Car question ?
 

Hello, I am new on here and fairly new to the USA.
I have some questions about the difference between european and american cars.
I recently obtained a 2005 Honda Civic, it's a nice little car and is very cheap to run etc, why does the american auto industry insist on a 3000 mile service and oil change interval ? My Honda service book quite clearly states oil changes and services should be carried out at 7500 miles. It seems to me a way for the US to sell more oil. I took out an extended warranty on my car and if I don't follow the 3000 mile rule it becomes invalid.
On another subject to do with american cars I have looked into the new Chevy Volt (not that I can afford one) but they advertise that this brilliant inovative car will do 35 - 40 miles on a charge before switching to gasoline. Why then does the British version, the 'Vaxhall Ampera' do 3 times the milage before needing to switch or re-charge ?
It just seems to me that this country's auto industry is ripping people off right left and center. Do they think we don't research these things ?
I contacted Chevy on a chat forum and when I bought up these qustions they cut me off :rofl:
Thank you for reading my moan.
Philip.

Re: Car question ?
 

Hi Philip,

3,000 miles for an oil change used to be pretty typical, but nowadays I agree that most cars can go longer. We change ours every 5,000 miles. As for the extended warranty, it sounds like you're stuck if that is their guideline ... I'm guessing they just want to make sure the car is maintained if they will continue to cover it, but I don't understand why the guideline is stricter than Honda's. Is the extended warranty through Honda or your dealer??

As for your other comment - I don't know what to tell you. It sounds like the European versions are ahead of the American ones if they can hold a charge 3x as long ... but your question on the other forum may have struck members as a bit snotty, which is why they may have been unresponsive. Think about it, it's not really a question, right? It reads more as you pointing out what is superior about the European version of a car vs. an American one ... so there isn't much room for discussion. It reminded me of a girl I knew growing up who was originally from France and frequently started sentences with "I think it's better the way we do it in France ..." ;)

Just my $0.02. Good luck!

Kaffy

Re: Car question ?
 

It's funny because Brits back home always think everything in the US is far superior. I was just reading a British detective novel about a girl being totally paralysed and a strand of the story was about how much better and more advanced her treatment would be in America. If an American over there says, "I think it's better the way we do it in the US" they will get plenty of people agreeing with them.

Re: Car question ?
 

Curious, the Vauxhall website says 25-50 miles and other parts say "up to 50" and other parts say "40." In other words, that is not "three times."

Also, the recommended oil change interval is a matter of contention. And old habits die hard, I guess. Here is what a leading US automotive site, www.edmunds.com, has to say about the subject.

Re: Car question ?
 

The 3K is to take into account the massive variation in climate across the country.

You've got some states which get below zero in winter and others way in the 100's during summer.

It's just an average figure....but if you've looked in the engine block, it does sludge up a lot if you don't get the oil changed regularly, though you'll probably be alright at the 5K mark etc. Definitely get further mileage with synthetic oil blends though.

We've got to do ours fairly regularly apparently though, and use synthetic, because the awesomeness of Saab has the cat cooking regular oil and it sludge's pretty hard. We're just had the gaskets done recently and with the block taken apart, it was a thick mess in there that had to get scraped out....because our old regular garage used normal oil on the changes. Awesome.

Re: Car question ?
 

3,000 miles is the "severe driving conditions" number.

The recommendation for "normal conditions" is usually more like 6,000 miles.

If the service manual for your vehicle says 7,500 miles I don't see how they (who, exactly are "they", by the way ...) can insist on oil changes every 3,000 miles to maintain the warranty, but the problem likely is that you got suckered into buying an extended warranty plan that almost certainly isn't worth the money that you paid for it.

If your Honda has survived for 5 years the chances are that it will last for another 10 at least without having any problems that would be covered by the extended warranty. The only things that you will have to do to that car will be maintenance for normal wear and tear - new tires, replacing the brake pads and possibly replacing the timing belt - none of which will be covered by your extended warranty. You will not have any engine or drive train problems.

Re: Car question ?
 

Thanks kaffy, its a dealer warranty, not honda, I contacted Honda's web site after posting that thread and they told me the 3000 is just an american way of selling more oil LOL
Servicing every 7500 is all that is required for Honda warranty.

Re: Car question ?
 

I looked up the Vaxhall site and it said 100 - 120 miles :confused:

Re: Car question ?
 

That makes sense. Maybe the dealer is hoping you'll change your oil with them, thus more $$$. (In fact, I wonder if they require that.) I assume you're locked into the extended warranty with the dealer?

Re: Car question ?
 

My 2008 Ford focus also states 7500 miles between scheduled oil changes. So maybe 7500 is the new 3000 as they say :)

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I just got a 2010 Toyota and we get free services for the first 25,000. We have to take it in every 5,000 miles. There's even an annoying little light that comes on incase we forget. That's in the US btw.

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I thought it was a federal thing that said they couldn't force you to take regular maintenance services at the dealer, so getting oil changes etc at any garage shouldn't void the warranty.

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I have a 2001 Honda Civic. I have the oil changed twice a year - that's it and the car runs great.

