The answer is: because nobody else seems to know for sure.

I already did that and the answer they gave me was exactly what it is written in the manual. But they don't tell you if a synthetic or dino oil would be better as the first replacement. Besides, Honda Australia has different recommendations, so I decided to ask somewhere else to look for a different opinion.

True, but if you read the e-mail I posted, they actually state that changing the oil too soon makes no sense since "Today

 

No matter what is 'recomended' or what the manual sais. Common sence dictates:
- Leaving in oil for too long is BAD.
- Changing oil often is GOOD.

I'm sure that ideally you'd want 'fresh' oil inthe engine all the time. Just beacuse an engine can go without an oil change for X ammount of time does not mean that changing it more often will not be better.

Oil changes are good for the car and not changing oil is bad for the car. I'm not saying that leaving the oil in for the 1st 5000km will do any harm - all I'm saying it that changing the oil can only imporve things.

 

David,
I agree with your basic point about frequent oil changes ( like the old joke here to vote "early and often"). No one should argue with that. HMC has stated that the car is shipped to the US with a special "break-in" oil. Hence some are unsure how to balance leaving in this "special" oil with frequent changes. The buzz on the board was that part of the additives in this oil was molybedenum. You could convieve of how a metal (like lead in the bad old days) might help valves better form seals during break-in. Hence one would want to leave in this oil prior to switching. Like break in questions in general, this is not necessariliy an all or none question (ie nothing is magic about 1000km- the car is probably not hurt by VTEC at 900 km, and it benefits from careful driving at 1100km)
Don

 

another question... it will take me about 9 months (from the date of purchase) to get to 3,000 miles. do i really wait 9 months to change the oil, or do i change it after 6 months or so?

 

wanabe,
I believe that you should change it before 6 months. Oil degrades with time, even if the car isn't driven.
Don

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by SFDukie
[B]wanabe,
I believe that you should change it before 6 months.

 

Most of my local dealers do that same "gotta do it at 3750" stuff. But one of them doesn't (Hendrick dealer on top of that). They have a huge sign saying Honda doesn't recommend changing oil before 7500 on any new vehicle. They will actually try to talk you out of giving them money, and this was a new experience for me compared to the rest of the scum sucking money hungry dealers around here.

So I decided to wait once I was at 3750, of course I hit 6 months at 4500 miles, so I went ahead and had it changed anyways, oh well.

I do 5000 miles between changes now on my 4Runner w/supercharger and that's with Mobil 1, and the oil always looks great when it comes out. The 4Runner manual says 5000 for severe conditions and 7500 for normal. I consider having a supercharger "severe"

 

I've been told to have it done before 3750. But I've been kinda sticking to the manual. Except I've only been going by mileage and not months. I hope it's not bad.

 

Sime, I should have elaborated - the Honda manual says first oil change at 1,000km, second at 5,000km and thereafter at 5,000km intevals.

I probably wouldn't go as far as to brand all S2000 owners 'tightasses' if they don't have their oil changed at 600miles! That's maybe a little extreme - after all, some owners want to religiously follow the instructions in the US Honda manual. Breaking those instructions may be something that they don't want to do - and I could understand that. It's their perogative.
[/QUOTE]

I do take your point about getting a rise out of people and I didn't want to do that with STL as I have a lot of respect for his opinions (sorry STL). However, I am just puzzled why there is so much of an US (owners) against THEM (dealers) mentality and almost an emotional objection against spending too much money with them. I don't care who changes your oil but frankly at the end of the day I think you're only cheating yourself if you shortcut on something as basic as an oil change.

BTW STL, the Aussie Honda service manual basically states what you say about extreme conditions with the following exception : Repeated short distance driving (e.g. up to 8kms (5 miles) OR for stop start driving or idling for long periods) - I think that pretty much sums up commuter driving as an extreme condition and supports the point I made in my earlier post. As I say, no hard feelings and apologies.

 

Does anyone else find it odd that Honda gives different directions (in different countries) for really the SAME car!?!?!?!?!

The dealers bring it on themselves by not being honest with their customers. If more dealers would be honest and tell people the truth about maintence schedules then there wouldn't be this US and THEM problem. But they seem to be driven by greed instead of truth...

The "for stop start driving or idling for long periods" statement is still kinda vague, but you're probably right. My commumte is mostly interstate where I drive 60+mph (unless traffic is really bad) so that doesn't apply to me.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 2kturkey
[B]As I say, no hard feelings and apologies.