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Jerry's Evolving Thoughts on "new-to-me" Prime Premium

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by jerrymildred, Mar 12, 2019.

  1. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    This what I read about GM's system.
    Amoung the additives in motor oil are antiwear molecules that protect components when metal on metal contact happens. The antiwear molecule gets consumed when that happens. GM studied how quickly a commonly used antiwear compound gets used under various engine conditions; start up, temperatures, engine speed, engine load, etc.
    With that data, they made consumption rate tables that the oil monitor system uses to calculate remaining oil life based on how the car's engine has been running.
    From used oil analysis, the system seems to be pretty accurate.
     
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  2. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Tractors too.
     
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  3. Bill Norton

    Bill Norton Senior Member

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    And thus the ability to legally go with 2 year oil change intervals (sometimes) on their defunct PHEV.

    I wonder how other PHEV manufacturers handle the 'Oil Change Interval' issue?

    Toyota is not handling it at all: Prius legacy and Prius Prime -:- Same Same.
     
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Honda says to change oil at least yearly, regardless off what the maintenance minder says. On our previous 06 Civic Hybrid, obviously not a plug-in though.
     
  5. m8547

    m8547 Senior Member

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    You should at least wait until 1 year or 10,000 miles on the Prime. Toyota care lasts 2 years and you get up to two free oil changes in that time. They are just very aggressive about mailing flyers to remind you.
     
  6. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Toyota has you change oil at 5000 miles instead 10k. Climate is a factor in oil life.
    Then do this once a year is something easy to remember than every other year.
     
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  7. route246

    route246 Member

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    My weekend driver is a 400HP tuned Focus RS. It has 3000 miles in 3.5 years. I don't drive it that much and it sits in the garage most of the time on a battery tender. The "change oil" light comes on all the time after 1 year without a change. In the past 1.5 years I've driven 700 miles. Oil alone costs US$12.50/quart so oil changes are not cheap. It is out of warranty once I tuned it so I do my own oil changes. I turn off the light myself through the OBD II port using a pro diag console.

    My new Prius Prime is an interesting case. 2 years of "free" maintenance and the ICE is going to get used very little. I'm going to have to force it by using regen mode or something. It just handles local driving and plugging in at $0.11/kwh is so cheap it seems tragic to waste money on California petrol which is so expensive.
     
  8. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    That changed for the Gen 3 Prius, I believe. The recommendation is 10K for full synthetic oil. I think they say change at 5K if you use "dino" oil but they recommend AGAINST that..
     
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  9. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    One of the reasons to change the oil is that some protective additives get used up over time. One is acid neutralizers. Acids form in the oil when water gets in, an that can happen while the car is parked. Then air is getting, and oxidizing the oil.

    But some of this could be for dealers' service departments.

    @Mendel Leisk has a gen3 in Canada. Up there, the change interval is 5000 miles to our 10k.
    Noticed a footnote in the Camry's maintenance schedule that the oil should be changed at 5000 here when experiencing freezing temperatures.
     
  10. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    You and I bought from Toyota US. Mendel bought his from a different company in a different country.

    This is a Prius forum. A non-Hybrid Camry is not a valid comparison either. I do not recall that interval mentioned in my 2017 Prius manual.
     
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    With fourth gen Toyota Canada's in line with the US 16K kms (10K miles) or yearly. Still, there's nothing stopping owner's shortening the interval, might be overkill, but who knows.
     
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  12. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yup. And there’s always the “severe service interval” for those that routinely drive on dusty roads, or short trips where the engine doesn’t reach operating temperature.
     
  13. GSK

    GSK Active Member

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    I just took mine in for 5000 mile service. Nothing in the correspondence to me mentioned oil change, and the service advisor told me no oil change until 10,000 miles. 5000 mile service was only tire rotation and inspections.
     
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  14. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    They are both subsidiaries of Toyota.

    It's there in the Prius schedule. I missed it the first dozen or so times I looked in the maintenance schedule.

    I misremembered what I read. It is a shorter interval for repeated trips of less than five miles in temperatures below 32°F / 0°C, not just the lower temperature.
     
  15. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    First gas purchase in over five months!! We've taken a few short road trips so far this year, but nothing major since last year. Therefore, this last tank set a record for miles and cost per mile. Here are some of the stats since we got back from that big trip in May, 2019. That's not only the most miles, it's the least expensive gas I've ever put in the Prime and the longest predicted DTE since I started tracking it.

    We plan to burn off this tank and a few more in October on a trip to Ohio.
    Screen Shot 2020-08-16 at 9.50.31 AM.png
     
  16. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Very impressive;).

    Column I header with "fullup" might need an edit, unless intended:whistle:.

    While electric and fuel rates are higher out here, the Prime is still a great vehicle(y).
     
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  17. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Spreadsheet typo fixed. Thanks for catching that, Ray. I've only been looking at it for about 10 months without noticing it. :ROFLMAO:
     
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  18. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    No worries;).

    Attention to detail is something I focus on in daily life:).

    Especially in spreadsheets(y).
     
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  19. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    OK. I just bought a used front grille sub-assembly parts (OEM parts# 53101-47040/50) with multiple cracks off from 2017 PRIME Advanced. I had planned to PlastiDip paint or wrap the acrylic part of my new 2020 PRIME to prevent a future crack like what happened on my previous 2017 PRIME. But I was hesitating to take off the part and modifying it on a brand new car. Now, I have this spare part to play with, I can try something onto it and even if it doesn't go well, I would not care much.

    The question is what can I do to strengthen the acrylic and protect it from future damages. I am going to first try repairing the cracks using Weldon #3 and some other epoxy-based filler/adhesives, then using PlastDip or Wrap on the acrylic part. The PlastiDip or Wrap should be removable, so if I mess it up, I can re-do it. However, I just don't think either option will give much strength to the acrylic for longlasting protection. Does anyone have any other material that would work on this project? As long as it does not cost too much, I am willing to give a try.

    s-l1600.jpg
     
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  20. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Something like fiberglass behind the acrylic might make it rigid enough to reduce the chance of cracking. Seeing how the FG resin is cleaned with acetone, it might chemically weld to the acrylic. While the FG can give strength to prevent breakage, it won't help prevent surface marring. I don't know if the effort would be worth it to bother getting the supplies needed, but if you already have them...

    Some type of fiber should have been used in the acrylic for this use.

    A wrap may add a little protection, or could avoid damage while hiding a new crack underneath. It will be more protective than PlastiDip.
     
    #640 Trollbait, Aug 16, 2020
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2020
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