I recently bought a 2013 Toyota Sienna with 95,000 miles on it. The manufacturer recommended maintenance plan calls for 0W20 with 10,000 mile OCI. I've been doing some searching and it looks like the 2GRFE engine is pretty happy with a number of different brands and weights. I'm thinking I'll probably stick with the manufacturer recommended 10,000 mile OCI with a 0W20. The trends I observed here seemed to indicate that Mobile1, Castrol Magnatec are among the favorites for this van. I'm thinking of going for the Magnatec due to reports of quieter engine operation, and hey they price is pretty good, at least in my location. Though I did see one really good 10,000 mile oil analysis using the Walmart Supertech Synthetic so given the price there that's pretty alluring too.
I feel like the bigger question for me is what filter to go with. I've generally used Wix on my other vehicles but I'm wondering if I should move up a step for the longer OCI. Maybe the WIX XP, or Fram Ultra. Also, it seems like it would be hard to go wrong with the oem filter. Any thoughts?
Another interesting twist is that the dealership gave me a "free" drivetrain warrantee, unlimited miles and unlimited years, sounds a little too good to be true to me but that's what they said. The "free" warantee came with two free (synthetic blend) oil changes at 5,000 miles/5 months. So if I go with the full synthetic 10,000 mile / 1 year OCI it's really only like getting one free oil change. With the dealership being an hour away I'm trying to decide if it's even worth it. The sales guys was like "oh you definitely want to get your oil changed here to make sure you get your warantee" the paperwork guy was more like "it's probably a good idea to get it done here or at an ASE certified shop but just save your receipts if you do it yourself." I'm thinking the warantee is just their way to get people to bring the vehicle to them for service.
Well that's a lot of rambling but I'd be interested in everyone's opinions on any part of that.
Oil and filter for 2013 Sienna
- Thread starter DanielinTheLions
- Start date
Here's some musings in response. Our 2010 2GR-FE has gotten any synthetic that I can find (often M1 5w30, but sometimes QSUD or something else), changed around 7-9k (usually, but maybe a bit earlier if short-tripped in the winter, or a bit longer if on a trip). At that time, Toyota called for any 5w30 at 5k miles. It's standing at 212,000 miles and uses no perceptible amount of oil, even over 10k mile runs (think down less than 1/16 of an inch on the dipstick, if at all). Filters have been mostly Toyota and some cheap K&Ns that I found at Walmart. It still runs like new and gets the same mileage as new. I've never once had to add oil in any amount. If the dealer is giving you a lifetime warranty, I'd strongly consider going there for oil changes just to hedge the bet - just once or twice a year, and it might save you some hassle in proving that you did, in fact, have services done. I wouldn't sweat the maintenance, but would try and be careful to meet the conditions of that lifetime warranty, because that'd be a pretty sweet deal and would give you some peace of mind. Hope that perspective helped.
What they say and what you get "on paper" might be two different warranties. Get the lifetime drivetrain warranty in writing and find out exactly what's covered lifetime.
I would also use those two free oil / filter changes. Make an appointment a couple weeks in advance.
The best oil filter for your 2013 Sienna is the Mahle OX414D1
Other good choices are Fram Ultra and Wix XP/Napa Platinum. Napa will have the Platinum oil filter on sale this Saturday only for $5.99
For the oil, any synthetic oil will be fine. Napa's house brand synthetic is part of the aforementioned one-day sale. Napa oil is Valvoline 
Toyota OEM filters are excellent and cheap if you buy a box at a time. You could make the argument that other filters have better efficiency numbers.... but it's a Toyota. You'll get tired of driving it before the engine gives out, even on the cheapest oil and filters if changed at a reasonable interval.
Originally Posted by BlakeB
Toyota OEM filters are excellent and cheap if you buy a box at a time. You could make the argument that other filters have better efficiency numbers.... but it's a Toyota. You'll get tired of driving it before the engine gives out, even on the cheapest oil and filters if changed at a reasonable interval.
Toyota filters are $5 at my local dealer, and I know without a doubt that they're genuine. The parts folks throw in a drain plug washer for free.
Can't beat that.
I buy my filters on line, last time was $40 for 10 OEM filters. If they are fake then they are really good fakes... A number of dealerships I think are doing sales on Ebay. Actually I saw OEM filters at Walmart (of all places!) last time I was there!
I alternate between 5k and 10k on my Toyota's. 5k in winter and 10k if I feel like it in summer. I've yet to see how Supertech FS is "bad" so I run that. For longer runs I don't doubt better oil is required, but for short OCI's like I prefer, I just don't see a need. On a minivan I'd probably want to save money on oil so I could spend it on tires...
Hour back for the warranty? I'd have them spell out what is covered. Did you get any paperwork with it spelling out what is covered and what isn't?
