So I am bringing in my 09 Fit Sport for its first service a state inspection. I bought the car in july '09, it currently has 3400+ miles on it. The oil indicator says 70%, i didn't drive the car from nov '09 to april '10. The dealer is suggesting when i bring the car in to change the oil because they say they prefer to change it when the indicator is at 20% or the oil is over 6months old. Any advice? I'd hate to waste the first free oil change unless i don't have to.

 

The absolute longest I would go without an oil change would be 1 year regardless of low mileage.

 

I would pose that question to Honda corporate. Your manual says not to change the break-in oil until a certain mileage point and does not specify a time limit, so I would wait if I were you. I wouldn't change it until ~5k at the earliest, but that's me

I'm pretty sure somebody had contacted honda about this in another thread and they were advised to wait and not change it early.

 

But the owners manual does have a note about time limit:

On page 251.

 

That's not a reference to the first oil change, and a previous reset would not have yet occurred.

 

How much are you driving it now that you're back doing so? If I was back driving the car regularly and it was behaving perfectly fine and gas mileage was reasonable, I'd be inclined to wait and follow the MM. I don't have technical knowledge to say anything bad happens to the oil if it's left sitting for six months not in use. That could be a determining factor, as well as where the car was sitting for that long, perhaps. But if nothing bad happens to oil sitting for six months, I'd stick with it until you get some more miles out of it. But that's an uneducated opinion. I'm guessing there would be no consequence either way....a guess, mind you. Albeit, you'd give up that first free oil change early. I just changed mine a couple weeks ago and chose to do it at my mechanic, and I decided to go with full synthetic. So I gave up my freebie too- in spades, in the name of peace of mind that a solid mechanic was noodling rather than a dealer who I don't know at all. Choices, choices. Make a desicion as informed as you can get and run with it. I can't imagine in your case it's critical either way.

Dan

 

Well, i've been driving the car mostly to work...which is 5 miles each way, stop and go traffic, 3x a week. Otherwise i'm walking or using the subway. My other car a 01 Mercedes (the car i drove from nov-april)has a similar maintainence minder, but it counts down from 10,000 miles..but that car uses synthetic oil ( that car has gone about 4k miles this year). The Mercedes mechanic wanted me to change it every 5k miles but he was also charging me $125 to change the oil, I didn't realize that until i went over my bills carefully not too long ago ( the oil change was lumped into other repair items whenever i got the car serviced). I'm taking that car to a diff. mechanic btw. That car is also coming up on a year since last oil change.

As for the honda it runs great, the gas mileage is great. A tank of gas is lasting me 3-4 weeks. I don't drive it crazy either. When I made the service appointment, they said they recommend changing it but its totally up to me.

I didn't know the car had break in oil...and no i haven't read the owner's manual either.

 

A lot has been said here about this whole thing in the past, including the break in oil. Since I believed it was necessary to let the break in run it's course, I waited until my MM was at 15% and then went in. My mileage was at 6,500. My mechanic left the decision of whether to go full synthetic [mobile 1] up to me but swore by it in his honda accord and many customers raving about it who passed 200,000 and still going strong for using it- testimonies and picks on the wall too! I was on the fence about it going in, but decided to to go for it. I will continue to do so for the life of my Fit. I feel it likes it a whole bunch. Head game, I suppose! But he told me it'll be good for 7,500 easy before the next change. Given your driving habits with the Fit, I wouldn't be surprised if you see the MM drop at a fairly decent pace, as opposed to all highway and longer trips. I usually short hop, like you, and at 6,500 it was down to 15% and nagging me. You'd surely be about the same if not for a six month sideline. My vote- ride it out. Take care.

Dan

 

Lol, this topic comes up once every 2 weeks. Where are the threads about getting 150hp for $200? I could use one of those.

 

My recommendation....don't change the break in oil until you reach at least 100% on your oil-minder... , even if it is over 12 months. You won't be putting break-in oil again. This oil has wear characteristics ,that the oil you put in, will not. My experience is mostly with 4 cylinder aircraft engines, but, it is the same principle for break-in of metal parts. I can tell you that many people I've known, have had problems not seating their rings properly when they changed to regular oil too soon. I can only guess that "parts-is-parts" and the same can occur in auto engines, as well.

 

i would leave it in just because of the factory fill oil they put in is to coat internals really well with that moly disulfide stuff for protection.

BUT think about it.. if a car has been sitting in the lot at the dealership for over 6 months or so... i doubt they will change the oil because of how long its been.

that would be enough for like a 10-15 year old car.. 3400 miles, but these new cars take like 10k before needing an oil change.

i also been in a situation like you where i didn't drive the car for a long time. and i went ahead and changed it because of the time the oil has been in the car instead of how many miles i driven, and that oil was like brand new when i changed it... felt like a waste. (this happened on my first car, all my other cars i drive WAY too much)