Oil change

Anyone who can change engine oil correctly, can do so on the Prius. You only need 3 1/2 quarts of 5W30 oil, a new Toyota (or equivalent) filter and a new washer for the drain bolt. It is very easy. Maybe someday we'll talk you into doing it yourself, so as to reduce your total cost of ownership by about 0.5 cents per mile. To express that number another way, it is like making your gasoline 20 cents per gallon cheaper.

Detailed instructions are available at john1701a, and talont's vfaq web sites.

 

Changing oil on this is no different than any other car. It is very easy to do. I'm a computer geek, not a gear head by any means, and I do mine myself.
I got one of these http://www.fumotovalve.com/ and I don't even have to lift the car. I just lay on the ground and reach under the front bumper. Buy an oil filter wrench and an oil catch pan. Buy/make some sort of jug to transport your used oil in. And you are all set. The quick change places will take used oil for free. The first time you do it you WILL get messy. It will run down you arm, drip on the concrete (be sure to put a piece of cardboard down). The second time you will get less messy. The next time you will be clean as a whistle.

 

As long as it is done correctly and you save the receipts with mileage and date you will be ok.

 

I change my own oil on all my cars, and there's nothing particulary difficult or different with a Prius. I did spring for one of the oil filter wrenches that slips over the end of the filter, as I was worried about banging that little metal pipe next to the oil filter with the Channel Lok's I ususally use to get an oil filter started loose.

Reading my last post, I realize you are looking for other places to take your car. The dealers here seem to offer quick service, so why not use them? I've heard enough horror stories from friends, and helped them out enough (nothing like trying to help your neighbor drain a quart out of a hot engine that was overfilled at one of those quicky places at 10pm in his driveway the night before he's leaving for vacation) that I wouldn't trust them with my car. Anyway, assuming this isn't your first car, any place you feel comfortable taking it should be able to change your oil.

 

For those NOT contemplating do-it-yourself oil changes...

After receiving a coupon special from my dealership for the first 5,000 mile check (oil change, tire rotation, etc.) for $89.95--which I thought was high, especially considering it was supposed to be a "special coupon" price, I did a price survey of the local area dealerships in San Diego to see what they charge for this same work: Two came in at $59.95; one at $65.95, and another at $69.95. So even if you are thinking of bringing it to a Toyota dealership to have something as simple as an oil change, it may make sense to shop around.

 

My dealer gave us a card to use to get the first 3 oil changes FREE. So I know where I will take my car when it hits 5,000, 10,000 and 15,000 miles . Of course, the oil change is free, but they will probably want to do all sorts of other maintenance items at the same time.

But for this 07 Prius, it will go to the dealer for all maintenance items. We plan to keep it for 15 years and we're going to do what we can to make that happen. Our 1991 Toyota Corolla LE is 15 years old (and only 113k miles) and still in tip top condition, and we're planning to drive it another 15 years if we can.

Dave

 

If you search for "oil overfill" you'll discover that Toyota dealers are just as guilty of overfilling the Prius as any independant shop.

 

Alphateam.... can i ask how you do your oil change and end up 'clean as a whistle'? I've been doing it for a few years and still end up making a mess (a small one but still a mess). I got the Fram drain valve which does make things alot easier... my trouble is with the oil filter. When I un-screw it the oil drips down onto my hand and some usually ends up on the ground. I've tried to use a 1 liter bottle... but I can't get any grip so I have to just do it by hand anyways.

It is an easy job... just wish I could end up with less oil on my hands and the ground.

thanks,

-Peter B

 

I think I pay $25 for an oil change ... they call it a "3750 mile checkup" at the dealer I go to, and they always try to upsell me to the $49 or $59 "15,000 Mile Service" package. And hit me for $20 to rotate the tires.

So I insist that they simply change the oil, check the VIN against the Toyota database for any warranty work that should be done (which they do anyway, since Toyota will pay them to do the work), and do their "complimentary safety check" (which their lawyers insist they do anyway).

And I don't rotate the tires. I hate the stock tires, so I'm waiting for them to wear unevenly and wear out. At 20,000 miles, they have very even wear, and it looks like the rotten things will last another 10 or 15,000 miles. When they finally do need replacing, I'll go to Costco or Sam's Club and get Michelin X tires with free rotation.

 

If you don't take your car to the dealer, how is the lot boy ever going to get enough pracitce to become a mechanic.

Change it yourself. Buy some ramps, an oil catch pan, a 14mm wrench and an oil filter wrench that will reach up there and still turn the filter. You don't need the wrench to install a filter, just to remove it, sometimes.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prberg @ Dec 5 2006, 08:48 PM) [snapback]358232[/snapback]</div>

I found it to be a great help to stop by the Walgreen's (or CVS, whatever drugstore is near you), and pick up a box of 50 latex/nitrile surgical-like gloves. Costs about $3, and they can really help keep your hands free of oil.

Thanks,
Shawn

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LongRun @ Dec 9 2006, 08:29 PM) [snapback]359886[/snapback]</div>

Maybe the Prius is light enough to not really worry, but I wouldn't trust those ramps with any car. If you get under the car while it is on ramps you must have a backup safety system. But you really don't need to get the car raised to change the oil anyway. With a relatively flat pan I'm able to catch all the oil and change the filter while the car sits on the garage floor.

