Oil Change

Hello all, I am new to the group and I need to find out when I take my car
to get the very FIRST oil change at 3000 miles, should I use synthetic or
regular dino oil or synthetic blend for a 2004 Civic LX. It's a brand new
car which I've had for a month now. And would it be ok to use 10w-30 instead
of the 5w-something which I can't remember at the moment.

Thanks,

Savalas

 

Well, you start by NOT taking your car for it's first oil change at 3000
miles. You wait like it says in the manual.

 

If your thinking of takeing it in for an oil change, why in the hell would
you ask for, or even consider the wrong weight of oil. 10w-30?.

Would it be ok roll through a RED light at an intersection, at rush hour?

Tom.

 

If you're going to do every 3000 miles, dino is fine. Actually, ever
5000 miles, dino is fine. I moved to a 5000 mile interval a few years
ago; oils and engines are far better than they were even 15 years ago.

There's word out there that Honda uses a special break-in oil that
shouldn't be changed before 5000 miles under any circumstances, and that
Honda's 7500 mile specification should really be used for this first
change.

Use the oil that the owner's manual specifies. I shake my head in
wonder at people who think they're smarter than the engineers who built
the thing, and who want to ignore what those engineers say about the oil
that should be used.

 

Savalas,


If it were my car that I wanted to keep until the wheels fall off-- if you
are in it for the life of the car-- this is what I would do--

Change the oil at 3,000 mile intervals with dino oil for the first 9-12
thousand miles.

Use Mobil 1 synthetic after that with a 4,000 to 5,000 mile drain interval.

Mobil 1 just started making an oil ( I believe it is 5w-30 for the purpose
of the honda engines and other imports that call for 5w-20)

Why use 10w30-- you do not need it-- that is an old engine myth-- use
heavier oil in the summer than in the winter.

Just use the oil recommended by Honda and change it more oftern -- I do not
care what anyone says-- a 7,500 mile drain interval is just too long for the
long term. It would get you through the first 100,000 miles, but how much
trouble is it to change it at 4-5 thousand and insure a longer engine life?

These are just my opinions,

Matthew Brown
Memphis

 

Using the wrong grade of oil can void your warranty.

 

The only people advocating 3000 mi. oil changes are the franchise that offer
that service.

With the chemistry in today's oil 7500 mi intervals are in order.

Your just throwing your money away, at 3k unless you do short trips where
the engine does not warm up to normal operateing temp.

My sons 87 Civic has 202k sometimes oil intervals are at 8k doesn't smoke,
plenty of power, inside the valve cover clean also.

Synethic oil money wasted!

My .02 cents

Tom

 

I advise you not to use synthetic oil. You should change your oil every
3000 miles if you do a lot of city driving. If you rarely drive in the
city, you should change it every 5000 miles.

Use the type of oil listed in the owner's manual or ask the service
manager at the local Honda dealership what type of oil you should use in
your car.

 

As other have mentioned, wait till 5,000 miles to change the oil initially,
as a special break in oil is used, and if you want to go to a 3,000 mile
interval afterwards, thats fine. My Honda dealership actually uses a 4,000
mile interval. As for using synthetic, I believe some have said to wait
till at least 10,000 miles before making the switch. I keep using the dino
stuff personally.