Road Trip Planned / 5000 mile Oil change recomendation will be passed

adamwmcanally · 06-13-2007, 08:39 AM

I think this has been asked before, but can't find the post....and since it is holiday season I though I would ask it again.

I am about 3000 miles away from needing an oil change, but about to embark on a 4000 mile roadtrip. Should I go ahead and get the oil change or wait till I get back and am 1000 over the 5000. My 06 has 12000 miles on it. I would rather not hassle with trying to get an oil change on the road.....

Thanks
A

westex39 · 06-13-2007, 08:54 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(adammc @ Jun 13 2007, 07:39 AM) [snapback]460766[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

I think this has been asked before, but can't find the post....and since it is holiday season I though I would ask it again.

I am about 3000 miles away from needing an oil change, but about to embark on a 4000 mile roadtrip. Should I go ahead and get the oil change or wait till I get back and am 1000 over the 5000. My 06 has 12000 miles on it. I would rather not hassle with trying to get an oil change on the road.....
Thanks
A
[/b]

You answered your own question. Go ahead and change it. You're still under warranty. Don't take the chance that will give Toyota any reason to deny any claims. There is the peace of mind thing to consider too.

Good luck on your trip

Regards

Westex

**efusco** · 06-13-2007, 08:55 AM

Personally, I'd wait, the oil holds up well and they can't void your warranty for one late oil change. But it's your call. If this were the first ever oil change upcoming I'd do it now, but at this point the oil will hold up very well.

Swanny1172 · 06-13-2007, 09:25 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(adammc @ Jun 13 2007, 08:39 AM) [snapback]460766[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

I think this has been asked before, but can't find the post....and since it is holiday season I though I would ask it again.

I am about 3000 miles away from needing an oil change, but about to embark on a 4000 mile roadtrip. Should I go ahead and get the oil change or wait till I get back and am 1000 over the 5000. My 06 has 12000 miles on it. I would rather not hassle with trying to get an oil change on the road.....
Thanks
A
[/b]

Out of curiosity, what kind of oil are you running now? If you are running synthetic, then I would say that you are good to go for your trip.

Also, as others have pointed in other threads, the ICE on the Prius is not on 100% of the time, so the actual miles on your odometer are not the actual miles on the oil. Depending on your driving behavior, your ICE might be on as little as 65% of the time.

M. Oiseau · 06-13-2007, 09:50 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ Jun 13 2007, 08:25 AM) [snapback]460787[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

... the ICE on the Prius is not on 100% of the time, so the actual miles on your odometer are not the actual miles on the oil. Depending on your driving behavior, your ICE might be on as little as 65% of the time.
[/b]

True, maybe even less than 65% in town, but I have to guess that a 4,000 mile road trip will predominately be at highway speed meaning the ICE will likely run most of the time.

I just faced a similar question. 15k mile oil change due in 1,000 miles with a 2,700 mile road trip facing me. I changed the oil early. And I'm using Mobil 1. I'm planning on letting the next couple of oil changes "slip" a little to get back on the 20, 25, 30, 35... schedule.

By the way, Prius did awesome on the trip. 80 mph typical speed, 40 mpg overall with one tank at 45 mpg (must have had a tailwind). Four people in the car with luggage packed for eleven days worth of varying outfits (yes, my three passengers were female).

SW03ES · 06-14-2007, 01:19 AM

Get it done now...thats a no brainer.

Winston · 06-14-2007, 10:58 AM

There is nothing magic about the 5000 mile number. It is just a corporate standard. Maybe someday Toyota will have something like GM's Oil life indicator.

