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Comments
Just curious.
I don't think you have to tell the dealer to change the filter. They will do that as a matter of practice. For what it's worth, I change the oil & filter at 5k miles (4-cyl). I think 10k miles is too long, regardless of your driving type. I actually got my first oil change at about 4500 miles (before leaving on a long trip) and the dealer didn't say anything.
Not bad at all. Much improved interior.
The Accord outsold the Altima by only 5000 cars (25,000 to 20,000) in January 2004. This upgrade can only narrow the gap even more, and perhaps the Altima will be a true competitor to the Accord and Camry in terms of sales. Time will tell.
Overall, I'm left thinking "That's it?" In my eyes, the busy and overstyled "Astro Boy" look of the redesigned dashboard seems to be little improved over the previous version. Exterior styling changes are disappointing as well. The revised front takes on more of a "pre-refresh" Sentra look, seeming bland and undistinguished compared to the original. In the rear, many people seemed to be hoping that they'd deep-six the tacky looking aftermarket-style taillights, and that didn't happen either.
Given all of the anticipation and hype about this refresh, I have to say that I'm pretty disappointed.
It's not as if Honda's recommended oil change intervals are different from the competition... for example, Toyota's normal recommended interval is 7500 miles. Oil change intervals can be described as "extended" only if they're longer than the recommended intervals. And from the wording of their "normal" vs. "severe" schedules, they're clearly consider severe as unusual circumstances and are steering most owners to the normal schedule.
Also, as long as you have documentation for the minimum Honda required maintenance, of course they will have to cover the repairs. Now when your warranty runs out that may be an quite different story.
If your engine blows out after 36,000 good luck begging Honda for a new engine.
They will laugh in your face.
Save the environment and your money. Do it like the manual says.
it.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
however i suspect there is some entity (guess who) keeping this from happening.
I have just a short warranty period left. I want my dealer to fix this. The other message said that the dealer re-centered the steering wheel cover by remounting the air bag assembly--apparently it wasn't mounted properly.
Have any of you had this problem? Is it just cosmetic or is it indicative of a problem, i.e. with the air bag, or has the air bag been deployed even though the car had a clean, no accidents reported CARFAX? (Which I know is not foolproof!)
I appreciate any feedback. Thank you.
I stopped in at a tire dealer that also sells alloys and, surprisingly, he tried to talk me out of it. He said you may not wind up with as good a ride as with the factory wheels, I think because of sizing issues, whatever. I also checked with Sears, but wasn't impressed with their knowledge of lug nut spacing, etc.
Have any of you put alloys on your LX, from Honda or other sources, and been satisfied? I would be interested in any experiences, especially things to watch for. In the meantime, I think the wheel covers on my LX are decent looking, but still prefer alloys.
Thanks for any ideas you may have.
You should check Ebay for a set of Honda wheels someone wants to get rid of.
I upgraded to aftermarket 17" alloys and performance tires from wheelmax.com. I love the styling as well.
I chose 17" wheels because that what the performance coupe comes with. I got no reduction in ride quality either, and the tires are even a bit quieter. I just got tired of how the factory tires (michelin energys) would squeal at the slightest provocation and draw lots of attention.
The Accord was by far the best car among those I tested and I'm very pleased with it.
The 2005 Altima looks pretty good inside judging from the photos--a huge improvement was made to the interior.....Richard
Extended oil and filter changes, (as advocated by the "Honda Owners's Manual"), is a multifaceted concept. On one side of the issue, it paints the Honda vehicles in a "low maintenance light", while on the other side of the issue, it opens the Honda Company up to a "possibility of liability" on the "back end" of the service recommendations.
For discussion purposes, let's say that we have a customer who purchases a new Honda vehicle from a Honda dealer, and has all the required service, to include oil & filter changes, performed by the dealer, (according to the recommendations of the owner's manual), so there is a "paper trail" for this total activity. After 4 years and 50,000 miles, the vehicle has a massive engine failure, and the cause is traced to "lack of preventive maintenance", ----(lack of frequent oil and filter changes), and there is no extended warranty on this vehicle.
QUESTIONS: ----- Does the Honda Company have an obligation to make the necessary repairs, since the owner of the vehicle followed the recommendations of the "owner's manual"? ----Will the Honda Company take on this responsibility?
