HCH Maintenance
 

Can anyone compare the maintenance between a Civic Hybrid and a regular Civic? What's the difference in costs as well as what needs to be done?

Thanks in advance!

Re: HCH Maintenance
 

Hi Kintack; I was just reading your Thread and I guess I have figured out this on my own. I take it that you do-not have a Civic or Hybrid Civic. Correct?:confused:

The most direct way to find out what you are wanting to know is to look in the Owners-Manual for either Vehicle and it Lays out the Maintenance Schedule for both Vehicles, of course I am speaking of the Owners manual for each Vehicle.;)

I really don't think that there is alot of difference in what Honda recommends different between the two vehicles that is all that different (Non-Hybrid Versus Hybrid).

If you want to make sure and NO-Guessing I would recommend going by the Honda Dealer and seeing the (Service-Manager) and let that person go over what is recommended by Honda for each vehicle and at the same time I don't think anyone there in sells would mind you sitting down and reading the Owners Manual for each vehicle and then you will know for sure what you want to know. The dealers have usually Pre-Printed Maintenance/Labor Cost for each vehicle that you can pick up while at the dealer.

As far as the Cost for Maintenance, remember the (Labor) charges are going to be different according to what part of the U.S.A. that you are talking to someone about this in comparision. Even in the same City or State the (Labor) can vary quite a bit. That's why I recommend going by the Dealership that you will be using Locally because there is such a variance in Pricing according to the City, State and each Dealer.


HTH;

Terry

Re: HCH Maintenance
 

I'd say forget about the Pre-Printed Maintenance Pamphlets the dealer may have out in the service department. Those are always over-priced Dealer prescribed services that go beyond the Honda recommended maintenance requirements. It's a unnecessary dealer profit trick. Just ask the dealer to see the owners service and maintence booklet that comes with the new car, compare the hybrid and std.
I can tell you right now all that's required is oil changes every 5000 mi (really when the oil service light comes on), air filter ever 30,000 mi and sparkplugs well beyond 100,000 miles. Cabin-air filter at some point, Transmission fluid at 30 or 60,000. That's it. Basic stuff. And the hybrid requires nothing more than the std. The dealer will try to get you to do more, but if it's not in the book, don't spend the money.

Re: HCH Maintenance
 

5,000 for oil is under the SEVERE schedule.
10,000 for oil is under NORMAL use (I do mine at 7,000-8,000, a happy medium)
I don't think the regular Civic is 10k miles but I'm probably wrong.

I do my CVT fluid every 15k-18k miles. IMO it's too much of an expensive tempermental beast to do at the recommended 30k "normal use" period. It is however, VERY easy to change. As a refresher for new members who missed the thread that is now buried under all the '06 posts (JOKE! ;) ) here is the step-by-step thread on how to change CVT fluid - STEP BY STEP DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO CHANGE HCH CVT FLUID

Brake pads/shoes won't be changed half (or les) as often as a regular Civic simply because you won't use them near as much.

Cabin filter would be the same as a normal Civic as most everything else.

For the most part you don't have to maintain near as often as normal Civic as most people don't ride their HCH as hard as those who have a regular Civic. Some parts are a bit exclusive but are becoming more mainstream and much easier to find. (mostly the air filter)

Good Luck :)

Re: HCH Maintenance
 

The definition of "severe" in the book is in fact normal for most US drivers.

Re: HCH Maintenance
 

So sorry, it is not in fact "normal" for most US drivers - a whole lot do fall into the severe catagory though. "I" feel (not everyone feels) that most people don't fall under a normal catagory either though - it's somewhere near the Honda definition. This is a quote directly from Honda's website on maintenance intervals. They even put "most of the time" in italics.

I still have a hard time letting oil go for 10,000 miles - even if it is synthetic.

Honda's Definition of Severe:
Severe
Follow the "severe" schedule only if you drive in one or more of these conditions most of the time:

http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/images/...s_gryonwht.gifTrips of less than 5 miles (less than 10 in freezing weather)
http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/images/...s_gryonwht.gifExtremely hot weather (over 90 degrees F)
http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/images/...s_gryonwht.gifExtensive idling or stop-and-go driving
http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/images/...s_gryonwht.gifTrailer towing, car-top carrier, or mountain driving
http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/images/...s_gryonwht.gifMuddy, dusty, or de-iced roads

Re: HCH Maintenance
 

With around 1,600 miles on my HCHII, the remaining oil life on my maintenance minder display still reads 90%.

I'm lovin' that!

Don

Re: HCH Maintenance
 

Very Cool! - It has a meter that tells you a percentage versus a "Service Engine Soon" light?

That would be nice if it could take into account temps/idle time etc and rate your car for whether it actually does fall into a severe maintenance catagory.

Re: HCH Maintenance
 

Yes, the regular Civic is 10K miles too. However, our Civic EX is driven on very short daily trips, so we use the severe schedule for oil changes (every 5K miles)

Re: HCH Maintenance
 

That's exactly my point, the average Honda is meeting the cold definition in the winter, hot definition in summer, idling and stoping & going, so the car experiences some of this ALL of the time. Thus Severe driving.