Oil change every 5K miles or 3K???

Prius is special so get your oil changed every 5000 miles. No, need to tell anyone anything

 

The dealer wants you to change oil every 3K so they can make more money. It is a gigantic waste of oil, 5K is often enough especially if you use synthetic oil. The dealer will also want to flush the radiator at 15k and change the transmission fluid. Don't do it follow the books maintenance schedule.

 

well, i think all new toyotas come with the 5k oil change interval. higher mileage cars probably will do better with a 3k interval, but we're talking 150k miles and older engines.

it also helps that the prius engine isn't running all of the time.

no need to ask for anything special, regular old oil will work just fine for ya. just follow the warranty book and you'll have no worries.

 

I vote for 12K. .. (With Mobile 1 15K mile oil of course)..

I am about to do an oil analysis on my oil.. have just about 12K on it now..

Will be going to get it changed this weekend.

We will see how it is..

Scott

 

Note that Toyota requires 5K OR six months, whichever comes first. (I'm stickin' with that until the warranty expires, then doin' it evry 5K regardless of time.)

 

My Jeep manual stated every 7500 miles for highway driving.

As stated, dealers and oil change places just want you back soon so they can have your money.

I'm sticking with the Toyota recommend 5k, although I'll be a few hundred miles past 10k when I go have it done this weekend.

 

For what it's worth, we have a 2003 and started out with the 7500 mile oil change interval for the first few changes but dropped that to about 3500-4000. Our experience is that our mileage tends to slide when we let it go longer -- I am convinced of this. The engine doesn't seem anywhere near as smooth when letting it go to 7500 between changes. We also live in MD and have fairly cold winters, for what that may contribute. Our commute is 35 miles roundtrip (6x per week) consisting of some surface streets but 90% highway with lightly hilly terrain. Lots of slowing down, coasting, and speeding up. We know how to work the mileage to maximize results. Early AM temperatures when we leave in winter may be in the teens at times.

Those are my conditions and practices. We've had no problems except for the recent dealer oil overfill.

Dave

 

Love the 5k and I do really like the reminder light. Living such busy lives, it is so easy to see those miles slip by when you really intended to get the little one in there for it's maintenance in a timely manner.

 

3K miles is really a throwback to carburated engines. Ever since fuel injection, most manufacturers moved to 5K or even 7.5K miles.

The oil change places have a definite interest in keeping us "thinking" it is still 3K miles.

I find it somewhat ironic when "prius" drivers do 3K changes. What an environmental waste. However, a lot of Prius buyers are not "green" (except "money greeen")

 

Oh there's a reminder light that will come on at 5k miles? That would be great. It can be easy to forget.

 

I run Royal Purple full synthetic with a Mobil 1 oil filter. Total cost ~$45.00.

I changed it every 12,000-15,000 miles. Not only am i saving money with full synthetic, but it's good for the engine and it feela soooo smooth. To each his own though, nothing wrong with conventional oil.

 

You have some nice mods. Can I see a pic of this:

Center Armrest Cover

How do you install it?

 

not that easy for me to forget when to change the oil. i go to local Toyota dealership and they stick a reminder on the corner of the windshield on the drivers side so i see it all the time.

on the interval, i have heard a lot about making your first change a bit earlier because IF there is going to be any metal shavings, most will be there from a new engine breaking in. some recommend the first change at 2500 to 3000 because of this possibility.

now, if you live in a dry dusty windy place. you might want to change oil more often, or if a kid on a tricycle moves faster than you do on your daily commute, you might want to think about shorter intervals. on the latter, the Prius goes a long way towards eliminating that problem too but gotta feel that the quality of the oil might be affected a little.

 

If I change my own oil, how do I get the reminder light to go off ? Do I just answer a question ?

 

Reread the manual.

There seems to be something new i missed every reread, especially the poorly written NAV manual.

Oh and buy the proper filter wrench, factory filter w/drain bolt gasket.

More info, do a search here, lots of info on all this covered many times over.

 

in the manual is a procedure for resetting the reminder light. make sure car LT odometer on. power on car and hold odometer button...umm... heck...dont remember... but like i said... its in the manual.

 

1997 Jeep with 170,000 miles, 2002 Sportrac with 150,000 miles, 1997 Camry with 245,000 miles. I use Mobil 1 and change oil every 10,000 miles!

 

My Toyota dealership has a web site, and on it they tell me that the recommended interval for service for my Prius is 3000 miles. What a bunch of grasping capitalist imperialist war mongering pigs...

I sent them an email informing them that if they would correct their web site it would actually be useful to me. As of yet (3 months), they have not chosen to do so. So I stay away from the web site, I find it too depressing.

-Roger

 

I see sooo many opinions that are not based in fact. The ONLY way to know the proper oil change interval for your car is to have an oil analysis done and to consistantly use the same oil. If you have not done this analysis you don't KNOW anything! Oil additive packages are different within each oil line and indeed different beteween oils in the same line so, consistantcy is important. The analysis will tell you, over time, when to change the oil and only if a baseline is known for the oil used.
Many say that frequent oil changes are the only way to ensure all particulates are eliminated. Others say particulate loading is unimportant if the oil keeps the particulates in suspension. Additive packages are primarily the only part of the oil that wears out. Anti foaming agents, detergents and other additives also help keep the particulates in suspension. Who is right?
So, do sythetic oils really offer longer life? The answer is maybe, depending on their use, amount of heat, additive package, where its used, etc. IMHO, where synthetics really shine is when used in a sealed envierment like a gear case where outside contamination are kept to a minimum. In crankcases where water, carbon and silicon enter the oil the clear argument for their use and their advantages becomes less clear. The only way to tell is to use oil analysis, no matter the oil you use and to have a baseline for the additive package before starting. How do you get a baseline? Send in unused, fresh oil for analysis or inquire with the lab if they already have a baseline for your oil.
-Paul R. Haller-