Oil change cost

I assume you purchased a used Prius. The maintenance required light turns on every 4500 miles. If you have the owners manual, you will see it's just a tire rotation and inspection maintenance. The actual oil change is required every 10k miles. 2010+ Prius uses 0w20 oil and it implies synthetic so it will be an expensive oil change.

There's nothing special about synthetic oil in regards to labor. Typical labor charges for mechanics is $60-$100 an hour. $23 sounds about right for a 15 minute job.

PS The owner's manual say you can safely use 5w20 but you will have to change it out at 5000 mile intervals.

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On the Gen 3, Change interval is 10k miles with 0W-20 synthetic.
Synthetic does cost a bit more, and the procedure of utilizing the 'door' in the lower undercarriage cover does add a bit of time.
Actual labor shouldn't be >10-15 minutes.
If you don't wish to do it yourself, you might readily find coupons from your local Toyota dealer, either in your local newspaper or their website that will save some $$.

 

The Toyota dealer will charge you about $70 for a synthetic oil change. Frankly, a Midas shop is the last place you should be getting service done on a Prius. If you don't like the dealer, there might be an independent shop in your area specializing in hybrid cars. But its certainly not unusual to see charges for synthetic oil changes running about 2x what normal oil costs. That's always been true.

 

There is no difference having a Midas shop change the oil than a Toyota Dealership. The key is to at least know they are using the right oil and filter. If you can not or will not do it yourself, then find someone you trust. Don't just go to who ever has the best coupon.

 

I just went through this in the SF bay area. I wanted to change the oil myself and even went so far as to buy in advance the special tool to remove the oil canister from Amazon, 5 filters, and 5 washers from Ebay. Nobody locally even carried the 0-20 full synthetic oil. I went to 4 places. Pep boys had one quart of Mobil one for 10.99. I finally went home and started calling around. I finally located a parts store that had 0-20 Mobile one for 7.99 per. I called the local Toyota dealer and their price for oil was 12.99 a quart and filters were $9.45. To do the oil change for me (are you holding on...) 79.99. I called a local garage who said they would do it for 55.00. I had the ramps, filter, washers, rags, wrenches, a dump container, and the motivation just no oil. I finally bought the 5 quarts and had to drive 20 miles. The oil change was easy, getting the oil, pretty hard. The parts guy said that starting 2014 Ford is now making cars that take the 0-20 synthetic and that should make finding the oil easier.

-Paul R. Haller-

 

Was that their price for Toyota 0W20? Up here it's under $6 Canadian per liter. The washer's about $1 and the filter $8 something. And all items readily available, I see no need to buy more than what's required for a single change.

Regarding the oil change interval, it's 10000 miles or 12 months in the 'States, but 8000 kilometers (roughly 5000 miles) or 6 months across the border in Canada. All I'm saying: the intervals are very variable, depends on your location, and there's likely some showmanship involved.

 

10k miles for an oil; change, go to the dealer buy the oil, washer and filter, have any place that knows their stuff change it, most run about $25 for labor only, you wont kill the car by going over 5k miles on oil change, I did mine after 12k, and it showed it.

 

Did you check Walmart? I've seen Mobil1 0w-20 at every one I've checked. Its usually about $27 for a 5 quart jug.

 

I will not buy at Wallmart. The cost to the community are just too high.
-Paul R. Haller-

 

This thread is about car maintenance. The proper place for that is Fred's House of Pancakes | PriusChat

 

You won't buy from Walmart citing community concerns, but you buy from Amazon who've put more small community/mom & pop book stores out of business than any other business has!

Hypocrite!

 

I bought the 0w20 the couple a days ago from toyota dealer for a lil over $7 per quart. i put all 4 quarts when i change after 10k miles, you talked about buying 5 quarts did i put less than needed? the dip stick wasnt really any good help to check oil level since oil climbs way too high on sides whenever i check. please lemme know if i need to put more than 4, i put the used oil back in 4 quarts and that pretty much filled the 4 bottles showing very little to no oil burning inside. the filter with oring from dealer was $4.xx but i couldnt change filter since the tool i bought from walmart was 65mm a lil bigger and the adjustable three prong tool from harber freight didnt get good grip and keep slipping, any suggestions or possibly links to cheap 64mm? tool for this service?

also i did not put washer for the pan, there wasnt any when i changed last time after buying car and i didnt put any this time either. i have put around 13000 miles on it so far with no leaks from screw.

 

^ If I put in 4 liters in an oil and filter change, I end up with a level about 2/3 the way up, between low and high marks. I usual cave, and pour in about 1 more cup. Then when I check it a day or two later, it's hovering at or just below the top mark. Seems like it settles down a bit. I am checking the level after letting it run a minute or two. Then letting it sit a bit before the check.

So putting in 4 quarts, your level might be a bit low for comfort, say mid-way between the two marks. I'd add a couple of cups.

It's not impossible to check level via the dipstick, just difficult. I know what you mean re smearing oil up the edges of the dipstick. But, if you look carefully, and check both sides, you can usual discern a "stopping point", a bare zone, which is the true level. Repeat a few times and it becomes clearer.

 

Gen III Prius oil capacity is 4.4 US quarts.

 

I just (this afternoon) bought from Toyota of Berkeley 5 quarts of 0w-20, one filter and one crush washer for a Prius for $48.73, tax included. I'm pretty sure this can be had for cheaper at Hanlees Hilltop Toyota (Richmond), where they are generally a little cheaper for everything.

 

Yikes, Hanlees Hilltop Toyota just quoted me $69.99 to do an oil change and rotate the tires. I think you've just convinced me to go ahead and let them do it. I can't seem to find any better dealer coupons.

 

Its just cheaper and better to have the dealer change the oil. $75.00 dollars is nothing compared to $300 plus to have oil changed at a Mercedes dealer, for my other car. No Joking!

 

I think the dealer will check all fluid levels and replenish