who is doing extended oil change intervals in prius?

The oil change on this car is stupid easy if you have the proper tools. And it's much less messy than a conventional setup; in fact I think I only used 2 towels for the whole process.

You're probably doing something wrong.

 

friendly_jack,

While it's not as convenient as just sliding under a pick-up, the Prius oil change IS easy. Respectfully, it sounds like your fishing for someone to justify avoiding work and cheap-ing out on something you don't want to do. Just handle your business and take proper care of your car...or should I say your Wife's car.

Signed,

A Lifetime Licensed Mechanic

 

I drive the same miles and change every 7500 miles. That's every 3 months. The first oil change was frustrating, but, it gets easier with the right tools. With a jack from Harbor Freight and a Fumoto Qwik Valve, an oil and filter change takes about 20 minutes. If you only changing every 4 months, that's 1 hour per year.

I also rotate tires at the same time which adds more time. It gives me a chance to inspect the car a bit closer and make sure the job gets done right.

 

Here is my Blackstone Labs report from last oil change in Nov. Previous change was in Aug.
Clock was at 135723mi with 9707mi on this oil.
I have been using Mobil1 0W-20 Extended Performance 15K for the last 3 oil changes.
OEM Toyota filters from local dealer.
I check the oil every week or two & top up when it is 1/4-1/3 qt low keeping the oil level at, but not above the full line.
The engine will use ~1 qt of oil during the 10K oil change interval.
My next oil change will be the end of Mar or in Apr. I'll probably let it go close to 12K & send off another sample to Blackstone Labs & see what they have to say.

 

KC410- that is such a beautiful squeeky clean UOA, it brought a tear to my eye! That engine is going to outlive YOU, lol.

I have always changed my own oil on every vehicle I have owned since I was 16 - I have never brought a single car in for anything else other than recalls. BUT for my new-to-me Gen3, that is still under factory warranty, I am going to bring it in a few times for oil changes just to satisfy the warranty.

Friendly - do you have any work gloves? I found that those nitrile gloves work nicely to keep your hands and wrists clean. If you are fast enough, oil wont drip down your arms. Also, I have 2 oil pans - big rectangular ones that store the oil. I place one by the filter area of a car, and one at the drain plug. I never have a mess.

**Also, I know we are both aficionados over at BITOG, but I had great success running Castrol Edge in my Gen2. It stopped any oil consumption. Plus its like $20 for a 5 qt jug right now at Wal-mart.

 

Seems like the oil change interval is somewhat flexible in the Gen III. The car reminds you at 5000, like the Gen II. The maintenance manual suggests a change at 5000 unless you are using 0W20 oil, which you can stretch to 10,000 miles. My vehicle has always had the 0W20 synthetic and it was changed every 10K, so I think I will continue with that schedule. I check the oil level every two weeks when I check the tire pressures and it doesn't appear to be using much or any oil. Probably using a little bit with all the highway miles I drive. My 2008 was using about a quart and a half every 5K before I traded it in at 190K miles. I still haven't crawled under there to see what changing the oil myself might entail. One of these days ...

 

Some Toyota dealers really have good oil change specials that are very reasonable. You might want to check them out.

 

One of the perks my dealer gave , $9.99 synthetic oil change and filter changes ,,, I have mine
Changed every 12 months or 10,000 miles , no brainier

 

What dealer?? Thats a good deal!

 

It's interesting how that happens. I started a post last month about how an OCI was more difficult on a Prius than other vehicles and I was derided and should just let the professionals do the oil change. The replies in the thread in your link also suggests that the OP not mess with professional work.

Anyway since I have a PiP with 25% EV ratio, I figure I can go 15k OCI and that would roughly match engine on time with a regular Prius. This is still relatively new territory so I'd suggest ramping it up 5k miles at a time. Tripling the recommended OCI seems risky without more data.

 

It takes me a couple of hours to do an oil change, and I'm doing them twice a year (Canadian schedule, invariably time governing). It's a bit more complex, not much, takes me a couple of hours, I dawdle, take my sweet time with the raising, setting onto jack stands, removing the entire engine under panel. I'd call it a bit more complex/difficult than a more typical car, but not a lot.

 

That is how I would probably do it too. It would be one of those, "Since I'm under here anyway I may as well check ...", and before you know it the whole day has lapsed. That is how I do preventative maintenance. The usual results of this are I get to fix things at home and at my leisure instead of 300 miles from home on a dark highway, in the wind and the rain.

 

Oh yeah! I can outdo you both - I have always changed my own oil. I get home from work at 430-5pm, put the car up on ramps while the engine oil is hot, pull the plug & the oil filter and let it drain until 8am the next morning, where I put it back together and go to work

Beat that!!

Oh, and I stayed at a holiday inn express once. Im pretty sure that either makes me superior or is the reason I have bedbugs. Either way, raspberry tongue to you!!

 

I have very little mechanical skills I'll freely admit. So from now until my toyota care plan runs out Mr. Toyota shall be changing my oil and filter every 10k, and rotating my tires every 5k along with topping off fluids and doing thier inspections....




After that we shall see...

 

Just a quick plug keeping on topic so Jacek doesnt get mad at me :
I will send in my next oil for a UOA. I use Blackstone Lab and have a few UOA's from my Gen2 that were impeccable at extended mileages. I have yet to test a Gen3 though....

Ok back to our convo..lol.

I have always changed my own oil, but this time Blizzard, I am going to let Mr.Toyota do it too! Btw, how much does an oil change even cost at the dealer?? On my Gen2, I'd go buy a 5qt jug of Castrol Edge synthetic ($21 at Wal-Mart) and a Purolator PureOne oil filter (stocked up on a big same on amazon once - $2.50/each). I know dealer will be more money, but how much more?

 

Tip of the day:


Always check the dealerships website (service) for coupons prior to heading in for any service especially oil changes. Remember $10 saved on something else will fill your tank half way just about. Lol.


And I have yet to pay for a toyota or scion (had an xb back in the day) oil change (thanks toyota/scion), but when I had my Charger I was paying mid $50's for semi synthetic oil changes.... Granted that was a 5.7L Hemi.....

 

I checked. The most I found is $10 off.

 

On a $30-$40 oil change that's a pretty darn good discount don't ya think...