Hi everyone! New to posting here, but have used this website as a wonderful resource for quite a while now.

I have a 2013 accord coupe V6...I have the extended warranty that covers all oil changes, etc, & the first coupon states that my oil change should be around 3750 miles. However, my Honda "maintenance minder" hasn't gone off yet, & the car's system tells me that my oil life is at 50% (I'm around 4450 miles now). Just curious on some advice..do I wait for the oil % to go down & the maint. light to go off or take it in quick since over the mileage that the 'coupon book' tells me?

ill call my dealership tomorrow, but just curious to hear the advice on here.

Thanks!!

 

Oh boy! This'll start a firestorm...

There's several answers to your question...some of them are "technically" correct while others are based purely on personal preference.

The "textbook" answer would be when your Manual or the car tells you to. That however (typically) is far and above the "personal" preference that many owners (including me) en spouse.

I also have a 2013 Accord but I went with the I4 version. (while I secretly long for that power, I honestly don't need it and will welcome the better fuel savings)

Speaking only from personal preference, I'll go 1500 - 2000 miles and drain the factory stuff and use a K&N filter and Mobil1. I'll then make the second change at around 5K and then likely do it every 5K thereafter. Again, this is personal preference and not based on science (such as having the oil examined via spectrograph and watching the results).

To me, again I'm not a mechanic and I don't play one on TV, oil changes are the cheapest way to ensure your engine runs smoothly for +100,000 miles...in any kind of weather.

This likely does not help...sorry...

Scott

 

1) Generally change oil sooner rather than later. Cheap service for your car.

2) In your case. You have a separate extended warranty, so you need to approximate the service intervals
called out in the warranty (that's where you are now), or else why buy the policy?
Save receipt so you could show oil change, ~on schedule, in very unlikely event of warranty issue.

 

Counterpoint...

Wait until your maintenance minder tells you to change the oil. Why? Several reasons:

• Honda is known to use special lubrication additives while the engine is being built (said additives are applied to the various internal components in the form of an assembly lube) which aid in break-in of the engine and they STRONGLY recommend you leave that oil in the engine for the full oil change interval.
• Changing the oil early is a waste of money and resources as you will be throwing away perfectly good oil.
• There is exactly zero evidence that proves early oil changes with modern engines and oil will extend the life of the engine even a single mile.

 

Myself and buddy change our Honda Accords every 5-7k or so. Mine has 230k on it, his has 325k on it. Oil level is just as important as "clean" oil.

Oil will discolor over time through the many heat cycles, it does not mean it is bad and needs to be changed.

The "change it every 3k" rule is decades old. Tolerances have gotten much better along with the oil properties and additives.

 

Exactly.

 

thanks everyone! i did call my dealership today, and they told me that the "Maintenance Minder" light wouldn't go off for an oil change until the car hit around 9,000 miles! (and, come to think of it, the system was telling me my oil life was at 50%) i went ahead and got it changed, though...have a road trip this week and didn't wanna chance it.

thanks for all the replies! i always like to get as much advice as i can