How can you distinguish 0w20 from 5w20 oil

I would demand that they replace the oil with 0w20, at no cost, as soon as they get the proper oil. They should have asked you before using a substitute. If you cant trust your dealer, fire them and go to a different dealer.

 

A detailed chemical analysis would tell you what sort of oil was put in. By "detailed" I mean far beyond the $20 wear analysis that is usually performed as part of used oil analysis

The cost would probably be around $800

In other words, if you don't trust the quality of dealership bulk oil - I have provided oil analysis of the crap my dealership uses - then just change it yourself with a known oil

And never return to that dealership again

 

Which I hope the refunded after you discovered they refilled with unknown crap bulk 5W-20

 

I always change my own oil because I don't trust anybody. When I got my Gen2 Prius new, the dealer had a free oil change. Some clown was getting ready to put in four quarts. I had a Tercel with over $500 in oil seals needing replacing from somebody over filling. If you look on most dipsticks, it specifically says "Do on overfill." Another time I had to get a drain plug tapped and threaded with a larger drain plug because somebody stripped the threads. Apparently the Gen3 may be different with the filter assembly. I imagine the zero in the 0-20 may have less to do with the usual climate temperature rating than because the engine starts and stops all the time, and a lower viscosity is better for when an engine first starts.

 

The dealer also did that to me
I had them change it

 

Remember, usually it's not the star mechanic doing oil changes. The kid who last week was sweeping the lot, or scrubbing the shi**er, may have received a promotion to oil change boy

 

FYI--there are 4.5 quarts of oil in the 2010 Prius, so you paid a ~$8/quart premium for synthetic--which is more than dealers around here charge for 0W-20 synthetic. My dealer charges the difference between standard oil & synthetic, which from memory was ~$16 total.

 

I need to remember to resolve these potential problems with my dealer _before_ I leave the car for an oil change and pick it up and start questioning the bill. It isn't that I couldn't buy the correct oil myself or don't have the full knowledge and tools to do the oil change myself--it's that I don't want to. I'm willing to pay the dealer to do it but not if they are going to gouge me on parts, oil, and labor.

 

Agreed. I had to call 3 local dealers before finding one that would fairly handle the up-charge for synthetic. The first 2 wanted $30 or $40 extra, and wouldn't budge even after I explained that was too much for the delta between conventional & synthetic.

 

Hmmm...interesting. I was thinking I could end up between a rock and a hard spot because there is only one Toyota dealer in Central Oregon. But if I stay several days visiting a cousin in Portland I could get the service done there. She likes to do the local driving around anyway. Not to think of it until things turn that bad, which after years of service so far they won't.

 

Sad to see this happening. Like some members indicated, have the oil replaced with the correct one (Ow-20) at no cost. If you have a dealer putting the wrong oil without your approval, then I would look for another dealer or do it yourself.

 

Interesting. Since I'm 5K away from my first possible oil change I hadn't actually read what the manual said about engine oil to use. I found the reference on p. 560. It and the oil service cap mention _only_ 0W-20 (or 5W-20 for short use between one oil change). I wonder now if you do need to use 5W-20 because 0W-20 isn't available if it will be good one-time for 10,000 miles?

I wonder if during the course of miles using 5W-20 and you need to add oil if adding 0W-20 is acceptible? The grades would have to be compatible together. I never had to add oil between 5K oil changes on the 2007 Prius, but going 10K now it may be normal and necessary? Are any of you needing to add quarts of 0W-20 between your 10K oil changes?

So the real question now might not be bothering to be able to tell the physical difference between 0W and 5W -20 but whether the grades are compatible together if you must use 5W-20 for one oil change for 10K?

Maybe the information Toyota is sending out to us including the new maintenance schedule will go into these particulars?

 

FWIW, I buy 5 qts of Mobil1 0W-20, hopefully on sale and/or with a rebate from Mobil sometime during the period between oil change intervals. Worst case, Wal-Mart almost always has it on the shelf for $6.27/qt. I bring the oil in to the dealer at oil change time and he happily uses it. I think most dealers will use customer provided oil with no problem.

If, in the ensuing 10k miles, the car needs oil (IMHO unlikely) I've got what's left over to top up as need be.

Mobil 1 Promotions - Save on Store Purchases and Oil Changes

 

For what it's worth, NAPA has a sale on Mobil 1 oils in March, 2010, for $5.79/quart.

http://ecatalograck.genpt.com/flyer/WebProject.asp?BookCode=mar10flx#

 

I'm not talking or interested in blending regular with synthetic even if there was no problem. I'm talking about blending 0W-20 with 5W-20 or 5W with 0W--the other way around.