Carbon fingerprint

I have purchased a Honda Accord Tourer 2.2i-ctdi. The car was first registered on 18/09/2007 and I purchased it in February 2009, at 18 months old, with 11,200 miles on the clock. The service interval is 12,500 or 1 year whichever comes first. In this case 1 year came first and it was serviced at 9,335 miles. On checking the oil I find it is very, very black which seems very unusual even for a diesel for oil that has only run for approx 2,200 miles. Is this normal or should I insist on an oil change? The car is still under manufacturers warranty.

Asked on 22 August 2009 by

Answered by Honest John
Diesels dump a lot of carbon inside their engines and the oil picks it up and turns black. But a rough way to check the condition of your oil is to rub it between your fingers. If it's gritty, it's shot. If it's slimy, it's ok.
Dear Honest John,

Please help me choose my next car. I would like it to have:
    Select a few terms below
Similar questions
What would be the best car that meets the following criteria? - has a Diesel engine with lots of torque - can return at least 45mpg on the motorway - can take 4 people in decent comfort - has a good size...
I am looking to buy a medium sized diesel without DPF. After reading too many internet forums I am now unable to decide what to plump for given that there seems to be so many diesels that have expensive...
I collected my new VW Scirocco (2.0 TDI GT DSG - 170bhp- 2010 plate) from a dealer on Friday. We had a 100 mile journey back home and the car seemed to perform very well. After parking the car outside...
Related models
Good Japanese build quality, all chain-cam engines.
 

Value my car

Save £75 on Warranty using code HJ75

with MotorEasy

Get a warranty quote

Save 12% on GAP Insurance

Use HJ21 to save on an ALA policy

See offer