Dealer recomends oil change at 3000 miles but car says 50% oil life remaining?

[Emig5m]

According to the sticker the dealer put in the window I'm at the mileage for a scheduled oil change (sticker says 15% or 3000 miles whatever comes first) but the computer in the car says that there's still 50% oil life remaining. Could it be possible that the dealer is using some kind of cheap & crappy recycled oil and that's why they recommend me bring it in every 3000 miles regardless if the car still says half the oil life is remaining? I have three years of free oil changes so it's not like they're trying to get money out of me by making me do more oil changes. I just hate letting the dealer do oil changes since it takes forever for me to adjust the seat just right and they always have to readjust the seat to do an oil change not to mention that I hate waiting 2hrs for an oil change (large/busy dealer) when I can do it myself in about 30 minutes start to finish minus travel time back and forth.

Should I just use the oil life meter or just bring it in every 3000 miles? I normally won't let it get to 0% and would do it at 15% anyway - 50% oil life remaining seems a little overkill to change it unless low grade oil is being used at the dealer because I'm getting free oil changes? I'm thinking about just saying screw the free oil changes and doing it myself then I know what I'm getting...it's much faster...and I don't have to deal with readjusting my seat and steering wheel....yes I'm picky about my seating and control ergonomics, lol.

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[ramnj]

I would use the oil life meter.

 

[dmitri]

Follow the Maintenance Minder.

Dealer's after the $$... Or could just be habitually putting up that same good ole generic sticker, like they've done for decades before MM was a thing. Or both.

 

[gtman]

Ridiculous bs from the dealership. Go by the MM. That dealer isn't called Jiffy Lube Honda by any chance?

 

[dmitri]

Incidentally, my own MM came up a couple days ago, at just over 15000 miles, with 'B1', so I scheduled an "oil change" appointment for this morning with a Honda service center.
As I got there (a few minutes ago), the guy asks whether I'd like a tire rotation as well. I tell him it's 'B1' which has "tire rotation" defined as part of it. "Oh yes, 'B1', of course, sure."
Then a minute later after checking the mileage, he calls me over to the counter and shows me that service center's booklet saying "see, Honda recommends we do this, that an the other at 15,000 miles". A ask why does the car say "B1". He basically reiterates the same line "yes but at 15,000 miles this is what Honda recommends" -- i.e. can't really answer the question (not surprisingly).

I told him to please just do the 'B1' maintenance, thank-you-very-much...

He had another guy with him in training, so maybe he was trying to show him how it's done "properly" (how to get more money), I dunno. Wish I had a friend or could find someone I really trust to do the service... Oh well

 

[Hondaman_MI]

The manual says 15% oil life or 1 year, whichever comes first. I would go by that. The first oil change is tricky because cars sit on the lot sometimes for months. So technically it should be changed 1 year from the manufacturer date....that's what Honda of America told me. If they're telling you to do that with every oil change, that's bs. If it's the first one and it was on the lot for a longtime I can understand.

 

[Sal Bandini]

Why not do it yourself? That free oil change sounds like it's not worth your time and aggravation.

 

[Luckyarmpit]

According to the sticker the dealer put in the window I'm at the mileage for a scheduled oil change (sticker says 15% or 3000 miles whatever comes first) but the computer in the car says that there's still 50% oil life remaining. Could it be possible that the dealer is using some kind of cheap & crappy recycled oil and that's why they recommend me bring it in every 3000 miles regardless if the car still says half the oil life is remaining? I have three years of free oil changes so it's not like they're trying to get money out of me by making me do more oil changes. I just hate letting the dealer do oil changes since it takes forever for me to adjust the seat just right and they always have to readjust the seat to do an oil change not to mention that I hate waiting 2hrs for an oil change (large/busy dealer) when I can do it myself in about 30 minutes start to finish minus travel time back and forth.

Should I just use the oil life meter or just bring it in every 3000 miles? I normally won't let it get to 0% and would do it at 15% anyway - 50% oil life remaining seems a little overkill to change it unless low grade oil is being used at the dealer because I'm getting free oil changes? I'm thinking about just saying screw the free oil changes and doing it myself then I know what I'm getting...it's much faster...and I don't have to deal with readjusting my seat and steering wheel....yes I'm picky about my seating and control ergonomics, lol.

This has unfortunately been debated ad nauseum here at civicx.com. Most recommend to follow the MM in the car, as the thoughts are since Honda designed and built the engine, they should know what's best for it. As far as what the dealer recommends with the sticker in your window, that's nothing more than them trying to get more money out of you. Modern engines commonly run 7500 - 10,000 miles between oil changes and any 'recommendation' from Iffy Lube, dealer, etc., is just them trying to make more money. Hell, my 2003 Jeep Wrangler is recommended every 5,000 miles and not before.

 

[charleswrivers]

If the dealer is recommending maintenance beyond the periodicity the MM triggers... then it should be for some issue that is being covered by a TSB and would be on Honda's cost. An example: My Odyssey exhibited a transmission judder on shifting. A TSB was released, requiring a 3x drain/fill with a short drive on each iteration to replace most of the fluid. This was beyond the normal 1x drain/fill that is triggered by the MM every ~30k miles (works out be every every 4th trigger by my driving style). The extra maintenance/materials was charged to Honda by the dealer... so no cost.

