Oil change

Hello RL,
Congrats and welcome. If you have not, please read the following thread from beginning to end and I am sure you will be able to answer your question.
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...7-prius-2010-oil-change-interval-revised.html

 

I did my first at 1,000. I will do my next at 5,000 and every 5,000 after that. This is not what Toyota recommends but I feel better this way.

 

I changed mine with Mobile 1 at 1,375 miles. Then I am planning on changing it at the 5,000 mile point and then every 10,000 miles thereafter.

Bryan

 

I agree 100%. I also used Mobil 1 at 1,000 miles. I will change it every 5,000 after that. Using this method allowed me to get 305,000 on my 2000 Toyota 4Runner. It never burned oil or leaked oil.

 

Not everyone changes oil early. I plan on following Toyota's recommended oil change schedule.

 

Careful, Bryan
If you unfortunately develop a problem under warranty, and Toyota finds out you've been changing your oil at 10000 miles, they could void your warranty. Also, what oil filter is good for 10000 miles?

 

I understand your point lefat 1, but before Toyota could void a warranty for that reason they would be required to prove that the extended oil change interval caused the problem. Very difficult for them to do considering that the oil change interval is listed in the warranty book (page 36) as a recommendation not as a requirement. Also there seems to be ample evidence that Toyota is seriously considering a 10,000 mile recommendation anyway. As to the filter I think The Toyota filter element sold in this country is exactly the same one used in Europe where they have much longer intervals with the same car and engine.

I'm usually pretty careful about adhering to warranty recommendations/requirements but I think I will follow approximately the same schedule Bryan mentioned. Throwing away 4.4 quarts of perfectly good synthetic oil after only 5000 miles is a waste and not environmentally sound.

 

+1

 

+2
If Toyota felt you should change your first oil early, then they would have stated it in the book.

- The Prius engine runs less than a standard non hybrid one.

I have in the past 4 years changed the oil on my cars (1 hybrid and 2 non hybrid) at 2k, 5k (then every 5k after) miles and did not see anything in it or wrong with it BUT waste my time and money at 2k (no I did not have it professionally examined, waste of more money and time to me).

So this time with my 2 2010 Prius's, I am following the Toyota book, every 5k (even the first one) or 6 months (one of them will be 6 months, the other 5k).
You may be able to go farther but I am going to follow the books that came with my cars 5k.

I am actually going to let the dealer do it, he quoted me $43 for oil and filter change. I can do it for ~$35 so for ~$10 more it is not worth my time, but I am going to rotate my tires at every 5k, and do the other maintenance myself (inspect, change air filter, cabin filter, ect..).

Good luck to the 10k people out there, I have a friend that changed his oil in one of his cars 1 time a year no matter what millage with some amsoil or something but changed his filter every 6 months, he had 83k (no burning oil) on the car when he traded it in so I do not know how bad or ? it was for the engine.

Good luck to all
Don

 

Don, if you haven't already done so be sure to ask your dealer what kind of oil they plan on using in your Prius. I ask a dealer near hear what they would use and they told me they used 10W40 Pennzoil out of the drum for everything unless I specified something different. They were not even aware of the oil requirements of the 2010 Prius. After I showed them the manual they told me I could supply my own oil if I wanted to. Others on this site have had similar experiences.

 

I do plan on making sure, but when I called them (I think I even mentioned it and he told me it was 0-20W when I picked up my Prius V) he told me that they had to charge $43 is because of the full synthetic oil that the new 2010's use, so I think they are aware of it and I will make sure when I make the appointment in the next week or 2 for the first Prius (4,300 now on the IV).

Thank you for reminding me to double check!
Don

 

Possibly read through the Oil thread sticky at the top of the page,, and decide for yourself.