More Frequent Oil Changes For Better Resaleability

I don't know that you can say one way or the other. I doubt you will recoup the extra money you spent. I think that as long as you go by Toyota's recommendations then you are fine. Doing extra oil changes is not likely to make a difference in a successful sale or not.

 

I have been a mechanic on ground vehicles and aircraft most of my long life, and I'm good at it. When it comes to cars and light trucks with 4 cycle engines, this is the truth.

With a new purchase, change the oil first time between 500 and 1000 miles. If you buy used, change it the same day. If using petroleum based oil, change it every 2000 miles. With synthetic, which is best, change it every 5000 miles, and always change the filter. Don't waste your money on blends, but if you do, change it every 2000 miles. Check your level shortly after changing, and there after once a week or every fill-up, which ever comes first.

Doing this is the easiest, cheapest and single most important thing you can do for you car...Period!...selling or not.

 

And I never change my oil in any car below 10,000 miles (normally every 12,000) and have never ever had an engine or bearing fail. I know some of my taxi driver colleagues who have run 20k or 30k mile oil change intervals (something I'd never do) and they have never had engine issues and have run cars into 200k+ miles - many 300k+.

All they do is use good quality oil. Sure changing oil helps and is done for a good reason but equally you should balance this against cost, time and inconvenience. If Toyota say 10k is ok with fully synthetic then it is.

This topic has been discussed at length many times before. In Europe anything less than every 12,000 miles is unheard of (Toyota is very unusual with a 10k mile change) yet we have cars that go to 200-300k miles with no trouble. We also have hot and cold climates incase you want to use that as an excuse.

Just use good quality oil and follow your manufacturers recommendations.

 

Changing your oil more frequently as some people suggest is a waste of money. Years ago, doing 3k oil changes was typical and did extend the life of engines, but new technology in both oil (dino and syn) and engines have combined to reduce the actual wear and tear experienced. Many of the same people also likely suggest letting your engine "warm up" before driving off - again a waste of gas and dollars. All these suggestions do is increase your cost per mile to drive your vehicle. Those who profess to sticking with frequent oil changes are ignoring the advances made. To each his/her own and if it makes you feel better doing it, than so be it, but you're wasting perfectly good oil and money by changing more frequently than manufacturer rec's.

 

I am glad to hear someone that works on vehicles for a living say this. These are my thoughts exactly just from 40+ years of driving and maintaining my own vehicles.

For those that say that extra oil changes are a waste of money, I disagree. To me it is very inexpensive insurance.

The Toyota recommended maintenance is really the "minimum" maintenance needed to maintain warranty in my opinion. I do not think anyone with experience in long term vehicle maintenance would ever say that additional maintenance beyond the "recommended" is a waste of time or money.

As said above, to each his own. I change my oil and filter every 5k miles and rotate tires just so I can get under the vehicle and inspect the under side for leaks, CV joint boots, etc. more often. I personally feel that 10k intervals are too long for these inpsections.

Of course, you could raise the car and inspect without changing oil but while I am going to this much effort changing oil is just another 30 minutes.

Back to OP's question, I do not know that the additional maintenance will help the sale but it sure will not hurt. I know that I would be willing to pay more for a vehicle that had the maintenance documents to show that it was maintained beyond the recommended.

 

Oils got much better, if you use quality synthetics there is no need to change every 5K. 10K is good, all my vehicles gone through 10K for last 20 years, with no problems after 250/380K. On one had valve cover at 140K, it was sparkling clean looked like just came from factory.

 

In my opinion you will not get an extra nickel for doing this. In fact, some might get suspicious of why the car was at the dealer that often. On the other hand, if you are just going to tell them you did it, without dealer proof, well just go ahead and tell them whatever you want.

 

only a fool would do anything different than what the manufacturer recommends.

realize that if Toyota recommends 10,000 miles, they have EXTENSIVE Data that says there is a very high probability that intervals of 15,000 miles will do no harm

all manufacturer recommendations err GREATLY on the side of conservatism. what you choose to do is up to you but anything that exceeds their conservatism is nothing but a waste of money.

 

Just to amuse you;

New Volkswagen Passat Saloon (11 on) Car Review | Parkers

UK servicing specifications for a VW Passat 2011. Servicing is required around every 18,000 miles. This is common here. Oh, and many manufacturers also offer 100,000 mile warranties too. They wouldn't if engine damage occured due to higher oil change requirements.

But the op can do what he wants to his car. If he feels happier changing the oil, revulcanizing the tires, greasing the suspension and adjusting the points/contact breakers every 6 weeks because that's what he's always done, then that's upto him.

