Toyota Oil Saga Continues...Arrrgh!

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Mom buys a very boring, but dependable Camry. Owner's manual calls for 5-30 @ 5K OCI's. I suggest Mobil 1 from the start, but no... Dealership, whom she is conditioned to trust without question, says they urge her to use only "Toyota motor oil, because it meets the warranty requirements, and it engineered for Toyota vehicles."
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1st oil change, car comes home with a "Genuine Toyota Oil" sticker, and no next OCI listed. 4,800 miles later mom returns with another change, this time with a Valvoline oil sticker, with a heavily penned next OCI of 3K!
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I've given up trying to convince her, but I am to the point of thinking Toyota service centers are about like all the others: basically clueless, dishonest, and somewhat confused.

I can take a nearby Firestone my Mobil 1 & Wix filter, and for $11, they will change it. With the paperwork from them, showing 5K OCI, with Mobil 1 5-30 oil, will they not be required to honor any warranty needs, concerning that little 4-banger
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I think so, no matter what goof running the service bay tells dear old mom.
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You need to visit your Mom more.
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Take her car out for an oil change and her... out to lunch.

Seriously, convincing her Firestone will do a better job than "Toyota" will be an uphill battle. I put "Toyota" in quotes because I'm sure she thinks she's bringing it to the "factory trained experts" instead of a loosely affiliated dealer that also sells daewoos and porches... or whatever.

The valvoline stickers might even be leftover from a bulk delivery years ago. Now they could be running Superflo or who knows what?
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The toyota sticker probably just means current API/toyota spec bulk oil.

Just be glad she makes it in on a regular basis.
 
Simple solution: Get some Mobil 1 and go to the Toyota dealer and have them do the change. I do this with my MR 2 and also to the Subaru dealer with my Forester. Also, I like 5000 mile OCIs since I can keep track easily- EG. 10,000, 15,000, 20,000, etc.
 
Well, it's her car.
Plus, with the short 5K miles intervals, you would be wasting a syntetic oil.
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You do not have to get the oil changed at any particular place in order to keep the warranty valid. Even if you change it yourself, as long as you have receipts, and document the mileage, that's all that is needed. As far as the oil goes, you only have to use a starburst oil. It can be anywhere from 5w20, 5w30, or 10w30. You can use Walmart Supertech, or you can use Mobil1, as long as it has the starburst.

It is a real shame that the Toyota dealer does not do a very good or consistant job changing the oil. Unfortunatly i think your experience is more the norm than the exception.

When i go to the dealer for anything I am kind, patient, pleasant, and understanding. However i do not leave until i am happy with the work done. At times that's meant them draining excess oil after they overfilled it, or replacing the reminder sticker with one someone could actually read, sending a wheel out to be refinished after they scratched it, and yes one time even re-inspecting the car because the knuckle head put the inspection sticker on very crooked. I've found as long as i am really nice about everything, most of the guys are understanding and appreciate the fact i want it done right.

I'd suggest you go with Mom to the dealer and question them about a few things and let them know you are watching out for dear old Mom.
 
every toyota dealer i have been to have used whatever bulk oil they had around: usually pennzoil or castrol. everyone i have been to also have no problem with you taking your own oil (and filter) to them and they'll just charge you for the labor.

btw every dealer is different, if you want, take it to another dealer.
 
Two brief points:

1. My local Honda dealer uses Castrol, although just like Toyota, Honda says that the best results will come from genuine Honda oil. Probably most dealerships are similar in that.

2. Dealerships, and mechanics shops generally, tend to talk down to women and treat them as though they don't know anything. I have observed this with my wife, mother, and grandmother. Even back when I was just as clueless as them, dealership techs and mechanics spoke to me as though I could instantly grasp the minutiae of engineering and would never even make eye contact with whomever I was with, even though 9 of 10 times it was not my car they were talking about. This is a byproduct of the gender roles that have been carved out in our culture.

I say that without intending to accuse any particular person or pass any judgments. I just think it is an observable and "documentable" fact of our time and place.
 
Some battles are best not engaged in, so go with the flow. It's her car and her money so take a chill pill and count to ten before one or both of your carotid arteries pop. Your mother wants the least hassle and believes dealership service will provide that. It's essentially a harmless affliction, though it grates hard on those who are close to her and have a BITOG registration. (BTW - it was very hard for Toyota corporate to argue with owners whose sludge monsters had regular oil changes through authorized Toyota and Lexus dealers...
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Which doesn't mean that the oil they carry any different.
It still meets the SM spec and come from the same plants that source the retail channels.
 
