I use K&N. Own a 00 ex with 140k on it, I change every 7k-7500 and engine has had no problems so far...knock on wood

 

I've run full synthetic (castrol) and an extended life filter on every vehicle I've owned, changed oil every 5k; no problems with it so far.

*edit: and doing the change yourself will cost no more than $20 at absolute max

 

I change every 5000 miles, with Royal Purple and a K&N oil filter, and a new Honda OEM oil drain bolt crush washer. Whole DIY costs me about $33.

 

Thanks for all the replys. I am considering doing the oil changes myself. That's actually why I was looking the manual in the first place. :-) It's so convenient to have a shop do a full service where they check and top off all the fluids.

The only thing is, is now I would have to buy a set of ramps (no big deal I guess). But there was one thing in the manual that I read that said to check, the car had to be level. If I'm on ramps, the car ain't level.

I'm not sure if some of the $$ that were shown here are just for oil and a filter or not, but when you add in topping off all the other fluids (I realize that it would almost always be only the wiper fluid), you're getting pretty close to the $50 range I'm already paying. Wouldn't it make more sense to just have the "professionals" do it?

RonJ, what oil and filter do you use to be under $20? That's sounds pretty good to me.

Clutchcargo, when that tires sales person said that about the warrantee I'm guessing she was talking as if it was a new car. And I thought the same thing about the manual saying it, so it must be okay. I think she was just an idiot.

 

Check this thread out:
https://www.hondacivicforum.com/foru...ad.php?t=70830
And the oil bible:
http://www.zag.si/~jank/public/bmw/oil_bible.pdf

 

I purchase a 5-quart container of the Walmart-brand SuperTech full synthetic 5W-30 motor oil for about $18. It takes about 3-quarts to do an oil change (~$11). I have been using a Fram oil filter, but I recently read about tests showing that Fram filters in general are crap. In the future, I am switching to a Purolator oil filter, which the same tests showed are excellent. The Purolator filter can be purchased for $5 or less.

You can certainly pay a lot more for the highest rated motor oils and filters but, in my opinion, the extra money spent will not give you substantially more benefits if you routinely change your oil and filter every 5K miles.

 

also, as far as other fluids go... well, the only fluid I regularly have to top off is my wiper fluid. You might need to eventually change your antifreeze, you might have to eventually add brake fluid, etc, but not on a 5k or even 10k mile basis (but you should still check fluid levels just in case)

And a jack and jack stands works fine for me when I change oil.

*edit: If I'm not mistaken, the drain bolt and filter both face the back of the car on civics anyway, so having the front end higher will help the oil drain anyway.

 

I completely agree with all said here.

 

Am I crazy than for changing antifreeze every 15K miles and changing my tranny oil at 5K together with motor oil? I also completely flush the brakes after every winter. Only hting I don't touch is the power steering system since I will be replacing the whole thing this winter anyway with a manual steering rack... (btw not a civic, but it's my idea of general maintainance)

 

You certainly can't do any harm with such "extreme" maintenance, though replacing the tranny, coolant, and brake fluid every 30K-60K miles might have the same effect. The latter approach might also free up time and money for other more entertaining activities.