Oil Change Issue.

[Twistoffate0817]

Hello, Well i hit 1300 miles so i decided to get my oil changed, because i was told to change it after the first 1000 miles. So i did today. I went to the dealership to get the oil changed, due to i wanted them to check other things as well. So I asked for synthetic oil, and i was basically told i was nuts. That i did not need it, why even get it, blah blah blah. But i got what i wanted. They charged 61 dollars for it and i was like UHM wow. Is that a normal price for synthetic oil? Also, When do i get my oil changed again now? I only put 1300 miles on my yaris within 5 months, so do i wait another 5 months or until i hit ANOTHER 3000 miles? Im so confused.

[rningonfumes]

60-70 is the going rate these days for any oil change. You'll find this out when the dealership starts send flyers out to you.

I hope I don't start a debate. You can chose the old rule of 3k, many do 5k between changes (that's what the book says). If the price bugs you, buy your own synthetic and filter and take it to one of those lube job only places.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Holy crap, that's what I paid for Amsoil 0W-20 and an EA filter. That combo allows me to change it once a year or 25000 miles, which ever comes first. Amsoil is the best when it comes to synthetic oil. Next time, change it yourself, and keep the receit, however, I believe to maintain the factory warranty, you'll still have to change it every 5k miles (don't quote me on that tho). You can also get Royal Purple for near that price, and Mobil 1 for half that price.

[SeaYa]

At my dealership, you can bring your own synthetic oil in ($61 for just the oil is a rip-off, if $61 was for the whole oil change with synthetic, that sounds like normal dealership pricing). Also, you can easily go AT LEAST 5000 miles with synthetic.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

It's pretty easy to change the oil yourself too, but if you're having problems with it, just ask us for help. There's a DIY guide around here too, I think.

[SeaYa]

I believe to maintain the factory warranty, you'll still have to change it every 5k miles (don't quote me on that tho). You can also get Royal Purple for near that price, and Mobil 1 for half that price.

Yeah, that's why I change mine, even with synthetic, at 5000. At least until the warranty runs out.

[1stToyota]

Hello, Well i hit 1300 miles so i decided to get my oil changed, because i was told to change it after the first 1000 miles. So i did today. I went to the dealership to get the oil changed, due to i wanted them to check other things as well. So I asked for synthetic oil, and i was basically told i was nuts. That i did not need it, why even get it, blah blah blah. But i got what i wanted. They charged 61 dollars for it and i was like UHM wow. Is that a normal price for synthetic oil? Also, When do i get my oil changed again now? I only put 1300 miles on my yaris within 5 months, so do i wait another 5 months or until i hit ANOTHER 3000 miles? Im so confused.

61 dollars is fair, maybe actually cheaper than normal. Normally I'd say stick to the 5k OCIs, synthetic or dino, with a Toyota filter or better, but since you drive such few miles I'd say a 3,000 mile OCI should be about right, but watch your oil level because I would have waited until about 10K miles, or 5K miles at the very least to switch to full synthetic. You may burn a little extra oil at first until the motor is broken in good.

[Twistoffate0817]

Well i only drive about 1300 in 5 months, if i wait until i go 3-5k miles, i wont be changing my oil for like 10-15 months. I thought you shouldnt wait that long? Do you think i can go a year with synthetic if i only drive 1300 within 5 months? This is what i dont understand.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Can someone verify what I'm about to say? I heard that new engines are pre-broken in before shipment/installation? True or false?

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Well i only drive about 1300 in 5 months, if i wait until i go 3-5k miles, i wont be changing my oil for like 10-15 months. I thought you shouldnt wait that long? Do you think i can go a year with synthetic if i only drive 1300 within 5 months? This is what i dont understand.

Oil ages too, so it depends on the oil you buy. That's why Amsoil is only good for a year, even if you don't reach the 25k limit. At least, this is what I think. :biggrin:

Why do you drive that little only?

[rningonfumes]

That's been said before, yes.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

That's been said before, yes.

Which one, the oil age, or the pre-broken in deal?

