'03 Accord oil change interval...

Researching google, I still see a lot of people recommending 3,000 mile oil
changes even though the Accord manual clearly states 5,000 miles for extreme
conditions, 10,000 miles for normal conditions.

Just wondering why people still believe the 3,000 mile interval is the way
to go and what interval are others using with their new Accords?

 

Who are these people? Why do we suppose that they are more
knowledgable than Honda?

For that matter, what is the scientific basis for the 3K oil change
anyway. You can't tell me that after multiple years of development
both in engines and oil that it hasn't affected the optimal interval
for changing oil. My guess is that this is something promoted by the
oil industry to sell more frequent oil changes.

 

I should have stated in my last post that I am following Honda's
recommendations. I have just under 4,000 miles on my car right now and it
has not had an oil change. I am using the 5,000 mile intervals. My theory
is sounding similar to yours: Honda engineers have much better insight than
anybody else as to what the optimal oil change interval should be. I guess
I am really just wondering what people are basing this on. Maybe people
have been so used to and conditioned to changing oil at 3,000 miles that
anything that deviates from that (even when informed to deviate from it by
the engineers that designed your car) is wrong.

And, more so, I was really just curious if anyone is still following the
3,000 mile "normal" interval.

I think you make some good points here, especially about the oil industry.

 

I disagree. Changing the oil at 3,000 miles is damn cheap insurance,
especially if you have the gumption to get the coveralls on and do it
yourself.

I have owned many cars, new and not-so-new. And the cars that ran the
best, smoked the least, and had the quietest, cleanest engines were
the ones that had been maintained along a schedule similar to this. My
1989 Jetta had 3,000 mile oil changes its whole life and ran like a
Swiss watch at 196,000 miles, long after most top ends are tapping
noisily and bottom ends begin to smoke. It used no oil between
changes. None.

Just do it. The only exception is the break-in oil that manufacturers
put in during the initial 5,000 miles. That should be left as is.

Bob

 

| Researching google, I still see a lot of people recommending 3,000 mile
oil
| changes even though the Accord manual clearly states 5,000 miles for
extreme
| conditions, 10,000 miles for normal conditions.
|
| Just wondering why people still believe the 3,000 mile interval is the way
| to go and what interval are others using with their new Accords?
|
|
One reason for the extended change interval is to improve the total cost of
ownership that Honda uses to compare itself to other makers. If you drive
under the severe conditions described in the manual, change at least every
5k miles. The oil isn't necessarily broken down, but can be contaminated
with combustion junk and water from condensation. If it is a new engine,
keep the original oil in there as recommended in the manual to aid the break
in of the motor. I plan to follow the owners manual with my new '03. I
used the 3k rule for my '95 though.

 

The manual for my '03 says to change the oil every 3,750 miles for severe
conditions.

 

You have the V6, which is what my manual states as well. I have the 4cyl
which is 5,000 miles for severe conditions.
4cyl severe conditions, page 252 of the manual.
V6 severe conditions, page 257 of the manual.

 

thats what spiffy loobe sez, and theyre always right.

me? mobil1, every 7500. honda filter.

 

those veedubs NEEDED frequent oil changes, since their tolerances were so
low. they also required 20w50 so the oil wouldnt blow past the rings as fast

 

Then we can start changing our tires when they're 25% worn, you know, just
in case...
And the timing belt after 30000 miles, because you don't want that to
brake...
And don't forget to flush your coolant every year...

BTW, my parents is law had 3 Jettas with over 450000 km (300000 miles). On
all of them tge body gave up before the engine.

 

Following that logic, if you change it every 2,000 miles, the car last
even longer. Or 1,000 miles or 500 miles. There has to be a point
where more frequent oil changes do not have any impact on the life of
the car. Simply stating that it is true doesn't make it so.

That's your experience. The same kind of person that regularly changes
the oil also does other maintenance. That could have had as much or
more impact on long life than the oil change. If you have changed the
oil every 7,500 miles, there's no evidence that the car wouldn't be
running just as well today as it apparently is.

I've maintained my 1995 Camry reasonably well, but certainly not at
the level of always doing oil changes at 3,000 miles. I'd vary between
5,000 and probably 7-8,000 miles, i.e., when I got a minute to do it.
The car now has 140,000 miles on it, runs like a top, gets great gas
mileage, never uses oil, and so forth.

So other than some conspiracy theory (not you, but I've heard others
say it is some kind of ploy by the car companies), on what basis can
we state that the interval recommended by Honda engineers who know a
lot more about the engine (at least than I do) is wrong, and that
3,000 miles is the magic number. I submit we have no basis what so
ever.

 

I believe this 3K mile interval that is sunk into everyone's head has
got to go. With today's engines having much higher tolerances and the
the quality of oils being so much better (as well as the filters), it's
just too early to change the oil every 3K. This interval may be
appropriate for much older cars with low engine tolerances but really
unnecessary for today's cars. I change mine every 5K miles. Checking
the oil at 3K miles, the oil still had a greenish/light brownish color
to it. It was still clean! At 4K miles, the oil was a light brown
color. At 5K miles, it was a brown but not dark brown or black. This
is where I determine to change the oil. I've stuck to this interval
and my Honda engines (including my NSX) are absolutely clean. The only
thing that 3K mile intervals do is make more money for the oil
companies. I'm not buying into this gimmick at all. Period.

 

Wow... you should be a spokesman for Jiffy Lube!

