New 2015 Two owner - thoughts on lifetime oil changes

I actually told them what I wanted because I was using the higher 39/36 f/r spec of the Eco instead of the 36/35 f/r spec of the Trim Two.
They made no note but I assumed they would at least set to recommended.

When the service writer asked, they said they did not check the battery because the Prius is different. My 12 volt battery is under the hood just like a Corolla!

BTW, I did not but my car from this dealer. Their sales department is not good either.

 

That sounds incompetent.

 

I might have understood if this was their first 2016 but I know they sold some Gen 4s and mine is a 2017. By then they should have been fully trained by Toyota.

 

A lot of service writers could be shipped off on the B Ark, they'd never be missed.

 

Amazon Prime: Oil Filter is $4.50 lasts time I bought (ordered 10). (Oil filter at the dealer was $5.78)
Dealer : Crush washers: $0.50 each
Walmart: Mobil 1 0w20 5 quarts (the fill requires 4.4 quarts) is always $22.82 ($2.74 before tax represents the extra .6 quarts: You get a free change every 8 changes if you preserve this oil).

Total cost with 8% sales tax: $30.05 (with .6 quarts left over).

 

I just ordered 10 filters from eBay for $44.

Looks like the drain plug washer is the same as my Gen 2 and have plenty left.

 

Lifetime oil change means they will use the crappiest dino oil they will regularly overfill it and you will never ever open the hood again till the car blows up. You will sit in there lobby for an hour subject yourself to non stop ridiculous upsells but there's free donuts so there's that.

 

When we got home from a trip once in our ‘04 Sienna I was in a rush to change the oil. I accidentally poured in a gallon of Amsoil SS before realizing I had not replaced the drain plug! It went directly into the pan with the old oil! My father noted I just wasted the money I would have saved by not having someone else do it.

But most of the time you can take your time, and make sure the work is done carefully/correctly....

The Jiffy Lube experiences I’ve had are where they tend to overfill. The way those quick oil change places are designed, at least around here, it is easy to watch them work on your car. The dealer on the other hand not always so easy. Luckily on the Toyota and associated companies’ vehicles in the household I have not found a stuck oil filter as some have come to find on theirs! (Thankfully good job at the places they’ve been with respect to torquing the filter and drain plugs)!

 

yes my Jiffy is really bad on a G2 too as far as fill level. They have the G2 listed as 5 quarts in there in what I imagine is a national database.
So if i went with that I would be 1.5 quarts overfilled. I always say thats great today your using my amount lets go.

Jiffy is not to bad if:

You bring them the exact amount of oil.
You bring them the oil filter.
You get a coupon online.
You stand there and watch them.
Takes 10 minutes.

My Jiffy they have the manager check the oil filter and the pan bolt after the dude underneath installs them before the put new oil in so 2 guys look at the bottom of the car. I would imagine you drive off with no oil pan bolt manager loses his job. The system they have its pretty impossible to mess it up. My system I have its completely impossible as I watch them do it. My jiffy they covered over the oil trench with plywood so the guys have to get under there on there knees and work. Its horrible. I guess people kept falling in the trench. Ouch.

Anyway go to Walmart get a 5 quart jug of Mobil 1 5-30 oil thats $25. Pour that oil into another plastic jug the amount your car requires not sure on a G3 its 3.6 on a G2. Buy the OEM oil filter on line thats about $4.25.
Jiffys like $25 with coupon so I'm at $50 all in.
Thats once a year. 100% better oil than the dealer is going to use on a "Lifetime" oil change I guarantee you that. yikes.

Just dont buy any wipers or air of cabin filters from Jiffy buy them on Amazon or Toyota online or Walmart.

 

For a counterpoint to Ed:

1. The oil quantity (at oil change with filter change) is 4.2 liters, or 4.4 quarts.
2. The specificed oil weight is 0W-20.
3. There are alternatives to the 5 liter Mobil 1 jug from Walmart. I purchase Toyota 0W20 in bulk from my local dealership, with a reusable container. (Ed will shortly explain why I'm the anti-Christ, lol.)
4. While I'm there I get the drain bolt washer and filter.
5. Drain bolt torque is 27 ft/lb, the filter housing is 18.

 

IIRC our Walmart option is not available in Canada.
I have imported several jugs of Walmart 0W20 for my brother over the years since he finds the price hard to beat. I guess the current exchange rate makes the deal even sweeter for Canadians.

 

I might have a sweetheart deal, at $4.50 (CAN) per liter, for (synth) 0W-20. I also get (conventional) 5W-20 for $3.50 per liter, for another vehicle. Those two prices convert to roughly $3.19 and $2.48, for US dollars per US quart.

The main things for me: one-stop shopping, and buying bulk oil: no empty, oil-fouled bottles to deal with.

 

I hadn't thought about the donuts. I think I am going to stop by just for the carbohydrates. I won't buy any service though. I do that on my own.

 

Some people live in apartments and agreed/signed lease to not fix their car; change oil, tires, and etc. If so, eviction. Therefore if you don't have friends that's willing to let you borrow their driveway and/or family lives far away, your SOL.

If your gonna resell for sure, cancel the plan and get oil change every 5k. I would never buy a car at fair market price with OCI more than 5000 mile intervals. Resale value price will hurt, unless your filthy rich and cars are disposable to you.

If they put cheap oil and cheap filter that aren't spec'd out to 10000 mi OCI, they know your gonna be back to buy more of their cars because your engine well be screwed with that OCI.

 

I was referring to the Mobil 1 Annual Protection oil which was referenced earlier... which is $40 for 5 qts at Walmart.

 

As the Prius requires an oil change every 5000 miles their offer is already a violation of the warranty should you have an engine failure. As someone already mentioned an oil change with filter is around $30. If you do drive 25K a year their deal would cover 2 of your 5 changes saving you around $60 a year. It will take you a little over 8 years to make it a bargain. I also bought an oil drain valve (Fomoto) and never have to buy a drain plug washer again. The real plus with the valve is rotating a lever to drain the oil with no tools required. I too just bought a 2015 Prius Five with 18,000 miles and am loving it. Would like to upgrade the suspension for better cornering though, which is why I'm here on the Chat.

 

The Gen 4 that you have pictured obviously has different requirements that the Gen 3, which is where this post is located.

 

I red terms and condition of a dealership's pamplet about the extended warranty was that if the car owner doesn't get the engine oil change before or on OCI exact mile, and if engine and other components fails due to that, extended warranty doesn't cover. Same goes for other car components, any signs of failure that owner doesn't get it fix and damages other parts because of 'negligence', warranty doesn't cover.
Half of the commission sales of extended warranty goes to the salesperson who sells it to the suckers, that's why they push the warranty incredibly well.

 

@JRMiami the Toyota USA oil change interval, for 3rd gen, is 10,000 miles or 12 months.

In Canada the 3rd gen interval is 8,000 kms (~5,000 miles) or 6 months, for what it's worth.

 

Props for the HHGTTG reference.