[1stToyota]

Well i only drive about 1300 in 5 months, if i wait until i go 3-5k miles, i wont be changing my oil for like 10-15 months. I thought you shouldnt wait that long? Do you think i can go a year with synthetic if i only drive 1300 within 5 months? This is what i dont understand.

Don't go over 1 year, and I'd get it out on a mini roadtrip (40 miles?) at least once a week.

[rningonfumes]

Didn't realize you ninja posted me-- The break in.

[Twistoffate0817]

Oil ages too, so it depends on the oil you buy. That's why Amsoil is only good for a year, even if you don't reach the 25k limit. At least, this is what I think. :biggrin:

Why do you drive that little only?

I take the train to work everyday, because its just quicker and easier for me to do it like that. So i drive to and from the train, and not many other places. Im just so confused on what to do. I dont know if i should wait another 5 months before getting my oil changed again, or if i can wait longer due to i drive less and its synthetic.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Didn't realize you ninja posted me-- The break in.

hahaha, I'm sneaky like that. :laugh:

[Kaotic Lazagna]

I take the train to work everyday, because its just quicker and easier for me to do it like that. So i drive to and from the train, and not many other places. Im just so confused on what to do. I dont know if i should wait another 5 months before getting my oil changed again, or if i can wait longer due to i drive less and its synthetic.

How's the climate there? That may help us give you an answer.

Good job on public transportation! :thumbsup:

[1stToyota]

Can someone verify what I'm about to say? I heard that new engines are pre-broken in before shipment/installation? True or false?

If they are then they missed my friend's XD because it sure did use the oil until she got 8k or 9k miles on the car.

Even if they test run them the motors are still pretty green when you get them.

[Twistoffate0817]

How's the climate there? That may help us give you an answer.

Good job on public transportation! :thumbsup:

Well its NJ. Typical Cold winters, Hot summers. Rain, Snow. Yeah. Right now it gets down to about 20-30 degrees at night, and anywhere from 30-40 during the day.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

If they are then they missed my friend's XD because it sure did use the oil until she got 8k or 9k miles on the car.

Even if they test run them the motors are still pretty green when you get them.

Yeah, I still babied the engine until the break-in period was done. Better to be safe than sorry.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Well its NJ. Typical Cold winters, Hot summers. Rain, Snow. Yeah. Right now it gets down to about 20-30 degrees at night, and anywhere from 30-40 during the day.

hmmm, I say no on the long interval changes. Cold then hot can lead to condensation, which is not good when it mixes with the oil. Anyone else have an opinion based on these weather conditions?

[Twistoffate0817]

hmmm, I say no on the long interval changes. Cold then hot can lead to condensation, which is not good when it mixes with the oil. Anyone else have an opinion based on these weather conditions?

So does everyone think i can go 8 months without changing the oil?

[marcus]

amsoil 25k change.. i believe this is what benz uses then.. coz their change oil schedule is every year..

[1stToyota]

hmmm, I say no on the long interval changes. Cold then hot can lead to condensation, which is not good when it mixes with the oil. Anyone else have an opinion based on these weather conditions?

You'll have impurities until you bring the engine up to operating temp and drive it a while to do some good. That's why I suggested the mini road trip about once a week, then I'd still change it pretty often. Every 6-9 months?...

[500snakz]

The yaris holds 4 quarts of oil WITH a filter change. Mobil 1 is 7 bucks or less at wal mart. thats 28 bucks. Add a oil filter for 8 bucks and thats a grand total of 36 dollars for a mobil 1 synthetic oil and filter change. Someone is getting screwed. Use the mobil 1 extended and go 15k miles between changes. Buy the 5 qt jug for 23 bucks and save even more. If the motor does not reach full operating temps between start up and shut off, there could be some condensation buildup in the oil. When the oil gets hot, the moisture is evaporated out. Short trips = more frequent oil changes. If you let the motor warm up untill the light goes off before driving you will probably have NO problems at all.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

You'll have impurities until you bring the engine up to operating temp and drive it a while to do some good. That's why I suggested the mini road trip about once a week, then I'd still change it pretty often. Every 6-9 months?...

But wouldn't the condensation break apart the oil??? But yeah, seems logical that when in optimum temp, the water will evaporate.