I had problem convincing my mom to not change her oil every 2000 kms. She washes it every other day and take it to a pro detailer once a month. Moms....
 
quote:

Originally posted by SSQ:
I had problem convincing my mom to not change her oil every 2000 kms. She washes it every other day and take it to a pro detailer once a month. Moms....

Now thats the car i want to buy for my Mom>or maybe myself.
 
quote:

Originally posted by SSQ:
I had problem convincing my mom to not change her oil every 2000 kms. She washes it every other day and take it to a pro detailer once a month. Moms....

At least your mom keeps up with her vehicles. I changed the oil in my mom's car LONG time ago, and it had about ~30K on it. There must have been about a half a cup of oil that came out, and when I asked her when the last time she got her oil changed, she was like -->
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My mom got so sick of me buggin her about that, I think after several years it's finally stuck
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My local Toyota dealer keeps cases and cases of Castrol on the shelves. 5W-30 and 10W-30, dino and blend. Toyota oil, not a chance. And they are 100% clueless about service but their prices are high so I guess some people believe they know what they're doing. At least they keep real Toyota anti-freeze around.
 
There's no such thing as Toyota Oil or Honda Oil. Those companies do not refine and sell oil in the sense that Conoco, Shell, or BP does. When a Toyota, Honda, or other dealer says you should, or have to, use THEIR oil, its a bald-faced lie, because THEY don't make oil and even if they did, other oils would also be just fine. That they have the gall to so blatantly lie shows the level to which the dealers will sink to cheat you.

I long ago gave up trying to continue to give advice to those who are determined to wallow in their ignorance. I'll tell people something once and if they don't listen I shut up. Let them pay the price of their stupidity.
 
quote:

Originally posted by hominid7:
You do not have to get the oil changed at any particular place in order to keep the warranty valid. Even if you change it yourself, as long as you have receipts, and document the mileage, that's all that is needed. As far as the oil goes, you only have to use a starburst oil. It can be anywhere from 5w20, 5w30, or 10w30. You can use Walmart Supertech, or you can use Mobil1, as long as it has the starburst.

Not to split hairs here, but it doesn't even necessarily have to have the "starburst" symbol, as long as it meets the requisite API Service Standard, as evidenced by the API Service Symbol / Certification Mark, with SM being the latest standard. I'm pretty sure the Starburst symbol includes ILSAC (GF-4 currently) and corresponds to the SM rating...it is a cooperative effort between the AAMA (American Auto Mfg Assoc) and the JAMA (Japan). My Nissan and Dodge manuals specify the use of an API Service Standard oil (Sx, xW-30) or it can also have the Starburst, but the Starburst is not required in either case.

But your point is well-taken. You absolutely do NOT have to use "their" oil or have it done at "their/dealer" location...that is wrong and also illegal.

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quote:

Originally posted by Bryanccfshr:
Lou Dawg, Unlike other manufactureres vehicles I have owned Toyota Specifies ILSAC Starburst oils to be used in their engines. No wiggle room.

I guess that makes sense...I didn't mean to imply that none of them require the starburst, rather that not all of them do. I didn't articulate that clearly...

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Lou Dawg, Unlike other manufactureres vehicles I have owned Toyota Specifies ILSAC Starburst oils to be used in their engines. No wiggle room.
 
quote:

Originally posted by ULVER:
only "Toyota motor oil, because it meets the warranty requirements, and it engineered for Toyota vehicles."
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As mentioned earlier Toyota does not make oil. Also go here http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/warranty.htm

It's borderline illigal what there "Toyota" is saying this was taken from the above link

"Tie-In Sales"
Provisions
Generally, tie-in sales provisions are not allowed. Such a provision would require a purchaser of the warranted product to buy an item or service from a particular company to use with the warranted product in order to be eligible to receive a remedy under the warranty. The following are examples of prohibited tie-in sales provisions.

In order to keep your new Plenum Brand Vacuum Cleaner warranty in effect, you must use genuine Plenum Brand Filter Bags. Failure to have scheduled maintenance performed, at your expense, by the Great American Maintenance Company, Inc., voids this warranty.

Please read the whole LAW, it's the Law. I had to throw this info to a GM service manager when I put a non GM oil filter on one of my cars, it was a http://www.midwestmotorsportsinc.com/order_part.php?item=512561BP&line=SYS and he got all PO'ed about it. And he said I voided the warrenty he was wrong.
 
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