Is Toyota dealership oil change fine, or best to avoid?

we're lucky to have a couple guys from iran at the local mobil station. these guys are meticulous. they can fix anything, and they do it right. we've been taking our service there for over 10 years.

 

agreed. now, if only i could find a good plumber.

 

Thanks for the correction, I missed that one lol. And yes, I am very forgiving. It's a curse sometimes lol. Also, I can only fit under the car on ramps and on the floor. Tight squeeze too lol.

That's really nice. I wish I knew a good mechanic near me.

 

i'll be in orlando in february, i'll ask them if they want a free vacation.

 

I'm just glad the Prius has been rock solid since I bought it. It was used but in great condition according to the mechanic. Only thing I need to figure out is the stupid MFD, but that's a whole different topic lol.

 

I've found the best way to get the level right, with G3, is slam in 4.2 liters (4.5 qt.?) and just leave it a few days before reassessing: checking the dipstick right after a change will just start you zigging and zagging. Drain completely, empty the filter housing, put in specd amount: done.

 

Right, there's no need to check level immediately after changing oil, if you put in the correct amount and are sure there are no leaks.

Aside from any debate about checking oil level hot or cold is theoretically best, I favor cold, simply because the level is much easier to see on the dipstick when the oil is cold.

The oil change done on my car by the local dealer just before I bought it, and the two "free" subsequent ones at the same dealer came out with the level slightly above, right on, and slightly below the "full" mark, respectively. No real complaint there. They use bulk 0W-20, "made for Toyota by Mobil1."

 

My nearby dealership is agreeable to selling me bulk Toyota 0W20, for $3.75~ per litre, I just need to supply container. That price is approx, haven't got the email in front of me, but that's approx the cost.

 

You can tell if your getting vat oil just check the oil level in the next am. If its overfilled its the vat.

Its because your getting the vat oil via a handgun thats notoriously inaccurate so they give you a few more shots.
They don't know or care. And if there like my AutoNation Toyota dealer the guys changing the oil don't even speak English. The mechanic who works on your car is not the guy doing all changes. That guy is ducking the INS. There not going to pay a certified mechanic $25 an hour to change oil.

If you have pre-paid maintenance your getting the vat. Its dino oil & the filthiest oil out there. Vat has never ever been cleaned in its long life and you should see the truck that pumps oil into the vat.

Go to Walmart buy 5 quart jug of Mobil 1 5-30 thats $24.95. Go to dealer and buy OEM oil filter. ($4) . Find a good mechanic.
Go 10,000 + miles easy on that oil.

 

Ed, when we went through our local dealership on a "New Owners" night, we toured the service department. I noticed sitting on a counter there, a couple of graduated pitchers, holding your aforementioned "vat oil". It was nice and clean in appearance, Toyota synthetic according to the service manager. He was fluent in English too.

 

Ah yes "owners Night". Pristine oil in fine china pitchers. Cookies abound. Free coffee. Nice and clean gentleman.
Friendly. Even spoke english. Just swell. They wouldn't be pushing pre-paid maintenance would they?

Next time your there just walk around the back of the building. Look for the vats. They'll be close to the garage door back where you car disappears for an oil change. You'll see a guy changing the oil. Go up and ask him a question.

 

Makes me think of my visit to a BMW motorcycle shop.

Clean, well-lit, HDTV on big screens everywhere, Keurig and other cold beverages, etc. All free.

I was expecting them to have a "comfort companion" somewhere nearby.

 

A Co-worker bought a new Nissan. Its essentially his wife's car. Nissan has hired her 2 times in the last year to "shop" her Autonation dealer repair center for "issues". I think they pay her $50 each time to go in and complain about something on her car then she fills out a customer service survey.
They want to see how predatory they are to women.

So dealers are trying to improve there image afters years of of terrible reputations.
But it still does not change the simple fact that they are not going to lose money on anything they sell, or any service they offer.

There not going to give you synthetic oil at $9 a quart for a prepaid maintenance plan. Your getting the vat. If there's a vat on the premises that's what your getting. And its not synthetic oil. I don't car what they say. I don't care how nice and clean the oil looks when you come by for a dog and pony show. In fact the dog and pony show about oil would make me even more suspicious.

Unless I see them open bottles of synthetic oil and pour it in the engine. And your not able to see that or talk to the guy who does it.

Personally I think your better off running boutique high performance oil like Amsoil or Redline 20,000 miles than running dino oil for 5,000 miles.

 

Geesh....I'm NOT the most trusting guy waiting in the service department lobby.
But if the dealership say's they are using the recommended Toyota approved 0 weight synthetic? Then I believe them.

A LOT to be lost if they are lying, not much to be gained by lying.

So many vehicles, not just hybrids, now run on recommended light weight synthetics that I think it's just more and more the accepted norm.

I believe on my last two service department invoices it even states that 0 weight synthetic oil was used.

 

First of all, I'm not buying into any conspiracy theory that dealers/indys might be using sub-standard oils and claiming they are full-synthetic, recommended grade.

And to answer the question, I don't think there's any easy way for the consumer to determine the oil characteristics after the fact. Maybe take a sample and send it off to a lab? Blackstone, for example, analyzes engine oil, but you tell them the manufacturer and grade when you send the sample. I don't know if they verify it. Fortunately, I'm able to DIY my oil changes, so I know what is put in.

 

I don't get all this dealer bashing ... it's an oil change!

The Toyota oil is 0W-20 SYN -- blend. Do you think Toyota is going to supply an inferior product?

I hope you take the car into a Toyota dealer -- have them look it over and see if you can get anything out of the warranty. Both of the dealers near me have coupons a couple times a year that make oil changes cheap.

The dealers ar famous for upsetting -- what I would call unneeded services ... injector cleaning ... flue system treatments .. "tune ups" ... but so do the chain service centers.

I have a good independent ... but I also go to dealer. Can't think of a problem.

 

Are you sure the oil is a blend and not full?



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