Most people in Europe have been changing their oil every 10-15K km (6-9K
miles) for decades and after hundreds of thousands of km, their engines are
still good, although other parts may be failing. My dad's Audi had 360K km
when he sold it and nothing wrong with the engine. So, what's your point?

Cheers,

Pete

 

How about the theory that the 5,000 mile change interval
will lead to shorter lifespans for the cars, hence the need
to buy new ones every so often. Not QUITE as often as
the crap put out by the American makers, but sooner
than before 2000.

They will have to pry my cold dead hands off the wheel
of my 96 Civic Coupe which has had its oil changed
faithfully at 2,500- 3,100 of city driving.

Its TWENTY BUCKS to change the oil!!!!

WHY BE SO F*CKING CHEAP?

Its better to change too often than not often enough!
- Zen 101

--


"We should not march into Baghdad. To occupy Iraq would
instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab
world against us and make a broken tyrant into a latter-
day Arab hero. Assigning young soldiers to a fruitless
hunt for a securely entrenched dictator and condemning
them to fight in what would be an unwinable urban guerilla
war, it could only plunge that part of the world into ever
greater instability."
-George H. W. Bush in his 1998 book "A World Transformed"

"There should be limits to freedom."--George W. Bush

"I don't think our troops ought to be used for what's called nation
building."--George W. Bush, 10/11/2000


http://minime.de/bush/
http://www.911pi.com/
http://www.warprofiteers.com/
http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/
http://www.mindprod.com/bush911.html

 

And you are f*cking proud of the fact that you saved a few bucks
at the potential expense of the longevity of your car?

--


"We should not march into Baghdad. To occupy Iraq would
instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab
world against us and make a broken tyrant into a latter-
day Arab hero. Assigning young soldiers to a fruitless
hunt for a securely entrenched dictator and condemning
them to fight in what would be an unwinable urban guerilla
war, it could only plunge that part of the world into ever
greater instability."
-George H. W. Bush in his 1998 book "A World Transformed"

"There should be limits to freedom."--George W. Bush

"I don't think our troops ought to be used for what's called nation
building."--George W. Bush, 10/11/2000


http://minime.de/bush/
http://www.911pi.com/
http://www.warprofiteers.com/
http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/
http://www.mindprod.com/bush911.html

 

BINGO.

--


"We should not march into Baghdad. To occupy Iraq would
instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab
world against us and make a broken tyrant into a latter-
day Arab hero. Assigning young soldiers to a fruitless
hunt for a securely entrenched dictator and condemning
them to fight in what would be an unwinable urban guerilla
war, it could only plunge that part of the world into ever
greater instability."
-George H. W. Bush in his 1998 book "A World Transformed"

"There should be limits to freedom."--George W. Bush

"I don't think our troops ought to be used for what's called nation
building."--George W. Bush, 10/11/2000


http://minime.de/bush/
http://www.911pi.com/
http://www.warprofiteers.com/
http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/
http://www.mindprod.com/bush911.html

 

Oil change...$20. Four new hides....$250.

Oil change...$20. Timing belt AND water pump....$500

Can't HURT!

--


"We should not march into Baghdad. To occupy Iraq would
instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab
world against us and make a broken tyrant into a latter-
day Arab hero. Assigning young soldiers to a fruitless
hunt for a securely entrenched dictator and condemning
them to fight in what would be an unwinable urban guerilla
war, it could only plunge that part of the world into ever
greater instability."
-George H. W. Bush in his 1998 book "A World Transformed"

"There should be limits to freedom."--George W. Bush

"I don't think our troops ought to be used for what's called nation
building."--George W. Bush, 10/11/2000


http://minime.de/bush/
http://www.911pi.com/
http://www.warprofiteers.com/
http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/
http://www.mindprod.com/bush911.html

 

And that point, as you believe it to be, is.........??????

--


"We should not march into Baghdad. To occupy Iraq would
instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab
world against us and make a broken tyrant into a latter-
day Arab hero. Assigning young soldiers to a fruitless
hunt for a securely entrenched dictator and condemning
them to fight in what would be an unwinable urban guerilla
war, it could only plunge that part of the world into ever
greater instability."
-George H. W. Bush in his 1998 book "A World Transformed"

"There should be limits to freedom."--George W. Bush

"I don't think our troops ought to be used for what's called nation
building."--George W. Bush, 10/11/2000


http://minime.de/bush/
http://www.911pi.com/
http://www.warprofiteers.com/
http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/
http://www.mindprod.com/bush911.html

 

Define "shorter". Anyone can have a theory if they don't have to prove it.
So can I...

So what if your engine will last 500K miles instead of 400K miles because
you changed your oil more frequently? By that time, plenty of other things
will go wrong with the car to the point where it becomes too expensive to
maintain it anyway. I'd rather save the time and money and not pollute the
environment. If my car wasn't turbocharged, I'd change its oil every 10K
miles, but since it is, I do it every 5K.

Cheers,

Pete

 

This article is from September '98 Honda Service News

Don't Replace Original Engine Oil Too Soon
NOTE: This article originally appeared in the August
’96 issue of S/N.

On all Hondas (except Passport), the original engine oil
contains additives to protect the engine during its
break-in period. Since these additives aren’t in
over-the-counter oils, make sure the first oil change
happens at the recommended mileage/time interval, and
not before.

--


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