Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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Mrbill
Mrbill
Sure, we can become paranoid and change oil once or twice a month. But that makes no economic sense with crude oil flirting with the $70.00 per barrel level and the gasoline that is made from it in the $3.00-plus range today.
Those quart bottles of oil that are being wasted would otherwise contribute to lowering our oil import imbalances.
The vehicle manufacturer knows best about how they designed their engine and what is best for it. After all, they are under an obligation to warranty it. My recommendation is to follow the vehicle manufacturer's advice.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
the United States. The problem with IIHS stats, is they don't account
for Honda's newer Accords (98-05)
http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ictl/ictl_2dr.htm
which have an engine immobilizer. Does anyone know where I can find
theft rates for the newer Accords?
There has been quite a bit of controversy to how effective these coded
key systems are in reducing theft. I am trying to determine whether
it's worth getting an aftermarket alarm installed
That would be correct and good advice if it were actually the "manufacturer's (as in the engineering department's best) advice". But it's really the manufacturer's marketing department's advice - the folks who know that if people bothered maintaining their old rides to reliably run six or seven years, the company's stockholders would howl in protest at the lost sales. Don't believe it makes a difference? Why do you suppose Honda only warrants their cars to 60,000 miles with the '06's - and only in response to Toyota at that when prior years were only warranted out to 36,000 miles? Honda's engineers are reasonably certain a high percentage of engines will make it to at least 60,000 miles (and probably a reasonable number past 100,000 miles) on 10,000 mile oil changes and have advised their superiors to that effect. Internal testing has verfified that there'll be a tolerable statistic of engine warranty claims with that maintenance regimen. But, there's not a car make out there that couldn't honestly see 300,000+ miles with no engine mechanical problems - but very unlikely on 10,000 mile oil change intervals. (leastways since the Yugo was discontinued...) But for lessees and frequent traders who like a new car more often than I bother with, 10,000 mile oil change intervals will work out fine for all concerned. After all, a car off lease or traded, and off warranty (or nearly so), will likely end up being the next owner's problem, right? (unless you just happen to get unlucky if you keep you current car past its warranty, since there will inevitably be some that poop early on 10,000 mile oil changes - it's all a matter of odds, er, statistics!) I personally know of at least two Korean makes that issue a 10 yr./100,000 mile engine and powertrain warranty on every vehicle they import into or build in the U.S. 10,000 mile oil and filter changes are not the allowable intervals, either. It's a continuing mystery to me at least, that otherwise reasonable people will accept $40.00+ refueling charges two or three times a month with only passing grumbling, but vehemently bristle on the internet at the thought of "wasting" $25.00 on oil and filter changes at 4,000 or 5,000 mile intervals. (which can be reduced to a cost of under $10.00 if they do it themselves) That extravagantly under-used, "discarded" oil? It's actually shipped off to a collection center for recycling. The same cannot be said for gasoline. (Hellooo, carbon dioxide greenhouse gas and sulfuric acid rain!)
In so many words or less, I'll give this one to Honda. My Accord is 6 years old, and I don't drive many miles. So far no oil or engine issues going by Honda's recommendation.
Somehow, I think that automotive technology has made major strides in the past half century.
I'll follow Honda's lubrication recommendations thank you.
My uncle is an engineer in power train division with GM, and he changes oil every 3,000 miles. That tells me something! Of course, if you trade in your car every three or four years, you may never see the ramifications of extended oil change intervals.
With the 3,000 filter and oil change interval, I've never experienced an engine failure on any of my vehicles. This includes timing chains, valve systems, crank and rod bearings, piston rings, etc. I had a 1990 Civic with over 200,000 on the clock and the only item I replaced on that engine was the timing belt (3 times). I currently still have two Classic 900 SAABs - a 1985 with the 2.0L SOHC inline 4-cylinder with 320,000 miles and a 1987 with the 2.0L DOHC 4-cylinder with 235,000 miles. Nothing has been replaced within the engine of either of these, not even a timing chain. Both SAABs consume, or leak, about a half quart between oil changes. And, I'm now up to over 150,000 miles on my wife's 1994 Dodge Grand Caravan ES without any engine work.
If one plans to keep a vehicle as long as I do, it certainly does pay to keep to a strict oil change interval. I change the oil and filter myself every 3,000 miles or 3 months (whichever comes first), and recyle the oil free of charge at a local Advance Auto Parts store. The environment is protected, and so is my investment.
Honda has built its reputation on mnaufacturing dependable, long-lived cars. The value of that in terms of sales and profits can't be ignored. Just look at Mercedes and their recent quality problems, and then look at what has happened to their bottom line (I'm not talking about the woes of the Chrysler division, I'm only talking about the Mercedes division). Based ony my knowledge of Honda and their products (which is based only on owning them and reading about them), I don't think they're going to risk their reputation - which is a big part of what sells their cars - on improper or insufficient maintenance schedules.
My wife's '02 Accord has 73,000 miles on it and it looks and drives like the day we bought it. It's been maintained according to the normal driving schedule since new. Maybe a major engine problem is just around the corner, but my experience tells me this isn't the case. If the maintenance it has been receiving was insufficient, I think we'd probably have seen signs of that by now.
