My 2011 Honda Fit "Severe Service" journal...
Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 197
From: SAN JUAN PR
Oil change
what % was the MM at when you changed it at 1200 miles? 80%?
As for oil change costs, I've said it before. My Local Honda Dealer here in VT charges me under $40 for a Full M1 Synthetic oil change. They advertise a package deal as well for $53 on any vehicle (up to 5 Qts which is most any honda) which includes a few extras. It's on their web page...
Severe... Please stop posting info like it is Gospel. Posting your experiences is one thing but posting them as if they were cold hard facts is another.
Why is this thread in the GE General section anyway? Shouldn't it be under the reader's rides section?
~SB
As for oil change costs, I've said it before. My Local Honda Dealer here in VT charges me under $40 for a Full M1 Synthetic oil change. They advertise a package deal as well for $53 on any vehicle (up to 5 Qts which is most any honda) which includes a few extras. It's on their web page...
Severe... Please stop posting info like it is Gospel. Posting your experiences is one thing but posting them as if they were cold hard facts is another.
Why is this thread in the GE General section anyway? Shouldn't it be under the reader's rides section?
~SB
Thread Starter
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Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 218
From: New York, New York
You guys are right. If you maintain your vehicle well with full synthetic then the dealership wont care on the trade-in and neither will the insurance company if you get your car into an accident. If you plan on trading in your vehicle, then I would suggest finding the cheapest oil change place you can get away with.
In a private sale, receipts and maintenance do matter. If I were looking for a car on the autotrader, it would be somewhat important to me.
My purpose is to take this car to as many miles a possible. So Im going to be anal with the maintenance and use the best oil available which is the full synthetic. Im not sure if it will make a difference or much of a difference, but I want to get at least 200,000 miles out of this car. I dont want to get another car for quite a while. Sometimes there are things that happen in life and I may need to sell this car earlier then that...in that case I want to have a trail of receipts to make it easier to sell.
Many people will probably be better served going to the Firestone place to get their oil changed which is cheaper or an independent mechanic. I guess for at least the first 35000 miles Im going to the dealer so I can keep that paper trail.
In a private sale, receipts and maintenance do matter. If I were looking for a car on the autotrader, it would be somewhat important to me.
My purpose is to take this car to as many miles a possible. So Im going to be anal with the maintenance and use the best oil available which is the full synthetic. Im not sure if it will make a difference or much of a difference, but I want to get at least 200,000 miles out of this car. I dont want to get another car for quite a while. Sometimes there are things that happen in life and I may need to sell this car earlier then that...in that case I want to have a trail of receipts to make it easier to sell.
Many people will probably be better served going to the Firestone place to get their oil changed which is cheaper or an independent mechanic. I guess for at least the first 35000 miles Im going to the dealer so I can keep that paper trail.
Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 197
From: SAN JUAN PR
Oil & break -in
They are.I should have waited a bit longer.Will probably leave that 0-20 M1 in there till the end of January.Winter here is a mild summer elsewhere, but to much stop & go and work is only 20 min ride,(a 20 min Grand Prix), take care man. JJ
Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,417
From: Capital Distric New York
Probably not critical, but when I got the FIT it was one of my first questions to the service department on the day I picked it up. I then researched it have discovered that on some engines a dino oil break-in is recommended. Honda feels this way, at least on the 2010 Fit I bought. I was told to go two oil cycles then switch over.
Now the 2011's + have switched to 0W20 oil, but it's not clear to me if it's synthetic. If they are recommending synthetic oil per owners manual then things have changed.
Now the 2011's + have switched to 0W20 oil, but it's not clear to me if it's synthetic. If they are recommending synthetic oil per owners manual then things have changed.
Thread Starter
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Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 218
From: New York, New York
Yes it is 0W-20 semi-synthetic. I dont know of anyone who makes 0W-20 semi-synth but Kendall. Correct me if Im wrong. I believe the dealership semi-synth is Kendall because who else makes it? I checked and couldnt find Mobil or anyone else.
