Prius 2010 Oil Change Interval Revised? Not yet... (closed)

Does this standard extend to the CARB areas or heavy stop-n-go situations?

 

It's news to me as of today so tomorrow I'm going to get with the GM and the Service Mgr to bring this to their attention if they haven't aready heard about it.

It's HUGE for us...no BIGGER than that. Everybody who buys a new car from us since August 2005 is entitled to FREE oil and filters For Life. DING !!!! TYVM Toyota.

 

You may be the only dealership happy to hear this news.

Needless to say, I wait with baited breath.

 

I imagine that the tire rotation interval will still remain every 5k / 6 months. I don't think syn oil will make the tires wear slower.

 

A good point. Depends on if they made the rotation schedule the same as the oil because it was necessary that often or because it was convenient.

 

The online maintenance schedules on the Toyota Owner's web page have yet to be updated.

 

This is one reason I prefer an oil life monitor as in my HHR. My dad goes about 10K miles on an oil chang in his, I go about 7 in mine. I drive mine like I stole it! My 2000 Trans am goes about 4-5K, which is about once a year.

But it is good news, anything to reduce oil consumption and owner cost is a welcomed improvement. I'll have to let my wife know. She hated the every 3K on her honda mini van.

 

Never understood the short oil change interval in the US. In Europe has always been 15 k km.

 

I understand the stop-and-go part of your question although it may not apply to the Prius because it is pretty much stop and go anyway as far as the ICE is concerned. But what would having your car registered in a CARB state have to do with oil change intervals? We use the same engine, have the same oil, and pretty much the same driving condition ranges as non-CARB states as far as I know?

 

Agreed.

 

******************* CAUTION ***********************

There is nothing official from Toyota in Dealer Daily or on Toyota's intracompany email system on this subject. It is possibly a future consideration .. or a regional interpretation !! .. but as of yet it has not been applied throughout the country.

Until announced officially proceed with caution, extreme caution, and do the service as specified in the Owner's Warranty and Service manual.

 

As someone working in a dealership, do you have experience on how tough Toyota is on this issue. For example, if I get my oil changed at 6,000, then have a problem, will Toyota honor the warranty? I would understand if you are not comfortable answering this question, but I thought I would ask.

 

What does this mean for those who purchased prepaid maintenance? Are they now going to follow the 10k intervals, making it much less of a value than previously?

 

No one knows yet as we aren't even sure this is true and being properly interpreted by everyone along the way. When/if we hear from Toyota officially about a change, then maybe you see what you can do about the prepaid maintenance.

 

No surprise there... my service dept mgr didn't even know my Prius took 0W-20. You all could be the last to know.

However this whole thing could be a hoax... I could have made up one of those publications pretty quick myself.

 

Hey, I love PriusChat, but I want to see something on paper from either my dealer or Toyota confirming this, before I do anything other than what's in the owner's manual.

 

Can we get a witness?

Wow, I hope this information can be verified.

Oil changes for the new Prius were one of the few things I put in the negative column concerning ownership. I'm not a DIY'er, and the thought of the cost and hassle and considerable expense of 0W-20 oil change every 5000 miles was something I was not looking forward to.

But if the new standard is every 10,000 miles I think that negates much of the problems. I consider it a wash in ownership cost and hassle if you compare changing synthetic every 10,000 miles vs. 5000 or in the case of my current automobile, changing with regular oil every 3000.

Now I go to Jiffy Lube with my Honda about every 3 months, for about $30.00 for a change...which is probably overkill but I find it a safe investment. If I can go 10,000 with the New Prius, that will just about equal out the cost. Plus far less worry per year about is the dealership doing it right. Roughly only once a year or so, would I have to worry about them putting in the right oil and the right amount and reattaching the underplates correctly. That I think I can deal with.

Plus if Toyota does make synthetic 0W-20 the standard on most of their automobiles, then even the most dense of Toyota service departments should get the message about 0W-20 useage.

Please, Toyota team, anyone...confirm or deny! I hope this isn't just an evil rumor.

 

I did not mean to imply that at all, sorry.