1st oil change at 5k or 10k?

Wow ! You really make up a lot that was never said.

Utopia . . . Evil Corporations, Your words, not mine.

I just pointed out that people who rent cars for a few years have no real interest in how long they last, so they save their money and change the motor oil as little as they can get away with. A natural consequence of that actually does contribute to the chances of that future car buyer meeting with misfortune. Blatant or not that happens to be quite accurate. It's called 'Cause & Effect'.

All that other inane stuff you made up in your head, it didn't come from mine.
Oh and for me to have been a hypocrite, as you suggest I am, I would have to Not take care of my car, which I already explained I maintain quite well. So you are wrong in that accusation as well. You should stop making things up that were never said because it makes you look self righteous and patently phony.

 

You gave advice, not facts.
There are those who live all over "middle earth" who value taking good care of things, even those things they will eventually sell to a non-relative. Even New Yorkers can and DO, do this. It's not, as you claim, standard practice for everyone except us magic kingdom people to show a complete disregard for integrity in business dealings.

Not what I heard. You ADVISED the OP to do that:

As I understood your post, you made a distinction between how much care to give the car depending on if it would be your problem or someone else's in the long run.

For the record:
I don't go to church.
You're pretty spry for someone going on 80 years old...
and I know much more about human nature than you might realize

 

I was just expounding upon your tone about profit-making companies like Toyota in a previous post. Not to mention, you did advise people to be reckless in the maintenance of their leased cars and that's plain as day for everyone to see, as quoted just now by Octavia.

 

I just changed my oil a little before 5K miles, and the old oil looked rather dirty; so I'm glad I did. The new oil (Mobile 0W30 at Walmart) is so clear, it's hard to read the dipstick. The engine seems to run happier too.

 

Why did you decide on 0W-30 rather than 0W-20? I'm just curious, I do not think it really makes that much of a difference either way although I am more inclined to go with the recommended 0W-20.

Rumple

 

Wrong Again. Profit Making Corporations and I'm glad you finally acknowledge that I did Not call them evil. But they do what they do to make money, so glad you agree. Reckless is not what I advocated, simply recognizing that people who lease posess No Incentive to seek the best care of the rental vehicle that they intend to disguard. You and Octavia still fail to see what I said accurately, if reckless is your interpretation.

 

0W-30 is recommended in the 2010 owners manual where they 'Recommend' Higher Viscosity Motor Oil for prolonged high speed driving, and heavier loads. High Stress use of the Prius.

 

[QUOTE Have any other Prius owners waited until 10k for your first oil change?[/QUOTE]

I had the dealer change mine at about 1000 mi to remove initial break-in debris in engine. I am coming up on 3k and will have the oil changed at 5k. and every 5k thereafter. It seems cheap insurance to me to do a shorter oil interval- there is too much controversy about 10k change frequency. Just make sure your dealer uses 0W-20 or whatever you specify.

Seach the many other threads about this and related issues and you will see the complexity of this issue.

 

Your tone was one of great cynicism about Toyota Corp, so my response simply reflected that. Of course those who lease don't have any incentive in terms of self-interest to conduct routine maintenance (or better) but that also isn't an excuse to bypass it completely (in order to dupe the poor sap who may decide to buy that same vehicle used down the line).

 

I changed my oil at 1,000 miles, then 2,500 miles and then at 5,000 miles. I am at 9,800 miles now and will change at 10,000 miles.

While I am sure most know that oil lubricates and cools the engine, it also traps contaminants the oil filter does not. Wonder why your oil turns black? It means it has trapped moisture and unburned fuel (raw gasoline). These two contaminants reduce the lubricity of the oil. The only way to get rid of it is to change the oil. Your oil filter does NOT filter out moisture or unburned fuel.

Synthetic 0W20 Mobil 1 oil costs me about $5 a quart at Walmart. With an oil filter it costs me less than $30 bucks to change the oil. It's cheap insurance.

 

You must have gotten the Evil manual then. Not sure you are on the same planet now.

Mine says recommended is 0W-20 and there is a long thread about the use of 0W-20.

Please don't misinform....