[pandables]

I just got a flyer- Dealership oil change, filter, and good ole inspection for 23.99-

Not a bad deal at all really..

But I'd still rather do my own :smile: Don't even have to jack it if youre gonna be lazy

[cfiimei]

You are WAY overthinking this. I use a good dino (non-synthetic) oil (Castrol, but some others are plenty good too) and change every 3K. Unless you are just too delicate, take the time to find out how to change the oil yourself, and you can do it for less than $20. You don't even need a jack to change the oil...

$60 :eek: for an oil change? Never. If you don't want to do it yourself, go to Jiffy Lube or some other franchise... you'll save half that. They, like the dealership, will still try to sell you crap you don't need... still better than the dealership, though.

[1stToyota]

At around 8 miles a day it'd take him about 375 days to hit 3,000 miles; way too long under those conditions.

[cfiimei]

Valid point, 1stToyota. We have a 93 Sentra with less than 65K on it (2nd car - does not get driven very much). I change the oil about every 6 months on that one. No problems, no condensation or corrosion issues, no obsessive worrying. I worry more about the gas getting stale than the oil. Those that have the extra cash and just feel better about it can do what they want with synthetics and dealer oil changes, and I won't tell them they are wrong if it makes them happy. In 30+ years of driving I've never lost an engine due to oil problems, and I never worried or obsessed about it much. I've kept several cars until they had well over 200K on them, and sold them all in good running condition. All had dino oil, changed roughly every 3K miles, or every winter and summer if they were not driven much.

I've found it is easy to obsess about every little thing regarding a car or motorcycle. I've also found it is easier yet to just drive or ride the things, use common sense, and worry less.

[1stToyota]

Valid point, 1stToyota. We have a 93 Sentra with less than 65K on it (2nd car - does not get driven very much). I change the oil about every 6 months on that one. No problems, no condensation or corrosion issues, no obsessive worrying. I worry more about the gas getting stale than the oil. Those that have the extra cash and just feel better about it can do what they want with synthetics and dealer oil changes, and I won't tell them they are wrong if it makes them happy. In 30+ years of driving I've never lost an engine due to oil problems, and I never worried or obsessed about it much. I've kept several cars until they had well over 200K on them, and sold them all in good running condition. All had dino oil, changed roughly every 3K miles, or every winter and summer if they were not driven much.

I've found it is easy to obsess about every little thing regarding a car or motorcycle. I've also found it is easier yet to just drive or ride the things, use common sense, and worry less.

Under normal conditions it's easy to follow a regular maintenance schedule, taking 5-6 months to go 1,300 miles isn't the norm.

[jambo101]

If they are then they missed my friend's XD because it sure did use the oil until she got 8k or 9k miles on the car.

Even if they test run them the motors are still pretty green when you get them.
i was under the impression that they just built the engines with better machinery so tolerances were more exact these days so a shorter break in period is required.As for oil expiring ?hasnt it been in the ground for millions of years?which also makes me wonder why its so anti environmental to just dump old oil in a nearby field,wouldnt i just be putting it back where it came from?:drinking:

[craigq]

As for oil expiring ?hasnt it been in the ground for millions of years?which also makes me wonder why its so anti environmental to just dump old oil in a nearby field,wouldnt i just be putting it back where it came from?:drinking:

Just in case you are not joking:
1. Some reasons oil can expire are: oil specifications change over time, additive "fallout", heat/cold cycles, and contamination (i.e. dust, moisture etc.)
2. As a result of lubricating the engine the oil is carrying contaminants, combustion by-products, heavy metals, acids and other carcinogenic substances. Hence, it's not a good thing to be disposing of irresponsibly. It *might* enter the water table, or someone's drinking water, which isn't a good thing...

Now, I have no problem with using an oil that's 5 or so years old, as long as it met the specs for the engine and it didn't come out in clumps or have "stuff" at the bottom of the bottle...

