I seem to be using slight bit of engine oil ??

Keep an eye on it ....levelness of the car can make it hard to tell from just a couple checks.
But it is not unusual for some Prii to start using more oil....you'll see quite a few posts on that here. If it were my car, I'd try some different things such as Mobil-1 High Mileage formula 5W-30 which tries to minimize leaks by being additives etc. Did the other guy use 5W-30 as per Gen2 or did he go with 0W-20? Once you start leaking I think you want to get away from lighter 20 weights on a Gen2.

 

It is absolutely, positively NOT necessary to "top off" until you get down below half way between the marks.
Truth is, it's not necessary until the level touches the "low" mark but OCD may not allow that to happen.

And if it does not require the addition of a whole quart between oil changes, I would NOT change oil types until it does.

 

To the OP. your lucky. my Prius burns a quart a week. about every 700 miles.... It has 226987 miles..

 

You do not have to change the filter at 3k miles, just go the entire 6k mile duration. Also the car was designed to use 5w-30 oil. Many people experienced the car using oil at higher mileage. It should not affect the performance of the car. Just top off as needed.

 

Honda now recommends to change oil filter at alternate oil changes.

There's nothing inherently WRONG with an early oil filter change, but I wouldnt, don't think its in any way needed.

That said: I'm on the Canadian 8000 km or 6 mo oil and filter change interval, doing my own, and 6 mo's governs, by a country mile. So I guess I'm doing an "early" filter change.

It doesn't look very dirty, I expect it'd look about the same if I doubled the interval, which I might do once out of the power rain warranty.

 

Back to the original topic....(unless I see a squirrel.)

It's possible that the original owner wasn't as anal about keeping the oil volume topped off, or it's possible that your car is starting to burn a little oil at 150k.
...or some part of both. Maybe your mid-life oil filter change contributes a little.

The point is that your car's present consumption isn't troubling to me.
I'd try to quantify it but I'd say that whatever finally causes your car to go to the automotive afterlife will not be oil related engine wear.

I know a LOT of people that would love to have a 10 year old car with 150,000 miles that gets 40+MPG and whose biggest problem is some measurable oil use between 6,000 mile changes.

Change the filter as often as you'd like.
Getting under the car more often will allow you to do more visual inspections, and changing the filter that often will certainly NOT hurt anything if properly done.

Good Luck!

Glad to see you're 26.

 

Don't know how you plan to change your oil....I suspect yourself. And, if so, even with a high mileage car such as this, I might suggest putting in a Fumoto valve. Fumoto will make your life much simpler. We have been using them for decades...well maybe not decades, but a long time.

If you take it somewhere, don't bother. It will confuse them.