I use the fully synthetic version. Kendall Motor Oil is what Firestone dealerships use.
I use the fully synthetic version. Kendall Motor Oil is what Firestone dealerships use.
Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,417
From: Capital Distric New York
Trick is what does the owners manual say.
Break-in Period is clearly explained in the 2010 manual stating, among other things: "Do not change the oil until the scheduled maintenance time."
Synthetic oil can be used if meeting the recommended grade and API Certification.
Point I'm making is the importance of keeping the factory oil in for a full cycle.
My dealer said go two cycles then change over - Honda Engineers are particular on engine break-in procedure. Recommendations were supported by my own research into oil mfg and forum searching.
Remember, I'm talking about the factory fill oil in your car's engine as it is delivered to you.
Break-in Period is clearly explained in the 2010 manual stating, among other things: "Do not change the oil until the scheduled maintenance time."
Synthetic oil can be used if meeting the recommended grade and API Certification.
Point I'm making is the importance of keeping the factory oil in for a full cycle.
My dealer said go two cycles then change over - Honda Engineers are particular on engine break-in procedure. Recommendations were supported by my own research into oil mfg and forum searching.
Remember, I'm talking about the factory fill oil in your car's engine as it is delivered to you.
Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 197
From: SAN JUAN PR
oil
Trick is what does the owners manual say.
Break-in Period is clearly explained in the 2010 manual stating, among other things: "Do not change the oil until the scheduled maintenance time."
Synthetic oil can be used if meeting the recommended grade and API Certification.
Point I'm making is the importance of keeping the factory oil in for a full cycle.
My dealer said go two cycles then change over - Honda Engineers are particular on engine break-in procedure. Recommendations were supported by my own research into oil mfg and forum searching.
Remember, I'm talking about the factory fill oil in your car's engine as it is delivered to you.
Break-in Period is clearly explained in the 2010 manual stating, among other things: "Do not change the oil until the scheduled maintenance time."
Synthetic oil can be used if meeting the recommended grade and API Certification.
Point I'm making is the importance of keeping the factory oil in for a full cycle.
My dealer said go two cycles then change over - Honda Engineers are particular on engine break-in procedure. Recommendations were supported by my own research into oil mfg and forum searching.
Remember, I'm talking about the factory fill oil in your car's engine as it is delivered to you.
Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 534
From: Asheville, NC
My dealer charges me $10 for labor and a crush washer on an oil change. I bring my own oil and filter.
They also wash it for free. Tire rotations are $20. Might be a better solution for you.... I also change my oil once it hits 20% on the maintenance minder.
I change the air filter and in-cabin myself once per year. Cost me a whopping $40 for the two. I could DIY my oil change, but I like the fact it shows up on Car Fax that it was "dealer serviced."
They also wash it for free. Tire rotations are $20. Might be a better solution for you.... I also change my oil once it hits 20% on the maintenance minder.
I change the air filter and in-cabin myself once per year. Cost me a whopping $40 for the two. I could DIY my oil change, but I like the fact it shows up on Car Fax that it was "dealer serviced."
Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,462
From: Vermont
What you are stating is probably very true.I keep thinking, does this or would this apply to normal driving only ? my driving is anything but normal, that little engine has been seeing an almost constant life between 5k and 7k rpm,this has been going on since past the 500.0 miles.I guess time will tell how much the break in period was messed up, if any.