[1stToyota]

i was under the impression that they just built the engines with better machinery so tolerances were more exact these days so a shorter break in period is required.As for oil expiring ?hasnt it been in the ground for millions of years?which also makes me wonder why its so anti environmental to just dump old oil in a nearby field,wouldnt i just be putting it back where it came from?:drinking:

It's the short-trip driving that's bad on the oil's life, not a due date stamped on the bottom. :rolleyes:

[Ramblin yari]

60-70 is the going rate these days for any oil change. You'll find this out when the dealership starts send flyers out to you.


I paid $42 for an oil change, filter and tire rotation & balance. $60-$70 bucks would make me crawl under the car and do it myself.

[BaknBlak]

Change your oil every 6 months if you're low on miles. This was just told to me last week at a dealership. He shook his head when I rolled my Tacoma in on 4 flats with 1000 miles in 11 months. He said it was 3 months, then a year and now 6 months. My warranty's gone so it didn't bug me too much.

[The little red pill]

Also, changing the oil yourself gives you pride in your vehicle, and a sense of satisfaction in doing the job yourself. An oil change is the easiest maintenance item you can perform. I NEVER take my car somewhere to have the oil changed. I've had bad experiences with people putting too much oil in, not enough, spilling it all over the engine bay and then having my car smoke. Nope, just ME working on MY car thank you. :cool:

[Pitt Yaris]

Paying anyone to change your oil is a HUGE waste of money. An even bigger waste on the Yaris. I have done an oil change on 4 different family cars, and the Yaris is by far the easiest.

[Pitt Yaris]

I NEVER take my car somewhere to have the oil changed. I've had bad experiences with people putting too much oil in, not enough, spilling it all over the engine bay and then having my car smoke. Nope, just ME working on MY car thank you. :cool:
One reason I change my own oil is because it's easy and I'm cheap. The second and just as important reason is garages overfilling/underfilling/etc. as you said.

[rningonfumes]

I paid $42 for an oil change, filter and tire rotation & balance. $60-$70 bucks would make me crawl under the car and do it myself.


20 buck oil changes for Dino and satisfactory filters already has put me under the car. The 60-70 buck changes are the average for all the dealors around here. There is Claremont Toyota who gives free changes for 3 years if you buy from them...but even if I did get my Yaris there, it's about 20-30 miles from me.

As someone else has already meantioned, I change my own oil so I can be touch with what's up with my car. There's something about looking, feeling, poking, pulling..etc on different things to know what's up with your car.

[NJBob]

Yeah, I change my own oil cheaper with synthetic than reg oil at Grease Monkey. If you shop you can get a good pure synth and filter for $25. Voorhees? We're almost neighbors. :thumbsup:

[socko]

One reason I change my own oil is because it's easy and I'm cheap. The second and just as important reason is garages overfilling/underfilling/etc. as you said.

And it's even easier if you remove the oil pan drain plug and put in a Fumoto oil drain valve (for about $20). Then, when you change oil, all you have to do to drain is to open the valve.

[07WYarisRS]

I run my car on Amsoil and change it twice a year...
you have to change the oil every 3000 miles not because Toyota says so, but because thats what the normal drain interval is for most dino/mineral based oils.

Providing you keep the reciepts and follow the recommended drain intervals of the oil you are using and records of the mileage etc they CAN NOT deny you warranty...
The 0w-20 Amsoil I use has a 25,000 mile or 1 year change interval...
I change it arpox every 15,000 KM (10k miles ) I change it once in the fall and once in the spring.

[Twistoffate0817]

Yeah, I change my own oil cheaper with synthetic than reg oil at Grease Monkey. If you shop you can get a good pure synth and filter for $25. Voorhees? We're almost neighbors. :thumbsup:

Yep, Voorhees. :P I know nothing about cars, and i dont feel safe messing with my car trying to change the oil.

[neo3.142]

which is a better oil to use syntec, mobil1, royal purple, red line?

[NJBob]

Yep, Voorhees. :P I know nothing about cars, and i dont feel safe messing with my car trying to change the oil.

