Owner's manual says 5k or 6 months for oil change...

[Ilovesnow]

I believe that this is for conventional oil. I use M1 synthetic and do not put a lot of miles on my 4runner... I've only put a little over 3K since 7/9/10 (last oil change).

I just think it's wasteful to change the oil at this point, but I'm wondering if I should do it anyways since the vehicle is still under warranty. If something unfortunate would happen, I don't want a warranty claim denied because I didn't change my oil.

Thoughts?

 

[Husker Z]

I've always been a big Amsoil user, so anything under 10K was a waste. In fact I'm used to going 10K and doing ONLY a filter change and doing a full change at 20K.

However, the 4R I bought last week is certified, so I'm forced to change it every 5K miles or they will void the lifetime drivetrane warranty. So, I'll probably step down to either Mobil 1 or the Amsoil 7500 mile oil and change every 5K like I'm forced to do.

My opinion is 3K is WAY overkill with the quality of oils on the market now along with the cleaner running engines. But, there are still plenty of old schoolers out there that find security in changing it that often.

 

[KB084RUNNER]

I use synthetic oil and change mine every 5000 and keep all receipts in the maintenance log I got with my 4R. If you do have a warranty issue with the engine they can and usually will ask for documentation and proof of maintenance. My 08 book calls for a 5000 mile oil & filter change. I use QTP and any filter on sale. Walmart closed out all of the Q Torque Power 5w30 last year for $9-11 for a 5 quart jug and I bought 30 of them. Then Rock Auto closed out all of the Fram TG filters for $3 and I got a case of those as well. So, an oil change costs me less than $20. I drive about 20k a year so it costs me about $75 for oil changes.

I would change it.

 

[keylay31]

Just my 2 cents:
I change my oil and filter every 5k miles with M1 Full Synth. I just bought a new camry that supposedly recommends 10k miles... I'll still do it every 5k miles. Oil changes cost me less than $30 and I want my engines to last long.

 

[Gecko123]

I believe that this is for conventional oil. I use M1 synthetic and do not put a lot of miles on my 4runner... I've only put a little over 3K since 7/9/10 (last oil change).

I just think it's wasteful to change the oil at this point, but I'm wondering if I should do it anyways since the vehicle is still under warranty. If something unfortunate would happen, I don't want a warranty claim denied because I didn't change my oil.

Thoughts?

Oil changes relative inexpensive to do and yet it can really extend the life of your engine. I say change it. I change my oil every 5000 km (3000 miles). I know Toyota recommends higher, but I want my engine to last a very long time. Engine and Tranny, the two most expensive parts.

 

[Ilovesnow]

I made a couple of phone calls yesterday and thought I would share with all of you what I was told.

I called TWO nearby Toyota dealerships and discussed the owner's manual/maintenance guide with a service center technician. BOTH told me that the 6 month/5,000 mile oil change interval pertains to changing your oil with conventional motor oil. If you are using synthetic, Toyota states you can go 10,000 miles/12 months between oil changes. I asked one of them if the information was available to read somewhere... he said that he wasn't sure off of the top of his head where the information could be found on Toyota's website (I forgot to ask the other tech).

Take this for what it is... I will still change mine at the 5k interval. However, I have only put a little over 3k miles on my ride in the last 6 months, so I am not going to be concerned about the 6 month oil change interval requirement/recommendation. I will probably hit the 5k mark by ~9 months or so, but I checked my oil last night and the level is fine and it looks fresh, so I think it would just be wasteful to change it at this point.

 

[Nuke]

This is my 3rd, T4R where I've done 10,000 mile or 1 year oil/filter changes using M1. #1 was sold to a friend at 205,000 miles and now has over 350,000 miles. #2 was sold to another friend at 152,000 miles. #3 only has 36,000 miles. All 3 were/are tow vehicles. NONE had any issues; no oil loss, no burning oil, no compression issues, yada yada. And my '07 Mustang GT is on the same 10k miles or 1 year frequency.

Do what makes you feel comfortable but anything less than 10k oil changes with full syn (and even that is early) is a waste of your money.

 

[Nuke]

...I checked my oil last night and the level is fine and it looks fresh...

I just want to *****-slap people when they talk about the "look" of their oil with respect to when it should be changed. I've tested pitch black oil that still had better lubricating capability than other used oil that was still amber. When will folks stop believeing folklore and educate themselves? :bash:

 

[Bigrupp]

I just want to *****-slap people when they talk about the "look" of their oil

Or you could take the time to educate people instead of being a d1ck.