Well I just got told by my service advisor that I should not be using the off the shelf M1 Synthetic as honda sends them a specific blend of m1.

Any truth? Anyone do any tests?

I know the M1 they have probably has HTO-06 stamped on it but seriously m1 would make a different batch of oil for honda alone ?

 

Anyone with any insight on this please comment. I never bring my car in for oil change since I do it myself, and given the location of the oil filter on the RDX this should be a piece of cake.

 

That advice from your service advisor sounds a lot of bogus... My service dealer never told me that kind of stuff at all... Only thing they did say was that I should stick to a synthetic that Honda recommends or at least HTO-06 certified.

Honestly, my previous 2003 SAAB 9-3 sports sedan turbo, was on the diet of regular synthetic not Mobil 1 specific, and I was a little cheap to change it only @ every 15,000 kms. I had that car for 4.5 years, and only at the last little part of the ownership did the engine start to lose some of that operational efficiency. I think it would have been better if I kept the interval @ 8,000 km instead, because those turbos do run really hot.

Currently, I change the oil in my RDX @ every 8,000 kms, or twice a year, and I simply use Mobil1 I picked up at either Walmart or Canadian tire. Can't really tell the difference.

You know, the dealers do charge you an arm and a leg for simple oil/filter change. How else can they justify keeping their service bay running?

Read your manual, it says Mobil 1 synthetic or equivalent HTO-06 certified synthetic.

 

One other thing... Mobil 1 will not deliberately make a specific blend of the synthetic for Honda alone and that is HTO-06 certified. Do you know how much that is going to cost? Honda don't sell enough RDX's to warrant asking Mobil 1 to develop a special blend just for Honda alone.

Heck, even Quaker Q synthetic recently was indicated as the "official" engine oil for Ferrari. Go figure...

If I was your dealer, I would probably go as far as tell you that my service department gets the oil imported directly from Honda Japan, the "good stuff".

If simple DIY is not cumbersome for you, I would say, go for it and do it yourself.

Basically, all the HTO-06 thing is about Honda producing a list of specifications on the engine oil which it must have in order to be used in the RDX. And Mobil 1 was chosen because it was tested by Honda (and probably some business dealings in between as well) and found to be suitable for use.

Pennzoil platinum was recently tested against the Honda HTO-06 specifications, and it meets those specifications as well. Go to Pennzoil website and it states that clearly.

 

The M-1 5 quart bottles at Wal Mart, which sell for less than $24, have the HTO-06 stamped right on the bottle. The truck and SUV M-1, however, does not. Sounds like your service advisor is FOS.

 

we up here in Canada usually have the old batches still in stores. Will look out for new bottles.

Mav thats what I thought, M1 would not go out and create a special batch for Honda alone. I'm still weery if M1 is a good choice by Honda, apparently the certification was done prior to M1's alleged molecular change....

 

If the oil you buy has HTO-6 label, you are good to go.
Read the manual. The manual does not say that only oil you get from dealer is good for your car.

 

There is a simple fix for dealing with this kind of Serv Advisor dishonesty and/or stupidity:

Ask him to put it in writing on the dealership letterhead.

(Their squirmy reaction to this request usually has some pretty fair entertainment value as well.)

 

I totally agree with XLR8R. Tell him you are going to share it with a tech at Honda USA in California that you have been exchanging correspondence with.
Watch him deny ever saying it in the first place.

 

Today Walmart lowered their price on Mobil 1 5Qt to $21.97. Getting better all the time. Hope the gas prices follow.

 

At the Walmarts around my area, it's been around that price for quite some time now...

 

B/S. Mobil 1 5w-30 meets HTO-06. The only other oil that meets this spec Pennzoil Platinum. I would use either of these two products but preferably Mobil 1. They are the leader in synthetic oils.

 

Tell your service advisor he's a douche canoe, and to go steal money elsewhere...