Honda Civic - Honda servicing plan

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Fri 5 Feb 2016 10:47
Honda Civic - Honda servicing plan - catsdad
Looking at Ask HJ this morning there is a query re CRV and in the related questions tag there is a query regarding Honda servicing plans. I had the same service issue last year and assumed it was a one-off but it seems it must have been going on for years. What happens is the dealer sells you a sevice deal that indicates annual/12,500 services including oil but when you go for a service they only do what the onboard computer says - excluding oil if the computer says no. In my case it would have meant a return to the garage in about 4 months for oil. Not convenient and taking me to 16 month oil change. I took it up with the service manager at the time and he turned off the computer and they did the oil and air filter -also not due according to the computer but due in the service plan. I am amazed that with Honda and their dealers reputation for sevice that such a fundamental mismatch is allowed to continue when it must give rise to queries on a daily basis.
Having said all that the service deal was very reasonable at £580 or so for four annual services including for example brake fluid and air filters every two years.
To ensure you get the right level of service you have paid for the answer is to get them to set you up on time and mileage servicing from day 1.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 5 Feb 2016 12:29
Honda Civic - Honda servicing plan - slkfanboy

Sadly it's the down side of having the lovely service computer. The dealer just says the 'The computer said no' so it didn't get done.

My SLK is much the same and if I get an Indy to service my car they do what is necessary, but if I pay the dealer they do everything and charge the max. So for me without a service plan it works the other way around!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 5 Feb 2016 18:53
Honda Civic - Honda servicing plan - Bolt

I think that only applies to certain models, as I have the SE plus navi Tourer that has not got it(bought it brand new last week), I have to take it in on/approx 12500 though I normaly have it serviced at 10000.

I was warned about it by salesman, but, as you say can be turned off and revert to standard 12500 intervals

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 5 Feb 2016 22:37
Honda Civic - Honda servicing plan - drd63

when I had my first new car back in 1986, it had 6000 mile service intervals, current car has 20000 service schedule, I now keep cars for longer and they just seem to be better built and more reliable each time (with the exception of a 2004 Honda Accord, which felt better when it went than when new). With this in mind why would you not trust the manufacturer to know when and how much servicing needs to be done?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 5 Feb 2016 23:19
Honda Civic - Honda servicing plan - Bolt

Personally I would not go 20k without a service, I have a civic 1.6 diesel the new one, but that will be serviced every 10k as I did with my last civic 2.2

well serviced engines imo last longer and stay reliable

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Feb 2016 09:13
Honda Civic - Honda servicing plan - catsdad
I subscribe to HJ advice re at least annual oil changes which has been covered many times on this site. To me a service without an oil change is not a service. Also as Honda computer driven servicing is triggered by various parameters it's not just a matter of longer oil service intervals when everything else will get done as well. Instead you have (as in my case had I left it) to visit for a non-oil service one month then an oil service a few weeks later, and so on. I am not sure how many services could be triggered in a year but it's at least two. A service visit is not convenient for me, it means a day kicking around a charmless town 15 miles from home, or shelling out for a courtesy car.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Feb 2016 13:33
Honda Civic - Honda servicing plan - Bolt

I should have said 10k or 1 year, but in my case I was having 2 oil/filter, full services a year ie every 6 months for 2 years, but being a turbo I would not let it go longer.

point is with the Honda service you dont have to go by the computer tells you what to do, it can be turned off(bearing in mind service manager has to write it in the service book) and the garage will service as per manual/service book

which if mine had that, would be what I would do

this was explained to me when I bought my new car, even though it has not got it.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide