Dealerships don't pay "by the quart" for oil. They usually buy I would guess 500 or 1000 gallons at a time in bulk. Then, when an oil change is done they select the correct amount and pump it like 'gas'. Oil filter too, are quite cheap around $6 retail when you buy a 6 pack so you can bet that they are cheaper in bigger bulk. You can get a 5 qrt jug of 0W20 Mobil one for $25 by us

There is nothing wrong with letting your dealership do your oil change...but don't fool yourself to think you can't save a few dollars doing it yourself too! I have done all the fluid changes and services, and filter changes on mine and I know that I'm $1000's ahead of the game at what my dealership charges.

 

Thanks for the reply. I realize the dealership does not buy theirs by the quart, but they sell it to us by the quart.

 

I'm a DIYer for ~35 yrs. of car and motorcycle ownership, but when I bought my CRV (first Honda car) I started letting my dealer do the oil changes. No appointment required and free coffee, TV and computers with internet, in 'n' out within an hour, and no dealing with disposing of the waste oil myself. Yeah, that's worth $35 to me (the oil and filter would cost me at least $20 anyway). So IMO go ahead and let your dealer do the oil without guilt, just smile and decline their various wallet flushes and air filter/cabin filter changes and do those yourself.

 

I change my own oil.
Going to the dealer doesn't mean you're going to get Honda brand oil.Dealers buy in bulk and it could be any brand which works fine but I like using my own choice of oil.
An oil change on the CR-v is so easy to do.

 

Anyone know if 0-20 weight oil is regularly available at autozone/advance auto parts and what the cost of a quart is? Anyone know of a good brand of oil to substitute for honda brand? How bout the oil filter?

$30 is a great deal for a 0-20 synthetic oil change. I think the dealer regular price around me is $60.

I used Mobil 0-20 for my first oil change. It's available (although seems to sell out quickly) at a couple local Wal-Marts in a 5 quart jug for around $25. I've also seen 0-20 in at the local AutoZone. I can't remember the brand but I think it was closer to $7 per quart.

I buy the Honda filters from the dealer for around $5 each (on sale). You can get other brands cheaper but the cost saving isn't much and I just prefer the OEM.

 

I do not think Honda puts synthetic for $30-35.
My mechanic worked for Honda many years and he told me that the use recycled oil which is hard to believe but now auto parts started selling 50% recycled oil brands which is crazy.

 

trust me when I say their 30 dollars is not their Honda Oil or syn oil. Just ask them what oil they are using for their 30 dollar oil change I'm sure they will tell you it honda approved oil. When I first took my Honda civic for an oil change I asked if it was Honda Oil, they laughed and said for 30 dollars your getting "76 oil". It would have been another 40 dollars to use their Honda Oil.

I do my oil changes, but when I need valve adjustment, timing belt, coolant change, etc... at the stealership They will work with you to get a 30 dollars oil change with Honda Oil so they say.

I'm in for DIY. It's real easy on the crv especially if you have ramps. Roll it on the ramp, slip oil pan underneath, remove oil bolt, remove oil filter(if installed correctly no tools required). grap a beer. Install new oil filter and oil pan bolt, pour oil. Store oil till your next visit to the auto parts store. done. rinse and repeat

 

I do my own oil changes so I have the comfort of knowing what oil actually went in my engine. I run the Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w-20 in my 2008 CRV. I stock up when Advance or AutoZone run the Mobil 1 oil and Mobil 1 oil filter sales. Picked up 5 qts of M1 EP oil and a M1 filter for $35.99 a few days ago.

 

unfortunately though, when I tried a few months back, I was unsuccessful at doing my own oil change: http://www.crvownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?p=101750#post101750

So (sadly yet again) the car was taken to the dealer for an oil change. (which was $32.36 and included topping off of fluids, setting tire pressure, inspecting for fluid leaks, performing 19pt inspection, performing a battery test)

Hopefully next time. I was able to pull the oil change off in my wife's '07 Accord though.

....I run the Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w-20 in my 2008 CRV. I stock up when Advance or AutoZone run the Mobil 1 oil and Mobil 1 oil filter sales. Picked up 5 qts of M1 EP oil and a M1 filter for $35.99 a few days ago.

This is another reason I wanted to start doing my own oil change. So I could use Mobil 1. I'm not sure what the story is with the '07 Cr-v, but with my '08 Lexus IS 350, you can push Mobil 1 synthetic oil to 12k or so miles - but you have to change the oil filter along the way. So doing your own oil change pays in the long run because you save money on the oil by getting under there and swapping out the filter yourself.

few other questions/comments:
1) So 5w-20 is what's run in the cr-v? I think in my '04 Accord I jump back and forth between the Mobil 1 5w-30 and 5w-20. In my '07 Accord, I just put in Mobil 1 5w-20. In my '08 IS 350 I believe I only do 5w-30.

2) Why do you use Mobil 1 extended performance? Why not regular mobil 1?

