Zyuan10

Well... not exactly "myths" but I just want to clear up some conceptual misunderstandings about how I should drive my car in terms of keeping it healthy.

1. Getting ready to start up your car for the first time, how long should you let it idle to "warm up"? my dad leaves it on for 1-2 minutes sometimes to let the oil get hot and so the engine can run more smoothly without sudden "bursts". I kinda don't agree on this; I feel that it's better to just let it idle for no more than 15 seconds then just drive the car slowly (under 2k rpm) to warm it up.

2. Common one. 3000 mile = oil change. Too early or just right?

3. What exactly CAN'T you do during your car's break-in period?(for new cars apparently) and ending period of break-in (how many miles?)

4. Any other Do's and Do not's with the TSX? or anything people think they shouldn't do, but actually can without harm and vice versa?

5. SS mode is bad for the tranny. when is it true and when is it not? duration matters?

Any other common misunderstandings you guys can add, please feel free to do so ^_^

Thanks

Zyuan10

ugh...sorry for double post but i left out a question

6. When I get my TSX, i don't want the license on the front bumper. Is this illegal or can it be done? (different from state to state I suppose?)... or better question, Does the front bumper come drilled? or does the license plate frame mounts on somewhere else?

gunmetal man

change the oil every 3000 mi, you can tell how dirty it gets after 3000 mi, up to 4,000 is fine, but to be safe 3000 is the best bet since clean oil is the lifesource of your motor.

break in: don't push it too hard. don't change the oil for 4,500 mi, since it has a special formula in it.

ss mode is bad only if you red line miss-shifting doesn't really hurt it from my experience- i may be wrong. 80% damage to tranny happens at very high rpms.

---------------------
you love your car. you show that in the way you drive,
if you drive fast you're sure to have an enjoyable ride- you'll love to drive
slow easy acceleration- you'll keep your car forever.

you decide

gunmetal man

"miss-shifting doesnt' really hurt"

-- of course i mean not anything totally retarded like going 80mph on 2nd gear

gunmetal man

"miss shifting doesn't really hurt" - just don't do anything totally retarded of course like 80mph on 2nd gear

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

1. The TSX needs no real warm-up time at all. Just crank it and drive. I usually start the car, then set the items like the radio, climate control, windows, etc. and then drive off.

2. If you have a later model (06/07) TSX, follow the maintenance minder. Otherwise, just follow the manufacturers recommended maintenance schedule. There is no need for oil changes every 3000 miles unless you enjoy wasting money.

3. Don't red-line the car, don't drive at any one rpm for too long of a period, don't go full throttle. Break-in is only the first 600 miles (though some take it easy for the first 1000) so just keep your driving light for about 2 tanks of gas and you'll be fine.

4. If you have fogs, avoid leaving them on while the car is not in motion. They get pretty hot and need the moving air to cool them.

5. Nope. The SS mode is only a means of allowing you to control the transmission logic and it is designed to prevent you from being able to do something that can damage the transmission. There is no mechnical connection between your shift knob and the transmission so there is no way you can do any mechanical damage.

6. Check with your local state laws for whether or not it is legal. The plate frame is usually attached using 2 screws that are located in the lower grille area of the front bumper and are intentionally hidden so as to avoid the ugly holes if you choose to remove the plate frame.

LoveMyTL-S

Another misunderstanding is that the TSX is fast. It's not fast but peppy. Sytle, some luxury and peppiness is nice.

clee109

It's illegal in Oregon to not have a front plate. However; there are options some DIY and some you can buy. DIY, you can mount it in the air damn for a different look. Or you can buy a lisence plate relocator and have to the left or right of stock position. Or you can be a bad ass and hope they don't write you a ticket.

rb1

Depends on what you mean by "fast", but a 7-ish second 0-60 (6MT) is a significant improvement on "peppy".

Reach

1 BIG IMPORTANT THING about that front bumper (if you haven't already taken delivery of the car): I made sure to tell my salesman I would not take delivery if there were any holes drilled in the bumper. The car does NOT come this way, the dealer drills the holes to mount the license plate frame. There is 1 big, ugly hole front and center, that is all they drill. There are 2 mounting points underneath the frame that are also used, but are not visible unless you're under the car. Just make sure they understand you expect there to be no front plate holder installed.

synthetic

Regarding the oil change question:

If you're using a full-synthetic blend(like Mobil 1 or Amsoil), even the maintenance reminder is way too cautios. You're safe to change oils at longer intervals like 5000-6000 miles.

Under normal driving conditions, Mobil 1's 5w30 has proven to maintain a high level of viscosity for distances of up to 26,000KM(15,600 miles!), but the recommended point of change would be at 10,000 miles.

I personally don't feel too great about keeping the same oil in my engine for 10,000 miles, so I change every 5000 miles.

curls

Almost all of your questions are going to be answered with pure opinion or personal preference, so take them all with a grain of salt, and maybe do some reading via a search.

Personally (there's the hidden word for "opinion"), I don't let the car warm up during the warmer months, and during the winter, it warms up as long as it takes for me to brush the snow or scrape the windshield.

As for oil change intervals, I'm running in-between the severe and normal schedules. 12,000km OCI on a full synthetic, heavy duty 0w-30 oil. 3000miles/5000km is an utter waste of money.

I like to run my cars hard on break-in, but a "controlled" hard. gradually work up to redline over a few moderate to high throttle runs in 2nd or 3rd gear. Then dump the oil within the first 500 miles and run it smoothly, varying the rpm's, until your first scheduled oil change.

Only #6 has a solid answer: If you're a law-abiding citizen, keep the plate there. If not, then remove it at will and don't complain when you get a ticket.

SoCaliTrojan

Oil technology has improved. In the old days, the oil will seep down due to gravity (ie: the top of parts lose their lubrication over night). Cars had to be warmed up so that the oil could properly lubricate the car's internal parts. Today's oil doesn't do that. It leaves a film of oil to keep everything lubricated. It's best to idle for a few seconds, then drive the car slowly to warm it up.

It depends on your choice of motor oil, how you drive, and the circumstance of how you drive. More short trips would require oil changes sooner. Some people prefer to change their oil sooner than recommended...others like to get the maximum amount of miles out of the oil before changing it.

There are two main schools of thought. Some believe that you have to drive it very hard. Others believe you need to follow the manufacturer's instruction and take it slow (since they built it, they should know about it). I think the correct answer is somewhere in-between. The ending period of miles is a toss-up. It's 600 miles according to the manufacturer, but if you believe in the "drive it hard" philosophy, then it's 14 miles (yes, if you're past 14 miles, then it's semi too late).

Anything you shouldn't do with a car, you shouldn't do to a car. The TSX isn't a special type of car. Treat it like you'd treat any other car.

Who cares about auto tranny's ;-P
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SoCaliTrojan

It depends on your state. The license plate is attached to a bracket, which is attached from underneath (inside the bumper). The bracket calls for a hole to be drilled into the bumper, but most dealers don't do it. It depends on your dealer though...some dealers do drill the hole.

You can also relocate your license plate. I moved mine down, since the license plate bracket tends to hit the bumper and wear out the paint...