First A01 service at 6870 miles @ Honda dealer = $0

[4sallypat]

First service after 6 months at 6870 miles.

Went to the Honda dealer as I pre-purchased the maintenance package (Honda Care Sentinel) for 3 years.

Glad I got the maintenance package because this forum proved that oil changes are more frequent than a standard ICE.

If oil changes are needed every 6 months, I forecast about $500 of oil changes for the 3 years.

Cost: free - $0 out of pocket.

 

[stacey burke]

Bought my car in July and got my first A01, cost 46$ for 1 year

.... 46X3=138 for 3 years.

 

[Bender]

They didn't rotate tires too, isn't that required for A01? And how do you figure 6 oil changes is $500?

I haven't needed first oil change yet but a local honda dealer has a coupon on their website for $24.95 oil change and tire rotation (and fluid top off, multipoint).

Also, I must ask... Why would you be happy you purchased the maintenance plan if you foresee only $500 in maintenance? The online quote I had for Honda from Hyannis was $555 for 3yr/36k miles or $745 for 3yr/45k. Both of these numbers are higher than $500, even before adding time value of money...

 

[stacey burke]

They didn't rotate tires too, isn't that required for A01? And how do you figure 6 oil changes is $500?

I haven't needed first oil change yet but a local homda dealer has a coupon on their website for $24.95 oil change and tire rotation (and fluid top off, multipoint).

I have written about this a number of times before but here it comes again. The service is bundled together. Oil change, and tire rotation are the two that always come together. Honda says to rotate tires at 7,500 miles so a A01 service comes up every 7,500 miles. If you rotate your own tires or take it to a place like Discount tires (who has done my for free) then the time to take in the car for service will be extended by ONLY resetting the tire rotation and nothing else. When I did that I got another 5 months before was given the code A01 again.

 

[stacey burke]

They didn't rotate tires too, isn't that required for A01? And how do you figure 6 oil changes is $500?

I haven't needed first oil change yet but a local honda dealer has a coupon on their website for $24.95 oil change and tire rotation (and fluid top off, multipoint).

Also, I must ask... Why would you be happy you purchased the maintenance plan if you foresee only $500 in maintenance? The online quote I had for Honda from Hyannis was $555 for 3yr/36k miles or $745 for 3yr/45k. Both of these numbers are higher than $500, even before adding time value of money...

I don't think that the Quote from Hyannis was for maintenance but for extended warranty. We have a 3 year or 36,000 mile warranty on things like headlights (would not cover broken HL) and other parts that are not regular wear and tear. (brakes, wipper blades..) The warranty is not for oil change and other routine maintenance but for more high priced items that should not wear out. the $555 would have been for another 3 years for a total of 6 years of warranty.

 

[Bender]

I don't think that the Quote from Hyannis was for maintenance but for extended warranty.

No i got a quote for both the warranty and the maintenance plan charts. That was the prices for just the honda maintenance plan. My point on tire rotations is OP paid for maintenance plan but their attachments did not indicate that a tire rotation was performed. Good point that one can do those separately.

 

[4sallypat]

Honda Care Sentinel 36 month plan covers oil changes and tire replacements & service.

I figured $90 dealer oil changes and if I have a tire that needs replacement, for what I paid for the plan - will more than cover what I paid for the plan ($485) for 3 years.

My point was that the Clarity needs more frequent oil changes (2x) than my other cars that use lightweight synthetic oil....

 

[Bender]

The first one is not very good for estimating future intervals because:

As pointed out, 1) maintenance minder groups tire rotation with oil change and could result in early call for one.
Additionally oil changes are usually also spec'd by a max interval (such as 12 months). As you did not likely pick up the car on the day it was fmanufactured, this also affects the first one being sooner. My car was showing 9 months on maintenance minder when I purchased it.

Personally I really don't like Honda's refusal to provide a recommended maintenance schedule (not just oil changes), preventing cost estimates before purchase. But the vehicle was such a great deal I bought it anyway. Im hoping its ~ 10k/12mo oil, but will deal with shorter if it is.

 

[4sallypat]

Good point @Bender - mine was at PDC in December 2018 and at my dealer's the same month I picked her up.

As for tire rotations, I use America's Tire and pay once for a lifetime rotation and balance which covers the tire rotations.

Just glad to have the Honda Care oil changes and tire replacements taken care of for the first 3 years.

After the 3 years, I can get RFT tires and not worry about the OEM eco green tires they have sidewall issues....

 

[S L .]

There’s another thread that mentions we don’t have to change oil that frequently. It can go upto 1 year before oil changes if you are mostly on ev.


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs

 

[Mowcowbell]

First service after 6 months at 6870 miles.

Went to the Honda dealer as I pre-purchased the maintenance package (Honda Care Sentinel) for 3 years.

Glad I got the maintenance package because this forum proved that oil changes are more frequent than a standard ICE.