 

New Yorker has this personal theory that freeway driving is severe service driving, even though the manual and most every other place in the world says that they mean dusty, stop and go, trailer towing or hilly drives are what they consider severe service.

He is not afraid to repeat it over and over again. Now he claims support from the owners manual.

Here is a quote from some "expert" on the internet:
Severe Service versus Normal Service
Each manufacturer specifies what constitutes normal and severe service. Generally, severe service consists of operating the vehicle in a very muddy or dusty areas (because dust particles get through the air filter and contaminate the oil more quickly), operating the vehicle in a very hot areas (heat breaks down oil more quickly), using the vehicle only for short trips in cold weather (the moisture in the oil never gets vaporized), or using the vehicle for towing or when carrying a car-top carrier. You'll often see claims such as "everyone falls into the severe service category," but these claims are untrue (follow the money and see who's making these claims). If you primarily do freeway driving in moderate weather you do not fall into the severe service category.

 

I've decided to stick to the 5k regime. There are other service items to be taken care of and I intend to use my Prius as I have other cars, to it's dying gasp. I'd like to prevent that "gasp" as long as possible. By the time the Prius dies, excluding accidents of course, there should be a whole new technology available that's more eco friendly than the hybrid.
Tony Renier:car:

 

I am in San Diego where it gets hot in the summer, particularly inland. I might be taking a trip through the desert this summer. So I believe higher viscosity is recommended for hot weather.

 

Try quoting the Toyota Prius Owners Manual. Anyone can search the internet till they find some nitwit who thinks they have a great idea, that's Dead Wrong.

FYI The higher the engine RPM's the greater the stress on the bearing surfaces. 80 MPH is WAYYYYY More wearing on the engines bearing surfaces than 50 MPH. Look up the term "Centrifugal Force". Higher speeds wear out the engine components faster. It's why race car engines last only a very short time, while grandma's car rusts apart and her engine still runs great.

This Isn't Rocket Science, the forces are well known, the effects well documeted, and you are among the few who clearly don't understand any of it. A wise person in your position would be less aggressive at posting their ignorance.

 

So According to Your "EXPERT" NASCAR Race Cars would not fall under SEVERE SERVICE, because they never drive in dusty conditions, take only short trips, have car top carriers, or pull trailers. Engine RPM's ? ? You left out of that "Expert Opinion", obviously then must have no detrimental effects at all, and would never be considered severe, especially if the race were held on a cool day.

I suspect your 'Expert' has been out in the Hot Sun Too Long, he's making his brain operate in Severe Service mode.

ound:

 

I was informed 15K KLM, first service.
Does this agree with others with the European model?

 

If the Prius owners in the EU and the Mid East region would please scan and post the appropriate section of their owner manual that illustrates viscosity vs ambient temperature, that would be VERY helpful!

 

One thing to keep in mind is that oil specifications in the EU are light years beyond the crap API/SAE specs here in North America.

An entire industry has thrived off 3,000 mile oil change intervals, and considering how alarming my used oil analysis reports are when running generic motor oil, that is probably appropriate

An oil that is engineered to provide service up to 24 months or 30,000 miles is simply not in the same class as an oil that barely passes what is expected in North America: 6 months or 5,000 miles

The EU market 2004-2009 Prius owner manual "suggests" 5W-30, but lists a wide range of viscosity based on expected ambient temp.

A bit of common sense goes a long way too. My winters can dip to -40, if not a bit colder. But my summers can hit +35 C. I like to run a 0W-30 or lighter in winter, but either a 0W-40 or 5W-40 in summer

I do know with my FJ Cruiser, the 4 litre V6 provides the best used oil analysis lab reports running the made in Germany Castrol Syntec 0W-30 in winter, and the Mobil 1 European Car Formula 0W-40 in summer

I just changed the oil in the FJ, refilled with Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W-40.

One odd thing I noticed with either my Prius and now my FJ: in summer, it didn't matter what viscosity I ran, my fuel economy was the same

 

+1, I'm glad I'm not the only one that has noticed his history of this. He also thinks TRD oil filters are the greatest out there