If the answers to these questions are "NO", then the "Honda Service Recommendations" as stated in their "Owner's Manual" are not valid for long term vehicle longevity. They are simply a marketing tool for the automotive consumer, and as such, the individual owner needs to protect their own investment with some tender loving care. -------Have a nice day. -----Greg
Since the situation that you cite falls outside of the warranty, there's no way to answer this question definitively. The manufacturer is in no way contractually bound to make the necessary repairs. Even if the engine is treated to "extra tender loving care", it makes no difference. And when it comes to an "out-of-warranty" situation, it's the same for any manufacturer... they're not required to do anything, but they may at their discretion.
Even if someone can cite relevant experience, it still doesn't guarantee anything, since such a situation would be evaluated and decided upon on a case by case basis.
At any rate, I'm not aware of any epidemic of engine failures in Hondas whose owners follow the recommended maintenance schedule, so I see no reason to expect that such a schedule would be likely to result in engine problems, that "extra tender loving care" would be required, or would make any real difference. If you prefer to perform more frequent maintenance and/or use additional lubricants not called for by the manufacturer, that's your call.
<<the vehicle has a massive engine failure, and the cause is traced to "lack of preventive maintenance">>
How can Honda say "Do this maint", then when it's done, documented, and a problem comes up, come back and say "You didn't do this maint".
I don't know why I wasted my time responding.
However, if I decided to follow the recommendations to the letter and NOT change the filter every time, my other points still stand... since that's covered in the recommendation, changing the filter every other oil change would NOT constitute "owner neglect" and would NOT be a reason for warranty coverage to be denied. Personally, I choose to change the filter at every oil change. Just a preference, not a hedge against some alleged tendency by Honda, suggested by recent posts, to deny warranty coverage to people who maintain their cars according to Honda's recommendations.
(The last paragraph ties the filter change question to my previous post and the "some questions" exchange, and isn't directed at mitchflorida.)
A driver who's driving 20 or more miles to work each keeps the oil cleaner with the pcv system and temperature of the oil in the sump evaporating some contaminants. A 7500 mile interval may work with minimal damage/wear. Another driver with short trips of 1-5 miles in suburban/city driving may not clear those and should change sooner.
I check my oil for feel between my fingers, color showing oxidation/cotaminant load, and smell (gasoline and blowby). I put 2 or 3 drops on a paper towel and when the dark center ring is almost the size of a dime, I change oil soon. If I reach 3000-3500 before that, I change oil.
I change filters almost each time. If it's a low mileage change, I may leave filter and change a little earlier the next time. I don't want a filter on for over 6 -7500 miles. They're cheap. I buy Fram and the car's brand.
Oil change needs vary with driving patterns. Each person here is wanting to take car of their car. The definition of extreme conditions is met by most people unless 90% of your mileage is long distance more than 30 miles each way each trip. I drive 9.5 mi. each way in 1 mile apart stop sign rural roads. So I change that oil more than someone commuting to the Air Force base 25miles might do.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Honda is known for engineering mastery. The reputation they have built because of their enigneering mastery is what sells their cars. Of course companies have done stupid things before, so it is not outside the realm of possibility that Honda would sacrifice it's reputation for a slightly better score on long-term ownership costs surveys. But it is so unlikely that it does not even enter the realm of what is remotely probable, in my opinion. Reputation is very nearly everything. Just look at Audi in the 1980s.
To those that advocate not following manufacturer recommendations, whay would you do if you drove a car which monitors engine oil quality and tells you when to change the oil (such as BMW, Mercedes, etc.)? I believe that the oil change intervals with these cars regularly stretches well past 10,000 miles. And yet I don't hear of Mercedes' engines self-destructing at 50,000 miles either.
Check transmissions record.
My car has an oil life monitor based on engine speed, operating temp., external temp., and who knows what else. I change long before it says to do so. I suspect it may take me to the 10K mark some times of the year, but I'll change at 3K 3.5K.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
That may have been true in the past, but it's not true now, at least according to Honda's definition:
From Honda's Owner Link site:
"Follow the "severe" schedule only if you drive in one or more of these conditions most of the time:
Trips of less than 5 miles (less than 10 in freezing weather)
Extremely hot weather (over 90 degrees F)
Extensive idling or stop-and-go driving
Trailer towing, car-top carrier, or mountain driving
Muddy, dusty, or de-iced roads
As for Normal, they say:
"The "normal" schedule is fine for most drivers, even if they occasionally drive in severe conditions."
Can't post a link because it's a subscription site.
They clearly aren't specifying 30 miles each way each trip as a requirement for normal conditions. Honda's severe conditions are actually ones that I'd agree describe severe, and not the driving habits of 90% of drivers.
"With all due respect, Whoever gets Greg's used cars are getting a wonderfully well-maintained cars. If he trades one in at the dealership where they do all the servicing, there probably is a lottery to see who gets to buy his tradein and take it home. He's trading in an almost new car."