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You would be using 110v for the Volt, 240v for the Amperage.

QED

The oil thing is just an old habit and it is pretty cheap here to get it changed and have a minimal check up at the same time.

Re: Car question ?
 

That's the way I look at it. I'm more worried about getting stranded somewhere here.

Re: Car question ?
 

For a car using conventional (not synthetic) oil, a typical interval is 7,500 miles/ 6 months for a car driven in "normal" conditions, 3,000 miles/ 6 months for a car driven in "severe" conditions.

But practically every driver in the US is driving in "severe" conditions. It is highly unlikely that the use of your car isn't "severe," and you should probably go with the shorter interval. Review your manual for the definition of "severe" and change your oil accordingly.

They're often using synthetic, which allow for a longer interval, and they are less likely to be subject to the "severe" conditions that call for more frequent oil changes.

Re: Car question ?
 

Really?

I suppose that is true of people who do nothing but short trips around town.

I drive to work every day - 40 miles each way - almost all on highways and freeways - it is certainly "high mileage" but not "severe" and I have never felt the need to do anything more than the "normal" maintenance schedule.

Re: Car question ?
 

Do you have a link? I just looked at The site and it said 40 miles, 50 max on about four or five different pages. Maybe you saw a km number mislabeled.

http://www.vauxhall-ampera.co.uk/ind...eng/ampera/faq

Mechanically this is the same as the volt except for the charging port. The front of the Opal/Vauxhall is different than the Volt but that shouldn't result in any major mph difference. I also read that 220 charging of the batteries should not drastically change the range vs 110 which is the US standard.

Re: Car question ?
 

It's not just distance and how the drive is but also climate and environment that comes into play. In moderate weather is low dust environments driving ten miles a day without stops and starts you are considered normal.

The majority of folks are considered severe.

http://www.infobarrel.com/How_often_...ange_my_oil%3F

http://ezinearticles.com/?Oil-Change...ons&id=5373040

Re: Car question ?
 

OK, but reading those definitions I still think that I fit into the "normal" category and I am still surprised that, apparently, so many people do not ...

Re: Car question ?
 

Like it does on Mobiles?.

Re: Car question ?
 

Sorry. Typo. Meant to say should not drastically affect the range. Fixed it now.

Re: Car question ?
 

Chev Volt and Vaux Ampera share the same technology, both being GM products. They are similar weight and aerodynamic profile - and therefore perform pretty much the same - 40-80km per full charge.

Re oil-change - it's simple, if you want to keep your warranty valid, stick to the schedule. The warranty company does not benefit from increased oil sales. They benefit from less wear-related failures.
On a car like a Civic, an oil/filter change is a 15min/$15 affair and will increase the service life of your car significantly. Modern engines require minimal adjustment and maintanence, but they do need clean oil to stay efficient (cooling, as well as lubricating).

My car requirers full synth, ultra low viscosity motor oil that, with a filter, costs around $70 to change (I do it myself) which I do religiously every 5000 miles. The car does 500 miles on the highway per week, so that's frequent oil changes - the benefit, on analysing the used oil - zero metal particulate - meaning inperceptable wear.

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According to Car And Driver magazine, one can install a 220v charger at home. Charging time is cut from 10 hours to 4 hours. It is also uses fewer KwH to charge if done at the higher voltage.

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Don't forget that British mpgs will look 25% better than US mpg because the British gallon is 25% bigger (16oz pints in the US). That catches a lot of people out.

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I think that it's the Magnuson-Moss Act that is quoted - as long as you can prove that approved components (oil, filters, etc) were used at the required intervals, you can do it all yourself without voiding the warranty. Keep those receipts :thumbup:

Re: Car question ?
 

The difference is actually 20% (5 Imperial gallons = 6 US gallons.) An Imperial fluid ounce is not the same size as is a US fluid ounce, so you can't compare directly based upon the number of fluid ounces in each gallon (160 fl. oz. in an Imperial gallon vs. 128 fl. oz. in a US gallon.) Confusing, I know...

Re: Car question ?
 

I didn't know about the different fluid ounces.

Re: Car question ?
 

but aren't we talking electric anyway....its the amount of miles the car can do on a single charge BEFORE switching to gas....so the comparative size of the gallon should be irrelevant...

Now if a British mile were shorter then an American one....

Re: Car question ?
 

Ah, forgot about that. I remembered calculating it as something like 19.6% a few years ago, but as I typed I mentally worked it out from the pints and wrote that in, forgetting about the difference in fl ounce size. I'm so used to using the US system now, and I was brought up in metric!

The mpg things was more of a pre-emptive strike, since almost every time that mileage is mentioned someone will reminisce about how they used to get 35mpg in their old British car but their new US car only gets 32mpg.

Re: Car question ?
 

My appologies ... it was in fact Yahoo uk site I read it on (I just did a search).
In any case I don't see what point it is when a Nissan leaf which WILL do 3 times the miles is far cheaper anyway.
I live a bit south of saratoga and don't see the use of an electric car that does only 40 miles on a charge ?, that would get me to work, but not back.