Not to be argumentative, but Mobil 1 is a synthetic which is designed for a lot longer than 5000 miles between oil changes. I wouldn't go longer than 5000 miles for warranty reasons, but I tend to think your dealership is a bit old-fashioned in their oil change recommendations.

I would just stick with Toyota's 5000 mile recommendation, especially if I were using Mobil 1. I could be cynical (my normal tendency) and say they're pushing extra oil changes. However, if they suggest getting your own parts and they'll supply the labor that's obviously not the case. However, it will save you the parts cost and time spent waiting at the dealership to the tune of 1 extra oil change every 10,000 miles.

From what I was taught in my college days and what's told to me by a good friend who's a Petrochemical engineer;

Oil (synthetic or not) does not wear out - it becomes contaminated and diluted.

It's the purity of synthetic oils that makes them a better lubricant for a couple of reasons;
1) The molecular construction of the oil (synthetically blended hydrocarbons) is more stabile and those molecules are actually smaller (more dense) hence this oil will retain it's appropriate viscosity index longer.
2) There is less contamination introduced in the oil itself (due to purity)
3) More stabile under high temperatures and loads due to the purity and stability of the molecular composition.

The use of Synthetic oil does not automatically mean that you can or should extend your drain intervals.
Engines that have more wear and hence more blow-by (combustion gasses allowed to pass by the piston rings into the cylinders) will dilute the oil much faster than engines in good mechanical condition.

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Finding 0w20 - All I have in my shop is 5w20 and 10w30 so until I can order some from the distributor I thought I would do some checking around online;

The only place I found that offered it online / mail-order was;

Checker / Schucks / Kragen $5.99 qt
http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductL...thetic+-+0W-20

Wal*Mart is usually a good place to buy Mobil-1 and the prices are typically within $.50 of distributor prices.

I hope this helps..

Thank you...

Regards - Randy




If there's one thing I've learned in online forums its this:
Never argue with an idiot, they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience!

My only cost will be the oil. The filter, the labor, the environmental fee... all of that is covered in the free lifetime oil change. The only thing that isn't is 0W-20 oil. So, my "free" oil change will cost approximately $20 in oil that I will bring with me, instead of $28 in oil that I buy from them, or up to $50+ for a fully synthetic oil change from someplace else around here.

I don't know how many miles/month you drive, but I'm guessing that if you change your oil every 3500 miles you'll be changing your oil once every 2 - 3 months or 4 - 6 times per year.

You can hunt down oil for $5.00 per quart. But then you have to purchase it, store it and remember to bring it with you. If you just leave it in your car you'll eat up valuable trunk space (and knock 0.1 mpg off your mileage because of the extra weight.)

It might be worth it to just let them purchase it and store it for you and pay the premium. Even if you average 21,000 miles/year (6 oil changes) it's only running you $48/year more. If it's more like 14,000 miles per year then it's 4 oil changes and $32/year more. JMHO

On the general subject of oil and filters, here is a link to a very complete filter test. Find your favorite and see how it stacks up.

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html

I use Mobil1 and a Mobil1 filter in my Avalanche, but I'd bet that whatever Toyota has your dealer use is what Toyota feels is best for your engine.

Or what they can buy in bulk at the lowest price. (when did I become so cynical?)

I agree that if you do your own oil changes the Toyota dealer will be looking for a way to blame you should anything go wrong with the car. Hence what is the point in spending $6 per qt. for 0W-20 synthetic when a 5W-20 costing $2 per qt. can do the same job for those 5000 miles. The 0W-20 can go 10,000 or even 15,000 between oil changes but I doubt that anyone wants to take that chance with a new model hybrid and the dealer will not allow it if he does the oil changes. I would rather invest in a good filter and use the 5W-20 and do it every 5000 miles. But this may not work out in a very cold or hot weather climate. Easy to do it year round in Greenville where the weather is mild all year round.

My Toyota dealer stocks and uses Mobile 1 0W-20, BUT the free oil changes are something else.

Hubby just wrote me an email to tell me he went out to the auto parts place that said they had 0W-20 and guess what? They don't have it. They have 5W-20. BAH! I'm just going to buy it from the dealership.

Oh, you meant do we have it here? Uhhh, that's a different story.