Ok so here's the scoop on the warranty. During the negation and paperwork finalization the sales guy showed me a really detailed document on what was covered. Basically anything engine and transmission. I expected that paper to be included in the packet I took home but it wasn't. all i had in my take home packet was a document that said 'you have a third party warranty with xxx warranty company' and it said the warranty came with two free oil changes, and call some 1-800 number first to authorize any service. I don't have the document with me or I'd post the name of the company, all I know is i couldn't find anything about them online. So yeah the warranty seems really sketchy to me. Luckily I bought the van for what it was, not for the warranty. I'm kind of thinking if I go in for the free oil changes maybe I can try to get more details on the warranty at that point. It just seems to me that if the warranty was legit they'd give me more than just a document that's primary purpose was to tell me to come in for my first two free oil changes.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that after the purchase I kept thinking that the oil level looked overfull. It's very hard to check on this van, just runs right off the dipstick, and remnants from the tube run onto the dipstick, so there's oil all up and down the stick and ya get a different reading every time you pull it (very common problem apparent). Anyway, shortly after getting it home I drained it down to the top of the safe zone, it was a 1 & 1/2 quarts overfull. I've checked it obsessively since then and I'm quite confident I've got it right now. But that doesn't instill much confidence in the dealerships ability to get the oil change right. I'm guessing the tech was having a hard time checking the level and just got it overfull, he probably sees all sorts of vehicles and doesn't have this one's quirks totally figure out. if I do it myself I'll be very familiar with that and hopefully better able to hit the correct fill level on the first shot. I'm thinking a quart and 1/2 is enough to matter either over or under full.
Originally Posted by DanielinTheLions
Ok so here's the scoop on the warranty. During the negation and paperwork finalization the sales guy showed me a really detailed document on what was covered. Basically anything engine and transmission. I expected that paper to be included in the packet I took home but it wasn't. all i had in my take home packet was a document that said 'you have a third party warranty with xxx warranty company' and it said the warranty came with two free oil changes, and call some 1-800 number first to authorize any service. I don't have the document with me or I'd post the name of the company, all I know is i couldn't find anything about them online. So yeah the warranty seems really sketchy to me. Luckily I bought the van for what it was, not for the warranty. I'm kind of thinking if I go in for the free oil changes maybe I can try to get more details on the warranty at that point. It just seems to me that if the warranty was legit they'd give me more than just a document that's primary purpose was to tell me to come in for my first two free oil changes.
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
The best oil filter for your 2013 Sienna is the Mahle OX414D1
Other good choices are Fram Ultra and Wix XP/Napa Platinum. Napa will have the Platinum oil filter on sale this Saturday only for $5.99
For the oil, any synthetic oil will be fine. Napa's house brand synthetic is part of the aforementioned one-day sale. Napa oil is Valvoline
Toyota filter and Kirkland 0w20 for my RX350 with the 2GR
I think factory filter and more important factor air filter is crucial on these, any 0w20 API SN will do the job as well as the other for a DD, so buy on price. Kirkland seems to be the best deal right now so that's why I use it
Originally Posted by DanielinTheLions
Oh, and I forgot to mention that after the purchase I kept thinking that the oil level looked overfull. It's very hard to check on this van, just runs right off the dipstick, and remnants from the tube run onto the dipstick, so there's oil all up and down the stick and ya get a different reading every time you pull it (very common problem apparent). Anyway, shortly after getting it home I drained it down to the top of the safe zone, it was a 1 & 1/2 quarts overfull. I've checked it obsessively since then and I'm quite confident I've got it right now. But that doesn't instill much confidence in the dealerships ability to get the oil change right. I'm guessing the tech was having a hard time checking the level and just got it overfull, he probably sees all sorts of vehicles and doesn't have this one's quirks totally figure out. if I do it myself I'll be very familiar with that and hopefully better able to hit the correct fill level on the first shot. I'm thinking a quart and 1/2 is enough to matter either over or under full.
Originally Posted by Slick17601
I've owned 2 of these engines and I could only get an accurate reading after sitting overnight.
We've also got a 2013 Sienna. Bought it a few years ago with 50k miles on it, we now have 95k on it. I've run M1 AFE 0w20 in it at 10k intervals with the OEM filter since we bought it. I've never had to add oil and it runs like new, so I don't plan to change a thing. The vehicle will fall apart around that drivetrain if you keep up on maintenance, so any oil should be fine.
Thanks everyone for the input, super helpful. I'm thinking I'll probably go with the OEM filter and feel pretty good with any synthetic 0W20 that's a reasonable price. We'll see what I can dig up on the "free" forever warranty, it will be really sweet if that's legit.
Thanks again for the input!
Originally Posted by DanielinTheLions
Thanks everyone for the input, super helpful. I'm thinking I'll probably go with the OEM filter and feel pretty good with any synthetic 0W20 that's a reasonable price. We'll see what I can dig up on the "free" forever warranty, it will be really sweet if that's legit.
Thanks again for the input!
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