 

OP is not interested in engine oil facts, he wants to whitewash his car for sale. I suppose the short answer is, it depends on the potential buyer. Perhaps an oil analysis or two is a better approach.

 

I seem to remember when Mobil 1 first came out, they said change oil and filter yearly or 20,000 miles. That may have been changed to meet warrantees. I also read a study on synthetics then. Using a taxi fleet. Normal oil change vehicles compared with synthetics changed yearly and the synthetics had far less wear and crud build-up after the engines were torn down.....many miles later.

As I recall from my Air Force days.....jets run synthetic...don't get their oil changed regularly. They do have magnetic drain plugs that are checked for particles and oil samples are taken regularly for analysis. Think of the temperature extremes and RPM that oil is subjected to.

 

That was my thought. The average person would look at his records and think , Heysus, this car is expensive to maintain. I don't want it.

What percentage of used car buyers care about maintenance records? I think it's a low percentage.

 

Re: More Frequent Oil Changes For Better Re saleability

Yes, synthetic fluids are best, but must be used with the correct seals and filters.

Turbine engines burn oil faster so they are constantly replenished, thus increasing the cycles before drain and fill is required. Yes we use chip detectors and samples are taken. All parameters are monitored and recorded. Maintenance is performed on a strict schedule based on these records, time in service, cycles, inspections, events and many other factors. If cars were maintained this way, they would see a useful life of 500,000 plus miles "easily", and for minimal real costs.

I believe I stated carefully: " When it comes to cars and light trucks with 4 cycle engines, this is the truth."

Most cars manufactures publish a regular and severe duty minimum maintenance schedule. I suggest you follow the severe schedule, at a minimum. If it does not have one, cut the times, miles, hours or what ever the duty cycles are, in half. This applies to all fluids and filters or any other routine service required.

You folks do what you want, I could care less either way. I'm not here to stir the pot. But this is what I know, and this is my Professional opinion.

Ground, we are clear all actives. Have a nice day.

 

comparing any engine's needs to a Prius is (i would think by now) not applicable.

the Prius does not idle per se, so in a sense, it is always running at an efficiency that is going to be higher than a normal car which is forced to idle either a lot (in city) or a little as in mostly country. either way, the requirements for oil are simply much different than a hybrid.

so, if we take all these other non applicable examples and say, ok if you can get 5,000 miles on this or that, then i should get at least 7,000 miles because the engine simply does not run as much as a regular car?

because if you really want to get particular on this, mileage as related to oil change interavals is a marketing scheme used because we are familiar with the concept.

my Dad was stationed in Greenland many years ago and they NEVER changed the oil, but also never turned off the vehicles either. during winter, a block could freeze solid in less than an hour (yes, this was before global warming)

but what was the difference? it is simply the engine's lubrication needs. i felt the obvious need not be stated but then again, maybe not.

so, i am on the record by saying

my Prius does not have a jet engine

 

Due to your status on this wonderful site, I will show you respect, and agree to disagree. But I guarantee to be the last one to say you don't know what you are talking about in your Profession of expertise, unless you are a Mechanic. Tuck it away buddy, I could care less who's bigger.

 

The problem is that you mislead people with your "expertise". Oil is far better than it used to be, engines run far cleaner and a decent synthetic is still good oil far past 10,000 miles in most modern engines.

Anyone who wants to feel good about spending money for needless 5,000 mile oil changes can just as well flush their money down the toilet and not have to take the time to get a 5,000 mile oil change. Same results, less work.

 

Re: More Frequent Oil Changes For Better Re saleability

I'm sure they would but who really runs their car to this mileage? Not even cab companies.

So have a 5k mile oil change and run your car to 500k miles or have a 10k or 15k mile change and have an increased risk your engine go bang at 250k miles? I'll take a chance on the latter. Most (most but not all) car owners will not go anywhere near 250k miles so the convenience of increased oil change intervals will be of benefit to them at the possible expense of the 4th hand owner 9 years down the line.

Now it would be a different matter if 10k changes meant the engine failed at 80k miles, but they don't. It's a balance between maximum life and convenience of a reduced life but still more than most people will ever need.

 

well thank you for your acknowledgment of my status. or for reminding me that i have status.

i am not doubting what you say, but there is a HUGE difference between things that die and roll to a stop on the side of the road and things that die while 15,000 feet off the ground.

another thing i question is anyone thinking they "know" better than a Toyota Engineer does especially when one is basing their information on past experiences with past technology against someone who has mountains of data and millions of dollars to research that data.

its like i said at the very beginning of this conversation. if Toyota says 10,000 miles is ok, that means they have data that strongly suggests that 15,000 mile intervals are highly unlikely to be detrimental to the lifetime of the engine.