3) How does the Mobil 1 Extended Performance filter M1-110 compare to the Honda filter (I think it's the same blue filter - 15400-PLM-A02 across various Honda cars? I believe I use this in my '07 and '04 accord and '07 cr-v). It just doesn't come with a washer right? so you just reuse the old one?

...

I'm in for DIY. It's real easy on the crv especially if you have ramps. Roll it on the ramp, slip oil pan underneath, remove oil bolt, remove oil filter(if installed correctly no tools required). grap a beer. Install new oil filter and oil pan bolt, pour oil. Store oil till your next visit to the auto parts store. done. rinse and repeat

That link I just pasted is a link to a thread on a good photo essay on doing your own oil change.

 

Was underneath the 2011nV today and noticed that there are 3 bolts in very close proximity to each other. Now I realize the drain plug is most likely the one with the crush washer but I got a little nervous at first cause I was sure I knew which one it was, but then I was like "hmmm which one is it..? (before seeing the crush washer underneath the bolt head?

Was not able to snap a pic, began to rain but has anyone else noticed this and is my assumption correct? I am thinking its gotta be because its the lowest bolt on the oil pan and its directly across from the oil filter...

 

Was underneath the 2011nV today and noticed that there are 3 bolts in very close proximity to each other. Now I realize the drain plug is most likely the one with the crush washer but I got a little nervous at first cause I was sure I knew which one it was, but then I was like "hmmm which one is it..? (before seeing the crush washer underneath the bolt head?

I'm not sure what I was thinking, but today I removed the center bolt of three on the bottom of the oil pan instead of the correct bolt (drain plug) which is on the driver's side. D'oh! It was tight, at least as tight as the drain plug, and definitely more than the 8.7 lb-ft used on the oil pan supporting bolts. Does anybody know the torque spec on this center bolt so I can properly tighten it again? Thanks!

 

Yes, you found the right plug (from the 2007 service manual)

 

The recommendation was to warm up the engine. I never fully understood the logic of this. I change my oil with the engine cold and let it drain for about 30 minutes. Warming it up only results in having to wait until the oil drains back to the oil pan. 0w-20 flows pretty well when cold. By cold, I mean typically in the 70-90F range.

 

I am still up in the air what weight and brand oil I will use... Not sure to use 0w-20 (even though it is what is recommended) or 5w-30

I do want to try out the Eneos Oil and by the time I purchase the oi/filter and do it myself, I will be at/above the price of the dealer doing it.

 

Thanks so much jreagan!!!!!

 

$8.75 per change ($1.75/qt) Chevron Supreme 5w-30 at Costco on sale. One of the best oils on the market for low wear metals. Has high moly and boron. I get great mileage and the the engine runs as smooth as silk. I Change it every 5000 miles.

 

I do all my maintenance on all my Engines.
Aside from knowing it was done correctly with no short cuts or stripped hardware, I cannot see how it is convienent to Drop the car off and have to go get it again. OR worse Wait while they do it.
I can have the job done and onto the next project before a person can even drive to the dealership. The CR-V is the wifemobile.. we don't have teh same days off during the week, I change the oil before she leaves for work... before the sun comes up for that matter.. A dealer can't do that

 

I see synthetic valvoline and mobil1 0w20 at my walmart. I think the prices range around $6+. So I'd expect a DIY change to cost you $35-40.

If your dealer was really doing syn oil changes at $30, that's great.

8 years ago, my conventional oil change was $19 at the dealership. 3 years ago, it went to $40. I started to DIY. I think my average cost with conventional oil is around $13.

I agree also, it's faster to DIY than to take it anywhere.

 

Ok ...thoughts on this...tomorrow I am going to the dealer to have oil changed.
I told them I am bringing my own Mobil 1 0-20W full synthetic. I will have them use a Honda oil filter,crush washer ( I assume)labor and dispose of old oil.
Walmart Mobil 1-----26.00
Dealer labor/filter---21.00
Total full syn---------47.00
If I went to ETD by me with a filter they charge between 13.00 and 16.00 so after warranty is up that's what I will do.
Just not sure what filter to use on CRV yet....any suggestions?

 

http://www.fcpimport.com/products/a...a-oil-filter-tl-mdx-rsx-tsx-rl-accord-cr-v-civic-odyssey-pilot-element-041-0812

 

As many different opinions about oil filters as there are filter brands out there. Good place to check things out is Bob Is The Oil Guy site: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/

My own $.02: Wix 51356 / Napa Gold 1356 oil filters [same filter made by Wix, but with different labels]. BTW, I always change filter when changing oil. Others may do it differently.

 

We have Fumoto valves on all our Hondas, various makes/models and that makes it an easy tool-free oil and filter change.

 

Who the hell doesn't change the filter when they do their oil? That is just basic maintenance 101/common sense I don't care what the dealer says... $30 is a decent price for a dealer to do it and you don't have to get dirty, however you still have to take the car to the dealer/shop and wait. Hit up Wal Mart and get Super Tech full synthetic for under $5/qt and even cheaper if you catch a sale. If not near a Wal Mart look for the Ford Motorcraft synthetic blend which is a VERY good oil and cheap too. Purolator filter is around $3 for the Honda one. Anyway you can do the whole change for under $20 in 15 minutes in your driveway so I really don't see the point in taking it anywhere.

