Myth or Fact--Oil Change

80% plus of the total dealer profit is derived from the service department. Toyota must consult with the various dealer associations when changing suggested service intervals and standard equipment packages. It looks like a compromise Corporate Toyota got the 10k mile oil change and the dealers keep the 5k mile service notice.

 

Fluid checks are very simple to do yourself, and likely the only thing that will need replenishment is windshield washer fluid.

Personally, our tire positions get rotated in conjunction with snow tire install/removable, which I do myself. But if there were no snow tires in the equation, with yearly mileage of around 16000 km (10000 miles), once per year would be more than enough for me.

If a tire's going to last you 40~50 thousand miles, how many times do you need to swap front and back to ensure even wear? And at the end of the excercise they're an expendable.

 

When the Toyota oil change interval was 5,000 miles, I changed the oil and rotated the tires myself every 5,000 miles. Now that I have accepted that the new Toyota 10,000 mile oil change interval is OK, it raises the question of can I also wait 10,000 miles to rotate the tires?

Toyota still says to rotate the tires every 5,000 miles, but Michelin's recommendation for tire rotation is 6,000 to 8,000 miles. I have Michelin tires, so I am planning to go initially to 8,000 mile oil change and tire rotation intervals, which will be within both parameters, and watch the tires for excessive cupping and irregular wear. Tires are more expensive than DIY oil changes.