Honda dealers standard OC is 5w-20 blend

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I'm finishing up a four week western road trip, and will be getting a Honda dealer OC on my 2017 Odyssey tomorrow in Rapid City SD. As my trip continued and covered 6,600 miles in 26 days, I checked with Honda dealers in Cheyenne WY, Rapid City SD and Sioux Falls SD. All three dealers use a 5w-20 blend as the standard oil change in the new Hondas they service, but 0w-20 is available at an extra charge.

Since the 2017 manual calls for 0w-20, this surprised me. So on a leased vehicle, the Honda warranty department would be hard pressed to deny an oil related claim if its own dealers are putting 5w-20 in the new models. What gives?
 
Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
but 0w-20 is available at an extra charge.


This is what would bother me since 0W20 is the only option listed on the oil cap and owner's manual.
 
0w-20 and 5w-20 are so close that I doubt it really matters. Certainly not enough to cause any appreciable change in wear, and definitely not enough to shorten its life by any measurable amount.

If it means anything, my '14 Altima 2.5 engine calls for 0w-20 oil, but the dealership where I bought it new, and where we take it for oil changes, puts in 5w-30. I had a rather long conversation with the service manager about this, and he pulled out a document supposedly issued by Nissan USA stating that they approved the use of 5w-30 as well, and that it will not void the warranty. I find this interesting because the 3.5 engine available in this car actually specs 5w-30.. so I suspect it's a convenience kind of approval so that dealerships only have to stock the one oil in quantity.

so.. take away from that what you will.
 
As SirTanon mentioned, the two grades are so close it shouldn't matter. Cost is a big reason for this IMO as 5w-20 is much cheaper to purchase than its 0w counterpart.
 
You only need 0w-20 in a North Dakota winter where you can see 40 below. Cars there are equipped with engine block heaters in any case so it shouldn't be much of a concern.
 
Well, there's a few possible explanations:

1) bait and switch for CAFE credits.
2) internal memo to use 5W for better engine protection
3) to be price competitive with 3rd party oil changers.

Explanation 3 is the more likely answer. 1 & 2 are for the conspiracy folks however intriguing it is.

As far as warranty compliance. Oil requirements are generally not an absolute but a conditional statement as written in the OM. They may recommend but as long as you use a reasonable oil and OCI for your conditions you should be OK. For most NA vehicles reasonable would be SN-GF5. I highly doubt Honda would deny a claim for using Mobil 1 5W-30 instead of 0W20. If so, a quick call to Mobil corporate would likely resolve the issue - I'd love to be a fly on the wall for that one.
 
Originally Posted By: PimTac
As SirTanon mentioned, the two grades are so close it shouldn't matter. Cost is a big reason for this IMO as 5w-20 is much cheaper to purchase than its 0w counterpart.
This^^^^
 
Originally Posted By: PimTac
As SirTanon mentioned, the two grades are so close it shouldn't matter. Cost is a big reason for this IMO as 5w-20 is much cheaper to purchase than its 0w counterpart.


Exactly- no big deal.
My local Honda dealer uses 5w20 on everything and 0w20 is available at a $7 surcharge.
I use 5w20 Magnatec on my new Ford that calls for 0w20.
I lose nothing and Magnatec is far better oil than most. Plus sometimes 0w20 is at a huge price premium even in the same brands.
So 5w20 is a winner
 
Originally Posted By: SirTanon


If it means anything, my '14 Altima 2.5 engine calls for 0w-20 oil, but the dealership where I bought it new, and where we take it for oil changes, puts in 5w-30. I had a rather long conversation with the service manager about this, and he pulled out a document supposedly issued by Nissan USA stating that they approved the use of 5w-30 as well, and that it will not void the warranty. I find this interesting because the 3.5 engine available in this car actually specs 5w-30.. so I suspect it's a convenience kind of approval so that dealerships only have to stock the one oil in quantity.

so.. take away from that what you will.


Look in your Nissan Altima Owners Manual, page 9-2 Technical and Consumer Information, 0W-20 is recommended: As an alternative to this recommended oil, SAE 5W-30 conventional petroleum oils may be used and meet all specifications and requirements necessary to maintain the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
 
Originally Posted By: SirTanon
0w-20 and 5w-20 are so close that I doubt it really matters. Certainly not enough to cause any appreciable change in wear, and definitely not enough to shorten its life by any measurable amount.

If it means anything, my '14 Altima 2.5 engine calls for 0w-20 oil, but the dealership where I bought it new, and where we take it for oil changes, puts in 5w-30. I had a rather long conversation with the service manager about this, and he pulled out a document supposedly issued by Nissan USA stating that they approved the use of 5w-30 as well, and that it will not void the warranty. I find this interesting because the 3.5 engine available in this car actually specs 5w-30.. so I suspect it's a convenience kind of approval so that dealerships only have to stock the one oil in quantity.

so.. take away from that what you will.


At least here in Canada, the 5W20 is semi-synthetic, the 0W20 is full synthetic. The 0W20 is a higher quality of oil that will give you better protection.

To the OP, I am really surprised they do that. Here, we basically use whatever the oil cap says. All the newer cars get 0W20 full synthetic. Sounds like the dealers have just had too many people complain about the higher price of the oil.

Honestly, the dealers doing this don't know anything about oil.
 
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I wonder if they push newer car owners towards the 0w20 oil change...

Pretty sad that you have to pay extra to get the correct oil called for by the mfg.
 
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Let's set any technicalities aside.

Honda the dealership and Honda the manufacturer are two different entities. One sells cars the other one makes cars. If the dealers have to bend the specification and are willing to stand by and back the decision, that's fine but I would still take it with a grain of salt.
 
Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
... Plus sometimes 0w20 is at a huge price premium even in the same brands. ...
I generally don't see any price premium at all, if we're comparing 0W-20 and 5W-20 of the same brand, line, and quality. Of course, conventional or "blend" 5W-20 is less expensive. The complaint with these dealers shouldn't be so much that they're substituting 5W-20, but that they're substituting "blend" for the synthetic Honda wants.
 
Sounds like Honda dealers aren't using Honda labeled 0w20 syn-blend and going with some other low cost alternative. Another option is to stop by WM, Advance etc and pick up some 0w20 full synthetic and save a good $20+ over the dealer's full syn oil change.
 
Right. My Honda dealer used the cheapest flavor of the month. I asked them. Sometimes it was Quaker State....sometimes unknown. Toyota dealer says they use Pennzoil.
 
Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
Since the 2017 manual calls for 0w-20, this surprised me. So on a leased vehicle, the Honda warranty department would be hard pressed to deny an oil related claim if its own dealers are putting 5w-20 in the new models. What gives?

That's a good question. Do as we say, not as we do?
wink.gif
 
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