I don't think it'd be possible as the fit sits pretty low. I use ramps and take my time so maybe 20 minutes. You could probably do it in half the time but I don't like to rush things. 20 minutes is still less time than driving to dealership, waiting and then getting the inevitable your blinker fluid is low up sell before checking out.

 

When in the honda manual in mexico(where it is produce) it says you can use whichever oil you want. Well almost all. It is weird how in the USA the specification of the same car is so different while using the same parts.

I'd go with 5w30 synthetic. It has higher viscosity thus better protection. Pennzoil is the best out there for the price according to a bobsoil experiment an group chat. And mobil1 synthetic filter is the best and the second best was fram xtra guard.

By the way, how many miles does your mm says to change your oil in average?

 

Why does the manual say: "If a message SERVICE does not appear more than 12 months after the display is reset, change the engine oil every year". Why does the oil need to be changed in cars with low annual miles?

 

To be on the safe side and to get you to look at other possible problems while you are changing the oil. I agree that oil does not deteriorate over one year. Have you ever noticed that race cars are perfectly clean? Because cleaning it opens the opportunity to inspect potential problems.

 

Low mileage short trips and lots of cold engine operation leads to buildup of condensation (water) in the crankcase and fuel dilution of the engine oil. Neither are good for the engine.

 

I am surprised the maintenance minder does not report 0% at 12 months.

 

This makes me think it has something to do with US EPA rules.
I imagine a thicker oil will slightly reduce MPG and slightly increase emission.
So, EPS rules probably forbid Honda from telling us Americans to use "any" oil, even if Honda engineer designed the FIT to take any oil. Also, I'm sure accountants and lawyers at Honda America has their say when writing the owners manual.

I can't imagine Honda engineers would design a car that can only accept one type of oil.
That just don't make engineering sense. Also don't make business sense.
Honda sells its cars all over the world...most places don't have fancy high tech synthetic oil available.
I think Honda has very good engineers that can design very robust engine to take a wide range of oil .

And, 0W oil is so thin, that I'm scared to use it in the very hot summer climate.
In winter okay.
And if Mexico Honda owners manual is saying its okay, then I'm going to use 5W in the summer.

 

Acids can also appear in the oil after relatively little use. Ultimately these acids can etch metal. This is not an issue over the course of several hours and 500 miles in a race, but sitting inside an engine for a couple of years they can have an effect. Some people will keep their synthetic oils in a car for more than a year, but the people I know who do this will send their engine oil out for lab testing periodically.

Seems easier to just change the oil.

 

The maintenance minder system doesn't have its own clock and calendar. Yet.

What's climate got to do with anything?
The normal operating temperature of the engine is 180-212*F (ish) regardless of the ambient temps and climate.

EPA fuel economy rules have a bit to do with the requirement for thinner oils, but at the same time lubrication technology has advanced at an exponential rate over the last few decades.

The oils we use today are nothing like the oils your father/grandfather had to use.
Current oils are MUCH better---- and the engines are designed to use them.

Just wait, 0w16 oil is already here and approved for use in some Fits.

 

But, my plymouth calls for straight 30 weight oil, good luck finding it in a name brand. In my hondas I run the mobil 1 five quart from walmart. $23 of oil, honda filter, and change it at 7K miles.

 

The internal engine temperature is like 1800 deg F.
Such intense heat has to be extracted from the engine, by the cooling system.
The cooling system efficiency is affected by ambient temperaturs.

 

My 20+ year old Altima has 250,000+ miles, and had nothing but cheap dinosaur Valovline oil. And it still running good.

Man...if the fancy synthetic oil is as awesome as advertised, then newer cars nowadays should last 500,000 miles!!!

 

Yes perhaps the engine will last 500,000 miles, but the car body around it will have completely fallen apart from the rust. A long lasting engine is worthless when the sheet metal can't match that life span.

 

Cars don't seem to rust much these days. It's more like something goes wrong and it'd cost $1500 to fix. The car's worth only $2000 and you know another $1500 repair is coming soon. So you scrap the car.

 

Rust belt here. Some cars have rust holes in 10 years or less.
You gotta mile 'em out before they rot away here.


Our 07 Fit has a lot of rust along the bottom edges of the doors.

 

Weird. My NY area village salts the roads like they're margaritas. I've kept cars 15 years, no rust. And I park outside.

 

My grandpa's car has alot of rust underneath near the jack points.
My guess is becuase he took his car to Jiffy Lube and cheap mechanics alot, and they carelessly used lifting equipment and damaged the bottom of his car. The damages removed the paint, and probably what caused rust over time.

I do all the work myself, and I take great care to not damage or scratch anything when I put the car on stands.

 

Thumbs up for the XG7317 from Fram. I opened up mine. This thing is built like a tank. On my 2nd filter now. I used the XG series in my civic too.








Fram XG7317 - Carnage at a glance.



Fram XG7317 - Close up



Fram XG7317 - Mesh closeup



Fram XG7317 - Mesh and Filter Media separated



Fram XG7317 - Mesh cutout



Fram XG7317 - Magnet residuals



Fram XG7317 - Inside before dissection



Fram XG7317 - New filter inside

 

I think this video is pretty informative in what filters are made and with is the best for you money and performance.


For those who will not like to see the video the Fram Pro Synthetic is the best for the price and the best performance is the WIX XP.

In another forum I found that the best oil was the pennzoil platinum ultra 5w30 with using equipment to compete all.

 

Takes me at least 1.5 hr to change oil.... including setting up and wrapping up. I have to jack up one side of the car to get to the fasteners. I don't fit under otherwise, and neither does my screw driver.