My car is currently at 32000 miles and so far, it's running fine. i usually get my oil changed (non-synthetic) at Walmart, Jiffy Lube, etc. Few questions and I apologize if this is a repeated post.

1) I know that we're suppose to change the oil once the odometer reads between 5-15% of oil life. Now, I think waiting until 15% may not be good for the car since I'm just running on regular non-dealer and non-synthetic oil. Waiting until 15% seems like lot of mileage. Does waiting until 15% seem reasonable for regular oil change?

2) I live in an apartment so I can't do oil change by myself. Where do you guys get your oil changed for synthetic? Any cheap place? The cheapest I found was Walmart which is $55.

3) What are the typical maintenance that you do besides the oil change and tire rotation? I've seen stuff like fuel injector cleaner, fuel system cleaner, octane booster, etc and was wondering if I should add those to my maintenance list. If so, what brand and mileage? Any other maintenance?

4) When did you get your first brake pad and tires replaced?

Thank you in advance! I'm a true car amateur

 

5% or 5,000 miles, whichever comes first. i use 0w20 syn mobil1, change oil filter at 4k, full oil change at 7k miles.

i'd buy 5-gallon mobil1 0w20 from walwart; honda filter off internet, have dealer change oil, they charge like $10 for labor.

follow acura maintenance schedule. no need to add those cleaner stuff. stick with premium gas, i just changed my spark plugs @ 81k miles, the old plugs are still mint!

brakes - when it squeals :P, also search forum about acura brake issues, honda fucked up on the 2nd gen, you 'may' get free replacement; tires - google penny test.

 

Why 5,000 miles? I would just change oil according to the MM. If it says time to change oil at 7,000 or 8,000 miles, I would do it then. I would also recommend getting an oil analysis done. Take a sample and send to Blackstone, they are pretty reputable and experienced. This will be much more definitive and tell you how your engine is wearing and the life on your oil.

 

The TSX burns clean enough that one can follow 5K or 7.5K routines for dino oil. I use 7.5K (which is approximately where the MM comes up on).

Air Filter every 15K, i'd say look at your transmission fluid at every change, I just changed mine at 36K it was brown! I am going to do a minor 1 drain and fill every 2 oil changes. Its cheap maintenance on this tranny.

 

Sounds like you have a unique problem with your tranny. I don't think this is the norm. In my wife's 2007 Odyssey, where there have been known widely documented problems (and TSB) for problems with the torque converter, I changed the tranny fluid at 36K miles and it still looked good as new. In fact I think most of Honda's/Acura's tranny problems have all been associated with their V6's, not I4's.

 

My car is actually at 36,000 miles. I was very surprised when I took it to a dealer for an oil change and they did the vehicle inspection; my brake pads were very good including my front and rear (maybe cuz I downshift a lot?). Also, my stock tires had plenty of threads left. Even the dealer was surprised. It seems that I'm lucky despite the premature rear brake pads and blown speakers that people have been mentioning. TSX was definitely a great choice! Just wished it would have been a lil faster.

 

Why take it to walmart, the dealership charges me 60 bucks for 03 tl type s and i get a free carwash and vacuum. dont take it to walmart, i would take my previous car (99 toyota solara) and it was a bunch of kids that looked like they didnt care to much for your car. and i found many times having grease on my steering wheel and oil that sometimes would hit the exhaust manifold when they were pooring in new oil that would make the car smell like s**t for a couple days especially if i turned on the heater.

pretty much GO TO THE DEALERSHIP for oil changes its not expensive and they know what there doing

 

not always

 

i know this thread is months old, but i don't give a crap about what anyone says... who the hell waits 7500 miles for an oil change.. and how could acura possibly tell you to change your oil ever 7500.

I did my first oil change at 1250 (i missed my 1k mark) then at 4k, next is at 7k, every 3k and i use regular oil. You guys are all nuts thinking it's ok or safe to change oil every 7500. On my 2010 Maxima i use syn and change every 5k.

 

and that's your ..

 

The initial oil from the factory contains special additives to aid in break-in of internal engine parts.

You may change oil more often/sooner than what Maintenance Minder recommended, however, in my opinion, that is waste of money as modern engine runs a lot cleaner than those made even 10 years ago. I am old enough to remember oil change every 3000 miles and spark plugs clean and re-gap every six months and know how to use a timing gun and replace points and condenser every year for cars made in the 70's to 80's.

I tried to be prudent (engine care and cost), but also green (less oil used).

 

 

its an oil change u can do them yourself lols... i dont know about your acura dealer but mine charges 70$ and u get a nice scratchy car wash with it.. if i take it to my mech he does it for 25$ regular? and if i pay 60$ i get royal purple synthetic

 

I agree 110%. The old school "change your oil and filter every 3K miles" is just that..... old school (as well as wasteful and expensive). And newer technology (mechanical and fluid) has made a huge difference in change intervals for all the fluids in a car, not just oil. As stated above, just follow the MM nanny and you're all set. I have had the oil analyzed a number of times and even 7500 miles is a conservative figure. I've gone the Honda recommended 10K miles between changes in my 05 a number of times, and even that oil still tested out as in good shape (this after Blackstone told me that I could extend my 7500 mile change interval).

 

Who writes such an ignorant post? Did you even bother to read your owners manual or do you just assume that you know more than the engineers that developed and tested the engine? Is it so mind blowing that they may have actually made improvements to oil wear over the past 20 years? And as for calling us "nuts" sir, I think there may be one more out there than you realize.

Directly from Acura:
"There is absolutely no benefit in changing your oil more frequently than recommended in your Owner's Manual. This will only increase your cost of ownership, and create an unnecessary burden upon the environment by increasing the amount of disposed oil."

Also:
"Your Acura engine was delivered with an oil that is specially formulated for new engines that have not yet developed their "natural" wear patterns and may contain minute particles from the manufacturing process.
Acura strongly recommends this special oil be left in the engine long enough for these wear patterns to develop, usually until the first maintenance interval specified in your Owner's Manual, based on your specific driving conditions."

 

Any difference between the Mobil 1 Full Synth 5W30 vs Honda's Full Synth 5W30.
09TSXTech where do you get your oil filter from?

 

Honda/Acura uses Mobil1 oil. Bought oil from my dealership and they gave me a
Mobil1 box but the containers are labeled Acura Premium Oils.

BTW '09-'10 TSX are 5W-20 and '11+ TSX are 0W-20

 

it doesn't really matter, have been running 0w20 for past 70k miles on a '04, no problems. it's great for sub-zero winter starts.

 

Apparently you haven't read the Manual or don't even care to look to see what being written in there.

 

that guy has probably never done or read a UOA in his life.