Toyota Corolla 0W-20 oil - What's this about?
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Member Posts: 5
Toyota of Orange in Orange, CA (So California) told me a quart of Toyota 0W-20 was $12.78 today. I said that this is most expensive oil I have ever heard about. He agreed to sell it to me for $9.50. I called another Toyota dealer where I purchased my brand new Toyota Corolla XLE and they wanted $11+change for a bottle.
How can a dealer overtly overcharge a customer and expect a customer to choose them for repairs?
Does anyone know the current suggested dealer list for a bottle of Toyota 0W-20?
My Toyota dealer said an oil change for Toyota 0W-20 is $70
What are you paying for a quart of Toyota 0W-20?
An 0W-20 oil change??
See Also: Stop Changing Your Oil
How can a dealer overtly overcharge a customer and expect a customer to choose them for repairs?
Does anyone know the current suggested dealer list for a bottle of Toyota 0W-20?
My Toyota dealer said an oil change for Toyota 0W-20 is $70
What are you paying for a quart of Toyota 0W-20?
An 0W-20 oil change??
See Also: Stop Changing Your Oil
0
Comments
I'm really anal about my cars, keep them 10+ years, etc. I use almost all Toyota OEM parts, one exception being oil, because I cannot find any proof that it is better or different than a really good off-the-shelf oil. Mobil 1 is fully synthetic and is highly regarded, and meets the Toyota specs.
Nevermind the $9.50 vs $11 vs $12+/qt, I can't get past the fact that they don't recommend regular old conventional 5W30 for this economy car. When I bought my 2010 LE in Aug. I never had any idea that, yes I was buying an inexpensive economy car that has a long and good track record, but one needs to spend $10-$20 "extra" at every oil change.
Does using 5W30 void the warranty? Really cause longevity or other problems?
This is my 4th vehicle. My 1st 3 vehicles got 160k ('89 Acura Integra), 190k (93 Nissan V6 pickup), 260k (2000 Volvo S80 T6), and none of them ever had engine problems using "regular" oil. Actually for the Volvo I mostly used a synthetic blend for the 1st 150-200k, but that's a 270hp turbo.
I thought I bought the Corolla for its dependabilty and economy.
Can you really bring your own oil (like Mobile 1) to the dealership and expect them to use it?
Will I get so many more miles between oil changes by using the syth oil that it pays for itself?
I'm guessing it doesn't even come close.
Just trying to get to the bottom of this to figure out what is best for me.
Toyota recommends an oil change every 5k miles - with the 0w20. That's a 1.6:1 ratio if one considers 3k the "normal" interval.
...less thermal breakdown - effectively saying it can go further between changes.
...better cling - same as above?
...varnishing and coke - same as above? And longevity of engine.
...better pour levels? Could only guess what that means without looking it up.
...just plain betterr...? No [non-permissible content removed], but good enough is good enough.
Again, I'm trying to figure out if there is any real meaningful tangible reason for me to use this oil. I would like it to be a little more that that warm fuzzy feeling that my engine loves me because I put more slippery oil in it.
Better gas mileage
longer engine life
more time between oil changes
these are real and if they come close to offsetting the cost, it is worth it to me, especially more time between changes; but I still am skeptical. At least while it is still under warranty I'll follow their recommendations - their special oil changed every 5k. Maybe I'll stretch it incrementally up to 10k starting around 50k.
Just because it's "better" oil, doesn't me it's better for me in the long run...unless it ...
causes the car to last enough longer that the extra miles I get out of it are more economical than buying a new car a little sooner. So far between my wife and I we've driven 6 vehicles pretty much "into the ground" using regular oil. They all got fairly good longevity (150k-250k) and eventually failed for reasons other than the engine.
or
saves me time spent sitting around waiting for oil changes...which I assume it should, but with Toyota's recommended 5k does a little, but if it were 10k...that would be more acceptable.
And who purchases a Corolla for any other reason than economics and reliability? Or is that a blasphemous question for this forum?
Buy some 20W50 and see how that works !
If you are that worried about the extra cost, change it yourself. I change my own oil, and I can use premium synthetic oil and the cost is about the same as if I took it to the dealer and paid for bulk dino oil. And I believe that Toyota increased the OCI for the 0w-20 to 10k miles, check with your dealer.
As an FYI, I just changed mine (do my own oil changes for many years now) the first oil on my 2010 Prius at 8,500 miles and it was in a great shape, now my next oil change will be after at least 10,000 miles and it costs me less than $36 before tax for less than 5 quarts and a paper/element filter... what an amazing vehicle...
So are you saying this new recommendation is for just the Prius or ALL new 2010 Toyota vehicles and going forward?
I'm still from the old school; even though I use 0W-20 synthetic oil in my 2009 Corolla I still change it every 3000 miles. I know it's uneeded and overkill but I have an unlimited supply of 0W-20 synthetic and I do my oil changes myself, so I'm only paying for the filter every other oil change.
For your 2009 Corolla, I would recommend to call Toyota Corporate and ask them the oil change interval because I believe (not sure though) that all Toyota engines that use 0W-20 fully synthetic oil and regardless the year, the oil change interval is 10,000 miles... Maybe 2009 was the year Toyota decided to go (0W-20/10,000) not sure though.
Toyota Website for maintenance guide
Basically, see what was done to your car (miles and time). Hopefully, you have the service records. Then, see what is due by looking at the maintenance guides I told you about in the last paragraph.
The 1998 and newer Corollas have a timing chain, should not require any maintenance. Brake fluid & power steering fluid - change it. The guides may not tell you that, but it is cheap insurance. PVC valve - change it - very easy to do yourself, and very cheap ($5 part, 5 minutes or less).
I had a 99 Corolla, great car! Sold it at around 120k because I needed a bigger car (Camry). Only problem I had was the a/c compressor had a seal leaking after 90k miles, so 2x per year, I just put more R134 refrigerant in it, and it cooled fine.
What Corolla do you have? CE, LE, SE, anti-lock brakes? automatic or manual transmission?
I can give you more info - just give me more specifics about yours.
NO. Only on the model year 2011 and newer Corollas. Yes, it would probably be fine, but since Toyota did not say it, they could deny a warranty claim.
no thanks!
Toyota says 10,000 miles or 12 months between oil changes, whatever comes first. For Corolla, I think the first one that has this spec is the 2011 model.
I agree that if I ever changed oil. I would go to Mobil 1.
Have you noticed how much smoother these new cars are running?
I think it has to do with the oil.
Also that real light oil. Does much better when starting the engine. That's where much of the wear happens.