First oil change at 10k or 5k?

I don't fly much but I'd sure hope the mechanic working on the aircraft I'm about to board takes the care you seem to express. On the other hand, a car's engine is certainly a lot less complex and changing the oil at the recommended intervals just seems to make more sense. And that's what Toyota has determined to be appropriate. What if the FAA were the enforcement authority for maintenance on Toyota? Wonder how they'd feel about this?

 

Look I don't have a dog in this fight. I'm just passing on the learned wisdom and knowledge of my profession. It's your car, do what you want.

 

The biggest difference between a car and an aircraft, as it applies to maintenance, a car rolls to the side of the road when it breaks.

 

With my previous new vehicle, The Honda Fit, I was told the Fit came from the factory with a special "break in" Oil and that the engine would actually benefit from extended exposure to the original oil. I was warned to NOT change it prematurely but wait until the vehicles maintenance minder actually told me to change it...that was around 7,500 miles.
True? Untrue? Well I don't care...I did it.

With The Prius, since Toyota isn't saying anything about break in oil, I changed it originally at 5000 miles on my own dime. I'll change it again at 10,000 and then follow the recommended 10,000 mile intervals for the rest of it's life.

It's just what I wanted to do. My gut feeling is that perhaps it really doesn't matter so much. You're probably fine either changing it early or waiting until 10,000.

 

^ Break in oil or not, the official change interval in Canada is (roughly) 5000 miles, or 6 months.

 

Dealer says 10,000 miles , my warranty coverage says OR 12 months ,,,, 12 months it is
Plus it's free

 

Last time I checked California was in the USA.

Some 2010 Toyota Vehicle Oil Change Intervals Officially Revised To 10000 miles/1 year (verified!) | PriusChat

 

I intend to have mine done at 5K, then again at 10K and at ~10K intervals after that.

Wherever you are going that charges you $70 for an oil change is ripping you off.

Take note that you should always ASK exactly what kind of oil they are putting in because some shops and Toyota dealers too try to cut corners and give you something other than the 0W20 synthetic that is recommended. If that is done, it probably invalidates the 10K change interval.

I think I will take my own oil just to be sure.

 

Based on what, exactly ?
Synthetic oil has been around for a fairly long time and that is the first claim
like that I have EVER seen.
Even Amsoil doesn't claim that, I think.

 

Duplicate post deleted.
Sure would be nice to be able to really delete a mistken post.

 

And you've done a study or know of one that proves this? I've also been working on cars a long time[45yrs.] [and helped my friend with his homebuilt E-Z,ha] and I have many anecdotes about well maintained engines going south and vice versa.To me, it's mostly a mental thing,if it makes you feel better,and you've got the time and money,go for it,or if you don't care,like one of my daughters,change the oil 4 times in 130k on her 06 Mini,still going stong.I think it's more engine design/assembly,easy driving and luck.
No big deal,just my opinion.

 

If you REALLY care, do a google search on engine beak-in.

There probably will be a million hits.....maybe literally.....but in there somewhere amongst all of the self appointed experts will be some good, but probably small, "studies".....about what comes out with the oil and what's trapped in the filter.

Now I do not know of any "official" big time studies on the subject but I do know that most (all??) car companies don't really waste their time "running in" their engines these days and that probably means that the products of initial wear and maybe even some manufacturing "debris" is still in there.

It probably is more a matter of the luck of the draw whether an early change really helps anything or not but it certainly can't hurt.

As for the $70 oil change, I neglected to notice what area you live in. That can make a BIG difference.

 

My advice was friendly, free and backed by experience. Take it or leave it. Truth is most car owners neither can nor will do simple tasks like changing their own oil anyway. Manufactures play to that with their "bare minimum" 2/25K as a selling point, to give the service dept the chance to up-sell tasks needed or not, and so you don't screw up your cars (at least until warranty runs out) which keeps out the Lawyers and Press. So go right ahead and follow their maintenance schedules (I mean lack of) with regards to their "magic" Trans fluid, Brake fluid and anti-freeze as well. Your car, your choice. Best wishes.

 

The sticker they put on my window says 5K for my first change.
Maintenance is covered for free during the first 2 years anyways...so it's sort of a no-brainer to just get it done? I understand subsequent changes are different (granted I did buy the extended service contract).

 

Be sure and let us know if they actually honor that 5K change in with your "free" package.
Unless your usage fits one of the "severe service" situations listed in the book, I highly doubt
that they will.......and the grease monkey that put that sticker on there just made a mistake.

THOSE stickers are for use AFTER your free changes run out !!!

 

Was hoping YOU'D catch it. Anyway:

Canada does not equal California.

 

Hey, lets all meet somewhere in the middle here.

I change the oil in my Prius at 7500 miles. Ha. Smack dab in the middle of the 5k recommendation and 10k synthetic oil recommendation. Eat my lithium dust, liver lips!! lol jk

 

We won't really know whether the extended 10K OCI is detrimental or not until about five years from now when more of the 2010 Prius fleet approaches the end of the life cycle, and like Yogi Berra said: "If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself".