I was at my dealership today returning a rusty/gunky oil filter that I had picked up yesterday. While there I asked the parts guy about synthetic oil. He told me that Honda recommends NOT using synthetic oil in any of there vehicles! He said he was told this at a regional meeting in the summer . He said none of the Honda oils are even semi-synthetic including their 0W20. He couldn't tell me why it was priced at over $6.00 a litre though.
Has anyone heard this from their dealer? I currently mix a litre of Mobil 1 0W20 and top the rest off with Mobil 5000 5W20.

Maybe he has never read an owner's manual? Mine clearly states that synthetics are fine as long as they meet the appropriate grade specifications. I'll bet yours says the exact same thing.

I'm not so sure about mixing a synthetic with a dino oil, though. Or mixing grades of oil. The point of using a synthetic oil is that it doesn't break down as quickly as the mineral stuff. Does it really do any good when only 25% of your oil has that extra margin of protection?

My Honda Dealer has no problem putting in Mobil 0w-20 synthetic when I bring it in with a filter. Frankly, I don't trust them to put the right grade of their own oil anyway. I can get Mobil 0w-20 for $5.92/qt. which sounds much better than the $6.00 they would charge for conventional oil that may or may not be the right grade.

You should be fine mixing conventional oil with synthetic even if there is little added benefit, but I have heard never to mix different viscosities of oil together on the same fill. A Civic Hybrid should be fine on either straight 0w-20 or 5w-20, synthetic or not, but I would not use both.

-Justin Fons
www.MilwaukeeHybridGroup.com

if you mix the viscosities you are just altering the viscosity, it wont hurt anything. if you put half 0w and half 5w you will effectively get 2.5w. at least when i mixed oils for shock fluid to adjust damping this is how it worked.

as always i could be wrong, modern materials and technology are always pulling a fast one on me.

Your dealer is incorrect. You should call up Honda directly and ask the question. You will find that they do not agree with your statement.

I work for a Honda dealer and can tell you there is no clear statement from American Honda not to use synthetic. As mentioned earlier, the owners manual states you can use synthetic oil, as long as it meets the other requirements.

Now, in the parts guys defense what he may be confusing or referring to is that American Honda makes it VERY CLEAR to it's dealer body that it does not want them to recommend services that are not in the maintainence guide, nor services such as "engine oil flush," "transmission cleaning systems," etc, etc. Some dealers head these warnings, some do not...

What the Parts counter guy may be trying to communicate, or what he may understand is a statement in regards to "not recommending synthetic oil unessessarily, ie. as an expensive upsell in the service department." I can just picture it now, "Mr customer, not only can you get your L,O,F done every 3 months or 3,000 miles here, but instead of $25 for an oil change, you can pay us $50 for the addtional protection offered by our synthetic oil - it's far superior to traditional motor oil in so many ways!"

That's just my guess and obviously purely speculation but who knows...

Is Honda oil really not synthetic? I need to get my oil changed soon, and now I'm thinking I should just do it myself.

The dealer told me that Honda oil was convention, not semi syn or full synthetic.

I've been using synthetic oil in Hondas since at least the 1980's without problems. Last year they insisted on not using synthetic oil on my car.

I can understand a "going by the book" mentalitity to reduce recalls and lawsuits, but if this is what it is, it seems overboard.

Mobil One has been out for thirty years - what's the problem?

61.5mpg lifetime - 82mpg in recent months

Best Run >
www.cleanmpg.com

"fanatic" is what the lazy call the dedicated

I suspect the "don't use synthetic mantra" at the dealership is because they know it uses 0W20, and no one else makes a NON-synthetic version (not that I know of, anyway). By brainwashing you to believe that somehow synthetic is not good for this car (tell me how, someone), then they have captured your oil change dollars. They LOVE simple repetitive services like oil changes. It is a quick profit for the service dept, and they may find (or possibly fabricate) other things you may need while your car is captured in THEIR service bay.

Steve

STOP terrorism - Drive a HYBRID

Vehicles:
350 miles a week ------------ 2006 HCH II, Magnetic Pearl, w/NAVI (born on May 25, 2006)
350 miles a month ---------- 2003 Mazda Tribute ES-V6
350 miles a year (for now) - 1986 Mercedes 560SL