But it's not "all knowing" because the one big thing the computer doesn't do is actually check your oil and measure the contaminants in it and how fast it is breaking down, etc. It measures other factors and extrapolates what might be happening to your oil. Honda will not tell you how the oil monitoring system comes to it's conclusions.

 

It's even better than that. The car has no idea if you really changed the oil when you say you did or if you replaced your used 0w-20 with the finest extra virgin olive oil. Reset the oil life monitor and it will happily show you 100% oil life regardless of what fluid (if any) is in the crankcase.

 

But AI is even worse!

 

I don't know exactly what-all goes into the oil monitor calculation. I do know it's more than just mileage and that the car has access to lots of information that would make a difference. Cold starts, hot starts, temperatures, mileage, even revs. I haven't looked into it. There's a lot about this car I haven't looked into. The car knows it all. How it's worked into the calculation I don't know.

But I think Honda engineers and accountants also know much more about their engines than I do. I don't believe they're willing to put Honda's reputation for engine durability and the company's exposure to engine failures on the line by somehow messing with the oil monitor amount. I take the same approach to the oil wars. I don't give a damn if someone likes to use 5W-30 in their Fit because they've used it for decades and their pappy used it and and and (talk about vibes). Honda says 0W-20 for where I live and the kind of driving I do, so that's what I will use.

If that makes me a sheep, fine. I don't need anyone else's approval. What I've read in this forum and elsewhere is that the oil monitor is a better gauge of oil usage than just straight miles. Want to replace your oil every 3000 miles? Nothing is stopping you but your wallet. A full synth change is not cheap and in most cases it is unnecessary but if it adds to the quality of your life to do it, then go for it. I believe the mileage and driving I do on my Fit is covered by the monitor and it takes into account more than just distance covered, so I'll use it.

 

The car clearly doesn't know it all, since it doesn't know what oil (new vs old, grade, conventional, synthetic) is in the crankcase, and it would seem that regardless of what other metrics are being used the oil would need to be the starting point to calculate oil life remaining, correct?

Out of curiosity, what percentage do you change at, and why? Is your driving relatively consistent over time (e.g., is this your commuter car) and if so does whatever oil life percentage you change at occur at (approximately) the same mileage and time? How long would you go (miles and/or time) before you would change the oil regardless of what the oil life percentage says?

As I mentioned above, based on what I have seen with my 2010 Fit the oil life monitor is telling me that I'm good for 20K+ mile oil change intervals. Seems very risky, even if you ignore the fact that would be 3.5-4 years.

 

I used to change the oil every 3,000 miles/3 months, back when oils cost less than a dollar quart, and an oil filter cost a dollar. Newer engines are built with tighter clearances, so running the straight 30 weight oil from the past wouldn't be a good idea.

I remember cleaning sparks and replacing them very often. Our cars have 100,500 and 112,100 miles with the original plugs. I drove my son's car twenty miles to the Honda dealer last week, and it got 61.5 mpg. In the old days, all I had to do was remove the plug wires and unscrew the plugs. Now, I have to remove all the individual coils and then remove the plugs. I'll get to it one of these days.

I remember VW ads boasting 32 mpg. It doesn't look like they still make them. They're making a new version of the mini-bus, starting at $60,000. 🤣

 

Whaaa?!?!
Have you informed Elon Musk/Jeff Bezos of this?

 

I'm sorry. I misunderstood. AI is already making millions for billionaires, but this is just the beginning. In a few years. AI will be making billions for billionaires. One of the AI systems was developed specifically to help humanity. Then Big Money got involved, and things changed. I don't want to guess at the company and guess wrong.

I went to a high school reunion a couple of weeks ago, and one the guys said his brother is "making money hand over fist with AI." He didn't go into details, and I didn't want to ask.

For the general public, it will be bad news. Although it could do wonders for humanity, AI exists to make the rich richer and the politicians even less honest. It will also make life much easier for scammers.

Aside from the disastrous results of AI pronouncements, the data centers consume ridiculous amounts of electricity and water. The cost of electricity is already increasing in certain areas because of them.

 

If you need to win this one, congratulatsions, you win. Not gonna waste my time defending my choice of car care to you.

I put few enough miles on my Fit each year that I change when I swap winter tires for summer tires. That's about 3500-4500 miles. I always try to drive enough to warm up the car fully. I've done that for decades on various cars. Seems to work just fine for me. You do what works for you.

 

I'm confused. I thought you were saying you used the oil life monitor to decide when to change your oil. Now you're saying you do an annual oil change at 3500-4500 miles, which is quite similar to what I do (maybe 1000 more miles for me).

Out of curiosity, what percentage does your oil life drop to in a year or 3500-4500 miles?

 

Now you know what I went through with a "Know It All".

🤣🤣🤣🤣