I understand. I never used to do mine in my last car because it was hard to reach. LOL :rolleyes:


which is a better oil to use syntec, mobil1, royal purple, red line?
I'd say they're all good as long as it's pure synthetic. Just go for what's on sale. You have plenty of time between changes to price shop between oil changes. Royal Purple is over priced in my book. There are lots of guys here who know better than me. Let's hide and watch. :biggrin:

[07WYarisRS]

Redline and Amsoil are about the top 2

oils as classified in 5 groups

group I oils are the cheap junk like castrol GTX, Q state etc
group II oils are better nown as syntheitc blends as they are a mix of group I and group III oils
Group III oils are what 99% of synthetic oils are made of... These oils are synthetic oils made from mineral/crude oil. Most use the hydro cracking method and use heavy amounts of pure synthtic base stocks as additives. Group III are far better then any group I or II oil. Castrol Syntec and Mobil 1 are examples of group III synthetics.

Group IV ~ V These are the best of the best and are not actually oil. these are lubricants but called oils to not confuse the mass public...These are not pumped out of the ground, instead and made by folks in white lab coats. Most contain extremely small amounts of mineral oil or no mineral oil at all. Group IV synthetics are POA based ( Polyalphaolefin )
group V are usually Ester based synthetics

Redline and Amsoil products are bother a group IV-V synthetic and contain no mineral oil. This eliminates any mineral by products that oxidize and form sludge and engine deposits.
I should point out BOTH buy their synthetic stock from Exxon/mobil1 so you know even though the formulas are different the base stocks use in Mobil1, Amsoil and Redline are all the same.
Royal purple Racing oils are group IV-V however the regular stuff is group III...

If you can't find or afford a group IV-V synthetic... be sure to use a quality group III like Mobil 1.
My #1 choise is Amsoil, Redline is also great but far fewer products available
don't forget... the engine is just 1/2 of it... be sure to change the transmission fluid as well. 75W-90 for the Manual trans and the universal ATF for the auto's.

[Yaris Hilton]

$60-70 is the going rate for dealership oil changes?! Holy cow! That's double what the independent shops here charge. (Let alone doing it myself, which I've done for most of my life.) So much for getting all the service done at the dealer while the warranty lasts! :eek:

[NJBob]

$60-70 is the going rate for dealership oil changes?! Holy cow! That's double what the independent shops here charge. (Let alone doing it myself, which I've done for most of my life.) So much for getting all the service done at the dealer while the warranty lasts! :eek:

Salesmen say that's where all their money comes from.....service. They wanted to charge me $90 just to reset my Tire Pressure Sensors. A year later, I'm still seeing the yellow warning light. LOL :thumbdown:

[1stToyota]

Redline and Amsoil are about the top 2

oils as classified in 5 groups

group I oils are the cheap junk like castrol GTX, Q state etc
group II oils are better nown as syntheitc blends as they are a mix of group I and group III oils
Group III oils are what 99% of synthetic oils are made of... These oils are synthetic oils made from mineral/crude oil. Most use the hydro cracking method and use heavy amounts of pure synthtic base stocks as additives. Group III are far better then any group I or II oil. Castrol Syntec and Mobil 1 are examples of group III synthetics.

Group IV ~ V These are the best of the best and are not actually oil. these are lubricants but called oils to not confuse the mass public...These are not pumped out of the ground, instead and made by folks in white lab coats. Most contain extremely small amounts of mineral oil or no mineral oil at all. Group IV synthetics are POA based ( Polyalphaolefin )
group V are usually Ester based synthetics

Redline and Amsoil products are bother a group IV-V synthetic and contain no mineral oil. This eliminates any mineral by products that oxidize and form sludge and engine deposits.
I should point out BOTH buy their synthetic stock from Exxon/mobil1 so you know even though the formulas are different the base stocks use in Mobil1, Amsoil and Redline are all the same.
Royal purple Racing oils are group IV-V however the regular stuff is group III...

If you can't find or afford a group IV-V synthetic... be sure to use a quality group III like Mobil 1.
My #1 choise is Amsoil, Redline is also great but far fewer products available
don't forget... the engine is just 1/2 of it... be sure to change the transmission fluid as well. 75W-90 for the Manual trans and the universal ATF for the auto's.

Just one thing to add: Amsoil's cheaper XL series isn't group IV, it's group III, as mentioned on their website.

