1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Toyota oil vs Mobil One oil

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by alfon, Feb 24, 2012.

  1. schorert

    schorert Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2012
    127
    51
    0
    Location:
    mass
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    This is awesome, really takes me back to MB and Saab forums where people can argue engine oils for weeks!
     
    mtbiker53 likes this.
  2. Oldwolf

    Oldwolf Prius Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2011
    820
    110
    0
    Location:
    NC
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Four
    I'm too lazy to read this whole thread. But I plan to stick to Mobil 1 oil in my Prius Gen III and my soon-to-have Prius C. I've been using Mobil 1 for along time and don't see any compelling reason to change.
     
  3. ra3boy

    ra3boy Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2007
    27
    2
    0
    Location:
    NYC
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Quick question: I'm at dealer for 10k oil change. A tech. comes out with a gallon (plastic can) of dark ( I could not see through the can)oil ?! So how does Toyota ship fully synthetic, 0/20 oil to a dealer? In bulk???
     
  4. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2005
    3,193
    2,323
    0
    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Toyota 0w-20 is available in bulk. Tanker trucks deliver it to the dealer. Places like western oil distributors would do this sort of stuff.


    iPhone ? - now Free
     
  5. ra3boy

    ra3boy Junior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2007
    27
    2
    0
    Location:
    NYC
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Thanks a Bunch!!!
     
  6. ETP

    ETP 2021 Prime(Limit),24 Venza Limit,B52-D,G,F,H

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2009
    2,802
    1,170
    0
    Location:
    Auburdale FL
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    pretty sure my dealer user Mobil one.
     
  7. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,817
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
  8. hsnmz

    hsnmz Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2013
    74
    5
    0
    Location:
    Pakistan
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    in Pakistan Mobil One makes oil for Toyota so here these two are no different
     
  9. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,817
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    You'd be sure because it would be around $70 for a M1 change at the dealer. Not many dealers even stock M1 anyway. They usually stock the bulk oil distributors they use top line stuff. Mine for instance uses Pennzoil vat crap oil so they offer there $10 a quart triple platinum Pennzoil as an upgrade.
     
  10. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,817
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    How do you know that?
     
  11. hsnmz

    hsnmz Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2013
    74
    5
    0
    Location:
    Pakistan
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Got the info from the dealership
     
  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,677
    39,222
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    When we'd just got our 2010 we got invited to an "open night", basically a talk/pitch and question/answer on Toyota, their parts/service departments and so on. We were walked through the service area, and there were oversized pitchers of bulk Toyota oil at the ready.

    Someone remarked they looked kind of dark, and the service manager said that's just the way it is, but it is 0W20, meets spec, and so on.

    I've been using the same stuff, albeit from bottles, for 3 years now, one change every 6 months. It's worked out, it's cheap.
     
  13. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,817
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Seriously? You really think that's the same thing that Toyota sells in a bottle? Cheap?

    Bulk oil is transported in nasty trucks. Stored in filthy vats that are never ever cleaned. Exposed to moisture, dirt, and grime. Basically the cheapest crappiest recycled thing that comes closest to oil. I worked on a lube line when I was a kid. Its a joke. Especially at the dealer where there is no quality control whatsoever. They don't care what they put in your car or how much.
     
  14. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2006
    11,340
    3,596
    1
    Location:
    Northern VA (NoVA)
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It's fairly common to see lube oils delivered in 55-gal drums...but I do not recall seeing car lube oils in drums.
    My dealer has Mobil-1 in the service bay store...last week I wanted to compare labels to Toyota but the Toyota 0W-20 bottles were not sitting avail in the store like the Mobil-1.
     
  15. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

    Joined:
    May 22, 2009
    9,083
    5,798
    0
    Location:
    Undisclosed Location
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    My opinion, and it is just opinion on the very first original post of this mammoth thread, is it really isn't or shouldn't be about Toyota Oil vs. Mobil One...

    I would lean towards using Toyota's Oil, but both are great products. I think if you are changing your oil on schedule, than either oil is going to be fine for your vehicle.

    The right weight, meeting or exceeding manufacturers standards, and changing it regularly and on schedule are the factors I think are most important. If these parameters are met, I think the name or branding on the bottle becomes pretty insignificant. Toyota's reputation is good, Mobil One's reputation is good, use whichever you feel most comfortable with...

    I don't plan to change my own oil, which means I'll probably be visiting the dealership for the majority of my oil changes. All Toyota dealerships carry Toyota motor oil, only some carry alternatives...therefore as long as I'm confident in the quality of Toyota oil, which I am, then it makes more sense to me just to go with Toyota's in house brand. If I ever heard anything about the lack of quality of the oil? I'd make a change, but since that is not the case, Toyota Oil allows me to at least think I can maintain consistency regardless of which Toyota dealership I might choose or wherever I might be. But if the question is Toyota or Mobil One? I'd say both are perfectly acceptable, in fact good choices.