Oil change intervals have nothing to do with timing chains??? This is a correct statement only if the engine uses a reinforced rubber timing belt, a.k.a. Gilmer belt, which is external to the engine and oil supply, but not with an internal timing chain, whether it is for an OHV or OHC engine. A steel timing chain is lubricated with the engine oil. Please note the new 8th-generation Civic engine design uses a steel timing chain, not the previously used belt.
Of course, a GM engineer has nothing to do with Honda, but a mechanical engineer with an engine design speciality certainly brings some credibility to the table. A graduate of the University of Michigan and General Motors Institute is not to be taken lightly.
It's most interesting to note that whenever I've posted my experience - with the best of intentions, I might add - to any thread on the Edmund's Forum, it's been accepted and welcomed as decent input to the ongoing discussion. The only threads where such statements as the above response to my earlier post emanate is from Honda-related forums. Most interesting . . .
Have you confirmed that Honda equips its engines with a magnetic drain plug? (I know that GM does on at least some of its engines - perhaps all.) In any event, magnetic drain plugs are available for virtually any make car or light truck from "SuperPlug". They're a little pricey at ~$30.00, but, it's a onetime expense and the plug can be transferred to the next car if it's the right size and thread. The business end of a SuperPlug is a "rare earth" neodymium alloy magnet - VERY strong. So far as I'm aware, auto manufacturers do not put magnets inside the engine oil pan as is typically done in the case of automatic transmissions. It should also be noted that various metals are involved in engines. Permanent magnets are only effective on cobalt, chromium, and iron. Aluminum, copper, tin, lead, (all involved with bearings and/or working surfaces) will not be trapped by a permanent magnet, so these bearing materials circulating in the oil will only be subject to filtration, if at all. This isn't to say magnetic drain plugs are worthless - they definitely catch metal, but just be aware of their limitations.
Not a single one of these cars ever had a serious mechanical problem. None ever burned oil or had engine slugging. There were, of course, part failures and other normal wear related issues. My '85 Tercel, for example which I sold at 122,000 miles had the original clutch and the original muffler. IMHO, extra service and 3,000 mile oil changes are a waste of money.
Well, actually they do. GM powertrain engineers are in frequent dialog with their Honda counterparts. The Saturn Vue uses a Honda V-6 engine that GM purchases from Honda and installs right on the Vue assembly line. And, notably, GM neither recommends, nor honors for warranty purposes, 10,000 mile oil and 20,000 mile filter changes on these engines. Is it safe to conclude that Honda, which didn't ship its first automobiles to the U.S. until the mid-sixties, knows more about engine design and real world durability under U.S. driving conditions than GM does after ~80 years building and selling cars in this country? (Personally I do have a few issues with GM's current leadership, but the company's engineering talent ain't among those issues.)
I would say yes. Honda considers itself an engine manufacturer first and car/motorcycle/power equipment/marine toys/airplane manufacturer second. Their engine capabilities far exceed GM's IMHO. Both make durable and reliable engines. But, Honda makes engines incorporating far greater technology and modern features.
I disagree with that assessment. GM has a serious management problem currently due to the makeup of upper level management's background in statistics and law as an unspoken prerequisite to advancement within the company instead of also allowing engineering talent on the top floors, GM basic R&D is second to none - anywhere in the world. But there's not one "car guy" in GM's U.S. boardrooms.
Regardless, this is a board about Honda Accords, not general Honda corporate smarts and GM corporate stupidity. Let's get back on topic, eh?
This is not entirely correct. Without getting too technical, the basic magnetic elements are Iron, Cobalt and Nickel and their alloys. There are also the new ceramic materials which exhibit magnetic capabilities.
The chances you will spend much more fixing the air conditioning, the power steering, the trannys, the brakes, replacing CV boots and CV joints, and trying to get the CEL light to go off.
I have owned 30 cars in the past 10 years. Most of them Hondas and many with over 100,000 miles. The oil change interval has always been 7500 miles or more. I have never had an oil related problem. All that 3000 mile crap is just that... crap. Just because you change your oil every 3000 miles without problems means you are changing you oil twice as often as recommended. Of course you haven't had any problems.
As far as I'm concerned though, I change it every 3-5K miles. I expect to have transmission or some other major fight on my hands (rust here in the NE) long before I run in to a problem with my Honda engines. Now if I had one of those older Toyota engines, you can bet I would be more concerned with my oil change interval. Having said that though, they make some damn fine cars too.
Good things:
17" standard wheels on V6
Tail Freshening
Questionable Things:
High End Audio system only available on the 6-sp manual
DRLs (Daytime Running Lamps), why? and I hope there is an override feature
It appears the speedo/dash layout changed, updated the speedo but the tach is same, looks a bit awkward in photos
Still no manumatic option
Good car made better, BUT you cannot please everyone.
BUT: The ONLY significant problem I have had with this car, in the 6 years I've owned it, is ABS-related. Exactly 4 years ago the ABS Module went dead. Cost me $1,200 to replace. 3 months ago one of the rear speed sensors went bad, cost me $300 to replace.
