:

> I know this subject is beaten to death, but my situation is a little
> different. 2004 Civic LX purchased June 28. Severe driving is 5,000
> miles/6 months, but, while my driving is severe (almost all city stop and
> go), there is very little of it. I am coming up to 6 months and only have
> 3,000 miles on the car. So the question is, should the first oil change be
> based on mileage or time? the maintenance schedule isn't specific on this.
> note that if I can resist temptation I plan to die with this car (not in it,
> just with it)
>
>
eh, id change it next june.

"steve eddy" <seddy@nospam.socal.rr.com> floridly penned in
news:zkPtd.5835$Ew6.1345@twister.socal.rr.com:

> I know this subject is beaten to death, but my situation is a little
> different. 2004 Civic LX purchased June 28. Severe driving is 5,000
> miles/6 months, but, while my driving is severe (almost all city stop
> and go), there is very little of it. I am coming up to 6 months and
> only have 3,000 miles on the car. So the question is, should the
> first oil change be based on mileage or time? the maintenance schedule
> isn't specific on this. note that if I can resist temptation I plan to
> die with this car (not in it, just with it)
>
>



If you plan to "die with this car" then I would protect my $$$ investment
$$$ by asking the dealer that question.

Oil changes must be done with time as a factor as well as mileage. If you
have that few miles on your car, then the car is sitting idle for long
periods of time and/or being driven for short runs.

Long idleness and short runs causes water, fuel and acids to build up in
the oil, leading to sludge and internal damage. If the oil is left in too
long, and yours *has* been left in too long, you will chew up your crank
bearings and cylinder bores very quickly, as well as sludging up your
motor.

It sounds as though the oil has never been changed since you bought your
car, so that is a confounding factor, and there will be lots of metal
shavings in the oil from the bores breaking in. You've spent lots of money
putting yourself in this vehicle, so I would recommend speaking to your
dealer or directly to American Honda about this before you do irreparable
harm to your motor.

If it were me, I'd change the oil right away, and every four months
thereafter regardless of mileage. And use an OEM filter.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

thanks for the advice! I shall follow it

"TeGGer®" <teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> wrote in message
news:Xns95BA6395E804Fteggeratistop@207.14.113.17.. .
> "steve eddy" <seddy@nospam.socal.rr.com> floridly penned in
> news:zkPtd.5835$Ew6.1345@twister.socal.rr.com:
>
>> I know this subject is beaten to death, but my situation is a little
>> different. 2004 Civic LX purchased June 28. Severe driving is 5,000
>> miles/6 months, but, while my driving is severe (almost all city stop
>> and go), there is very little of it. I am coming up to 6 months and
>> only have 3,000 miles on the car. So the question is, should the
>> first oil change be based on mileage or time? the maintenance schedule
>> isn't specific on this. note that if I can resist temptation I plan to
>> die with this car (not in it, just with it)
>>
>>
>
>
>
> If you plan to "die with this car" then I would protect my $$$ investment
> $$$ by asking the dealer that question.
>
> Oil changes must be done with time as a factor as well as mileage. If you
> have that few miles on your car, then the car is sitting idle for long
> periods of time and/or being driven for short runs.
>
> Long idleness and short runs causes water, fuel and acids to build up in
> the oil, leading to sludge and internal damage. If the oil is left in too
> long, and yours *has* been left in too long, you will chew up your crank
> bearings and cylinder bores very quickly, as well as sludging up your
> motor.
>
> It sounds as though the oil has never been changed since you bought your
> car, so that is a confounding factor, and there will be lots of metal
> shavings in the oil from the bores breaking in. You've spent lots of money
> putting yourself in this vehicle, so I would recommend speaking to your
> dealer or directly to American Honda about this before you do irreparable
> harm to your motor.
>
> If it were me, I'd change the oil right away, and every four months
> thereafter regardless of mileage. And use an OEM filter.
>
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

In article <Xns95BA6395E804Fteggeratistop@207.14.113.17>,
"TeGGer®" <teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> wrote:

> If it were me, I'd change the oil right away, and every four months
> thereafter regardless of mileage. And use an OEM filter.

Me too.

If you run the numbers and figure one oil change/year (because you're
being cheap) vs. three oil changes/year, you'll discover after ten years
that you've done an extra 20 oil changes. At $25 per, that's an extra
$500 out of pocket you'll have paid.

And you'll have a well-running engine because of it.

Or, you could be cheap and save the $500 over ten years, and in 5 years
have an engine that's a piece of crap because you didn't do something as
cheap, quick, and easy as change the freaking oil.

So I say he should go ahead and save the $50/year, and put it toward
something else. Maybe his new car fund.

You messed up with the acronym. Should be RTFM. Unless your joke was
too subtle and way over my head.

TeGGer® wrote:
> If it were me, I'd change the oil right away, and every four months
> thereafter regardless of mileage. And use an OEM filter.

id change every year with mobil1 and an OEM filter.

Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:

> Or, you could be cheap and save the $500 over ten years, and in 5 years
> have an engine that's a piece of crap because you didn't do something as
> cheap, quick, and easy as change the freaking oil.

or just go with mobil1... but not until tis broken in.

In article <kV7ud.215803$HA.76918@attbi_s01>,
SoCalMike <mikein562athotmail@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Elmo P. Shagnasty wrote:
>
> > Or, you could be cheap and save the $500 over ten years, and in 5 years
> > have an engine that's a piece of crap because you didn't do something as
> > cheap, quick, and easy as change the freaking oil.
>
> or just go with mobil1... but not until tis broken in.

While it's true that Mobile 1 won't break down and lose its critical
lubricating qualities as quickly as dino oil will under those
conditions, the fact remains that he'll have accumulated water and acids
suspended in the oil as a result of his driving patterns.

I'm thinking it's best to remove the contaminants from the system.

So the question becomes: do you do Mobile 1 once a year, or dino 3
times a year to remove the contaminants from the system?

I don't think Mobile 1 helps, at least so much, in this environment.
Now, show me a 'Vette that's being hard charged, then yeah--you want
something like Mobile 1.