Maintainance for us with OCD

[PhilF]

As a retired Biomedical Technician, due to the nature of maintaining Life-support equipment, I'm (admittedly) a bit OCD about maintenance. As a long- time Honda owner, and blessed with a Honda dealership that does excellent work (have friends there) that I trust, I am trying to determine a overall maintenance plan for the new 2019 Civic Touring Coupe I will get in December and will likely keep for 6+ years.
Here's what I'm thinking:

Assumptions:
MM is not terribly accurate and indicative of actual oil condition (this, as stated, is an assumption as the MM has no way of determining actual oil condition, just a compilation of time, temperature, driving patterns etc.) Not a true oil analysis.

A High-quality oil filter w/synthetic element & 99%+ filtering abilities is highly desirable.
The Honda 01 (better quality) is not always available or supplied, the 02 filter is inferior in build and overall quality and is less desirable.

(1) Continue with current plan (been doing this for 15+years) Change factory break-in oil at 5K, use Mobil1 0w-20 & Mobil1 M110a filter at 5k intervals or 6 months, ignoring MM

(2) Change factory break-in oil at 6500 or 7000 mi, change to Mobil1 EP 0W-20 & Mobil1 M110a filter at 7500 mi or when MM indicates 20% life remaining. The EP is supposed to be good for 15K, but that wouldn't meet warranty requirements, figuring 7500 is the "half-life" of the EP, where the additives are starting to deplete.

(3) Follow MM, change at 20% or 1-year (whichever comes first) Use Honda Full-Synthetic 0W-20 and Honda 01 filters (dealer supplied)

As the cost of each strategy is about equal (1 & 2 use oil & filter that I usually get on sale at Advance or Auto-Zone for about $32) Is there any real advantage (Ie:better engine longevity and/or other benefits to any of these plans?) Plan 1 does get the car to the dealer (again, that I trust!) At more regular intervals for over-all checks of other systems (fluid/brakes/safety/tire rotation, etc.
Understand, I'm 71 and cannot kneel anymore, I follow all other Honda-reccomended service intervals, except air & cabin filters which I do more often due to local conditions, (air quality sucks in S Central Pa) these I can do myself, the dealer does everything else.

Any suggestions as to a plan 4?
Thanks in advance for any comment or suggestions
Phil

Sponsored

 

[calonzo]

I too use the 7500 mile limit, regardless of the Oil Life % indicator.

Also, you didn't mention other maintenance items. I change transmission fluid every 30K, and brake and coolant fluid every 60K, regardless of the MM.

This way, everything is at 7500 mile intervals so I can get all necessary maintenance done in one trip.

 

[racer]

As your OCD would lend, I assume you've read the bazillion threads about "oil changes" and "MM" and "I've always done XXX for the past 40 cars I've owned" etc.

Either use the MM, as the engineers designed it for or don't.

Opinions are like elbows, assholes and belly buttons- everyone has one


If you have a dealer you trust, and you believe in the MM, then just follow the guidance in the Owners manual and the MM notices and enjoy your car.

If you want to go beyond what Honda outlines, then do that... and in the middle, expect, like my own, a bunch of opinions

FWIW, on my last car (kept for 12 years and 220,000 miles) I followed the Owners manual for oil changes - first at 5k, then 10K then every 10K miles thereafter. So far with my Si, I followed the MM and the first oil change was just before 8,000 miles, and the last one was at 15,500 miles. A tire rotation at each service as well.

 

[PhilF]

Thanks for your insight & perspective, at this point I've pretty much decided to take the common sense plan which I called plan (2)
Change Factory Break-in oil at 6500/7000 mi, change to Mobil1 EP (a more robust oil) 5W-20 & Mobil1 M110a filter changing at 7500 mi or when MM indicates 20% life remaining.

I guess it is difficult being old-school and learning to trust new technology, but I'm getting there. With HondaCare in the equation, this will be a near-$30K car & I want to care for it in the best way possible. I usually change CVT fluid at least 10K early and coolant every 2 years on the advice of my Honda mechanic (dealer) with the 235/40/18 tires, I'll have to monitor wear and see if I can get away with 7500mi tire rotation. I value the experience & tech updates here, even as a long-time Honda owner/lover the new input is helpful in changing my perspective on some things, again, thanks.
Hopefully will learn how to post pictures here by the time the car arrives.
Phil

 

[calonzo]

Good luck with your new car!

 

[PhilF]

Good luck with your new car!

Thanks, I'm assuming I'll like it as much or more the the 12 or so I have owned previously, BTY, noticed you are from New Haven, I went to HS in Glastonbury, graduated from The University of Hartford, so I was once a Nutmegger. Remember going to a coffee house in New Haven called "The Exit" that was in the late 60's, probably long gone.
Cheers,
Phil

 

[calonzo]

Thanks, I'm assuming I'll like it as much or more the the 12 or so I have owned previously, BTY, noticed you are from New Haven, I went to HS in Glastonbury, graduated from The University of Hartford, so I was once a Nutmegger. Remember going to a coffee house in New Haven called "The Exit" that was in the late 60's, probably long gone.
Cheers,
Phil

I am a transplant from LI. Only been here 19 years. I don't think I have heard anyone refer to themselves as a Nutmegger before. I always wondered what people from CT call themselves. LOL

 

[PhilF]

I am a transplant from LI. Only been here 19 years. I don't think I have heard anyone refer to themselves as a Nutmegger before. I always wondered what people from CT call themselves. LOL

Connecticut is sometimes called "The Nutmeg State" , left there in 71 when I graduated and got married.

Would really appreciate if someone could give me some tips on how to post pictures here, if it has been covered, I can't find it. Perhaps there's instructions here on the site, they've eluded my searching so far.

Thanks
Phil

 

[calonzo]

Connecticut is sometimes called "The Nutmeg State" , left there in 71 when I graduated and got married.

Would really appreciate if someone could give me some tips on how to post pictures here, if it has been covered, I can't find it. Perhaps there's instructions here on the site, they've eluded my searching so far.

Thanks
Phil

There is an "Upload a File" button next to "Post Reply". Once you upload the file, then click on the button next to the uploaded thumbnail picture and it will insert the file where ever the cursor in the message is.

Sponsored