Despite the Synthetic Oil requirement, 5000 mile change intervals are still "required"

Exactly. Until all the fluids I want removed are gone, I don't start buttoning things back up.

 

I just got my first oil change ( a little over 5,000 miles) at my local toyota dealership, the reminder sticker; however, says that my next oil change should be at 14,000...

What's that all about?? I thought I was supposed to change it every 5,000??

Was it a mistake? Can I really wait that long? I want to keep my new 2009 in good shape!

What do you think?

 

I would follow the Toyota manual and ignore the dealer's sticker.

 

For those of us that are not too handy or have the facility space to change our own oil, what is a reasonable price to get the oil change at a Toyota dealership? Does getting oil changed at other shops void the factory warranty if you stick with the prescribed oil?

 

So far the oil change on the 2010 is the biggest perfect storm of P.I.T.A. that I've heard. Not a deal breaker for me, but certainly not convienent or easy. The problem for me is with the minutia of difference and procedure, oil weight and gasket removal, replacements and torque specifications coupled with removal of the plates on the bottom? I find myself where I know I'm going to be uneasy letting any tech or outside mechanic do the oil change, but I'm not a DIY person. Those underbody plates may add stiffness and stability to the car and also reduce drag but dealing with them seems like a pain. I also don't like the idea that my car could be leaking a fluid and instead of my seeing it visibly on the ground when I pull away, it could all acumulate on the invisible underside of the ground plates.

I know that the plating added some "improvement" but I've got to question if it's worth it.

 

sounds like a pain to change the oil.

they should have increased interval to 7500mi(at least) Nissan I heard is now up to 8500 mi changes for 4 cy cars.

does anyone know what the EU/JP oil change interval is?

 

I had my '07 oil changed today at the dealer. I asked about the '10 requirements and the Service Manager said the new Prius as well as a few other Toyotas now require synthetic oil. They will charge $68 for the service which includes Mobile 1 synthetic. Considering the cost of the Mobil 1 at $28 @ $7/quart retail, and the difficulity of the change, I think I will let the dealer service mine. BTW: the Mobil 1 they use is in quarts not bulk.

Lee

 

bring your own 5 qt jug in. It will cost less. $20.50@ wally world.

my dealer charges 7.50 a quart for syn, ridiculous

 

The local So Cal Walmart price for 5 qt jug of mobil1 0W-20 or 0W-30 is $22.

Mobil is currently offering a $10 mail in rebate for the purchase of the one jug or 5 1qt bottles if bought before Aug 31. Rebate coupon is available at Promotions

 

Around $70 for an oil change every 5K miles? Ouch.

My 06 E55 AMG costs $170 for an oil change. It includes 9 quarts of Mobil 1 and a MB loaner car. This is done approximately every 13K miles or so depending on what the car "needs".

I hope thats just a high estimate. I used to like to do my own oil changes, but find it easier to just take it to the dealer.

 

$70/5k miles, at 50mpg, that's equivalent to adding $0.70 per gallon, or effectively knocking down the economic mpg back down to about 40mpg...

What?

An oil change should be <$20.

 

I'd say Toyota is just being careful with the 5k oil change interval . If you drive any distance daily then longer change interval should be acceptable . But if all your driving is short distance never allowing the engine to get up to normal temp a shorter interval might be wiser .

After ~30+ years of mechanicing on all sorts of engines I'd say the short change interval is Toyota just covering their a$$ ................

 

$70 is bad and you can't even go to Wal-Mart to have it done for less because it's too difficult to access.

Wipes out much of the fuel economy savings vs cars like Insight and even the Fusion Hybrid and it will be a hassle to make maintenance trips to the dealer so often.

My current car only needs once a year oil changes about very 12K miles. Many cars are 7500 to 10K changes especially if they use synthetic.
Typical express lube prices at a Honda or Ford dealer is about $24.99 to $29.99 or less vs $68.99 for the Prius.

 

Since it's a hybrid, your engine should have far less hrs/revolutions of operation than a standard car, 5,000 miles, synthetic and it being a hybrid is just plain wrong, not only for the environment but also for the customer $, shame on you Toyota! Sounds like making a special oil filter to "better the environment" and adding under body cladding with no easy way to access the filter/drain is really just another way to force the Prius's out of the jiffy lubes and into the dealers for service where they can set the price......

 

I would rather go to the dealer than Jiffy Lube, but you you can take other cars to their dealers for oil changes for less than $30 and do it much less often.

 

Other manufacturers car dealers do the same quick inspection and tire rotation for about 50% the price of the $68.99.
The car shouldn't need that much adjusting and fiddling-with EVERY 5,000 MILES!
That is annoyingly often, even if it was cheaper.