Honda dealer ever use FULL synthetic?

[flinter]

I was wondering if any Honda dealer, anywhere in USA, use full Honda synthetic oil, or only
Honda Synthetic Blend 0W-20? Also, if you request they use Honda full synthetic, how do you
know they are actually filling with full synthetic and not the blend? I decided for my first
oil change at 5240 last week, just to go with Honda Syn Blend, but still considering for my
next change to switch to a full synthetic. However, I am still not convinced of the benefit
since these Civics are said to be very easy on oil.

 

[Zaedock]

Call your local dealer(s) and find out.

How is anyone supposed to know if Honda dealers across the entire US use syn? It's probably a mixed bag. I'm sure many use bulk *insert brand here*.

 

[flinter]

Let me re-phase this, I was just asking if there are Honda dealers
that use their full synthetic automatically, or do customers have to request it?

 

[Zaedock]

Well, unless specifically requested, most will probably use the lowest cost oil they can to satisfy Honda's requirements.

As far as trusting what they actually put in, that's a relationship you have to build over time.

 

[dparm]

I don't think any Honda has ever required a full syn, even the S2000.

The 1st-gen Acura RDX needed stuff meeting HTO-06, which I believe was only satisfied by full syns like Mobil 1, QSUD, and some others.

 

[rich mds]

You probably have to ask for it, because that is when they tell you the price doubles or triples as a result of the request.

 

[Colt]

Originally Posted By: rich mds
You probably have to ask for it, because that is when they tell you the price doubles or triples as a result of the request.


and then you don't know if you get full synthetic.
I let Honda service do my first oil change on the CR-V.
Asked for synthetic.$59.95 or was it $69.95?.I assumed full synthetic was used.Now I feel maybe the Honda blend was used.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Many Honda dealers don't actually use Honda-branded oil. Similar to dealers of any other makes; most have contracts with oil suppliers. The local Toyota dealer serviced my 2011 Camry twice under Toyota's 2/25,000 free maintenance plan, and they used Mobil 1 0W-20 once and Quaker State 0W-20 once. Didn't use Toyota's own 0W-20 at all. The Honda dealer from which we bought our CR-V used to use Valvoline fluids and Valvoline filters in their service department (even Valvoline ATF). A year or so ago, their advertising switched to Shell/Pennzoil.

There is no answer to your question that will be true for every Honda dealer out there. The only way to truly know what goes into the engine is for you to pour it in. As Zaedock said above, if you have your dealer service the car, there is value in building a trusting relationship with them so you can be more confident of what goes in. At the end of the day, though, unless they let you go out into the bay and watch them, there will be no way to truly know.

The Honda dealer here has a "Quick Lane" oil change area where you actually can watch what's going on. They fill the fluids with a gun, but if you asked for and paid for the Honda Full Synthetic 0W-20, they would presumably fill that by the quart, and you might be able to watch it go in.

 

[SatinSilver]

Colt,

At the $59.99 rate they probably used full syn. That's what 3 local Toyo dealer here charge for it. A few times I've brought the dealer a jug of oil to use with a sticky note on it that said to the tech to use this and please return any unused oil, Thank you. Which they would do everytime. About a quart left in the jug. Which makes it easy for them to do. Plus as mentioned you can watch.

 

[Colt]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Many Honda dealers don't actually use Honda-branded oil. Similar to dealers of any other makes; most have contracts with oil suppliers. The local Toyota dealer serviced my 2011 Camry twice under Toyota's 2/25,000 free maintenance plan, and they used Mobil 1 0W-20 once and Quaker State 0W-20 once. Didn't use Toyota's own 0W-20 at all. The Honda dealer from which we bought our CR-V used to use Valvoline fluids and Valvoline filters in their service department (even Valvoline ATF). A year or so ago, their advertising switched to Shell/Pennzoil.

There is no answer to your question that will be true for every Honda dealer out there. The only way to truly know what goes into the engine is for you to pour it in. As Zaedock said above, if you have your dealer service the car, there is value in building a trusting relationship with them so you can be more confident of what goes in. At the end of the day, though, unless they let you go out into the bay and watch them, there will be no way to truly know.

The Honda dealer here has a "Quick Lane" oil change area where you actually can watch what's going on. They fill the fluids with a gun, but if you asked for and paid for the Honda Full Synthetic 0W-20, they would presumably fill that by the quart, and you might be able to watch it go in.


Can't watch at my dealership.
I'll probably do the changes now like I did with the last CR-V we had.Very easy no ramp change.
This new generation has a cover over the filter and plug.Some on the CR-V forum said the cover screws are tough to remove.

 

[flinter]

Hokiefyd,
I learned NEVER trust these high volume dealers, which is what my local Honda dealer is. "Building a trusting relationship"... Yeah, right! You really thing they give a [censored] about you? They could care LESS. It's all about volume and profit and getting you in and out.
A trusting relationship can be built with a independent trusted shop, but I really dont
think that's possible in high volume dealers here in NJ.

 

[Indydriver]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
The local Toyota dealer serviced my 2011 Camry twice under Toyota's 2/25,000 free maintenance plan, and they used Mobil 1 0W-20 once and Quaker State 0W-20 once. Didn't use Toyota's own 0W-20 at all.

If this is true, then your dealer is in violation of their ToyotaCare agreement and are committing fraud. Toyota pays the dealers to do these services. Toyota pledges to their customers that only "genuine" Toyota products are used. I investigated this at my Toyota dealership. They showed me their bulk drums of TGMO 0W-20.

 

[285south]

Originally Posted By: Indydriver

If this is true, then your dealer is in violation of their ToyotaCare agreement and are committing fraud. Toyota pays the dealers to do these services. Toyota pledges to their customers that only "genuine" Toyota products are used. I investigated this at my Toyota dealership. They showed me their bulk drums of TGMO 0W-20.


+1 go back to the dealer and ask the manager to have him show you the drums. Take a picture with your smart phone if it is NOT TGMO. File a complaint to Toyota online and with your photo proof.

 

[salv]

The local Honda dealer here uses GulfTec 0w20 full synthetic, and so does the local Toyota dealer. All the dealers in our town are using Gulf engine oils.

 

[TomDletto]

I've asked my Honda dealer a couple of times about this very thing. My 12 Civic calls for 0-20. I do not believe that my dealer used 0-20 but the factory fill is 0-20 full synth. I think most of them have bulk 5-20 syn blend they use for this. So far I've had the dealer do the oil change until recently. I changed my own and put Mobil 1 0W-20 AFE. There's a difference. I was going to us Pennzoil but did not have access to any at the time. I think the motor came alive with the right oil in it.

 

[mclasser]

You'll be hard-pressed to find dealers that actually use the manufacturer's official oil like TGMO or HGMO. They'll use the cheapest stuff unless you are adamant about it. Then maybe, just maybe they'll pull the genuine stuff out of some box in the backroom.