First Oil Change

mine is coming up on year old tomorrow....I have 7100 miles on it total only. My EV ratio for lifetime is near 50%. So my ICE only has half the total miles on it. Im going for the toyota recommended 1 yr or 10,000 mile change very soon.

Synthetic Oils today are superior in many ways and will easily last 10k miles without breakdown. If you do the research on todays synthetics, you will find many of them will last much longer then 10k before breakdown.

Oil is always a controversial subject, but consider doing the research first and you will find todays oils will last very long between changes, and also consider many guys have their oils sent to labs after 10k and they are not brokedown at all, and these are guys running turbos,and vTwin bikes, which are hi load engines with hi heat.

Now think about our small ICE, no turbo, very low RPMS much of the time, and the fact the PiPs only run the ICE half the time(50%ratio) and now you can see why 10k is probably overkill.

The only reason i would not go longer with a NON PiP is cause the ICE starts and stops alot more often, but on PiP that is much less.

Just my opinion and im sure there are many who will disagree....but when the manufacture calls for 10k i would stick with it.

 

I'm also heading in for my first oil change Monday and its 5,000 miles.
I'll ask questions but since this is my first and they gave me two free years I decided there was little downside.
as a side note - I'm getting a message saying its time for servicing ! I'm assuming others have too ?
But if Toyota is saying 10,000 miles and the dealer is saying 5,000 miles how is this coming on ?

I'm just approaching 5 months and a dealer installed message doesn't seem likely

 

Just keep in mind that dealers make a ton of money off of oil changes so of course they would like you to come in more.

After the free service expires I won't hesitate to go a little more than 10k HV miles in between oil changes.

 

I'm pretty sure the first 5k is just tire rotation.

 

You're right! The dealer will not change the oil at 5,000 miles unless it's a year old.

When I went to the 5K service, they just rotated the tires and checked the fluids. I had already changed the oil and filter at 3,000 miles.

For the one year service again at 6,500 miles.

Now I'm at 8,500 miles for the 18 month service interval. I'm debating on whether I should take it in at all.

I'll take it in before the two years is out. They'll change the oil, but it would be probably be only 12-13k on tie odometer.

I used to drive over 30k a year, but that was before I retired.

 

welcome to pipchat! i don't keep my cars long enough to worry about it. all the best with your pip!

 

Thanks, I had no idea.
Given that maybe not such a bad idea to go in every 5k and not wait 10K...

I'll reevaluate after asking them some questions. Still wondering how and why the PiP is giving me a dashboard message saying its service time if Toyota says 10k

 

The Dealers pressured Toyota into the 5,000 mile dashboard light. You can learn how to reset it yourself.
The Dealer wants to have you pay for alternator and starter motor checks also. Also don't forget the differential flush and perhaps a new gas filter.

 

I agree, just as if it came from the mountain top (remember the movie "The Ten Commandments"). I've had many cars in my life, new and used. I changed oil on most. Back in the old days, Quaker State was one of the most popular oil brands. I used it religiously. Many frowned on Quaker State oil for many reason, none which made sense to me. Never had a internal engine issue, ever. We have a 2006 NewBeetle diesel. VW recommends, and I adhere to their 10,000 mile oil change interval. As well, I'll do the same on Toyota's recommendation on the Prius. Want to waste money, go against their recommendation. By the way, the less time any of my cars spend at a dealer for any reason, the better.

 

This.

Just last week I was at my first 5k rotation. They didn't even look at the car for almost an hour after the scheduled time (and it was in the morning). And they reset all the tripometers as well. Grrrrr.

Dealers just emanate slimy and lazy. Is that where we get the word sleazy?

 

The Prius Plug-in is such a unique situation I'm approaching engine oil maintenance with more caution than usual. I just had the 5,000 mile service (no oil change), I'll use the original oil until 6,500 - 6,800 miles, which I have done with other new cars, and results have been good. With the PHV I'm going to have the original fill analyzed, a first for me and I will still have Toyota perform a change at 10,000 miles. After that I'll adjust based on the what the oil analysis reveals.

 

I did the 3.3K change to get the assembly lube and the wear-in "flash" metal out. I'd let the dealer do the 10k or yearly and the 20k or second year. Then. I'd do the 30k or yearly and then on.

 

5000 miles seems to be a peculiarly US thing - over here, even for straight ICE cars, the line has been 10-12,000 miles or annually, whichever is the sooner, for many years. Tyre rotation is almost unheard of too; the advice is generally just to have the newest tyres on the back. Not sure how much that is our mechanics not wanting to have to do a lot of work, or yours inflating the prices. We have a mandatory annual inspection for roadworthiness once the car is three years old, so they know they are going to get business every year.

 

Oil changes in ow-20w full Synthetic Oil are far the best around......................

Toyota was at 7500 miles and has now changed to 10,000k
Mazda is still at 7500 miles

do whatever you feel safer at 3k, 5k, 10k to early is a waste of money IMO

 

I just did it myself at 3500 miles on the engine due to the belief of engine break in and metal shavings too. It was the easiest and cleanest oil change I have ever done. I just got the Mobil one 0w20 at walmart for $23 five quart bottle. Now I will do them every year from now on.

 

Let's go with facts: Toyota and Honda recommended 7500 mile OCI with conventional oil in the 1990's. In the 2000's, Honda increased to 10000 miles, Toyota went down to 5000 miles, still on conventional oil. Most other manufacturers maintain 7500 mile OCI like Hyundai and Subaru. BMW has gone to 14000+ miles on synthetic. For 2010's Toyota has moved to 10k OCI with implied synthetic 0w20 oil. (Probably exists but I haven't seen 0w20 conventional oil).

It has been a gradual shift towards longer and longer OCI. You can look it up for more details but it basically boils down to better technology in the engine and in the oil, especially synthetic. A common misconception is that people don't intend to keep their cars long term will follow these excessively long OCI. While not direct evidence, the last report I read is that people are keeping their vehicles longer and longer. One of the reasons, being that the vehicle lasts longer. I intend to keep my vehicle a very long time until it dies or I need a different type of vehicle.

If a Prius is recommended for 10k OCI, a PiP should last even longer because the engine is off more often. But unless Toyota installs an oil life monitor, the recommendation has to cater to the lowest denominator and that is a PiP that is never plugged in.

 

i wonder if the theory that you should change it at least once a year no matter the mileage is negated by synthetic, or if moisture from condensation is still a consideration?

 

One thing to remember on studies of cars of people who change the oil at short intervals vs longer. People who are meticulous about frequency oil changes are probably also careful about every thing else about their cars, doing other regular maintenance, bringing it in when their is a funny noise, check engine light, etc. While people who can't really tell you when their last oil change was probably tend to ignore lots of possible early signs of car trouble.

IMO, oil change interval, by itself, is probably way overrated as a judge for car longevity.

Mike

 

We are definitely on the same wavelength today, Mike.