Prius 2010 Oil Change Interval Revised? Not yet... (closed)

good post :thumb:

i'm an Amsoil dealer as well, and my cars get the SS0 0W30
my motorcycle lives on the 10W40

i keep plenty of both on hand

in a pinch, it's Rotella T 5W40 in the blue jug :thumb:

my friends that understand and appreciate the benefit get the same,
the rest get what's on sale at Pep Boys, WalMart or Autozone ... and there's nothing wrong with that ... i just don't like putting used oil back into the environment as frequently as three to five thousand miles, not to mention sending all those extra plastic jugs to the landfill

now sending smoked out tires to the landfill ... what can i say :noidea:

keep on truckin' eace:

 

My feeling exactly... I'm' old enough that I know big brother is not out for my interests but his.

Dealers Deal..... remember that!

 

+1

i brought a warrantied Ford truck to the dealer for scheduled maintenance, told them to leave the oil alone - leave it alone -
instead, they gave me a "FREE" oil change, swapping out my hardly used Amsoil for some free unidentified dino oil from the 55 gallon drum ... AND THEY STRIPPED THE THREADS ... unbelievable

i'm with Triumph on this, and this stands for anyone in the neighborhood, if you don't know how or are intimidated by the oil change process, contact me and i'll do it for you

come to me, i'll come to you, or we can meet halfway :thumb:

 

I don't like being under a car any more than I have to, and changing oil every 3-5k, to me, is like leaving the water running while I'm at work. I like to spend my spare time on my motorcycle as well. Ride safe.

 

well said

always :thumb:

 

I do enjoy changing the oil... it gives me a sense of satisfaction.... yet I also enjoy most of my chores.... however I still would rather not do them and go fishing instead!

I wonder if they make an oil analysis kit that will take a drop of oil off the dipstick and analyze it?..... boy that would be great!.... but prob very expensive....

 

This happened to me 5 years ago- I bought a new truck, and brought it back in right after I put $75 worth of Amsoil Oil and filter, and they changed it. I brought the truck in for the fuel gauge not working, and they change my oil at 3100 miles, assuming I didn't do it. They did however leave muddy kick marks on my door panel, my change was stolen, my radio stations changed, and a hairy booger was left on my steering wheel. :drum:

 

dipstick really isn't the right spot, the heavier stuff is going to end up in the pan

of course, you can get a drain plug with a valve
or send in the ounces you lose when changing the filter to Blackstone :thumb:

 

Thats been an issue that I've never seen a clear answer on.

Have you or anybody discovered a "valved" drain plug that will fit underneath the shield ok?

 

have you looked into this one --> QuickOilDrainValve.com - the best way to change oil

 

No I haven't... I wonder if the one with the nipple would fit?.


humm... I currently have a magnetic one I intend to use and don't really intend to change my filter without changing my oil too.... as much money as I waste eating out... I'm not going to sweat a few bucks... I'd rather just have fresh oil.

 

Thanks for understanding. Many folks here think that I am skeptical because I think the Amsoil is not going to work those promised 25K miles with a regular filter. That's not the case. The source of my skepticism is simply voiding the warrant. I, myself, am considering using the Amsoil next time and keep changing it every 20-25K miles with the Toyota regular filter because I drive a lot and taking the car to the Toyota dealer for a oil change every 5K is going to break me. I know I will likely void the warrant, but my insurance company still covers mechanic breakdown or engine failure, but there will be a deductible in that case. My other consideration is the Toyota prepaid maintenance. The very extended service (120K miles), which is how much I intend to put in this car before selling it looks a pretty good deal considering you don't have to worry about any maintenance at all, just take you car to any authorized dealer every 5K and they will do all the recommended work…

I'm doing the math... of course; the convenience of the prepaid maintenance will be taken in consideration in my cost estimates....

 

prepaid maintenance changes the equation

if you plan on keeping the car for 120k, and passing it on in good condition rather than sending it to be crushed, then i'd use a good synthetic oil

if it's anxiety or nerves ... then just schedule for yourself, or pay a competent friend, to do a twice annual oil change with the right synthetic and the right filter - and by right, i don't mean the factory recommended CAFE compliant oil

it depends on your annual mileage, type of driving you do, a few factors, but get in the habit of checking your oil

as for the warranty issue, you have to do what you feel is best for you

you should research the likelihood of an oil related engine failure in a Toyota Prius

we all know plenty of people of who've never changed or even checked their oil for the life of their car

 

With the prepaid maintenance, Toyota will change the oil and filter (using 0W20) every 5k for the entire 120K life of the car, without mentioning the more expensive maintenances done at 30, 60, 90 and 120K (yes the 120K is included) that cost about $500 each. Just the expensive maintenances every 30K are enough to cover the cost of the whole prepaid maintenance agreement, so all other 5K services (oil and filter change, tire rotation, and the minor inspections) come for free basically. So, I'm not sure why you think my car would be ready to be crushed after the 120K if was properly maintained according to Toyota's prepaid maintenance schedule?

Honestly, when you sell a used car, if you say: 1-I have Toyota’s prepaid maintenance agreement and all maintenance was done properly by the dealer in a timely manner, nothing was missed, and the dealer have all recorded OR you can say 2-Hey, I actually had a mechanic I trust to change my oil every 30K so my car never visited the dealer before.... I just used an oil that I think is better but not endorsed by Toyota, but trust me… “la garantia soy yoâ€

I and dozens of people I know would choose choice # 1 for sure... be honest with you…

 

So how much do you drive annually, and how much is the maintenance plan?

 

The plan is about $2000 for 120K. I drive 40K annually, so planning to get rid of the Prius shortly after...

 

i did not say that your car would be ready for the crusher after 120k on Toyota's scheduled maintenance plan

without getting into an analysis and discussion of the present value of cash, the scheduled maintenance plan may be entirely appropriate for you

$2K up front for three years of maintenance
i'm assuming this will not cover wear, tear and replacement on tires and brake pads
how about windshield wipers?

i'm assuming that all fluid needs are covered? oil, brake, transmission, coolant ...

 

Does it cover trans fluid changes, the coolant for the ICE or electric?

Tire rotation is nothing- If it doesn't cover the above, that plan is worthless for $2000.

 

It covers everything listed as regular manufacturer's maintenance, so it does not include tire or wiper replacements, normal wear an tear, etc, but it does cover all the fluids, brake pads, sparkling plugs, belts (oops, the Prius has no belts!), etc... According to the dealer sales guy, it is a 3.7K value for 120K miles, so 2k upfront seems like a good deal. This is one of those things you pay a little extra for each increment from the basic (in this case, the 30K plan), so the most expensive plan is also the best value because the increased price is disproportional, but not everybody drive that many miles...

 

Yes it does...