At 09:04 PM 1/30/2003, Pete Holsberg wrote:
>Acura specifies 10,000 mile oil change intervals for normal
>driving in my 2002 RSX-S. Can they be serious? Is oil that
>good these days?
Mineral-based oil is pretty good these days. The additive packages maintain
viscosity, keep particulates in suspension so the filter can grab them,
resist acid formation, and who knows what else. What's better are the
engines. Tolerances are more tightly maintained and combustion is a lot
cleaner.
Keep in mind that the 3,000-mile oil change rule of thumb has been foisted
on the public by the people who stand to gain the most from consumers
getting their oil changed more frequently than necessary, the oil
manufacturers and the oil change industry.
For another data point, the factory-specified oil change for my 2002
Volkswagen with the 1.8 turbo engine is 5,000 miles. The rule of thumb, of
course, is that turbo engines need cleaner oil than non-turbo engines
because of the high speeds and very tight tolerances in the turbocharger.
>And, they don't change the oil filter at the first service,
>either! Can a filter be effective for 20,000 miles?
If it's a very good filter and the engine is running cleanly, why not?
>What are they trying to prove?
In the case of the extended change intervals, they may be trying to save
the world from the depletion of natural resources and from the disposal
hazards of old motor oil.
>Of course, the dealer recommends 5,000 mile intervals, and
>charges an arm and a leg for it (change oil, rotate tires
>-- $100.00!!).
Good to know that Honda, oops, Acura dealers thumb their noses at
manufacturer recommendations, also. Keep in mind, the folks who built your
car specified the maintenance intervals. Their primary motivation is to
keep the customer happy, avoid warranty claims, and make a decent profit
for the shareholders. The dealer's primary motivation is to make as much
money from you as possible.
If Wal-Mart can change your oil for $19.95 while your dealer is charging
$100, assuming the same oil and the same filter, who is making more profit?
Even if your dealer charges you $10 for an official Honda, oops, Acura oil
filter instead of the $3 that Wal-Mart charges for a Fram filter (which I
wouldn't put on a lawn mower), it's still pretty easy to see who is making
the extra profit. Yes, I know, your dealer has highly-trained technicians
working on your car instead of the high school kids that Wal-Mart hires. On
the other hand, how highly-trained do you have to be to change oil?
Bob...
P.S. Synthetic-based motor oil is better than mineral-based, in my opinion.
I would have no problem running synthetic oil for 10k miles and I do just
that with Mobil 1 in my Ford Explorer. But, it's out of warranty and I call
the shots when it comes to maintenance. My VW is under warranty, so I let
the manufacturer call the shots.
P.P.S. My former VW dealer recommended rotating the tires at the oil change
intervals, too. They torqued the lug bolts on my Jetta so tight that I
broke a Snap-On 1/2" drive socket extension trying to get them off. George
Schweikle had the same problem with the same VW dealer. So much for
highly-trained dealership technicians.
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