Hey everyone! First off let me say hello... I stumbled across this forum with a google search and have been doing lots of research just by reading what everyone has to say. This seems like a great community and I am very excited to join since I now own a new hybrid!

I just bought a 2008 civic hybrid (w/ nav) and drove it off the lot with 23 miles on it. The dealer told me that I shouldn't use cruise control until I have driven 500 miles, but after reading the owners manual they recommend 600 miles... I did a quick search before posting this and saw that a lot of you mentioned the "break in" period to be until the first oil change (2500-3500 miles?). So I am wondering if I need to wait that long until I can use cruise, or if its just 500/600 (and which distance did you guys wait until you used cruise?)

Thanks for any input you guys have!

bubs

 

hey bubbles, welcome to the forum. They say you shouldnt use cruise for the break-in period of 600 miles because you shouldnt keep the RPMs constant. However, the HCH is so underpowered that even with cruise the RPMs will vary on even a slight uphill / downhill. Just dont race it and brake hard the first 600 miles. After that, you are good.

 

My first oil change was at 7500! It varies but watch the oil life. When it hits 10%, take it in. Our local dealers here in the Bay Area are constantly sending coupons for oil changes. The HCH II requires synthetic oil and the cost at the dealer is higher accordingly. Maybe $10 or so. We paid $35 (with 14 dollar coupon) at the Honda dealer in Palo Alto.

 

So whats the deal about the civic hybrid being able to glide? I notice that if I take the foot off the gas peddle there is something that is pushing against the tirees cauing them to slow down (maybe something to do with the charging mechanism?).... I just want to know if its something special

bubs

 

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1306

 

Glide is pretty easy. Get up to your speed (or maybe a mph or two higher) and then let your foot off the gas pedal. You will see your iFCD (instant fuel display) hit 100mpg and the green bars of charge start to build. When this happens, gradually increase pressure on the gas pedal until the green bars go away, but not so much that you have white assist bars. There is still some drag, but you will be able to glide quite a while on even slight downhills. The 100mpg is really a misnomer--you are actually getting 0gpm (infinately better than 100mpg), since your intake valves are closed and you are using no fuel.

I have a pretty hilly commute and am able to spend about 40% of the time in glide. If you're on flatter ground, you won't need this feature quite as much.

BTW, my first oil change was almost 7,000 miles and I just needed my second at 13-something. You will have a break in period of both the car and the driver before you start seeing the high numbers. Read Tarabell's article on cleanmpg.com for some good tips and keep reading things here too. Welcome to the site!

 

With the CVT, setting the cruise is not an issue. Use it if you want. With a fixed gear car, setting the cruise will cause the engine to maintain a constant RPM, which is what you do not want to do during break-in.

A CVT will "constantly vary" the RPM's (hence the name) regardless of speed, so no problem.

 

I just got my first oil change in my '08 HCH at ~8500 miles with 15% oil life left. I thought I scheduled the appointment far enough in the future that it would drop to 10%, but it stayed at 15%.

I also came across this site with a google search, and I thank God that I did. It seems that there is some debate as to whether or not to utilize cruise control. Some say use it as much as possible, some say avoid it at all costs, and others have oppinions somewhere in between. I never use it because my daily commute (about 80 miles round trip) consists of mostly moderate hills. I find the cruise control gets my RPM's too high for my liking. I haven't tested it out on flat ground for any significant amount of time or distance, so I can't speak about using/not using it while driving on that type of terrain. I can tell you that I'm averaging between 55-61 mpg per trip on the highway. I have to keep track of my mpg per trip because my wife also drives the HCH about the same distance to her job when I'm not using it. She doesn't "work" at getting good fuel economy which kills my average, but she still gets about 43 mpg, which is much better than her regular car.

 

as far as break in is concerned the longer the better. owners manuals tell you the bare minimum because thats what people want to hear. as some people here know im a honda technician and regardless of make or model i always suggest calling the break in over when she gets her first dose of new oil.

and as far as the hch II requiring synthetic? are you from somewhere that im not familiar with. maybe a foreign model does but your us model hch requires 0w 20 organic oil. it is pricier than normal 5w20 or 10w30 but still not synthetic.

 

Personally I say never use the cruise control and your mpg will benefit from it. I like driving my car not having it drive itself. If the cruise control was a little smarter I might think differently but where I live its nothing but one hill after another and the cruise tries too hard on the uphill climb. I have to agree with bullet4 about the break-in period.

Good luck with your new baby.