Another A-1 Service Question
 

I think this might have been beaten to death somewhere already, but I can't seem to find it on the forum:

I'm wondering if someone can tell me why I should (or shouldn't) use Mobile 0W-20 for my first service? Everyone here seems to think it's the best stuff around. I called my Honda dealer, he said they use 0W-30 Honda oil which is made by Mobil. Is that alright? Is it synthetic or not? Should I go with synthetic? I live in central IL, where the summers are HOT and the winters are COLD, if that helps.

Also, I asked him about the firmware update that some people have recently talked about getting, and he said that they just need to plug in my VIN number when I bring my car in to see if it has the latest version of the software. Does that sound right?

Incidentally, $59.98 for A-1 service. And please forgive my questions...I'm oil ignorant and an overly-cautious consumer.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

UPDATE - I just called another dealer who said they use 5W-20 and then quoted me $24.95 for the same service!

He said that Honda uses some sort of scale to determine service prices, but he can't justify the $60 price for a simple oil change and inspection. So, I can drive an additional 60 miles round trip ($3 in gas?) to save $45. I think I'll do that.

I guess the point is, check around!

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

Is the HCH II oil requirements different than the HCH I? HCH I requires 0w20. I use Mobil1 0w20 and change the oil myself.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

People like the Mobil1 0W-20 because it's a true synthetic that matches the engine spec. The jury is still out on whether or not Honda's 0W-20 is a true synth, as well as where they get it. For all we know, it could be rebadged M1. The dealer who's using 5W-20 is taking advantage of the engine allowing that as an alternate, but since it's heavier, your efficiency won't be quite as good, all else being equal.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

Also, the Honda dealer service includes the tire rotation. I did my first oil change at a non-dealer location, but paid for the oil at Honda. I saved $1.20 and didn't get the tire rotation. I'll do the rest at the dealer.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

My dealer wantd $45 for oil change and another $40 for Tire rotation. I had them do oil change and I did the tire rotation (15 min, tops).

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

$40 for a tire rotation is like $25 for a can of Bumblebee tuna at Walmart.

Just my opinion.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

Interesting...my dealer quoted $55 for both. I thought it was high and ended up paying that much anyway. Oh well...

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

Had my A1 service back on Monday just shy of 8,000 miles at my local shop. Oil change was $21.20 (I supplied the oil which saved 4 quarts @ $5.50 or $22.00), tire rotation was no charge, state inspection was $18.00, state emissions were $35.00 for a total of $115.00 but that includes $55.00 in inspection fees or $60.00 for the A1 service. If they used their oil then they would have charged 3.5 quarts but since they gave me the half-used bottle back then I quoted the 4-quart price. Fuel economy is up 4-8 mpg so spending $60 saved me 1.5 gallons of gas today at $2.29 so the oil change will pay for itself in less than a month. Boy do I love this car more and more every day.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

I paid $49.52 for my A-1 service at the dealer and they used the 0W-20.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

Jessica, How do you know they used 0W-20? Did you ask? My dealer work order just had a part number with description OIL and I forgot to confirm what weight oil they dumped into my fine Hybid machine.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

I just changed mine at 8,270 with Mobil1 0w20 purchased for around $5.25 a quart.
I had also planned on changing the filter with a Mobil1 M110 until I realized the manual didnt specify a filter change for the first A1 maintenance.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

As long as we are near the topic - what are people seeing in the intervals of their Oil Life % decreases? I've had a record-setting week of mileage (1,200 miles in 4 days of work). I had my oil changed on Tuesday morning at 7,945 miles and they reset the reminder to 100%. Last night on the way home the reminder clicked down to 90% almost exactly at 1,000 miles after the oil change to Mobil 1 0W-20 -- it was 8,950 by the time I saw it so I just rounded up to the even number though it could have been 25-50 miles earlier.

On the first oil change, when I was averaging 150 miles a day, I was noticing a very linear decrease every 900 miles. If only I had driven 2 or 3 weeks of 20 miles a day to see if that made any difference or if it was determining it based purely on the odometer.

So are other people seeing this change every 500 miles or every 1,500 miles or is it right around every 750-900 miles for all of us?

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

I think you are right on that it is linear. I did read it had to do with # of engine revolutions though...

My vehicle clicks over at about 1015-1030 miles. IE it went to 40% at 6100 miles, and to 30% at about 7150 miles. I should be able to go right to 10K if I want to and the display should be at 5% oil life remaining...

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

I did specifically ask for it and my dealer (while they are useless at troubleshooting, my rep is very trustworthy).

Have a good night,
Jessica

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

how many months did everybody wait before getting their first oil change?

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

I have 9650 miles on the odo and still show 10% oil life remaining. I intend to have the service done at 10,000 miles.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

I'm at 8,000 miles with 15% left. I'll wait until about 5%.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

I'm not sure if this is for that bug...maybe it is, this is the only letter I ever got from them. It just says for 2006 Civic Hybrid, "Product update: Gauge control module".
I have to take it back in for it later since they want me to leave it for the entire day.
I took my car in for an oil change today at close to 6,000 miles and even though my oil life was at 30%, they still changed it since it's been so long since I've had the car already.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

Dreamiste - I drive a bunch of miles at about 20-30% city and it took me 56 days to get to 15% oil life which was at 7,945 miles (142 mi/day average). Since then it has taken me 27 days to get to 40% oil life which was at 6,150 miles or 14,095 miles total (227 mi/day average). Mobil 1 0W-20 is in the car now.

Up until the first oil change the oil life % would change every 875 miles. Since then it changes every 1,025 miles (on today's 630-mile trip it clicked down at 1,120 miles since the last % change). This is what I was hoping to see and not the car clicking it down a set number of miles no matter what the oil grade in there.


At this rate I will hit 15% oil life in about 42-45 days and 9,550 miles after the previous oil change.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

I don't think the interval is entirely linear, and it is certainly NOT just a miles counter like in the old Hondas (I had one of those 7500 miles counters, too - which you reset by pushing the key into one of 3 slots in the speedo dash area - it was spring-loaded!).

I just dropped to 5% today, somewhere around 8600 miles. At this rate, I'll drop to 0% right around 9000 miles. That'd be late next week or early the next week, for me. If I can make it until Jan 1, that'll be 6 months exactly!

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

I live in northern IL, the same conditions as you. After switching to M-1 synthetic I noticed a marked improvement in performance and fond M-1 to be superior, especially in the cold. If your dealer won't use it find some M-1 0W-20 (or Penzoil platimum if Mobil 1 isn't available in your area) and do it yourself. For cold IL winters I highly recommend it.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

I actually noticed my FE going down around 5K miles. Had the oil changed, it was nasty. According to the maint. minder, I had 40% left. I change my oil every 5000-5500 miles. That being said, I just did my first O.C. after using Mobil 1 and it didn't look nearly as bad. Maybe it was the break-in?

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

I did my first oil change at a Midas. I gave them the 0W-20 but they overfilled it by about 1/2 a qt, appearently causing some to leak from evidence around the oil pan. Be sure they know it only takes 3.4 qts!

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

Hondas part number for 0w-20 is 08798-9022
from page 3-2 of the factory service manual. I post this for anyone that wants to verify their invoice from the dealership.

the manual also states that the maintenance minder is based on engine operating conditions and accumulated engine revolutions.

also in case anyone wants to know the reset procedure for the maintenance minder

1. turn the ignition switch ON (II)
2. press the sel/reset button for about 10 seconds. The engine oil life and then the maintenance item code(s) will blink.
3. press the sel/reset button for more than 5 seconds, the maintenance item code(s) will reset to 100.

you must have the HDS to reset maintenance items independently.

I hope that this is useful for someone, or someone searching in the future.

the oil drain plug torque spec is 26 ft lbs.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

I've been tracking my oil life since I've owned the car. I was hoping the interval between then oil life percentages would increase as the engine breaks in and am happy to report that it does.

90% = 650 miles
80% = 950 miles
70% = 850 miles
60% = 950 miles
50% = 1,000 miles
40% = 800 miles
30% = 900 miles
20% = 900 miles
10% = 945 miles

First oil change (to Mobil 1 0W/20 synthetic): 7,945 miles (7,945 miles on oil) and 10/02/2006 (56 days on oil or 142 mi/day)



90% = 1,005 miles
80% = 1,010 miles
70% = 1,015 miles
60% = 1,010 miles
50% = 990 miles
40% = 1,120 miles
30% = 1,005 miles
20% = 965 miles
10% = 960 miles

Second oil change (Mobil 1 0W/20 synthetic): 17,180 miles (9,235 miles on oil) and 11/27/2006 (56 days on oil or 165 mi/day)

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

Sweet.
However, keep in mind that initial oil was the supposed break-in oil. Maybe it SHOULDN'T last as long. But even on that initial oil, it appears to have ramped up some as the mileage increased, but mainly after the first 10% (650 miles).
This second oil, what was it? The Honda 0W20, or M1? That may be a factor too.

I'm going to track mine better after the 1st oil change.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

Oil changed this morning.
I dropped to 0% at 9035 miles. After a few more miles of driving (I was on my way home from work last night), I noticed that I started the negative miles on my A1 service minder, too. I was at -26 when I pulled into the local Lute Riley Honda Super Center in Richardson for my first oil change. This is a first-come first-served quickie service spot (4 bays). I pulled in at 7:25 (they open at 7), and I was the only one, so I got served immediately. I saw an advertisement as I pulled in "$29.99 oil chnage, most cars." I figured I'd have to pay more, due to the 0W20 oil. I ONLY had the oil changed (I'm pretty sure they left the old filter on), and I'll rotate my own tires. They DID do a cursory check of fluids, and air pressure.
$29.99 out the door just 20 minutes later. No surcharge - and they used the 0W20 Honda oil - it was in single quart bottles. They seemed to know that 0W20 was right for it, although I told them as well, and made sure that's what they actually USED.
So, $30 is pretty good not having to fool with the cover, and a great deal IF only that 0W20 Honda oil was synthetic, but I doubt it is. An OK deal since it's probably not synthetic.
I would use them again because of the drive-in/drive-out convenience.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

I just had my oil changed yesterday. HCHII only had 6000 miles and showed 30% but I've had it over a year, so I was adviced to change it. My Honda Dealer's part number is different from that posted by twuelfing. My listing is HON 08798-9029 with the discription : Oil motor (0W-20). I checked at http://www.hondapartsdeals.com/ and it's listed as 0W-20.

FYI

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

NO idea why they are different, but twuelfing's part number 08798-9022 ALSO shows up as "Oil, Motor (0W-20) $3.69" on that website. Exactly as does your part number.

Re: Another A-1 Service Question
 

I too got the 08798-9029 part number. I'm closing in on a year so I just did it at 5k miles so no one can complain if I should have to use the warranty. Also had the recall work done and somehow they didn't reset any of my trip meters (but they took my trip A down from 50mpg to like 33mpg in the process and I had very little luck getting it back up on the way home as they probably depressurized my tires to 35psi).