As opposed to the decrepit smoking rust buckets that the rest of us trade in.
I can't decide if you're being cynical or if I offended someone. My point was, except for the idling an probably many flavored coffee spills, the engine and transmission are all the better for all the extra care. I'd buy his next end-of-lease Civic or Accord for my son in two years.
As for the Honda list and definition of extreme conditions, it's a little different than what I'd feel comfortable with. If I were going to trade a car at 80 - 100K, I might use it an save money, but I keep my cars. My wife made me trade in the last one at 150k.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Just joking (as the ";)" is intended to indicate). And yes, I get your point.
However, I don't completely agree with it. I'm not convinced that the condition of his cars would be demonstrably better than one that was religiously maintained according to Honda's recommendations. And IMO, the potential ill effects of the "idle to warm up" thing outweigh any potential advantages of the "TLC" in other areas...
"As for the Honda list and definition of extreme conditions, it's a little different than what I'd feel comfortable with. If I were going to trade a car at 80 - 100K, I might use it an save money, but I keep my cars. My wife made me trade in the last one at 150k."
Hey, it's your call. However, it's Honda that has the all-important reputation for quality and longevity on the line, so I doubt that they'd recommend a schedule that would jeopardize that reputation.
The only data-indicated difference between a car rated good and acceptible might be neck injuries more likely in _small_ adults and slightly higher risk of lower limb injury.
Not the results IIHS wanted; they had hoped to substantiate a difference in their testing results levels in the real world.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Sure there were transmission problems. Nobody is perfect. But some, Honda included, are better than another.
Toyota acknowledged that engine design was at least part of the problem when they made a design change to the engine that improved circulation by enabling oil to drain faster into the sump.
In addition, some experts believe that the problems are worse than Toyota admits. One expert says that the problem occurred mostly because of excessive heat in the cylinder head, which resulted in a 60 to 70 degree temperature difference between the cylinder head and the block. This is far greater than the industry "rule of thumb" of 10 to 15 degrees, and such dramatic temperature changes are extremely hard on the oil.
So the oil in these engines was stressed way beyond normal conditions. The oil was being stressed at a "severe" or worse level even if the car was driven at defined "normal" levels. Since the oil was abused in such a manner, it comes as no surprise that more frequent changes helped in this situation. However, it definitely doesn't follow that engines without such a design defect would achieve any benefits from more frequent oil changes than those recommended by the manufacturer, or that they'd suffer from similar breakdowns as a result of following the recommendations.
Nothing personal here, either... I just feel that the Toyota sludge issue is apples-to-oranges to this discussion. It tells us little except for the consequences of a design defect.
not like my old VW where the coils went bad. it was 100% likely that they would fail, probably one at a time, and it took years for VW to publicly admit it.
i think all cars have problems, but i do tend to think that Honda isn't about to put their rep on the line. and its true, my 02 325Ci wouldn't tell me to get an oil change until over 15k miles. BMW is KNOWN for engine design as well...so maybe Hondas service intervals aren't so outragous.
that said, next week at my 7500 mile service, i will have them change the filter and the oil, just to make me feel better.
But with frequent oil changes you can always claim (at least to yourself) that that was the exact reason why you never had trouble. OTOH, if you are not particularly comfortable with stretching oil change intervals and if you are the type to punish yourself for perceived failures in your own judgment, then 3,000-3,500 mile oil changes are better and fairly cheap insurance to cover against self recriminations.
Some people spend many hours and a lot of money keeping their paint pristine and glistening; others don't. The former can revel in the long life of their paint or, if the paint fails, know almost for certain that it is the low quality of the paint that is at fault. The latter can shrug because it doesn't bother them, agonize over their lack of concern when it would have mattered, blame the paint anyway, or realize that it simply wasn't worth the extra effort to them (and you oftentimes get out what you put in).
Do what is comfortable for the type of person you are. :-)
Of course, the "oil change" equivalent of the person who doesn't care for their paint is the person who FAILS to change their oil as often as recommended, correct?
Hopefully you're not characterizing as careless people who follow the recommendations to the letter, but feel that exceeding the recommendations isn't necessary or beneficial.
I just don't think that some of us anal retentive worriers (Murphy's Law Rules!) should feel overly pressured into making that same decision unless we too are comfortable with it. To me that is always a silly decision because the nagging doubt costs me more than spending a little more money up front. Everyone else should feel free to make their own "comfort level" decision and let it go.
Happy driving to all and to all a green light! ;-)