Prius Oil Type

Yes. They make that recommendation for good reasons.

Some components of the oil "wear out" just with time and not mileage.
It also can accumulate things like water from not being used much.

 

it's worth it while under the warranty for sure. later, it probably could be extended to 2 years depending how car is used, but only when confirmed by UOA. i use 15W40 (non-synthetic) in my boat for 2-3 years OCI, only because i do 1-2 trips a year, but no short tripping.

 

thanks. half the time, my engine comes on just to go through the warm up cycle, so i guess that's a lot on the oil.

 

If you doing it DIY you could save time and just do the oil no filter, I did this last winter just to be quick in the cold, and to stay within my oil supplies. I do not know if moisture etc can build up so bringing in some new oil maybe wise esp in winter. Thought I saw some water droplets on my dipstick no idea where that was from.

 

That's the Honda schedule: change the oil filter only at every second oil change. Makes life simple, unless you're trying to get a Honda dealership to comply, they apparently didn't get the memo.

 

so, you can change the oil every year and the filter every other, or you can change the filter every year, and the oil every other?

 

Honda uses Maintenance Minder, an in-dash countdown that displays a code as to what needs to be done. It's roughly distance based, but seems to be doing more than just counting clicks. In my experience it said to change oil only about every 10,000 kilometres (7,000 miles, roughly?), then oil AND filter change after another 10,000 kms.

 

okay, thanks. i'm more on a time basis, only driving about 9,000 miles a year and 3,000 in hv.

 

Yeah same here: about 10000 km per year. I'm not sure I should disclose this, might get me committed: I'm changing oil (and filter) per Canadian schedule, every spring and fall.

Might well go to US schedule after I'm out of warranty. Except, I LIKE changing oil, $24 per, not much.

 

LOL, i never liked changing oil. cost me $77. the other day.

 

I've used Castrol Syntech 0w20 because I found it on sale. It seems to make no difference in performance or MPG.

The Toyota stuff is cheap and good quality to I just use that normally. I won't even bother looking for sale on other oils any more. It's not worth the time.

I live in Canada but change my oil every 8000km according to the US spec. Since you are saving money on DIY you might as well do it more often esp if you don't mind doing the labor.

 

Sort of true, but such time-based recommendations are oversimplified, so owners don't have to think too much about where they fit on the continuum between the following extremes: An owner who leaves a car outdoors and uses it only for frequent short trips might accumulate the same low total mileage in a year as someone who keeps a car in a temperature-controlled garage and uses the car only for infrequent long trips. The former is much harder on the oil (and the engine).

 

I find the Castrol GTX fully Synthetic to be more superior than Mobile 1 in my v6 Camry, very quiet and liquid type fluidity .. I change oil 8k , it's my 1st prius so i'll change the 1st 5k into the Castrol GTX Fully Synthetic going forward.

 

Castol GTX is fully synthetic? What the heck is Castol doing to it's naming now!!! (Can you tell I'm not fond of the brand much?)

MT2L03 ?

 

Yes I've switched from Mobile 1 to Castrol GTX fully synthetic. i find it much quieter and less engine friction when driving the my Camry.

 

How are you measuring engine friction?

 

I guess he is "feeling it"
Alex

 

Correct Alex, I was a Mobile 1 user the longest.. till the day someone told me tr try the Castrol GTX FS, it was made fo rhigher compression smaller engines, he trusts it to put in his 3 series, sheesh i can put it in my camry i use 5w 30, I'm sure they make 0w-20 and it was night an day difference for the better, they say its true liquid engineering.

 

Magnatec? Interesting "technology". Still like the Mobil 1 engine warranty....

MT2L03 ?