If oil changes are needed every 6 months, I forecast about $500 of oil changes for the 3 years.

Cost: free - $0 out of pocket.

Dang, an oil change is $83? I buy a 5 quart jug of Mobil 1 at WalMart for $25, Honda oil filter from Amazon for $8. Still have 2 quarts left over for the next change, too.

We all want to know what exactly is a 'World Class Inspection'?

 

[AlAl]

My MM kicked the A01 code last month. Rotated tires @ 75000mi and reset tire meter only. Car now says next service due in 3 months.
I suspect I'll be around 10kmi before my first oil change.
I cant imagine the oil changes will cost all that much anyway; considering the car only takes 3.5Qt of oil

 

[craze1cars]

Yes there is an awful large number of misconceptions about oil change frequency among Clarity owners and participants on this forum. And the dealers are clueless profit centers too. It’s why I do my own maintenance.

Honda stupidly makes A01 pop up every time a tire rotation is needed. Usually an oil change is not yet needed, but as others have said you must first clear the tire rotation code to confirm this...then the oil change interval is NOT reset fully, but be pushed out to when it actually needs it. For most t will be annually, but this depends on mileage you drive obviously.

Mine now has 20,000 miles on it, A01 has popped up 3 time so far, I have only changed the oil twice, and the first was unnecessarily done by me early because I’m just a break-in oil type of guy and we did a 4,500 mile road trip thru mountains with engine screaming for mercy much of the time when the car was new. So I got home from that trip and happily freshened the oil and filter. But I found the second true oil change wasn’t requested by MM for another 11,000 miles, and we do many road trips and run our ICE a LOT!

Anyway 3 years of oil changes and tire rotations for me will cost me less than $100 of course I’m counting my labor for free...and I can do it at home in 15 minutes. My nearest Honda dealer is 25 minutes away one way lol...so I’m saving large quantities of time AND money and some unnecessary mileage on the car ....

 

[Fast Eddie B]

Dang, an oil change is $83? I buy a 5 quart jug of Mobil 1 at WalMart for $25, Honda oil filter from Amazon for $8.

My daughter and son-in-law just visited from FL. They have a 2014 Accord Hybrid, and it was due for an oil change. Full synthetic and Fram filter under $30 at Walmart. He commented he normally pays about $80 for an oil change.

Misc observations:

1) He had heard that removing the under-engine cover was a hassle. It wasn’t - because it was missing!

2) Getting the old filter off was a hassle. Honda left very little clearance, and neither of my oil filter wrenches fit. Channel-Locks eventually did the trick - barely.

3) With two floor jacks, jacking up the car bought us enough room to work.

4) My first oil change was free at the dealer. My plan is to use a 10,000 mile interval. Since many local trips are pure EV, I think that’s pretty conservative.

 

[2002]

Getting the old filter off was a hassle. Honda left very little clearance, and neither of my oil filter wrenches fit. Channel-Locks eventually did the trick - barely.

I have used one like this for years on my Toyotas. Of course you have to get one sized for the filter. I hope I can find one that fits Honda filters. They make universal versions also but I don't know how easy they are to use.

 

[JustAnotherPoorDriver]

I have used one like this for years on my Toyotas. Of course you have to get one sized for the filter. I hope I can find one that fits Honda filters. They make universal versions also but I don't know how easy they are to use.

View attachment 5317

If there's little clearance toward the rear, the cap wrench may not work. Try a strap wrench (or don't be a gorilla when you put the filter on).

 

[Fast Eddie B]

The three on the right did not work:



The one on the left did. Remember, this was on an Accord Hybrid - I have not done my own on the Clarity yet. Though our John Deere compact tractor had a similar clearance issue.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

...(or don't be a gorilla when you put the filter on).

I screw on until the gasket touches, then score a line on the filter, then go another 3/4 turn, which can usually be accomplished without a tool.

 

[4sallypat]

The DIY replies reminds me when I was younger I used to change oil, spark plugs, adjust carburetors, flush the tranny & radiator, change out differential oil, and bleed brake fluid.

But nowadays cars have changed so much that I don't want to mess with trying to change out parts or fluids.

Better to have a tech do the work and not be held accountable later down the road...

 

[2002]

If there's little clearance toward the rear, the cap wrench may not work.

If the cap by itself can be fitted onto the filter but there just isn't room to get a socket wrench in there, the cap has sort of a bolt that you can turn with pliers.

I screw on until the gasket touches, then score a line on the filter, then go another 3/4 turn, which can usually be accomplished without a tool.

That's what I do, in fact by hand I don't always make it quite to 3/4, and yet by the next oil change the filter is extremely tight and requires a wrench to remove. I thought I read once that oil filters are self-tightening although I don't know if that is true, could be just that the gasket is attached firmly after all of those miles and all of that heat.

The three on the right did not work:

I remember watching someone change their oil filter and when it wouldn't budge by hand they hammered a screwdriver through it then used it as a handle to turn the filter!