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Question about oil change intervals and toyota care

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by kronos89, Jun 7, 2013.

  1. kronos89

    kronos89 CHRRYPRL

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    Hi guys, i am approaching 2 months of ownership with my prius persona and its getting close to 5k. I have read here that the oil changes should be done around 10k, however some people are changing it around 7.5k, So is the first oil change done earlier than 10k? or not?
    Also, is there a limit to how many oil changes toyota does with the vehicle in a 2 year period?
    Thanks.
     
  2. car compulsive

    car compulsive Active Member

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    Toyota paid for the scheduled oil changes at 10 & 20K miles. The oil changes I had them do at 5, 15, & 25K were paid by me.
     
  3. ForestBeekeeper

    ForestBeekeeper Active Member

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    As far as I know, with regular oil a Prius needs an oil change every 5k.

    If you changed to synthetic, then required oil changes are every 10k.
     
  4. kronos89

    kronos89 CHRRYPRL

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    so for the first 2 changes you did it at 5k?
     
  5. kronos89

    kronos89 CHRRYPRL

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    I believe the prius manual says to only use synthetic..
     
  6. car compulsive

    car compulsive Active Member

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    I run synthetic with 5K oil change intervals.
     
  7. ForestBeekeeper

    ForestBeekeeper Active Member

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    Yes.

    My dealership paid for all servicing for the first 25K. Which included an oil change every 5k.

    After that, I had to begin paying for them. Which was when I had my oil changed over to synthetic.
     
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  8. kronos89

    kronos89 CHRRYPRL

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    Even with the oil being synthetic, i have never changed the oil in my vehicles at 10k, the max i go is 7.5 i live in a hilly area and always pushing the engine a little further :)
     
  9. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Moved to the maintenance sub forum
     
  10. Rupert B Puppenstein

    Rupert B Puppenstein Active Member

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    I change the oil at 10K now that I pay for it, but took it in every 5K when I still had Toyota care.
     
  11. Spindifferent

    Spindifferent Member

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    My personal preference is 10k OCI with synthetic.

    Your personal preference may differ, and that is OK with me. :)
     
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  12. szgabor

    szgabor Active Member

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    Official maintance schedule is 10K oil change with synthetic (or one year) and 5k inspection and tire rotation. Toyota care 2 year 25K so they would pay for 5 tire rotation and 2 oil change with synthetic. Not sure when air filter is scheduled so may included one of those at 25k

    I personally paid for oil change at 5K when the rest of the maintenance was done first oil is better be out early. And the second will be also 5K so the beginning when some of the break-in happens I had two shorter cycle. I am not a mechanical engineer but makes sense and cost of $30 and hope to keep the car long time.

    But I am not sure if I will do that 15K and 25K ... I think Toyota knows it is enough for every 10K .

    Well the manual says in heavy load you should change more often then 10k so with Toyota care you would need to pay three times only and have the 5K cycle up to 25K then you pay for all of them :)
     
  13. kronos89

    kronos89 CHRRYPRL

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    I will probably make the 25k in the first year, so i will have to cover all costs after that. Still not bad
     
  14. NutzAboutBolts

    NutzAboutBolts Senior Member

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    Regular oil for the Prius only applies to 1st and 2nd Generation Prius. Ever since Toyota has the 3rd Generation Prius, its all Synthetic oil now.

    As for the oil interval, there's plenty of thread with this questions, but its to each their own, and Toyota manual does say every 10k.
     
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  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    There is no connection between synth-vs-regular and the change interval. In Canada the interval is 5000 mile (8000 km), and the oil spec is 0W20, which I guess equals synth.