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'13 TWO Pre-Purchase & Found 5W30 Used - Abort Purchase?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by irishthriller, Apr 29, 2019.

  1. irishthriller

    irishthriller Junior Member

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    Currently doing my due diligence looking to buy a single-owner '13 Prius Two with 34k miles on her. I input the VIN in to toyotaowners and found that, for some reason, the owner requested oil different than the normal 0W20 or 5W20. Should I be concerned if he has been running 5W30 (fiveWthirty)? See attached. Thanks y'all!
     

    Attached Files:

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  2. rosencrantz

    rosencrantz Member

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    I wouldn’t be especially concerned about the use of 5w30. There are some folks here that believe the use of slightly higher viscosity oil reduces oil burning risk. Also, being located in Georgia- a warmer climate- reinforces the use of a slightly higher oil viscosity (IMHO).
     
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  3. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    There was a 103,000 oil change interval. Not sure how to say this but...run.
     
  4. irishthriller

    irishthriller Junior Member

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    Ha I attribute that to an input error at dealer. No? Carfax is clean.
     
  5. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    That looks like a typo. The next two were within reason....
     
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  6. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    That's not a big enough reason to bail when taken in isolation. You need to discern between a pattern of abuse or a somewhat odd choice for motor oil. I'm pretty sure 5W-30 is listed in one of the temperature/duty bands printed in the owner's manual.
     
  7. douglasjre

    douglasjre Senior Member

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    I'd avoid a Prius that used 0-20
     
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  8. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    It comes from the factory with that. Basically you would have to avoid any new car
     
  9. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Or ODO was tampered. Seen some turd gens with tampered odo flagged on the carfax print out on Carmax vehicles.
     
  10. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    I'll buy the typo explanation. If the car is truly one owner, it doesn't seem likely that he has been putting on less than 1,000 mi per month, then suddenly does 99,000 in 10 months, then goes back to less than 1,000 per month again. I would be more concerned about what appears to be a year and a half interval between oil changes, than the use of 5W-30. There is bound to be sludge buildup in the crankcase with a large number of short trips between oil changes, synthetic oil notwithstanding. If the car is otherwise in decent shape, I guess I could still go ahead with the purchase, if the price is right.
     
  11. irishthriller

    irishthriller Junior Member

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    Here are the car fax records. I think Toyota's records smell funny. e.g. the 114kmi input on ToyotaOwners site (which is the only one on the carfax w/o recorded milage); on 01/08/16 they show "20kmi oil change" but the car had just 11k miles; the other services don't show oil being done when I doubt the service dept would let that slide. Again, I suspect the Toyota records are poor. I spoke with seller who couldn't explain well the 5W30 record. He's an affluent engineer who owns an '03 prius (gearing up to buy a Tesla now and wife keeps '03). Doesn't seem like the type to want to cut corners or go against manufacturers advice. He told me he's going in to Toyota tomorrow to get software update and fresh oil. I'm trying not to "talk myself in to" the deal if oil/service history are risky. I have already planned a PPI at local Toyota if I decide to proceed. What do y'all think?

    10/01/2013: Vehicle manufactured
    6/26/14 (3kmi): “serviced” by Toyota
    12/11/14 (5kmi): “serviced” by Toyota
    6/26/15 (9kmi): “serviced” by Toyota
    01/08/16 (11kmi): “serviced” by Toyota
    06/30/16 (15kmi): “serviced” by Toyota
    05/01/17: “serviced” by Toyota
    06/17/17 (22kmi): “serviced” by Toyota
    04/09/18 (27kmi): “serviced” by Toyota
    09/26/18 (31kmi): Alignment and tires by Local Shop
    10/18/18 (32kmi): “oil and filter changed” by Local Shop
    11/01/18 (32kmi): tires and pressure checked by Local Shop
     
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  12. kc5dlo

    kc5dlo Active Member

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    Mine is a '14 and the car came with "Free Maint" for 25,000 miles. The oil and filter changes were scheduled for 10,000 and 20,000 miles as well as an inspection and tire rotation. Inspections and tire rotations took place at 5,000, 15,000, and 25,000 miles. I am guesing that the owner wanted the oil changes done more frequently than 10,000 miles and used up his "Free" oil changes at an earlier interval.

    Sounds like the owner was very diligent in regards to maintenance but I do question why he insisted on 5w30.
     
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  13. irishthriller

    irishthriller Junior Member

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    I figured out that 5W30 synthetic was ran for 2 years / 12k miles (10k miles on the first cycle, 2k on the 2nd before he realized his wife was requesting the wrong oil). He just had Toyota switch back to 0W20 today. Additional thoughts, anyone? Buy or not?
     
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  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    deleted
     
    #14 Mendel Leisk, Apr 30, 2019
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2019
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  15. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Don’t like playing the devils advocate but there are sellers out there willing to saying anything to convince buyers to buy. If a good part of your life depends on the next vehicle purchase, I’d still run.
     
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  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    With low miles very likely in good shape. Test drive, see how it sounds and feels. Look it over carefully, inside and out, and the underside.
     
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  17. kc5dlo

    kc5dlo Active Member

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    Oil change interval is 10,000 or 1 year. Looks like the services took place about 6 months apart. Thinking back, I received emails every 6 months reminding me my service was due. The second reminder came after I had already used up all 5 free services.
     
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  18. kc5dlo

    kc5dlo Active Member

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    I think it sounds like a good, well cared for car. It is always a chance but you have done due diligence and that is low miles with proof it was cared for. I would not fault anyone for buying that car if the price was reasonable. Good luck.
     
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  19. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    What are you seeing, to say that?
     
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  20. irishthriller

    irishthriller Junior Member

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    @davecook89t good catch with the 1.5 year gap. What do you mean "synthetic oil notwithstanding"? Overall, think this 18 months 10,000 mile interval is something to cause pause?