Extending service from 5k to 10k

I plan to continue my oil changes at 5k intervals at least through the 36k warranty period. To me, an oil change is cheap insurance in the long run, this is my first time using synthetic oil and I plan to keep this car for many years. I plan to take it to the dealer for the 5k service checks and tire rotation so may as well do the oil change while there.

After the warranty period, I plan to do my own maintenance and will decide then whether to stay with 5k or extend to 10k. My guess right now is that I will stay with the 5k interval.

 

No. The brakes work every time I use them & IMO tire rotations are overrated.

 

I wouldn't say tire rotation are overrated, overprice yes.

 

Tire rotations (every 5k anyway, 10k is more reasonable) are overrated unless you autocross on your street tires like I do. On a normally driven car, tire rotations are just good for masking abnormal wear, which is why I like a longer rotation interval. Also, no way I'd be paying anyone for a tire rotation, where do you come out ahead?

 

Just giving a European perspective here, but I find it interesting the fuss made over the increase in oil changes from 5k to 10k miles. We've had 10k miles oil change/service intervals over here for decades and no problems encountered. In fact the 10k mile service interval on Toyotas is regarded as very low here - most are 12.5k or 15k miles and some even 20k miles. Obviously this is on fully sythetic oils.

Not sure if the climate extremes are higher here in Europe - we have cold in northern Norway and heat in southern Spain or Greece and everything else inbetween. Warranties on vehicles are usually 60k miles/100k km which are about the same as for the US, so why manufacturers here feel service intervals can be longer here and not in the US baffles me.

 

At 10K miles, my fronts were at 7 to 8/32nd and my backs were at 9 to 10/32nd. If I rotated it earlier, the difference wouldn't be as big. I wouldn't pay someone $30 to rotate it at 5K, but I do it myself and can save some money

 

Maybe it's because a larger percentage of Americans take irrationally "good" care of their cars? Why not take our money?

 

A more likely explanation is that the American Toyota dealers complained about not being able to extract some money from their customers every 5k miles if the service interval were changed to 10k miles.

 

Yes, but I was referring to his "for decades" statement.

 

Not sure if I'm meant to be reading between the lines here or not. Most manufacturers have had 10k service intervals here since the 1980's and 15k or 20k since the 1990's.

Prior to this service intervals were about 6k miles or so. I know my old Datsun had a 6k mile interval.

I just find it strange that in cars which are now pretty much identical on both sides of the pond, there are hugely different servicing requirements. Granted some engines differ as do vehicle versions, but a lot are the same. And it's not just Toyota models.

 

From other discussions it was concluded that the reason for the difference was because of the quality of the engine oil. Apparently it is not as good in NA as Europe. I guess.

 

I just got the 5k service and now plan to go to 10k.

 

Heard this before, but surely modern oil is modern oil. Why would oil be poorer quality in the US than Europe? We get the rubbish stuff in the auto sections at the supermarkets here too, but the dealers buy quality oils to suit their fleet and range of cars.

Maybe you can get away with cheaper oil on a 5k service but surely it's better to pay a third more for oil and double your service interval?

Are Toyota the first car company in the USA to offer 10k service intervals or are they following others? What is VW's requirement?

 

GM has had cars that could go up to and over 10k on regular oil for almost ten years now. The computer on gm cars/trucks counts engine rotations, engine temp, and a few other things to come up with oil life. Most of them go anywhere from 3k if you drive short trips, cold weather, or hot weather. Or if it's mild temps and all highway you can get 10k.

 

Probably the biggest benefit to going to a 10k mile service interval is that it only gives the dealers shop 1/2 as many opportunities to screw something up or sell you something you don't need.

Saving money is secondary.

 

Toyota told people to go longer because they were sick of listening to people complaining about oil changes at $50 dollars

 

My take is that oil changes are determined analytically for the European market with an eye toward reducing waste disposal, while dealer revenue comes into play in the US.

Some examples --- my 1985 BMW 528e had an electronic service indicator that called for oil changes at about 8000 mile intervals (using conventional oils), and my 1995 Volvo calls for changes every 10,000, also using conventional oils. I using synthetic now, but Volvo engine is spotlessly clean at 220K. Current BMW intervals are closer to 20,000 miles. Only exceptions I know are turbo engines and certain engines from VAG, Chrysler and Toyota that are known to overheat oil and generate sludge.

I expect my Prius engine to last a very, very long time with 10,000 mile oil changes.

 

oops.

 

Well, I don't know it is the difference between API standards and those of ACEA (sp?) or not. But I got a UOA (Blackstone) performed at ~9500 mi and it didn't look too good. Perhaps the dealer put the wrong oil in? (Nah, impossible, right?) Maybe it's the extreme climate here--this year in Baltimore we've ranged from -5F (~-20C) to +105F (~41C) over the period (December '09 to July '10). A lot of my driving is interstate, so it shouldn't be caused by start/stop/short trips. I'm beginning to doubt the wisdom of 10K OCI, even with synthetic, if that's what they actually use...

I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on this matter.
Cheers
~T