Now the ABS light comes on again. The dealeship claims it's the Acumulator Module, and wants some $1,500 to repalce it... This is NUTS.
The customer service agent who gave me the printed test results, was a bit surprised not to see any CODE NUMBERS on the sheet.... I tend to suspect that the same sensor they repalced 3 months ago is actually the culprit... Can't trust no one...
What's the story with the ABS on this model? Is this normal?
Oil Qty: 3300 ml
Engine :Inline 4 Cyl
Redline : 11,000 rpm
Oil : Cheap Rotella T 5 quarts / 4.99$
Filter : STP from autozone
Riden well like i stole it ,
2 track days [ for people who do not know its redlining a engine for 5 hrs a day] when go to the moutains to play the bike was at redline all day long.
Couple 2 week vacation rides ~ 4-5000 miles in 10 days of constant redline riding
test procedure : Every 3k miles about 50 ml of oil was removed with a little turkey baster and send it to lab - replaced with same amout oil
At 15,000 miles the oil was fine but the filter would have failed and i changed it.I dissected the filter and found it was the weakest link.
The bike has 70,000 miles and still pulling like a train.....Only if i can make those tires last longer.
Over winter i open the engine
1) Cams were clean and no pitting was noticed
2)Compression on all 4 cyclinders were still good
3)Clutch starting to slip but it was a wet clutch and at 70 k of constant abuse wore the clutch springs down ...replaced with a barnet racing kit .
I know its not a car but i never remember reding any car like i redlineing my bike
and abuse it .
I had sluge problem on another bike which Over head oiler solved so i think its not the engine but the oil flow that causes it.
As has been said before - it is very unlikely you will ever have an oil related engine issue using the recommened change interval.
Biker, who thinks the BMW method (fuel used) is the best interval to use to change oil.
That being said, I will still go test drive the V6/6MT when they start showing up on the dealer lots.
shopoften
The four cylinder Accords will do everything that you need of a car. There are only two things that might mean something to you in considering a six cylinder version.
1) If you desire LOTS of power.
2) In "hilly Connecticut" you might be thinking about winter snow and ice conditions. The six cylinder Accords come with Vehicle Stability Assist & Traction Control. The others do not.
Happy Decision Making
Hermann
i am looking at a 4 cyl cpe EX 05 for 20,700
any input
No difference, except for body style and that 6 doesn't corner quite as well as 4 due to weight differential. Both are great though.
When I turn on the defroster on my 05 Accord LX, the AC automatically comes on, although the AC light does not illuminate. Does anyone know how to program it so that the light does come on, so that I can subsequently turn it off if I so desire?
There was a set of buttons to press on the Civic to accomplish this, and I was wondering if anyone knows how to do the same thing on the Accord?
Hills are no problem; the short, very steep hills here in San Francisco don't strain the engine because the transmission gearing (I have the A/T) is low enough. The 4 cyl. Accord can go much faster than it's safe to go on San Francisco's hills.
Longer hills such as the Grape Vine on I-5 near L.A. are an easy climb, too.
Jacky
You're probably not used to your new car yet. Just keep the pressure on the brake pedal, that's all.
This is normal and necessary.
Seems to me, though, that when you turn the defroster off, the a/c should go off. So I'm not clear exactly on the issue either.
Back many years ago, when you hit the defrost button, all it did was direct air at the windshield. If you wanted to dehumidify as well, you hit the AC button.
Since *most* people want AC on in conjuction with defrost, the manufacturers have made this work automatically. You press defrost, you get AC whether you want it or not.
In the Accord's case, when you hit defrost, AC comes on, however it doesn't inform you of that fact by illuminating the AC light. So toggling the ac button on/off has no effect, since it *can't* be turned off.
My 2003 Civic worked the same way. However there was a "hack" that allowed you to decouple the defrost and AC. Here are the steps for the Civic:
************************************************************
What you will need: Two Fingers
Time Needed: 10 seconds.
Annoyed with how you can't turn off the A/C when you turn to defog? Here's the override (realize that A/C expediates the defog process).
1) Turn Car Off
2) Turn Temperature Knob To Full Blue (All the way to the left - Counter-Clock Wise)
3) Turn Vent Knob To Off (All the way to the left - Counter-Clock Wise)
4) Hold Down Air Recirculation Button As Well As A/C Button
5) Keep Both Buttons Depressed and Start Car
6) Keep Both Buttons Depressed for 7 Seconds
*AC LIGHT SHOULD BLINK*
You will now have control of your A/C regardless of what setting you are in, to revert back, simply repeat the procedure.
*********************
See what I mean? I want to do the same thing for my Accord........
Another reason for having the A/C turn on automatically with the defroster is that the defroster is used often in the winter when A/C isn't need to cool the car. If the A/C isn't used for several months, the seals can dry out with loss of refrigerant and a costly repair to replace the seals.
So, having the A/C turn on automatically with the defroster not only increases the defroster's effectiveness, but also keeps the A/C active during the winter months..........Richard