Oil recommendation for a new-to-me Accord

[yesthatsteve]

After the transmission in the Lovely Wife's '01 Odyssey failed again (though lasting 1/3 longer on Maxlife than the previous rebuild lasted on Z-1), she decided she was done with it. We picked up a CPO Accord 4-cyl this week.

I know our options are limited, given the manual requires 0w20, but thought I'd see what everyone suggests.

• 2011 Accord 4-cyl AT
  
• Manual requires "0w20 detergent oil displaying the API Certification Seal."
  
• I live in suburban Kansas City, MO - winter temps occasionally below 0 F, summer temps occasionally above 100 F.
  
• Wife's DD. Her driving style is moderate - she's no hoon, but also doesn't drive like a grandma.
  
• Her commute to work is 12 miles each way, mostly highway. She also does short trips
• No known problems.

The car has a Maintenance Minder, and our OCI will follow its recommendation to meet the requirements of the CPO powertrain warranty to 100k miles. Since it's a 4-cylinder, we don't have to worry about VCM issues.

Off the top of my head, the most accessible and affordable 0w20 oils are M1-AFE and QSUD at our local Wal-Mart, and NAPA synthetic when it's on sale. Sales at the other parts stores have been unimpressive lately. What other options am I missing?

Thanks!

 

[sir1900]

Go with whatever is on sale at Walmart or Napa. Any 0W20 will do just fine.

 

[Roob]

TGMO 0w20
MGMO 0w20

Of these two the TGMO is probably easier to get. It will be at any Toyota or Lexus dealership.
Enjoy the new car!!

 

[AKhan87]

I would use QSUD if it comes in 0w20, then PP, and then Mobil 1 AFE. Just going by what's on pqia even though on 5w30, seems better on paper.
If cost not a concern then TGMO or MGMO.

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: yesthatsteve
What other options am I missing?


You know what they call doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results?

Mobil 1, Quaker State, whatever...functionally speaking, it truly doesn't matter.

Divert your focus & $$$ into that transmission -- think about a Magnefine, or Racor setup.

 

[mclasser]

Originally Posted By: sir1900
Go with whatever is on sale at Walmart or Napa. Any 0W20 will do just fine.

+1

 

[fdcg27]

This is not a picky engine.
Any API SN 0W-20 should be fine.
If you can find TGMO for five bucks a quart, then why not?
I do see it offered at that price on CL now and then.
Otherwise, M1 0W-20 is around that cost by the jug at Walmart.
If you follow the MM, you should get a decent number of miles out of an OCI, so cost is not that great of an object.
Walmart also stocks Synpower, QSUD and PP in the 0W-20 grade, so you could just use whichever is on rollback at any given time.
You could also look for clearances of this grade.
I'm using HGMO API SM 0W-20 and will be for some time since I got a forty quart stash of it from a fellow member for five bucks a quart.
This is the old high VI, high moly Idemitsu HGMO, so I thought it was worth the price of M1 0W-20 by the jug.

 

[tommygunn]

Other affordable options, if you can find them:
Valvoline Durablend 0w20
Castrol GTX Synblend 0w20

My favorite option would be the cheapest synthetic that's on sale. Napa synthetic, as you pointed out, or Peak syn, Havoline, etc.

AAP has QSUD and a Driveworks filter for $22.99, or $2 more for the P1. It's available in 0w20, and with this deal you can buy four individual quarts, so you don't have to have that big jug with just one quart in it. Simply keep the unopened quart in case you need it.

When the warranty is up, you can use 5w20 which expands your options.

 

[yesthatsteve]

I'd forgotten about the 0w20 blends.

Thanks for the feedback, all!

 

[4D-56]

Originally Posted By: mclasser
Originally Posted By: sir1900
Go with whatever is on sale at Walmart or Napa. Any 0W20 will do just fine.

+1


+1

 

[901Memphis]

Mobil 1 AFE 0w20; follow the MM and your golden.

I would run a short first run since you never know who did what before you had it.

 

[gregk24]

TGMO would be my #1 choice. I run it in my K24 and it runs smooth and quiet. M1 AFE 0w20 and PP 0w20 are other good choices. Fram Ultra or Tough Guard or even OEM for the filter.

 

[Phishin]

I run a 2:1 mix of M1 0w20AFE and M1 0w40.... giving me a basic 30 weight.

 

[lubedude13]

If you are following Hondas usual 6800-8000k olm then I would personally recommend Pennzoil platinum 0w20. You could find a local goodyear or Firestone store that sells Kendall 0w20 full synthetic. My shop sells it for about $4.49 a quart and it's great oil.
Sign up for amsoil for a preferred customer and have the oil shipped to your door. Amsoil OE comes in around $5.75 a quart shipped n tax included

 

[Doog]

If you want a trouble free Honda then do a 5-6000 mile OCI with PP or QSUD or Mobil1 0w20 or 5w20 and factory filter. Do 3 drain fills with the Honda Synthetic ATF now and then every 50,000 miles. Do a drain fill of the coolant every 50,000 miles and be sure to burp the cooling system. Flush the brake fluid with Honda Dot3 every reline. Replace the serpentine belt every 70k and have the valve adjustment checked at 100k. Replace the air filter every 20-30k.

That's about it.

 

[AKhan87]

Originally Posted By: Doog
If you want a trouble free Honda then flush the brake fluid with Honda Dot3 every reline.


what is a reline? I always wondered about changing the brake fluid, the process i have read seems a bit tedious. maybe you have links to what is a simple preventative maintenance for it.

how often?

the brake fluid exchange or "flush" by firestone and other companies alike are sufficient? or would the Dealership do a better place to get a brake fluid exchange?

 

[yesthatsteve]

Originally Posted By: Doog
If you want a trouble free Honda then do a 5-6000 mile OCI with PP or QSUD or Mobil1 0w20 or 5w20 and factory filter. Do 3 drain fills with the Honda Synthetic ATF now and then every 50,000 miles. Do a drain fill of the coolant every 50,000 miles and be sure to burp the cooling system. Flush the brake fluid with Honda Dot3 every reline. Replace the serpentine belt every 70k and have the valve adjustment checked at 100k. Replace the air filter every 20-30k.

That's about it.


Nice to know the newer transmissions will go 50k between fluid exchanges. The '01 Ody this Accord replaces had one rebuild last 39k on Z-1, and the most recent lasted 52k on Maxlife.

 

[Phishin]

Originally Posted By: lubedude13
If you are following Hondas usual 6800-8000k olm


My OLM says to go to 11-12k miles between OC's.

No way, not me. I changed at 60%.

 

[bubbatime]

My 2010 Acura TSX (an upscale Honda Accord) will go 13k-14k miles before it tells me to change the oil. I change at 50% which is about 7k miles typically.

If that were my car, I would just run 5w20 PYB and change every 5k-6k miles.