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First oil change in view of the new 10K interval.

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Rhino, Jan 6, 2010.

  1. Rhino

    Rhino New Member

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    Just wondering. How many of you will wait until 10K miles to change the oil.

    I am still tempted to change it at 5K the first time. But then it throws off the interval and makes me have to go to the dealer at

    5k,
    15k
    25k
    30k
    35k
    45k
    55k
    60k or 8 visits

    If I do the first change at 10K, my service interval is:

    10k
    20k
    30k
    40k
    50k
    60k or 6 visits

    Please share your wisdom with me.
     
  2. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    How long do you intend to keep the car? What are your driving habits?
    I had mine done @ 5K and intend to do the 15K, 25K, ... I plan to keep the car as long as possible. I think it is good to get that break-in oil out of there @ 5K.
    Just my 2cents.
     
  3. MikeDS

    MikeDS Member

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    I just changed mine today at 4500. Going on a little road trip and wanted to do it first. I figured a lot of people like doing a 1000 or 2000 first change to remove whatever comes off during break in period, so doing a 5k wouldn't hurt. $50 over the course of a car I intend to drive for 10-15 years is no biggie...
     
  4. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

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    I think I'll end up doing mine twice a year, spring and fall, it may be a bit less than 10K but that's fine. I do my own and I don't want it to come due in the middle of winter again.

    So far I have changed it at 1400, 5000, and 10,000 by next
    April or May I should be at 20,000.

    I am very pleased that Toyota has changed the interval.
     
  5. macdonald

    macdonald New Member

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    I agree with several posts here about changing oil at 5,000 miles. I had my first oil change today at about 4,600 miles. The car had been nagging me to change it, lol. The service guy told me about the 10,000 interval, which I already knew about from reading this forum. I may be old fashioned, but to me a year between oil changes is just too long. So I will change my oil in January and July, according to present plans. I've been thinking about asking to see the oil at the next oil change to see how dirty it looks, and then make a final judgment.

    I made sure they used 0W20 synthetic oil and did not overfill it.

    The whole experience went well. I had a free first-oil-change coming and I got it, but paid about $17 for a tire rotation. They checked the car over and gave me a report. Everything was fine. My car was finished in about 30 minutes. And the coffee was free.
     
  6. DeanFL

    DeanFL 2010 owner - 1st Prius

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    I've had my '10 since June and been a PriusChat member since April. And rarely visited the last couple months, basically skimming over. Just happened upon the mention of the 10K interval. Of course this is great news. But FINALLY.

    I recall how the buzz started many months ago after a member opened a thread with a jpeg of a dealer doc he obtained of the apparent 10K OCI shift. This started intense conversations here. And (as far as I'm concerned) stonewalling by Toyota USA. Not much guidance except "patience". Glad this is finally over and that Toyota had the good sense to make this -obvious- modification.

    I did get my first oil change at 4500 miles over month or so ago. Supplied my own 0w20, and just $15 total for the change at my local Toyota dealer. I'm pleased to have it done when I did as I would not want to keep the initial factory oil in for that long. Be good to get on the 10K OCI train....
     
  7. leeb18c

    leeb18c Active Member

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    I changed my factory oil at 3100 with Mobile 1 0w20 since I can't stand waiting anymore to reach 5k. I'll go to dealer at 8k for free oil change and inspection. After that it'll be 10k interval with Mobile 1 or Amsoil with 20k interval. I still haven't decided whether I want to change the oil filter at 5k or 10k interval since I don't quite trust the paper filter to continue filtering up to 10k.
     
  8. Rhino

    Rhino New Member

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    This will be my first 10K interval car. For my 5K interval prior cars, I never check the oil level. Never had any problems in the last 20 years.

    For those of you with experience with a 10K interval car, do you have to top off with a bit more oil after 5K? Just wondering. Is oil consumption an issue now?

    Yes. I am a pessimist. I look at the 10K interval and I say, what could go wrong now? That's just me. :D
     
  9. thbjr

    thbjr Member

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    I'm seriously disapointed that Toyota isn't using a oil change reminder system like GM and Honda, to name 2, do. My Honda Fit maintenance minder system physically checked the condition of the oil. I 'think' that was done by shining a light through it and as it got more opaque, the maint minder was set off. I do know that it told me to change my oil the first time at 6300 miles with 10% oil life left, but by my 4th oil change, just before I traded it in, I was hyper miling. Turning off the car any time I was at a stop for more than 10 seconds, coasting with motor off to stop lights, etc, getting 42MPG city in a car rated at 29 and the last oil change maintenance minder went to 5% oil life left at 8600 miles. That was with dino 5W-30 in the car, and a Fram regular spin on paper filter, so 10K with 0W-20 synthetic and a paper filter won't be to much of a strech I don't think.
    Having said that, given the option of a Mobile 1 Extended Performance Synthetic filter (that they don't offer yet for our Prius), I'd certainly take the synthetic filter.
    It also wouldn't hurt to change the filter at 5K and top off the oil with another .4-.5 of fresh oil.
     
  10. codybigdog123

    codybigdog123 Got Mad and Left in a Tizzy

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    Can anyone link to an official Toyota statement on the oil change interval being upped to 10K?

    I just changed mine today at 5100...and I asked the dealer about this. He said as far as he was aware, it's still listed by Toyota for 5K...even using synthetic.
     
  11. Tech_Guy

    Tech_Guy Class Clown

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    For the last several years, I've typically changed the oil in my cars at 10,000 miles. Synthetic oil doesn't break down as quickly as regular oil. So unless the oil is really contaminated (oil filter is really clogged), why change it at 5,000 miles?

    Keith
     
  12. codybigdog123

    codybigdog123 Got Mad and Left in a Tizzy

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    Yep, I know. But I'm not sure the issue with non-turbo cars (ie excessive heat) is the "break down" of the oil to the point that it doesn't lubricate well. I have to believe that sludge build-up is more of a concern.
     
  13. 924danimal

    924danimal New Member

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    I too am glad to see the OCI changed to 10K especially since the ICE doesn't run all of the time.

    Anyone notice an increase in MPG after their first oil change?
     
  14. codybigdog123

    codybigdog123 Got Mad and Left in a Tizzy

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    Who says 10K? Link to Toyota?

    My Toyota service dept says 5K. Still. As of today.

    Unless I know it's official from Toyota, if I opt for 10K, and something goes wrong, I assume I would void my warrenty if a problem was found to be oil related.
     
  15. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

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    The document in post #1 and post #35 of this thread have convinced me that it is in fact for real: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...ally-revised-10000-miles-1-year-verified.html
     
  16. GreenGuy33

    GreenGuy33 Active Member

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    Hmm, my dealer told me to come back at 5000 miles for the first oil change.
    I guess he didn't get the memo!
     
  17. josh2008

    josh2008 Active Member

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    Once i order and recieve my 2010 (looking forward to PDI'ing my own Prius :p) it will get an initial change at 5k, then every 5k there after. Sorry just don't trust 10k for long term engine use. I will also be using Mobil 1, not the Toyota stuff.
     
  18. Dark_matter_doesn't

    Dark_matter_doesn't Prius Tinkerer

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    Mine will be 1400, 5000, then 15,000 and every 10K thereafter. Assuming I get an official notification of the 10K oil change interval from my local dealer.
     
  19. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    Do tell us more... why don't you trust a 10K OCI?
     
  20. risingsun

    risingsun seeker of the way

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    Sounds about like what I have in mind for ours as well... At about 750 miles right now.