Oil Recommendations for new 2010 Lexus IS 350 C?

[cadfaeltex]

Hello all, first post here. I have a new 2010 Lexus IS 350 C. I have used synthetics (though nothing consistently) in my cars. This includes my last car, a 2005 Mini Cooper S, which had MINI oil (castrol) done at the dealer on the whopping 15 to 18K mile intervals.

The Lexus suggests 5k change intervals and I intend to keep them. I also believe they suggest dino (they recommend 5w30 'toyota oil'). I've been happy with synthetic for the most part and hope to keep this car for a long time. Will synthetic benefit me?

I drive conservatively most of the time but on rare occasions do like to gun it. I drive 80 percent of the time at 20-30mph on an Army Base. The other 20 percent is highway at 65 to 80 mph.

Think I hit the high points but ask me what you need to help me

TIA,
Tony

 

[d00df00d]

I'd stick with dealer oil if I were you. It will have been developed alongside the engines it's made for, and optimized accordingly. No reason to spend more money, especially if they require 5k changes and you drive conservatively most of the time.

The only caveat is to make SURE that that is what they are actually putting in your engine when you take it to the dealership for your oil change. I don't know if there's any merit to this but I have heard a story or two about Lexus dealerships using cheaper bulk oil -- still certified to the appropriate specs, but not necessarily as good.

Now, after the warranty is up, if you want to go more than 5k, come on back and we'll find a good synthetic for you.

to BITOG!

 

[JHZR2]

Love the IS. One of my favorite cars and IMO one of the nicest on the road. A bit too cramped for me, but congrats and welcome.

Is 5k the severe service interval? If your typical commute is more than 20 miles, I'd go non-severe, but check with a uoa.

Me? I'd run M1 5w-30 and not think twice.

 

[cadfaeltex]

JHZR2, there doesn't seem to be a differentiation in the manual between heavy and light duty like some of my old cars did. They just recommend 5K consistently for the life of the car.

dOOdfOOd, I'll definitely check on the oil that they use.

There seems to be a great deal of debate on the Lexus forums on the type of oil for the greatest longevity. For warranties sake, I plan on using the 5k intervals so my first blush response was that dino would be ok. Yes/No?

Oh, forgot to mention, my trips to work are short, about 3 miles each way 4 to 6 times a day.

 

[HTSS_TR]

If you change your own oil at 5k miles OCI for warranty purpose, any group III synthetic such as Pennzoil Platinum, Valvoline Synpower ... will be more than adequate in protecting your engine and they cost only a little more than conventional at Walmart in 5 quart jug.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: cadfaeltex
There seems to be a great deal of debate on the Lexus forums on the type of oil for the greatest longevity. For warranties sake, I plan on using the 5k intervals so my first blush response was that dino would be ok. Yes/No?

Yes.

This particular dino might even be better than an off-the-shelf synthetic if it's formulated specifically for the kinds of alloys in your engine...

Either way, though, at a bare minimum it should be fine. Oils have come a long way.

Originally Posted By: cadfaeltex
Oh, forgot to mention, my trips to work are short, about 3 miles each way 4 to 6 times a day.

I wouldn't worry about it. It's a Lexus, so it was probably designed with that in mind.

 

[JHZR2]

IMO, m1 does very well with Toyota metalurgy, at least 220k in our previa with stellar uoas and zero use indicate that Toyota like M1.

And for short use, I'll go back to my mother who has 120k miles on her 97 Plymouth breeze 2.0l doing five-block commutes 4-6x per day, with nice clean uoas on m1 at the non severe oci level.

I highly doubt that Toyota dealer oil is anything besides relabeled oil from a major manufacturer. A number of Toyota dealers we have gone to pour other oil brands anyway.

If going Dino, I'd go pennzoil or havoline, but I'd still run syn myself... Unless it is a lease that will be turned back in 3yrs anyway...

 

[Falcon_LS]

Welcome to the boards, and congrats on the Lexus.

Toyota and Lexus branded oils are very well developed, and Toyota has made great effort to fine tune them with ExxonMobil. For warranty purposes, I would suggest you follow whatever viscosity is recommended, as you already mentioned. Buy the oil (Toyota 5W-30) from a dealership, and do the oil change yourself if you can. That way you know exactly what is going in the engine, rather that sticking with whatever bulk oil is available at dealers. Filter wise, the Toyota cartridge filters are an excellent choice.

Over here 5W-40 is the recommended viscosity by Lexus, although I personally use Mobil 1 0W-40 in mine.

 

[GhostFlame]

Congrats on the new car. I have a BMW and sometimes when I get the repair bills I wish I would have gone with the Lexus. I think they are more reliable... I love my BMW but, maybe Lxus next time.

Good Luck

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Love the IS. One of my favorite cars and IMO one of the nicest on the road. A bit too cramped for me, but congrats and welcome.