~SB
Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 534
From: Asheville, NC
I am right now at 24000 miles on my third oil change. I have changed the oil each time the Maintenance Minder has reached 15% without fail. This time I went to my local Honda dealer, Mahwah Honda in Mahwah NJ, and told them exactly what I wanted. I wanted the oil changed (with my Honda full-synthetic oil), a new oil filter and the tires rotated...they charged me $50. There are many threads on here of guys getting their oil changed at the dealer for a really low amount, but I have not been able to find any cheap Honda dealers...and I have been to 4 of them by now. Dont believe what you read in the forums...if you pull your vehicle into the Honda dealer then be prepared to spend. Firestone dealerships use the same oil which Honda markets and it costs you $60 with fully synthetic oil (not the semi-synthetic bulk stuff the dealership uses). My concern is keeping the Carfax clean showing maintenance consistently at the dealership in the event I need to sell it.
As I left the dealership snow was coming down...the first of the season and it was a mess outside. I thought that with my half-worn Dunlops, the original stock tires, which every forum has spewed venom upon would not be good in traveling in this weather. The Dunlops have 6/32nds of tread left which is the bare minimum recommended by most tire manufacturers for snow climates. I traveled about 30 miles while it was coming down hard and I found the vehicle to handle the snow better then other cars on the road. The stability assist kept kicking in and never did I feel like I was going to get stuck. There were other vehicles on the road traveling with their hazard lights on, but I just went around them laughing.
I have the Base fit which has the skinny 175s on steel wheels which handle a lot better in the snow then the Honda Fit Sport which has 185s on alloys. I imagine if I had the newer Yokos then the car would have handled even better. I didnt need four wheel drive, emergency lighting systems or an SUV...I just needed the Honda Fit with its traction control/stability assist.
As I left the dealership snow was coming down...the first of the season and it was a mess outside. I thought that with my half-worn Dunlops, the original stock tires, which every forum has spewed venom upon would not be good in traveling in this weather. The Dunlops have 6/32nds of tread left which is the bare minimum recommended by most tire manufacturers for snow climates. I traveled about 30 miles while it was coming down hard and I found the vehicle to handle the snow better then other cars on the road. The stability assist kept kicking in and never did I feel like I was going to get stuck. There were other vehicles on the road traveling with their hazard lights on, but I just went around them laughing.
I have the Base fit which has the skinny 175s on steel wheels which handle a lot better in the snow then the Honda Fit Sport which has 185s on alloys. I imagine if I had the newer Yokos then the car would have handled even better. I didnt need four wheel drive, emergency lighting systems or an SUV...I just needed the Honda Fit with its traction control/stability assist.
Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,462
From: Vermont
~SB
Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 534
From: Asheville, NC
LBC, Stick with the Stock tires this winter and go with Snows next. In NC, you don't need the Blizzaks or anything that good. Go with the winterforce tires or some cheaper snows as you really don't need much more than an all season. Here in VT, I ran the OE Bridgestones for the first Winter. Did the same on our altima (also Bridgestone turanzas) and after that, I went with Snows on both. especially since you have so little miles on your OE tires, there is little reason to spend the money on Snows.
~SB
~SB
I living in Huntington VT about 12 years ago. I had a rear-wheel drive pickup; I put studded snows on it and I was probably the slowest driver on the road to Burlington! Beautiful, though--and at least New Englanders know how to drive in snow, unlike people around here in western NC!
Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,417
From: Capital Distric New York
What you are stating is probably very true.I keep thinking, does this or would this apply to normal driving only ? my driving is anything but normal, that little engine has been seeing an almost constant life between 5k and 7k rpm,this has been going on since past the 500.0 miles.I guess time will tell how much the break in period was messed up, if any.
You fly planes and most likely have a better understanding of reliable engine performance than most. Comfort is knowing your Fit isn't going to fall out of the sky.
Honda Engines are near bullet proof by reputation.
Expect a long service life and enjoy the ride ;-)
Damn... Midnight? Even though it's a bit of a ride, might come in handy some times. Thanks for the info.
Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,304
From: Illinois
Dont think it come in conventional, but ConocoPhillips supplies the semi-synthetic and synthetic oil to Honda.
Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 193
From: albany ny
If you go to where the cases of oil are on this page you can see that there is a 12 pack case of 0w-20 for $41....this is the conventional.