How Many of you Insist on TRD Oil Filters ? ?

My Toyota Dealer did not stock the TRD filters, and keeps only the cheaper paper element oil filters. I discovered this when I walked over to the sevice department and asked about the TRD filters for my (41,000 dollar (price + Tax + Interest )2010 Prius). I said to the parts and service manager that I consider the additional cost of about 5 bucks for the better oil filter with synthetic media instaed of paper a cheap protection for my wonderful new Prius. I then ordered 2 of them, one to install at 323 miles, and the other to carry along for when they don't have the TRD filter in the future. Since better oil filters remove smaller wear particles, and hold more of them, and have beter drain back valves it seems the wise precaution to install them. This is especially true during the first 5000 miles when a new engine will typically wear as much as it will during the next 50,000 miles.

How many of you insist on the better filters ? Also How many of you find their Toyota Dealer, like mine, doesn't stock the better oil filters ?

 

I did not see the TRD or the Amsoil oil filters in that test. It would be interesting how they compared. I am still hoping that Consumer Reports will one day undertake the challenge to test engine oil filters, God knows they have had many subscribers make the request. Paper filters just do not have the filtration ability of synthetic media to remove the smaller wear particles. Most people would not notice or care, and only long ownership of the engine would demonstrate the benefits. I have made synthetic oil and synthetic media oil filters SOP for every vehicle I've owned since about the mid 1980's

 

Toyota Racing Design is what a parts guy told me the TRD stood for. The oil filters are made with a synthetic media to capture the tiny metal 'wear particles' created by moving metal parts that have only a thin layer of protective motor oil to protect them and help keep them cool from normal heat of friction. The less expensive standard Toyota Parts filter uses the cheaper less effective paper elements in the filter which also do not capture smaller particles. While this is always an important protection for the engine, it is especially worthwhile to employ a better filter during the first 5000 miles when the engine parts wear the most. I will have changed the oil and filter twice by the time it has 5000 miles on it.

 

Over the years New cars have gotten equipped with Oil Filters that are physically much smaller than before. The oil filter on my two cylinder John Deere Lawn Tractor is about two to three times the capacity of the oil filter on the four cylinder engine in my new 2010 Prius. The rest of the auto manufacturing industry has largely followed this trend. My 2007 Prius held only 4 quarts of oil and the 2010 holds 4.4 quarts including the filter. Since the motor oil both lubricates and helps to cool the engine it is the 'life blood' of your cars engine. I only use 100% synthetic oil, and the best filters I can find, hence the TRD oil filter. After spending, by the time all the car payments are made, 41 grand for the new Prius it would be the height of stupidity to go for the minimum protection afforded by cheap oil and paper oil filters changed at the limits allowed by the factory warranty. For those who do not realize it, 100% synthetic oil does NOT form engine sludge as the oil is broken down by heat the way reular petroleum oils do, and semi-synthetic don't help at all in this since they contain petroleum motor oil that breaks down. The 'parrafin wax' present in regular oil thickens in the cold, makes the cars starter, battery and lubrication harder until the engine warms, and again 100% synthetic oil has no wax content to do this to your car. Jet engines must use 100% synthetic oils because regular petroleum will solidify at those higher operating temperatures. In short, the 100% synthetic oil is a way to protect your investment in a Prius, save gas, batteries and starter motors, keep the engine clean throughout its life and sludge free, and it is easily worth the added cost.

 

How often in your life have you gotten More than you paid for ?

How about doing the Minimum for your investment in a machine, versus doing the best you can. How often has the minimum done the job as well, and cost as little over time ?

In the 1950's cars were being sold with no oil filters, maybe you could try that. Save a buck maybe ? And air bags, remember Ralph Nader battling the auto makers over that idea. The car companies said nobodied pay extra for them. Think of all the ways the cars of today are more expensive because of such things.

So where have you read that the basic paper element filter is good enough and the better filter a waste of the extra 5 bucks ?