Is 5k the severe service interval? If your typical commute is more than 20 miles, I'd go non-severe, but check with a uoa.

Me? I'd run M1 5w-30 and not think twice.


If memory serves me,7,500 is severe service.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: GhostFlame
Congrats on the new car. I have a BMW and sometimes when I get the repair bills I wish I would have gone with the Lexus. I think they are more reliable... I love my BMW but, maybe Lxus next time.

Good Luck


The way I see it,German engineering for performance! Lexus/Toyota,Acura for dependability.

Although,their not what they used to be re;reliability.Old Toyota`s virtually never broke down!

 

[RiotGrip]

I drive an IS-F V8 and have been doing my own oil changes. I have the same service recommendation 5w-30 every 5k. I've only done two oil changes so far one with Pennzoil YB and the second with Pennzoil Platinum. My guess is that good dino should be fine in your IS-C. My IS-F didn't use a drop of oil in the 5k interval with PYB and that did include multiple redlines (20-40) throughout the OCI. And remember that engine takes over 6qts of oil, so that helps too.

 

[cadfaeltex]

Ok, so right now I'm leaning towards the Toyota dino. The dealer will do the oil changes - probably saw me coming but I prepaid for the first few for a better rate.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Great Car and it is on my wishlist.. This engine will run fine on ANY SM GF4 5w30. Mobil vlean 5000, Valvoline conventional etc. Best two Conventionally proced oils at walmart are PYB and Motorcraft. For SYnthetic you could flip a coin. AnySM GF4 5w30 is what Lexus requires at 5k mile/6month intervals whatever comes first. Magneficent engineering and magnefecent oil specs. Relax and if it is easier have the dealer do it for lon term warranty relationships, if you do it yourself build a miantence folder and keep your reciepts and dates and mileage of each oil change. A nice set of Reciepts and a maintenance log is what you pay extra for at the dealer. Depends on your time andinterest needs.

Congrats on the great car and enjoy!

 

[deven]

Great great car but in my esteem opinion a bit over priced but that comes with the "L" badge. Honestly in that engine I like using a synthetic because it does do a number on oil. My dad has the same engine in his Lexus and that engine has had a steady diet of QS syn 5w30 flavor and it loves that stuff. I have used Pennzoil, PP, M1 and synpower but it runs best on QS.

 

[09rexwagon]

Originally Posted By: deven
Great great car but in my esteem opinion a bit over priced but that comes with the "L" badge. Honestly in that engine I like using a synthetic because it does do a number on oil. My dad has the same engine in his Lexus and that engine has had a steady diet of QS syn 5w30 flavor and it loves that stuff. I have used Pennzoil, PP, M1 and synpower but it runs best on QS.
QS syn == PP

 

[deven]

Originally Posted By: 09rexwagon
Originally Posted By: deven
Great great car but in my esteem opinion a bit over priced but that comes with the "L" badge. Honestly in that engine I like using a synthetic because it does do a number on oil. My dad has the same engine in his Lexus and that engine has had a steady diet of QS syn 5w30 flavor and it loves that stuff. I have used Pennzoil, PP, M1 and synpower but it runs best on QS.
QS syn == PP


No its not. PP's additive pack is made by infenium and QS add pack is made by lubrizol I believe. According to Johnny PP is superior to QS

 

[09rexwagon]

Originally Posted By: deven
Originally Posted By: 09rexwagon
Originally Posted By: deven
Great great car but in my esteem opinion a bit over priced but that comes with the "L" badge. Honestly in that engine I like using a synthetic because it does do a number on oil. My dad has the same engine in his Lexus and that engine has had a steady diet of QS syn 5w30 flavor and it loves that stuff. I have used Pennzoil, PP, M1 and synpower but it runs best on QS.
QS syn == PP


No its not. PP's additive pack is made by infenium and QS add pack is made by lubrizol I believe. According to Johnny PP is superior to QS


Yeah you are right. Not sure why I still had that misconception in my head. Apparently from what I just read, even the basestock is different between QSH and PP. Anyway, my bad.

 

[cadfaeltex]

Just a follow up on this post. I go Tuesday for the six month oil change. I only have a tick up 1,900 miles on the car. Will see what oil they are using and use the Dino. I'll report back on what it is.

BTW, got my wife's oil changed at the Honda dealer on Friday. They used Mobil1. Glad they didn't have some of the parts in stock. Were going to charge me $140 bucks to replace the engine air filter and the cabin air filter. Picked'em up at the autopart store on the way home for $40 and took less than 30 minutes to do both. Times like that I wish I had an area I could do more work on the cars.

 

[BeerLube]

Love the IS, especially with the sweet 3.5L 2GR-FSE. Keep in mind, this is a DISI engine... Having a direct injection engine myself, shouldn't there be special concern about fuel dilution and valve deposit issues these types of engines are exhibiting? Are there any UOA's that show how the Toyota oil does with this particularly demanding technology?