I'm curious how many of you are following Honda's recommended Maintenance Minder system for oil changes (per the owner's manual you wait until your oil % reaches 15%) or you're changing your oil based on traditional norms (every 3k miles/3 months or whatever mileage/time you choose, etc).

 

I've hit on a compromise. I don't feel comfortable waiting until the maintenance minder reaches 15%. Miles add up fast because of my long commute, but the MM is only at 30% after about double the 3500 mile change recommended on the sticker put there on my last O&F change. I plan on an oil change this week. The guy at the local shop said he'd also put in the new air filter I picked up for free -- the Honda dealership wants $40 to install it.

 

I've done my first oil change when it reached 15%. I had exactly 4,991 miles when I changed the oil. If you look in the owners manual it will tell you not to replace the engine oil that the car comes with prematurely because of additives for brake in. Thats one reason why I follow the Maintance Minder. I put some royal purple synthetic 5w20 in and changed the filter with a new honda filter. I believe honda knows what their doing with there own cars. Plus with the technology in oil today and in cars engines today oil can go longer than the traditional 3,000 or 3 months. Personally people should do what ever makes them fell comfortable. Changing oil at every 3,000 or 3 months won't hurt anything but your wallet. I just go by what Honda recommends because its a honda. Plus if anything bad happens because my oil was used for to long and I'm using the maintance minder then the blame is on them. Also if you do your own servicing it is very important to keep records of everything just in case something happens honda can't say the car was neglected. I too was skeptical of the Maintance Minder but I just figured its what Honda recommends using so why not use it. My friend who is a honda tech told me that honda doesn't want them to use oil stickers anymore on vehicles with the Maintance Minder system. Just on vehicles with out the Maintance Minder. So I guess this will be on all honda's from hear on out. So we mightest well get used to it.