Where do you bring your Prius for Oil Changes?

The first oil change I had the dealer do. $32 with a coupon Mobil One 5W30.

Second change I did myself in my driveway . . . drove up on 2x8 on the edge of my driveway to raise the front a couple of inches and it was super easy to see under there! My oil filter wrench that I use on my Kubota BX1500 was the same size. Bought the filter at a toyota dealer. Easiest oil change I ever did! 3 Quarts 22 ounces put the oil right on the full line.

 

I used to bring my Prius to the local dealer, but starting a few months ago at the 16,000km oil change, I did it myself. It was really easy as I modified a shallow sheet metal drain pan - trimmed it down and tacked a metal screen on top - that fit perfectly.

About the only issue I had was trying to find the oil filter by feel. I have a collection of old mirrors - the kind ladies use to do their makeup - that are VERY handy to keep around a shop. You can see into tight spaces and notice things that would otherwise be missed.

I used a 3 inch mirror with a flexible metal stand, so I could angle it just right to see the oil filter from underneath the front bumper. My oil filter wrench fits not too badly, but it's a tight squeeze. I need to find a cap-style wrench.

Now that I'm used to changing the oil in it, I did the 24,000km change this weekend at my hobby farm. Also wanted to start sampling the used oil and wondered how to collect the sample.

The local Caterpillar Heavy Equipment dealer and engine rebuilder here in Winnipeg - located near the airport in the industrial park - has oil sample kits and a nifty little pump. Caterpillar runs a used oil sampling service using industry standards, farmed out to a lab, called "SOS." The oil sample kit is $16 Canadian plus taxes, the oil sample pump is $28 plus taxes.

The sample bottle is about 100 ml and screws into the sample pump. You stick a small plastic tube into where the dipstick is, give a few pumps, and it draws out the oil. Took about 25 seconds. Mine looked very dark brown, about what I expected.

For winter, since I spend the majority of my time in Winnipeg under 60 km/h, and I anticipate another long -40 stretch, I went with Mobil 1 0W-20. I don't anticipate any huge gains in MPG if any at all, but the lighter viscosity should help in frigid temps.

 

Do them yourself. Oil changes are low profit services for dealers so they rush, put junior techs on them, and run them out the door. I've had four TDIs since 2000 in our family and I did all but ONE change -- my wife's first 5K. Guess what? When I did her 10K change her pan bolt was torqued over 80 Nm when it should have been 30Nm. I was lucky it wasn't stripped. It was also overfilled and this was from the VW dealer who sold her the car.

A few here will be fortunate and get good service. Me, I'll do all of my own when I get my Prius in January. I just can't stand the sloppy work that seems to be the rule rather than the exception. And this happens most everywhere -- Toyota's no exception. Run, run, run, and then say, "Oh, we're sorry about that, sir. How can we make it right for you?" It's just the standard hot air supplanting integrity.

 

i went to jiffylube until they overfilled my tank and it spilled into places it shouldn't have spilled.
they were cool about it, but now i go to the dealer.

 

-