First Oil Change
 

I've got nearly 5000 miles on my '08 Civic and haven't changed the oil yet. The maintenance minder is at 40% for oil (all highway driving). The owner's manual (yes I read it) says to not change oil during the break-in period. For new cars, I've always changed oil at <1000 miles for the first and every 3-4 thereafter. Should I really wait until I have 7100 miles (extrapolated) before the first oil change?

Umm i would get oil change but if u wait till 7100 just get another at 10000km. But yea 7100 little much imo

get an oil change now, but go with synthetic and always run synthetic for as long as you own that car. Change every 5k-7500, anything less than 5k is a waste.

^exactly what he said

Thanks, I'll change it as soon as I get the fomoto valve in the mail.
So the you guys don't use the maintenance minder for scheduling service?

Honda Break-In Oil
 

According to Honda, they use a "special" break-in oil that they want you to keep in your motor for the full time, if you change early, you've taken out the break-in oil early.

I just bought a new 2009 civic(in the new Itanium) and I too having hard time resisting changing the oil early.

I did some additional research and there are quite a few opinions about how to properly break in a new engine. But that's all they are, opinions. The closest thing I have to actual evidence on how to break the engine in is in the owners manual.
This is the third car that I am involved with break-in. The previous two I changed the oil early (<1000) and maintained strict oil changes thereafter. Both of those cars where done before 150,000 and excessively used oil until their demise. Granted, it was a Ford Escort and Chevy Cavalier but still I didn't get the satisfaction of going over 200K.

i would just go by what the manual says. and your not supposed to use synthetic so early in a car.