Oil Change

[suuva]

I need to get the oil changed on my 2006 Acura TSX. I have heard things about the washer that also needs to be replaced. Can I take my car to a independent mechanic or do I have to take it to a Acura Dealership to have my oil changed? I've heard about mechanics that don't use new washers. Is there a mechanic you would recommend. I live in the Tysons/Falls Church Area and work in the Gaithersburg area. Thanks.

[-phase-]

welcome to the club suuva :wavey:

from my experiences, my local mechanic charges about the same rate as the dealer..the benefits of going to the dealer..anything goes wrong they have it recorded and can back it up..but if you always go to a local mechanic/shop..then they COULD blame your errors on that fact

[sjlee]

I need to get the oil changed on my 2006 Acura TSX. I have heard things about the washer that also needs to be replaced. Can I take my car to a independent mechanic or do I have to take it to a Acura Dealership to have my oil changed? I've heard about mechanics that don't use new washers. Is there a mechanic you would recommend. I live in the Tysons/Falls Church Area and work in the Gaithersburg area. Thanks.

If the mechanic is familiar with Hondas/Acuras, then they should know that the washer should be replaced every old change (or at least every other). If you have any qualms about the mechanic not changing it, either specifically tell them to do it or go somewhere where you trust them.

There's nothing special about the washer... it's just a crush washer that is put onto the drain bolt.

[nyc06tsx]

I Have A Question.. Do You Guys Change The Oil Every 3,000 Miles Or You Let The Dashboard Tell You When To Change It?? For Example On My Car When Is Around 45% Is Like 3,000 Miles But The First Couple Of Times I Let Go Down Until 20- 30%

[sjlee]

I Have A Question.. Do You Guys Change The Oil Every 3,000 Miles Or You Let The Dashboard Tell You When To Change It?? For Example On My Car When Is Around 45% Is Like 3,000 Miles But The First Couple Of Times I Let Go Down Until 20- 30%

You should just follow the Maintenance Minder System. There's no reason to change the oil every x number of miles. That was the old way of doing oil changes because there wasn't a better way to estimate when the oil needed changing.

Heck, modern conventional oils are good for at least 5k miles for most people.

The Maintenance Minder System uses variables like temperature, trip distance, idle time, etc. to determine when your oil needs changing. It's not a perfect system, but it's better than just throwing out a fixed mileage and not taking into consideration the type of driving (stop-and-go vs. all highway).

Unless you have a system that actually analyzes the oil, this is a better method.