 

^^^ Some folks are not mobile enough to do their own work, even simple oil changes.


Some live in apartment complexes that specifically prohibit working on vehicles in their parking lots.



Some Live in the Great White North where frostbite is a real winter-time concern.


So don't be TOO harsh on those who don't DIY.

 

Who the hell doesn't change the filter when they do their oil? That is just basic maintenance 101/common sense I don't care what the dealer says. . .

Actually, it's not just the dealer saying this, it's the Honda Motor Company, the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines. And the reason Honda has been advising owners for at least a decade to leave the filter in place for two oil-change cycles is because the filter, any oil filter, becomes more efficient -- i.e., removes more crud -- the longer it is in use. (OK, eventually an oil filter will go into by-pass, but that's never going to happen in two oil-change cycles.) And, as an aside, if the 200cc of oil left in the filter bothers you, what about the 800cc of oil always left in the engine even with an oil & filter change? (See the specifications section in your OM: Total oil capacity of the k-series engine is 5.6 quarts. Even if you drain 4.8 quarts, there's still .8 of a quart in there.) Finally, FWIW, when have you ever heard of oil-related engine failure, or even an oil-related problem, in a k-series Honda? It's possible, of course, but IMHO the odds are higher that you'll win the lottery.

 

I can't find anything in my 2012 CR-V owner manual or the Honda owner site about changing the filter every other oil change. I've never noticed if the MM says oil or oil + filter, is that what tells you?

Page 302 & 303 (304 & 305 of the PDF) of the owner manual http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/OM/0A1212/0A1212OM.pdf just states to change oil and filter.

Unless I see something specific from Honda I guess I'll stick with my Mobil-1 0w-20 and NAPA platinum filter every 7,500 miles.

 

Page 291 (293 of the PDF) of the owner manual just states:

CODE A ● Replace engine oil

CODE B ● Replace engine oil and oil filter...

Same on the Page 295 (297 PDF).

 

wymark, if you turn to the pages in your owner's manual that display the MM schedule (the chart itself), you will see that the "A" service reads "Replace engine oil"; the "B" service reads "Replace oil and oil filter." Your CR-V's MM advisory will alternate between "A" and "B". Also, for several years, Honda's official webpage has stated in the maintenance advisory portion: "There is absolutely no benefit in changing your oil more frequently than recommended in your owner's manual. This will only increase your cost of ownership, and create an unnecessary burden upon the environment by increasing the amount of disposed oil. " Obviously, if you're not changing oil more often than recommended, you wouldn't be changing the filter more often than recommended if you're following the MM system and its recommendations.

[Edit: Honda recently updated it's official website. http://owners.honda.com/help/faqs. If you go to the linked page, you will see the same advisory (not to change your motor oil more often than recommended) is repeated there. It's worth checking out.]

Of course, while it may be beneficial to leave the oil filter in place for two oil changes (i.e., IAW the MM system), it certainly won't do any harm (other than to your wallet) to change your engine oil and oil filter every 7500 miles, if you choose to do so. FWIW, I like your oil filter choice, btw.

 

wymark, if you turn to the pages in your owner's manual that display the MM schedule (the chart itself), you will see that the "A" service reads "Replace engine oil"; the "B" service reads "Replace oil and oil filter." Your CR-V's MM advisory will alternate between "A" and "B". Also, for several years, Honda's official webpage has stated in the maintenance advisory portion: "There is absolutely no benefit in changing your oil more frequently than recommended in your owner's manual. This will only increase your cost of ownership, and create an unnecessary burden upon the environment by increasing the amount of disposed oil. " Obviously, if you're not changing oil more often than recommended, you wouldn't be changing the filter more often than recommended if you're following the MM system and its recommendations.

I got a very good service contract, through my Credit Union (even through there was no financing). Only thing out of order to me is requirement to change oil & filter every 5K. Not a big deal, I DIY and find the satisfaction is fading. Youngest son, 22, is getting good at these things. It covers out to 150K & 8 years. Both from date of purchase, one year ago, 2006 CR-V with 31K on it. I've always done well with these. Never failed to come out ahead. But on a Honda only time will tell.

 

Ok, well color me edjimacated.

It's going to be really, really hard for me to drain the oil without changing the filter too, though. This is going to take some adjustment, but I should probably adopt the same schedule on my other vehicles as well.

 

We just got our 2004 CRV from Mom. She paid $9.99 for oil changes @ dealer. They used a Honda filter, but put in 5W30 oil most of the time. Could be the cost was low because as previous posters noted filter changed every 2nd or third oil change. I purchased Pennzoil Platinum 5W20 on clearance for $2.57 qt. We get the Purolator Pure One filters for $4.20 so about $16 for a full synthetic oil change. She only put 38,000 miles on it in 10 years.