New to me 03 Toyota Matrix xrs

[MatrixMulisha]

I need the advice of all the oil gods. I have just purchased a 2003 Toyota Matrix xrs. It has 100k KM on it and the service records seem to indicate the previous owner was pretty faithful with service at a Toyota dealer.

I would like to know which oil would suit me best. The car would be driven mainly city and we only put about 1000km per month on it, if that. The manual states oil changes every 8k km or 6 months with a 5w30. I will probably stick pretty close to those recommendations. What oil would best suit this scenario.

Thanks everyone!!

 

[Saturn_Fan]

to BITOG.

Use the search function, choosing "UOA Gasoline Engines", change the default search time to 5 years, and type in "matrix xrs". I did this and came up with quite a few oil analysis' done by other owners.

That being said, I would go with Pennzoil conventional 5w-30 on a six month 5,000 mile oil change interval. I have an 08' Corolla, but with the 1ZZFE engine that I do this too.

Oh, I love your screen name. That pretty much rules.

 

[MatrixMulisha]

Hey THANKS!!!

I look forward to using BITOG lots.

 

[Saturn_Fan]

It's a really good forum here. Lots of great information to be found.

 

[odessit]

Valvoline MaxLife is good oil, Penzoil yellow can (aka conventional) is good, Castrol GTX is fine. They all will do 8000 Km (5000 miles) easily.

On synthetic side - Penzoil Platinum is one of the best values. You can probably extend your OCI (oil change interval) to 12000 Km (7500 miles) with this oil.

 

[mikered30]

XRS, nice, did you hit lift yet?

 

[MatrixMulisha]

LOL...just experienced it this afternoon. I dropped the wife and kid off at a store and let her rip down a back road.....WICKED

 

[mikered30]

Originally Posted By: MatrixMulisha
LOL...just experienced it this afternoon. I dropped the wife and kid off at a store and let her rip down a back road.....WICKED

Nice!

 

[MysticGold04]

x2! The ONLY thing that would hold me back from getting a Corolla XRS is the price of premium gas! ... Though if you keep your foot out of it, I suppose I'd get ok mileage! Another vote for the Pennzoil. I've been running platinum in my truck, but switching back to the conventional.

 

[mikered30]

Well, if it will routinely see above 8K RPM, I would go synthetic. PP or M1 has my vote.

 

[MatrixMulisha]

Im pretty sure it wont be seeing over 8k rpm very much as the wife will be using it to go to work mostly. But you never know...she might experience lift and never go back;-)...LOL

 

[MysticGold04]

In that case, yes, I'd have to agree!

 

[MatrixMulisha]

im actually REALLLY surprised at the amount of love for pennzoil. I had fallen into the sludge myth trap (until discovering this forum). What changed? Formula, engine design, poor maintainence regimes to blame, or just pure myth

 

[sunfire]

Pure myth... I was in the same boat - waggon as you were before reading this forum. I own a 05 Corolla with Pennzoil Platinum in the 1ZZFE.

Synthetics are not expensive if you buy them on sale.

 

[wapacz]

There was recently a recall on the matrix for the windows. so you might want to see if that was taken care of.

 

[MatrixMulisha]

Unfortuately here in canada, even when synthetics go on sale, they are still relatively expensive (compared to the US). Come to think of it, regular oil is still [censored] expensive (at least $3-4 per litre for regular old castrol/pennzoil). But im pretty lucky as i am only 20 mins to the border so i will be watching for sales and raiding your stocks....LOL

I just learned about the window issue yesterday. I will definetley be looking into it...THX

 

[Saturn_Fan]

I almost bought a pre-owned Vibe/Matrix before I bought my Corolla. I think they are really nice and versatile cars. I definitely could've used the AWD version up here in the snowy north.

 

[MatrixMulisha]

That was one of the best selling points. I am pretty tall and my daughter is growing up fast. I had an old 95 cherokee that was on its last legs. We looked at a lot of other rigs...hyundai santa fe (looked kinda cheap inside), jeep liberty (smaller than my old cherokee), ford escape (kinda scared of fords)...but i saw a matrix at a dealer and thought id check it out....glad i did...cant believe the amount of room inside. I think i will be really happy with it for many many years to come

 

[Saturn_Fan]

I think so too. I really like my Corolla and I think at least the chassis are very similar as the Matrix.

Going from a Santa Fe and a Liberty to the Matrix, you are really going to like your increase in mpg's.