Anything else is simply them giving recommendations contrary to the required maintenance schedule. I'd call them out on it as being crooked and trying to swindle you. The car should run for many years and hundreds of thousands of miles without major mechanical failure by following the schedule in the MM. Doing things more often are at your discretion, at your additional cost and, IMO, will have legligable longevity benefits to the car. Have them justify why... and tell them you'd like to have a talk with the service manager and you call corporate to discuss a concerning recommendation from a service department that the MM maintenance interval being inadequate. I doubt the service manager will take you up on the offer and relent to just following the MM.

My mother, this past year, who drives her vehicle was told she should get a change every 3000 miles or 3 months from the Hyundai dealer. This is contrary to the 7500/3750 mile normal/severe schedule... both if which are to be done in 6 months... regardless of mileage. They'd also had her doing these fuel system flushes to the tune of $100. The book says it's recommended (not required) of you don't use 'top tier gas' which she uses.

After speaking to the dealer on her behalf... and talking to her about their predatory tactics... she just takes the book in... points at the required service and *nothing* more.

...one of the many reasons why I don't let a service department touch my cars unless it's a warranty/TSB issue.

 

[CobraCommand]

If a dealer is telling you to oil change that fast and way under maintenance minder all you need to say is:

 

[rraayy3]

What is the recommended oil change interval?

My oil life is at 40% ... is there a certain mileage limit or at least once per year

 

[Hondaman_MI]

What is the recommended oil change interval?

My oil life is at 40% ... is there a certain mileage limit or at least once per year

Look at the manual. Not sure if the specs are the same, but my EX-T is 15% oil life or 1 year....whichever comes first. Mileage is not given.

 

[Sticks]

OP, run away. You're being scammed.

Like the Civic, all my Corvettes, in the past two decades, have had an Oil Life Indicator. Didn't trust it at first. Raised, "Every 3000 miles!" Over time, and improvements in generations, no issues. GM says to change the oil around 20%, or annually, which ever comes first.

Similar to Honda. Interestingly, with GM, time is a big factor with the OLI. You could change the oil on Jan 1, drive it another 1000 miles, park it until Dec 31st and the OLI will tell you to change the oil. Guessing the Civic is the same?

OP, thanks for bringing it up. I'm a Civic newbie, learning a lot on this forum.

 

[Charley-TX]

There is different level of service-writers out there in dealer land. Everything from flat-out clueless to a semi-decent person.
The most common denominator it that they are usually on salary$ + commision$$.
They will write up your concern, then try to upsell you services based on your mileage and knowledge of the vehicle, the less you know about cars the bigger the target on your back and your pocketbook/creditcard.
SO...
3000 mile oil change if: using conventional oil aka- dinosaur juice and drive in city traffic, extreme heat/ cold or tow. Or if you only drive 3000 in one year.
Go up to 5000K miles if you drive mostly on hwy.
With synthetic oil, 6000-10,000 miles is the norm. (Excluding racing).
Your car's maintenance minder may not know what oil you used - dino juice or synthetic. Your service writer sure as sh*t does not know it.
So if you are using good quality synthetic of the correct grade, go by the maint-minder, or if you want or wing it change it at around 10,000.
True story: my wife's(ex) BMW 328 2.0T. went to 15,000 miles and the maintenance minder still was showing 15% left. The dealer provided free oil changes (first 3 years) and would not change the oil until it was down to 15% or less. Some (or most I hope) BMW owners do an in-between oil change ...with an out-of-pocket oil change at 6-8000 miles, then gets the next one free. or at the dealer's expense.
Is the BMW engine or oil that much better that it can go to 15,000 miles? unlikely.

PS: My opinion above is based on working in the dealer's service dept for 10 years..GM and HOnda.. it was many moons ago, but I doubt it has changed since.

 

[Gruber]

There is different level of service-writers out there in dealer land. Everything from flat-out clueless to a semi-decent person.
The most common denominator it that they are usually on salary$ + commision$$.
They will write up your concern, then try to upsell you services based on your mileage and knowledge of the vehicle, the less you know about cars the bigger the target on your back and your pocketbook/creditcard.
SO...
3000 mile oil change if: using conventional oil aka- dinosaur juice and drive in city traffic, extreme heat/ cold or tow. Or if you only drive 3000 in one year.
Go up to 5000K miles if you drive mostly on hwy.
With synthetic oil, 6000-10,000 miles is the norm. (Excluding racing).
Your car's maintenance minder may not know what oil you used - dino juice or synthetic. Your service writer sure as sh*t does not know it.
So if you are using good quality synthetic of the correct grade, go by the maint-minder, or if you want or wing it change it at around 10,000.
True story: my wife's(ex) BMW 328 2.0T. went to 15,000 miles and the maintenance minder still was showing 15% left. The dealer provided free oil changes (first 3 years) and would not change the oil until it was down to 15% or less. Some (or most I hope) BMW owners do an in-between oil change ...with an out-of-pocket oil change at 6-8000 miles, then gets the next one free. or at the dealer's expense.
Is the BMW engine or oil that much better that it can go to 15,000 miles? unlikely.

PS: My opinion above is based on working in the dealer's service dept for 10 years..GM and HOnda.. it was many moons ago, but I doubt it has changed since.

There are two factors that extended oil change intervals relative to older times. One is obviously the better oil chemistry with both oil stock and the viscosity modifying additives more resistant to thermal breakdown. The other is better local cooling of the engines, including more widespread use of aluminum alloy blocks, with water access to every nook and cranny, to reduce or eliminate the hot spots where most of oil deterioration happens.

But the 3000/3 rule was already exaggerated since even longer time. Most car manuals didn't recommend so short intervals even for severe service.
Then the oil change people would say "if you tell them to come every 3000 miles most will still wait until 6000, so it's for their good".

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