‘Cheap compared to a rebuild’: Mechanic reveals the No. 1 reason he no longer trusts Honda

14.06.2024 22:00

The Daily Dot

If you're looking to purchase a car you plan on keeping for a long time, then you've probably heard the same bit of advice from everyone and their money when it comes to what the most trusted brands in the business are: Toyota and Honda.

However, one mechanic states that there's a problem with this little bit of knowledge as of late, as he claims the latter car brand may've fallen off in terms of long-term quality that calls its repair ability into question.

According to the TikTok account for Shadetree Automotive (@shadetree.automotive), this recent dubiousness is rooted in the mileage amounts the Japanese auto car maker recommends its customers wait in between oil changes.

Mechanic slams Honda's oil change intervals

"The No.1 reason why I don't trust the Honda manufacturer anymore to be given good advice they've moved to ten thousand mile oil change intervals," the auto tech says into the camera.

He claims that while engines are constantly developing and have come a long way over the years when it comes to efficiency, waiting this long to change an engine's oil can ultimately backfire on the consumer.

The mechanic appears to speculate that Honda is engaging in planned obsolescence when it comes to the way it's tackling engine maintenance as of late, and that customers who are hoping to keep their whips for longer periods of time may end up suffering as a result. "So yes, engines are more efficient, oil some can argue it's better some can argue it's worse, we are seeing major problems by running ten thousand miles intervals on oil changes," he claims. "I firmly believe it is not in your best interest to go ten thousand miles in between oil changes, and Honda didn't do that and make that recommendation with your engine lasting two, three hundred thousand miles in mind."

He continued to highlight issues with engines that have recommended longer oil change intervals: "We are seeing major problems with oil usage so what happens if you leave oil in your vehicle too long it breaks down, it's heat cycled too many times there's a little bit of oil dilution, a little bit of fuel gets in there there's many things that can go wrong."

The auto tech said that these longer oil change intervals will create issues for drivers over a long period of time, writing that the first 100,000 miles of oil changes in this manner won't necessarily destroy an engine, but the second 100,000 miles on a whip is when folks are going to notice to start experiencing significant issues: "So it might not sneak up and bite you in the first hundred thousand miles. but I can guarantee you somebody that does their oil changes like I do every five thousand miles, the second hundred thousand miles that I own my vehicle I'm gonna have far less engine problems than somebody that's going ten thousand miles," he states at the end of his clip.

Other folks online agree with Shadetree Automotive's video, like this one forum poster who categorically decried the notion that infrequent oil changes are better for engines, delineating exactly why smaller intervals are ultimately better for an car's engine's longevity. "UOA results are where the 'infrequent oil change is better' urban-legend comes from," they wrote. "It's provably wrong. I regularly post about timing and balancer chain life, low tension piston ring wear and the direct association with particulate matter, fuel dilution, wear rates and premature failure. Bottom line, oil with a heavy particulate load and/or fuel dilution markedly increases wear rates. The frequent oil change is the right way to reduce operating time under these conditions. Additionally, the proper oil choice matters too."

The aforementioned poster is referencing UOA, which stands for Used Oil Analysis, but states that sometimes the data gleaned from these analyses are "incorrect," such as attributing an engine's health, in some instances, to infrequent oil changes. "To equate UOA results with wear rates is absolutely and utterly incorrect. We've known for years that worn out engines with infrequent oil changes often have a lifelong history of superb UOA results. UOA results are a tool, and are quite useful when properly used (trend monitoring, for example) (monitoring for known component failure, with a specific signature is another example)," they said. "The aircraft engine this came from had excellent UOA results, but debris in the filter. The wear rate was never seen in the UOA."

Even this Honda dealership discusses the benefits of regularly changing an ICE/gas engine car's oil: "Getting your oil changed regularly is crucial for maintaining the health of your car. This will not only prevent your engine from burning up, but also ensures good gas mileage, smooth running, and less downtime at the repair shop."

@shadetree.automotive #1 ♬ original sound - Shadetree Automotive

Commenters disagree

The comments section of Shadetree's post, however, did feature some differing opinions. Like one Toyota tech who said that there's nothing wrong with following a vehicle's recommended oil change intervals of 10,000 miles: "Toyota Advisor here. Since 2012 they've recommended 10k miles. It's all good. I've been at this a very long time."

Another person shared their own anecdotal evidence that long oil change intervals don't necessarily result in shorter lasting engines: "I’m at 300,000 miles and I change my oil every 15,000 miles."

This sentiment was echoed by another person who said: "300k on my car and I change it every 10 to 15K. sure. this is one example, but I'm thinking oil has come a long way from the old way of thinking."

But there were others who seemed to think similarly to the auto tech at Shadetree, like this TikToker who wrote that it's in the best interest of auto manufacturers to sell more, not less cars, to customers. So if a person's engine is lasting a long time, then where's the incentive for them to buy a new vehicle? "Here’s the truth. There is zero incentive for an auto manufacturer to want their cars to reach 200K miles," they wrote. "They prefer to sell a new car. Trust me."

Some thought progressions in oil technology had something to do with the longer oil change intervals in new cars."Do we have any oil analysis to back this up? My MB Sprinter van calls for 20k mile intervals," one user wrote. "Been scared of pushing it that far, but did it for the science. Waiting on my oil analysis as we speak so we can put a rest on it. Oil looks impeccably clean visually by the way. The oil it calls for is super high grade, expensive and 3x more capacity than any engine of the same displacement."

The Daily Dot has reached out to Honda via email and Shadetree Automotive via TikTok comment for further information.

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