Can I trust someone other than the dealer to change my oil?

1. Use synthetic
2. Do NOT overfill

 

^What MJFrog said. Also:

The Gen III Prius requires 0W20 synthetic oil. The synthetic oil itself costs more than $25, so my guess is that this quote is for non-synthetic. The $70 by the dealer is not a bad price since the price of the synthetic oil and filter is close to $40.

 

Change it yourself. Save money, and know it was done right.

 

I wouldn't trust the dealer to always use the proper oil, or the proper amount. You should make sure the work order specifies synthetic 0W20 oil. As for the amount, it depends on how long they allow the old oil to drain out. There have been many reports of overfilling, due either to using too much oil, or not allowing enough time for the old oil to fully drain. Too much oil causes poor mileage, and will probably damage oil seals over the long run. It's best to check the dipstick yourself to confirm that the job has been done properly.

As for the shop that offered the $25 oil change, they can't do it properly for that much. But you can still use them and save some money. Just purchase the oil and oil filter yourself (Walmart probably has the best price). The price for the oil change will probably be more like $20 with your "customer provided oil". Yeah, the oil/cartridge that they normally use probably costs them $5.

 

Also the trap door underneath is flimsy and can easily be broken, from what I've read.

 

I would go with the dealership, request Toyota 0W20 (it should be under $6 per US quart, definitely cheaper than Mobil1). Also, if they'll go along with it: request that they completely remove the engine bay underpanel, not just the smaller flap at oil change zone. This will help preserve it, and does not take much extra time.

 

Maybe in Canada but not here: $24.50 for 5qt jug=$4.90/qt . Your 4th oil change at 40,000 miles will be "free" when using the surplus. :rockon:

Speaking of free, Kinva, Toyota Care will do the first two changes for free:

Complimentary Maintenance Plan - Toyota Care

 

So, as these folks are telling you, aside from brakes, any qualified person can do most maintenance on a Prius. Finding or becoming a qualified parson is an interesting challenge.

Not knowing any other mechanics in MS, I have been impressed by my local Toyota dealer, but I would not hesitate to use an independent mechanic. I am wildly suspicious of quick lube places however, I want a mechanic, not a high schooler.

I would always use Toyota for brake maintenance and repair.

 

Lately I've been using about 3.5 quarts of oil per change. The target is to have the dipstick at the midpoint between the top and bottom marks.

My idea is that filling to the top mark is intended to work with an old car that uses oil. My car (60k+ miles Gen2) doesn't use enough oil to even notice on the dipstick. When it actually uses some oil, I'll fill it up more at change time. Until then, mid-dipstick seems like the best target fill level.

 

A dealer has no excuse if something goes wrong :_> But no matter who does it, always let the car stand OFF for ten minutes and check the dipstick yourself before driving away. This can prevent a lot of annoyance and expense.

To be most certain of the type and amount without changing it yourself, buy four quart bottles of oil and leave three of them in the car for the technician. Top it off later if needed using the fourth bottle.

 

I use a 10k mile oil change interval for my car, which means it might be 6 months before I check the dipstick. I actually check the dipstick quite a bit more often, but it *could* be 6 months. Since oil overfill causes reversible problems but a low oil can kill the engine, I prefer to fill up close to the top dimple on the stick to add a little insurance against the possibility that the car develops a leak that causes damage before I notice.