Oil brand recommendations for 2006 Toyota RAV4

[WranglerTom]

I did this a month or so ago on a new Corolla I recently bought, and now I need oil brand recommendations for the 2006 RAV4 I just purchased for my wife. I tried searching the UOA section but couldn't find anything. The engine is a 2.4L four cylinder. However, I don't know the engine designation.

Up until a couple months ago I never owned a foreign vehicle, now I own two (both Yotas)! Hopefully this RAV4 will perform as good as my Corolla. The RAV is a used vehicle that's had it's oil changed every 5,000 miles by the dealer. I haven't looked yet, but I assume that the recommended viscosity is 5w30 and I'll stick with that. For the oil filter, I'll use a Wix.

Thanks!

 

[Merkava_4]

Give me .005 seconds to think about this . . . Maxlife 5W-30.

 

[msksport]

Depending on the mileage I would use Valvoline 5w-30 pure 100% synthic motor oil. I know I sound like a broken record buy I have had good success with the oil.

 

[mikeg5]

find a syn on sale or just use penzoil, havoline or gtx. they seem to be the top performers as over the counter oils go

 

[mitchcoyote]

+2 on the Maxlife 5w-30

 

[WranglerTom]

The people who recommended oil for my Corolla suggested I stick with conventional oil--either Penzoil yellow bottle or Castrol GTX with a 5,000 mile OCI. Popular opinion was that the Corolla engine has great UOAs with either conventional or synthetic so save money and buy conventional.

Can anyone point me to some UOA for this engine? BTW, the RAV just turned 18,000 miles.

 

[harley145000]

GTX

 

[alanu]

People can shoot me but I think 3-4K mile OCI's is great for many engines. I've yet to see and conclusive evidence that a "bad" UOA will dramatically decrease engine life.

I would do some research to see if the RAV4's have any sludging issues. If they do I would just change the oil more often with a group3 or better or 3K mile with dino oil.

The cost of oil is cheap if you compare it to replacing an engine. Perhaps its ideal to see if anyone has phenominal UOA's with certain brand oils but realistically I've seen alot of high mileage toyota's using whatever oil they get on sale with no oil consumption issues...AS LONG as you change the oil frequently especially the known sludge ones.

My 2005 Matrix XRS (low mileage 6500 kms)I use pennzoil platinum 5w30 just because it was on sale. Realistically I'll sell the car in 8yrs or so and have NO oil consumption issues once I hit that mark.

Street rated oil is cheap. I prefer shorter OCI's in my personal cars and customers. Shops dont make money on oil changes so its not a money grab.

 

[Lonnie]

Pick the correct viscosity API cert oil. Beyond that it makes no difference. Maybe pick one on sale or with a coupon. Beyond regular maintenance your driving habits/conditions and weather will make a bigger difference than the oil. Synthetic and blends are better oil but cost more. You just have to make a choice. Pick the one with the best advertising, best anecdotal stories from your friends, best looking bottle, least amount of flames on BITOG or best coupons from Pep Boys. Change it yourself. That could also be more important than which oil, the idea of getting it right and taking the time do change the oil carefully with a look around your vehicle to see how everything else is doing. I like the bottle that Pennzoil Platinum comes in and there is a great coupon at Pep Boys.