i'd love to see a guide like the one availble for the 2009. with step by step and parts list. dont forget the photos!
If you're waiting for one from me, that won't be until sometime in August. The procedure is different and the photos will be a challenge, but driving enough miles to need the change is the biggest part of the wait. .
Why do it yourself when you can take it to your local dealer like I do. It doesn't cost much and they can dispose of the old oil so I don't have to worry about it. I like taking it there because they do an inspection on my vehicle while it is on the rack, they catch anything that is wrong with it that I probably would not. My local dealer SIERRA TOYOTA has always done a great job with my prius.
I prefer doing most of the simple stuff (like changing the oil) myself. That way I am visually inspecting the car and can keep a tally on anything unusual - like new signs of an oil or coolant leak. I know I am much more interested in the healthy running of my vehicle than anyone else. I am not bashing mechanics - they simply see dozens of cars a day and one more stain isn't going to ruin their business. If the signs are big enough, they may let you know about it. If not, they don't say anything. When I notice a stain or such, I start paying attention to it. In this way, I feel more connected to the health of my car. I can begin to predict when I will need to change certain things or begin to worry about something more major. All-in-all, DIY is more a piece of mind - at least for me. It is a way for me to keep a finger on the pulse of my car. When you consider that it only takes a few minutes and saves me a few $$ to boot, I feel more than aptly justified in doing it myself.
There's not a lot wrong with having a service dept. do it, but there are lots of good reasons to do it yourself. 1)Getting to know your own vehicle. Once you know what you vehicle is like, how it works, how to do simple things on it yourself you're very much empowered to take care of other things and not be fooled into having serviced done that you don't need or want. 2)The assurance that the proper oil of your choice is being used and that the proper amount is put in...check out some of the many "dealer over filled my oil" threads in the Prius II forums. Nobody cares for your car as much as you do. 3) Satisfaction...it's kinda nice getting your hands dirty once in a while. 4) Cost-while it might not be too expensive using the dealer's base oil choice, just try asking him how much your service will cost using a good synthetic like Mobil 1--it'll get pricy fast. I can pay for my own oil and filter and do a full Mobil 1 oil change for less than $20. Add to that that I only, now, change every 10k miles and my costs are much less than a dealer.
id like to see the guide so i know what im up agsaint to help me decide which route to take. its a PITA to do it yourself, but an expensive PITA to take to a dealer.
John, You could easily justify/rationalize an early oil change for the first one. Many of us believe that doing the first one at about 2000 miles makes sense b/c there will be much more wear of the new ICE during that time and that the early change to fresh oil could have positive benefits very far down the road.
I did every oil change in my '05 as I plan to on my '10. Everything was easy to get to and the whole job took less than 10 minutes. I can't see paying someone to do a job that doesn't even make me break a sweat.
Oh, that's not so bad...I thought the entire underbody panel had to be removed. Got a pic of where the filter goes?
Wow, geez, could that be any easier? I had visions of very difficult oil changes almost forcing people to use the dealer. I'd never go to the dealer with access that easy.
It may be harder than it looks in these pictures. Notice the car is on a lift and the access panel to the oil filter area and drain plug goes below the tire when open. The car will have to be on ramps or you will have to jack it up, and if you jack it up it has to be level to drain the oil correctly from the pan. I have read to drain the oil without the car on a lift requires you to remove the whole plate underneath the engine compartment.
Anyone know the torque values? I have heard 18 ft lbs for the filter cap and 24 ft lbs for the drain plug. I know "good mechanics" can do it by feel but I prefer to use a torque wrench. Thanks for the pictures Wayne.
Yes you did, I thought I had seen them somewhere. It's 27 ft lbs for the plug and 18 ft lbs for the filter. Now all I need is a car and I can do the job.