I would not waste the good oil.

jhinton · 06-14-2007, 11:11 AM

Wait. It's only 1,000 miles which is well within Toyota's safety factor. My Nissan Frontier called for oil changes every 7,500 miles with conventional motor oil. The engine may be stopping and starting but it stays up to operating temperature. It is cold starts and very short trips that is bad for motor oil and engines because it doesn't all the oil to come up to temperature and moisture builds up in the oil.

jayman · 06-14-2007, 12:37 PM

A find it very contradictory that a company that purports to be "green," with a flagship "green" product, has one of the shortest oil change intervals in North America. The same Prius operated in the EU, running ACEA spec motor oils, has a normal 12 month or 10,000 mile oil change interval

Of course, if you have no-name crap bulk oil delivered by tanker, then perhaps even 5,000 miles is too far and that could go a long way to explain the sludge problem Toyota had. The same motor was used in the EU and there were no reports of sludge there.

SW03ES · 06-14-2007, 08:50 PM

Everybody here overthinks everything. Oil changes are cheap, ever since I was a kid my Dad taught me "Going on a big trip? Change the oil". If you're going to be on the road for 4K miles the car needs to be thoroughly checked out, all the fluids topped off, and the oil changed.

06-14-2007, 12:37 PM	#9
jayman Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Winnipeg Manitoba Posts: 6,369 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 4	A find it very contradictory that a company that purports to be "green," with a flagship "green" product, has one of the shortest oil change intervals in North America. The same Prius operated in the EU, running ACEA spec motor oils, has a normal 12 month or 10,000 mile oil change interval Of course, if you have no-name crap bulk oil delivered by tanker, then perhaps even 5,000 miles is too far and that could go a long way to explain the sludge problem Toyota had. The same motor was used in the EU and there were no reports of sludge there. __________________ 2004 Toyota Prius "B", Tideland Pearl 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser 5AT "C", Sun Fusion

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
1000 Mile road trip went great!	turbonick	Prius Main Forum	2	05-03-2007 08:58 AM
2500 mile road trip in Papa Prius and.......	sl7vk	Prius Main Forum	0	11-30-2006 11:35 PM
Long Road Trip / Oil Change Question	yorkeyng	Prius Main Forum	4	09-20-2006 12:18 AM
5000 mile service	thaight	PriusChat Website Questions	6	05-14-2006 11:37 AM
5000 Mile Service	Somechic	Prius Main Forum	1	11-11-2005 10:40 AM

06-13-2007, 08:39 AM	#1
adamwmcanally Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: mobile, al Posts: 67 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #7 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I think this has been asked before, but can't find the post....and since it is holiday season I though I would ask it again. I am about 3000 miles away from needing an oil change, but about to embark on a 4000 mile roadtrip. Should I go ahead and get the oil change or wait till I get back and am 1000 over the 5000. My 06 has 12000 miles on it. I would rather not hassle with trying to get an oil change on the road..... Thanks A

06-13-2007, 08:55 AM	#3
efusco Troll Slayer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nixa, MO Posts: 14,056 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 1 Time in 1 Post TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 24	Personally, I'd wait, the oil holds up well and they can't void your warranty for one late oil change. But it's your call. If this were the first ever oil change upcoming I'd do it now, but at this point the oil will hold up very well.

06-14-2007, 01:19 AM	#6
SW03ES Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Posts: 1,114 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Get it done now...thats a no brainer.

06-14-2007, 10:58 AM	#7
Winston Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: SF Bay Area, California Posts: 553 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	There is nothing magic about the 5000 mile number. It is just a corporate standard. Maybe someday Toyota will have something like GM's Oil life indicator. I would not waste the good oil.

06-14-2007, 11:11 AM	#8
jhinton Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 839 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: N/A Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Wait. It's only 1,000 miles which is well within Toyota's safety factor. My Nissan Frontier called for oil changes every 7,500 miles with conventional motor oil. The engine may be stopping and starting but it stays up to operating temperature. It is cold starts and very short trips that is bad for motor oil and engines because it doesn't all the oil to come up to temperature and moisture builds up in the oil.

06-14-2007, 08:50 PM	#10
SW03ES Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Posts: 1,114 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Everybody here overthinks everything. Oil changes are cheap, ever since I was a kid my Dad taught me "Going on a big trip? Change the oil". If you're going to be on the road for 4K miles the car needs to be thoroughly checked out, all the fluids topped off, and the oil changed.