One other interesting detail with changing the oil on a Prius as opposed to other cars. I inadvertantly left the car "on" but in N for part of one oil change. Since it was in N the engine wouldn't have come on, but if it was in Park it could have. I was amazed when I looked in and saw the dash still lit up. So now I always double check to make sure it is really "off" before starting the oil change.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sub3marathonman @ Dec 10 2006, 08:54 PM) [snapback]360249[/snapback]</div>

There is no way a standard passenger car can crush one of those plastic ramps. At the shop, I've seen loaded pickups backed up onto a pair of plastic ramps with no problem. It is an easy and convient way to get the front of your car up to change the oil. I think it's a lot safer than a jack with jack stands.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sub3marathonman @ Dec 10 2006, 11:54 PM) [snapback]360249[/snapback]</div>

Well, I guess it's all about "controlled" risk, as we can never reduce the risk to zero value. Look at all the dimwits who crawl under a car with just a jack, you only hear of them getting squashed every other week or so.

Though personally the few times I've had my Prius jacked up to drain the CVT, I had a couple old sturdy 30 ton industrial heavy screw thread stands supporting the car. Even my elderly Dad has no idea where he picked them up, they're real metal and weigh a ton. Why should I buy a wimpy 2 ton car stand made from recycled Wriggley's Double Mint wrappers when I can have the real deal??

I've never used ramps to change the oil in my Prius either. I picked up a very shallow pan at Princess Auto, modified it to work. We're talking 4 litres max, doesn't need to be a huge pan. I've also discovered the local Wal Mart carries very shallow Tupperware food things that would work nice too, around $6.

Just wipe out the used oil before sticking leftover turkey in it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveLeePrius @ Dec 5 2006, 04:31 PM) [snapback]358105[/snapback]</div>

Actually no they won't do other maintenance items, unless you pay them to. What they might do it tell you it needs things done....at a cost.

Can you tell I have no faith in dealership service? Once we had a dealership mechanic do an oil change and not tighten the oil filter correctly. Our vehicle just about ran out of oil and would have blown our engine, had I not checked it when we got it home. From now on I do my own oil changes! That way I know it's done correctly.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman @ Dec 11 2006, 06:15 PM) [snapback]360694[/snapback]</div>

If you use two 30 ton jack stands for a Prius, what would you recommend for a full sized car? Two thirty ton stands equals 60 tons which is 120,000 pounds. If we can use round numbers we can call a Prius a 3,000 pound vehicle and we will say that 1,600 pounts in on the front end and 800 pounds is on each wheel. If one of your jack stands is rated at 30 tons that means that you are over one percent of of it's rated capacity. I hope you're not nervous when you are under your car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman @ Dec 11 2006, 11:15 PM) [snapback]360694[/snapback]</div>

The jacks were just laying around unused so he put them to use.

LongRun says "There is no way a passenger car can crush one of those ramps." He's probably right, but no matter, I'm going to have a backup system. He might be willing to back loaded pickups onto these ramps and crawl under, I'm not. And on top of it, he then says it is a lot safer than a jack with jackstands as a backup? What about a manufacturing flaw? What if the car isn't positioned correctly on the ramp? Of course, most of the guys who've found out about these ramps collapsing aren't around to tell their story. Why not take a couple of extra seconds to reduce your risk even further?

Another story, not about oil changes but how accidents can happen. I purchased a car hauling trailer with a winch from a reputable dealer. I told the dealer I wanted to transport a 1957 Chevy, which is a heavy car. I told him I wanted a winch in the trailer for when the car didn't run. I had the trailer for many years when, one day, I was unloading a 1957 Business Coupe, which is actually the lightest '57 Chevy you can find, and the wire broke. I watched the car roll off the ramp, with me running after it trying to grab the front bumper, and into the wallboard of the garage. If somebody had been standing behind the car they could have been hurt or killed. When I took it to another dealer they said the wire was nowhere near what was required to hold such weight. The wire had been slowly breaking down over time because of being overloaded. But by the time it broke I wasn't able to go back to the original dealer.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LongRun @ Dec 13 2006, 06:10 PM) [snapback]361899[/snapback]</div>

Hehehee I love tongue in cheek humor!

Seriously, those old things are heavy mothers. If you don't have barbells just heft those babies up and down a few times.

I've even used them to lift up the tractor axle at the hobby farm when I had my one and - knock on wood - only flat tire. The threads are coarse and widely spaced, so I used an old one inch cast iron pipe to twist it up. Worked like a charm.

Too bad they don't make things like that anymore. They're probably +60 years old.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sub3marathonman @ Dec 13 2006, 07:17 PM) [snapback]361924[/snapback]</div>

I'll tell you one thing right now: there is no way in hell I'd trust one of those flimsy Wally World specials of car "ramp." Even if they'll take the weight without the flimsy metal bending/breaking, what about the stability.

Maybe the solid plastic ones are more stable on uncompacted soils, but how about the regular metal ones? Their "footprint" is very small, just a lip of 1/4 inch or less metal around the edges. Not sure if I even like them on solid cement. On soft pavement - like on a very hot summer day - they can sink in and yes, I have seen that happen around here.

Whatever you do, never ever use one of those flimsy steel car ramps on uncompacted soils. They can sink in unpredictible ways, and next thing you know the car slides with the ramps to one side. There have been a few cases around here of folks working on some "classic" or some old beater in the back yard, the ramps sink, and they get squashed.

Be careful working with steel cable. If it's industrial rated to meet OSHA certifications, it may be safe enough due to the "rated" vs "breaking" load. Most industrial cables I've seen fail have let go at the hook itself. The rating is NOT a "snatch" load however! Like a classic car rolling off a trailer suddenly taking the slack out of a cable. A tow strap would be far better in that scenario.

Good safety warnings for everybody, thanks.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman @ Dec 13 2006, 04:48 PM) [snapback]361937[/snapback]</div>

I was talking about plastic ramps.

Jayman, do you have a three point harness on your home toilet instead of just a simple seat belt?