Pretty cool video showing the internal condition of this engine. Mechanic Tears Down 300,000-Mile Toyota Prius Engine, Carbon Buildup Galore - autoevolution
Clogged oil rings and blown head gaskets. How ironic that the hybrid components are more reliable than the engine
Lasted 300k, then this. May have just been it’s time but … The devil is in the details. Was it one owner or a new owner who thought that it had lifetime oil or the PCV never needed a look see? I’ve known people who babied a car for more than a decade then gave it to a kid who just drives it into the ground. A $30 oil change is a needless expense when it would otherwise buy seven mocha lattes at Starbucks.
Frequent oil changes could save sludge and tarnish. On the other hand after 300k mi and 60 oil changes paying $40 each would cost $2400. You can buy another used engine and install it with this amount. I think Toyota engineers suggesting an oil change every 5k miles found the sweet spot between cost and benefit.
I pay $30 from local Toyota dealer for oil and filter. If I didn’t do it according to recommended schedule my bet is the Prius engine my not last 100k. I knew a guy who never changed his oil on a Dodge Colt. He just added oil occasionally. The car lasted three or four years.
The funny part about the Colt episode was that the guy was surprised when the engine seized. I’ve known other Colts over the years when they were sold that lasted a long time. Oil changes matter. Back then there were no synthetics either. Just 10w30 conventional mainly.