[1stToyota]

Salesmen say that's where all their money comes from.....service. They wanted to charge me $90 just to reset my Tire Pressure Sensors. A year later, I'm still seeing the yellow warning light. LOL :thumbdown:

Our sensors don't need to be reset. Must be a bad sensor or a fault in the system.

[TheRealEnth]

woah thats crazy.. over here people are hustling with the economy.. You can easily get an oil change for 17.99... and with synthetic u can hold out 7-15k fine with our yarii... but if you are paranoid, just stick with 5k... 3k is too close

[NJBob]

Our sensors don't need to be reset. Must be a bad sensor or a fault in the system.

I bought "S" wheels from "RocklandToyota" and put my steelies away for winter. The light came on when I changed. :confused:

[Giobatera]

woah thats crazy.. over here people are hustling with the economy.. You can easily get an oil change for 17.99... and with synthetic u can hold out 7-15k fine with our yarii... but if you are paranoid, just stick with 5k... 3k is too close

I agreed with TheRealEnth. I'll NEVER, EVER, EVER pay $60-$70 for an oil change. That is INSAINE.....:eyebulge::eyebulge::eyebulge:
The best way to handle this is just go to WALMART, get a nice Full Syntetic and DO IT YOUR SELF :thumbup:

[eric81]

Redline and Amsoil are about the top 2

oils as classified in 5 groups

group I oils are the cheap junk like castrol GTX, Q state etc
group II oils are better nown as syntheitc blends as they are a mix of group I and group III oils
Group III oils are what 99% of synthetic oils are made of... These oils are synthetic oils made from mineral/crude oil. Most use the hydro cracking method and use heavy amounts of pure synthtic base stocks as additives. Group III are far better then any group I or II oil. Castrol Syntec and Mobil 1 are examples of group III synthetics.

Group IV ~ V These are the best of the best and are not actually oil. these are lubricants but called oils to not confuse the mass public...These are not pumped out of the ground, instead and made by folks in white lab coats. Most contain extremely small amounts of mineral oil or no mineral oil at all. Group IV synthetics are POA based ( Polyalphaolefin )
group V are usually Ester based synthetics

Redline and Amsoil products are bother a group IV-V synthetic and contain no mineral oil. This eliminates any mineral by products that oxidize and form sludge and engine deposits.
I should point out BOTH buy their synthetic stock from Exxon/mobil1 so you know even though the formulas are different the base stocks use in Mobil1, Amsoil and Redline are all the same.
Royal purple Racing oils are group IV-V however the regular stuff is group III...

If you can't find or afford a group IV-V synthetic... be sure to use a quality group III like Mobil 1.
My #1 choise is Amsoil, Redline is also great but far fewer products available
don't forget... the engine is just 1/2 of it... be sure to change the transmission fluid as well. 75W-90 for the Manual trans and the universal ATF for the auto's.

Thanks for the heads up... I bought the prepaid dealership maintenance, which takes care of oil changes (except for the $8 difference between regular oil and synthetic... but the car comes stock with synthetic, so they force you to pay the difference... stupid if you ask me) and ALL things that they normally charge you for at the shop. Stuff like tire rotations, engine checks, and anything they touch while at the dealership. I thought it would be a good investment at the time, being in the Army and not having much time to myself, but I am selling it and my extended warranty back to them this week I have to fax in a paper requesting to sell back the stuff, and then they will apply it to my principal. Turns out the engine was easy to work on, and with all the stuff I changed, I am pretty sure my warranty is gone anyways. (CAI, header, exhaust, lowering springs, plugs, battery, and several other things will probably break their rules and void my warranty anyways. Oh well. Now I can work on my car without worrying about what rule I am breaking.

[IllusionX]

I bought "S" wheels from "RocklandToyota" and put my steelies away for winter. The light came on when I changed. :confused:

Because the older S rims do not have the tire pressure sensors. you will need to transfer them from the steel wheels to your new ones. or get new sensors..

or just live with it.

[BLAZINBLUEVITZ]

Because the older S rims do not have the tire pressure sensors. you will need to transfer them from the steel wheels to your new ones. or get new sensors..

or just live with it.

WRONG, i believe i gave him the sensor's which needed to be RE-programed to vehicle.....