When Should I Do My First Oil Change?

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: pbm

I agree that 5K on a Prius would be more like 2 or 3K on a regular gasser because the batteries are running it part time.


That is so not true. The engine is on almost the entire time.

Originally Posted By: Chris Meutsch
Have it done at 3k, then let it go until the 10k mark and let them do it for free then and at the 20k mark. That oil will hold up.


I personally suspect that the 10k interval was due to the introduction of ToyotaCare. Canada is still on the 5k schedule.

 

[SLCraig]

I did 3, then 5K with conventional, now expect to go pretty much OLM or close to it. Will also be going to syn at the next OC.

 

[Colt]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: pbm

I agree that 5K on a Prius would be more like 2 or 3K on a regular gasser because the batteries are running it part time.


That is so not true. The engine is on almost the entire time.



Maybe because you have a 1.8L and a smaller battery pack but the Camry's 2.4L engine is off quite a bit.
Mike,how fast can you go in electric mode before the engine takes over.
The Camry is 42 MPH.

 

[addyguy]

I like your 3k, 6k, 10k plan - but after those three changes, I'd do every 10k with a quality 0W-20 syn, instead of 5k going forward.

You must have a parking spot you can change oil in, Mike? After all, you park your car there.....

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
I like your 3k, 6k, 10k plan - but after those three changes, I'd do every 10k with a quality 0W-20 syn, instead of 5k going forward.

You must have a parking spot you can change oil in, Mike? After all, you park your car there.....


At $9 labor though, I might as well just have the dealer do it and watch them like a hawk...especially since the service gets documented in the national database. Dunno about the every 10k thing, I question whether it was driven by free maintenance.

 

[hate2work]

Originally Posted By: addyguy


You must have a parking spot you can change oil in, Mike? After all, you park your car there.....


Changing your oil is never allowed in apartments around here. They have learned that pretty soon you have people doing complete rebuilds with the car sitting up on jacks for weeks, etc. So they simply say you can't do anything at all, that prevents it from getting out of hand.

Mike, I would definitely change the oil now, and whatever you choose from then on will be fine.

 

[electrolover]

if it were me i would change it now and every 5k after that.

 

[addyguy]

Any quality syn will do 10k, Mike - you know that. Especially with mostly highway driving.

Nothing at all with doing 5k, though. It just sounds like you don't have a bundle invested in this car emotionally, so 10k changes will keep it running just fine while you have it.

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: Colt
Originally Posted By: pbm
I'd do the first one at 5K then the freeo at 10K then another at 15K then the next freeo at 20K and then go by the book (OM) from there on.
The few shorter OCIs will help remove break-in metals.
I agree that 5K on a Prius would be more like 2 or 3K on a regular gasser because the batteries are running it part time.


The problem with that is the engine going on and off,it doesn't stay on long many times to heat the oil enough to get moisture out as well as a non hybrid.
I have a '11 Camry Hybrid and notice this.


+1 - having driven several "Prii" (latin plural of Prius? Or is it "Priuses"...), the engine runs about 90-95% of the time that you're driving the car, it cycles on and off very frequently (often a few times per minute), so I would say that the operating conditions are equal to, if not harder than a conventional gasoline engine...

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: The Critic

Dunno about the every 10k thing, I question whether it was driven by free maintenance.


That's like say 5W20 was driven by CAFE... Maybe is was, but where's the evidence that it's detrimental?

There are several long (15-25K) used oil analysis on Prius engines, and they all look really good. There's no reason not to go 10K on this car with your driving habits. I agree with the 'couple of early changes, then 10K' line of thinking.

 

[javacontour]

Originally Posted By: hate2work
Originally Posted By: addyguy


You must have a parking spot you can change oil in, Mike? After all, you park your car there.....


Changing your oil is never allowed in apartments around here. They have learned that pretty soon you have people doing complete rebuilds with the car sitting up on jacks for weeks, etc. So they simply say you can't do anything at all, that prevents it from getting out of hand.

Mike, I would definitely change the oil now, and whatever you choose from then on will be fine.


That's why you go to ANOTHER apartment complex! What are they going to do, kick you out of an apartment you don't rent there.

Or you change it in the parking lot of the auto parts store

What about friends, their homes? A co-worker, especially an attractive MOTAS.

 

[tommygunn]

yea, I've heard of people doing their oil changes in the AAP parking lot lol......if you're "quick" they won't mind.....just don't make a mess, or draw a crowd lol.

 

[The Critic]

Just hit 3k tonight.

 

[The Critic]

Got the oil changed by the dealer today. I supplied the Mobil 1 0w-20 and Toyota filter. They supplied the labor and washer for $20.

Here's the proof

 

[virginoil]

"Mr Critic" you have really surprised me by your action in draining the oil at 3000 miles.

You have been around for some time and this has been debated on several occasions.

IMO you should have gone as planned in first post to 5000 miles or at least 3 months for the first oil change.

I do not want a debate as the horse has bolted. It's just my opinion.

 

[Slick17601]

Changing at 3,000 was a good plan. Never hurts for perform an early first oil change.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: virginoil
"Mr Critic" you have really surprised me by your action in draining the oil at 3000 miles.

You have been around for some time and this has been debated on several occasions.

IMO you should have gone as planned in first post to 5000 miles or at least 3 months for the first oil change.

I do not want a debate as the horse has bolted. It's just my opinion.


I was just itching to do an oil change and wanted to get some good use out of the Mobil 1.

Like I posted earlier, I had the dealer do an oil service at 3,000 miles with my supplied Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w-20. I will run this fill until 10,000 miles. At that point the dealer will do an oil service under ToyotaCare with Toyota 0w-20. I plan to stay with 10,000 mile intervals for the foreseeable future considering my driving conditions. I will use the second jug of Mobil 1 0w-20 at the 30k oil change, since the maintenance plan also covers the 20k oil change.

 

[novadude]

I am really surprised that people on this forum who will fret over a few ppm of iron in an oil analysis will wait until the OLM indicates a change is necessary on the FIRST oil change. New engines put a lot of metal in the oil when they are still breaking in. I'm a believer in ~1000 miles for the first change. It may not help engine life, but there is no way it can hurt!

 

[surfstar]

Go by the book! But I could see an early first change for the warm, fuzzy feeling. I only buy used, so its never a problem for me.
My g/f has a 2008 Acura TL with an OLM. HOWEVER, the dealer$hip put a bright orange sticker on her owners manual stating 3k mile oil changes - what a crock! I really wanted to tear into them when I saw that, but I've never made a visit to them. I love how they try to override the engineers who designed the engine and programmed the OLM for their own profit, not to mention the waste of resources.

 

[virginoil]

Originally Posted By: novadude
I am really surprised that people on this forum who will fret over a few ppm of iron in an oil analysis will wait until the OLM indicates a change is necessary on the FIRST oil change. New engines put a lot of metal in the oil when they are still breaking in. I'm a believer in ~1000 miles for the first change. It may not help engine life, but there is no way it can hurt!

I used to think like this until I realised new engines, new oils and new ways of thinking. I have moved on from that.