Can I use 0w20 ?

Water vapor and hydrocarbon combustion byproducts accumulate over time, forming sludge in the oil.

In the US, the 5,000 mile oil change interval resulted from the class action lawsuit that Toyota settled around a decade ago, where some Toyota V6 engines suffered damage from insufficient lubrication.

The owners claimed they observed the 7,500 mile engine oil change intervals in effect at that time. Hence Toyota reduced the interval to 5,000 miles. For Prius, that change started in model year 2004.

I believe that the quality of lubricating oils available in the US is not necessarily the same as in Europe, so an extended change practice observed in Europe may not make sense in the US.

You also need to consider the cost of motor oil when evaluating the change interval. In the US, you can purchase 5 US quarts of brand-name (Mobil, Pennzoil, Castrol) full synthetic oil at Walmart for around US$25 plus local sales tax.

I would be interested to hear from our European members what they pay for an equivalent amount of synthetic motor oil in their locales. Obviously, if you pay substantially more for the motor oil, you would not be thrilled about changing it at 5K mile intervals.

Regarding the use of 0W-20 in 2G Prius, I think that is OK in the winter season. I would not use that in a season when the ambient temperature exceeds 90 degrees F. My personal experience with my 2004 was that noticeable oil consumption started after that use, even when I moved back to synthetic 5W-30.

 

We pay substantially more as follows;

Halfords | Engine Oils & Car Fluids | Power Steering Fluid | Brake Fluid

Be aware that the price includes 20% sales tax/vat. I think the thinking here is that it is better to put top quality oil in your pride and joy rather than the cheap stuff you get from the local supermarket.

I think it started many years ago where most larger cars were company cars as a perk (like health insurance) where companies and lease companies would rather the cars were serviced less often and thus keep them on the road longer. There was also the inconvenience factor arranging many cars to head in for servicing. It's bad enough remembering to get the car serviced once a year, let alone twice or more. I worked in a companies fleet department once which had about 100 cars and we were always taking them in for service and getting them tested. The work and staff levels would almost double with lower service intervals. So pay more for quality oil and increase service intervals and reduce staff levels. Company cars are still a popular perk here in the UK despite them being liable to tax. The headache of running costs, insurance and servicing are all taken care of by the company.

Before people are concerned about cars going unchecked for long periods of time. We have a very stringent safety and emissions test every 12 months which keeps the wrecks off the road.

 

1 US quart = 0.95 liter
7o Euros ~ US$90

US$90 x 0.95 = $85.50, which is more than 3x the US Walmart price. No wonder you wish to eke out the last dregs of service life from your oil, when paying European prices.

I believe that I tried Toyota 0W20 in the 2004 at around 70K miles, when I lived in southern California (south Orange County.)

 

Why is the choice between 5W40 and 0W20?

If your climate is moderate and you wish to improve fuel economy, why not use 5W30 or 5W20? Hopefully you can find those viscosity grades at a similar price to 5W40.

I believe that you may obtain 2-5% improved fuel economy when moving from 5W30 to 0w20.

 

Just to verify, that's propane you're running on?

 

It appears lpg is a mixture or propane and butane.

Autogas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

LPG or Autogas is primarily a mixture of propane and butane, though it can also have a very small amounts of a some other hydrocarbons like propene.

Propane and butane both have similar energy content, however the vapor pressure of butane is lower than that of propane. In the US the LPG is predominantly propane, but in many countries without a cold climate there may also be a significant amount of butane in the mix. Essentially the ratio of propane to butane can be adjusted to give the desired vapor pressure for the target climate