Do you change your own oil or have Toyota service center do it?

[Joe Dirt]

I will chime in on this one as it appears that people believe that the Toyota motor oil is superior than some of the top Engineers with Castrol, Pennzoil , Mobil 1, Valvoline Etc.

Toyota is not an oil manufacturing company they purchase oil.

Second very glaring observation is the people that do the oil service for you are at the bottom of the food chain in technical awareness, and are probably so numb by the dealerships keeping them at a technical level of just changing oil that they get to a point where they don't really care.

More than one time I've had my oil filter put on so tight that it took some very good tools to get them off.

In my book of 50 years of working on my own cars I find there is no excuse for over tightening an oil filter or an oil pan bolt or anything!

I will take my 6th gen in for the two free oil changes or three that they threw in under the Toyota Care umbrella. But I will not be paying for someone to check my radiator fluid, air filter, cabin filter, gear oil, transfer case oil, transmission oil, windshield wipers etc. These are things that they tack on to your bill if you are unaware of these items.

But I digress, dealerships are here for us if we need their help and have the money to support it. Dealerships keep their doors open by doing maintenance.

Oh and finally these 6th gen 4Runners have a very small oil filter that is the exact same one on a Toyota RAV4 5th generation. Oil changes on these 6th Gens are very easy to do; the hardest part is crawling out from underneath when you forget your ratchet or socket.

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[JR1]

Wouldn't sucking out all the oil be even better than draining because they can suck out the stuff at the bottom of the drain pan that never makes it out the drain plug when draining?

There shouldn’t be any gunk in the bottom of the pan if you change your oil regularly.

 

[The_Dark_Knight_Forever]

There shouldn’t be any gunk in the bottom of the pan if you change your oil regularly.

6thGen1419 might be referring to the first & second oil changes which will almost certainly have engine break in gunk in the oil & at the bottom of the pan.

 

[HVLA]

I will chime in on this one as it appears that people believe that the Toyota motor oil is superior than some of the top Engineers with Castrol, Pennzoil , Mobil 1, Valvoline Etc.

Toyota is not an oil manufacturing company they purchase oil.

Second very glaring observation is the people that do the oil service for you are at the bottom of the food chain in technical awareness, and are probably so numb by the dealerships keeping them at a technical level of just changing oil that they get to a point where they don't really care.

More than one time I've had my oil filter put on so tight that it took some very good tools to get them off.

In my book of 50 years of working on my own cars I find there is no excuse for over tightening an oil filter or an oil pan bolt or anything!

I will take my 6th gen in for the two free oil changes or three that they threw in under the Toyota Care umbrella. But I will not be paying for someone to check my radiator fluid, air filter, cabin filter, gear oil, transfer case oil, transmission oil, windshield wipers etc. These are things that they tack on to your bill if you are unaware of these items.

But I digress, dealerships are here for us if we need their help and have the money to support it. Dealerships keep their doors open by doing maintenance.

Oh and finally these 6th gen 4Runners have a very small oil filter that is the exact same one on a Toyota RAV4 5th generation. Oil changes on these 6th Gens are very easy to do; the hardest part is crawling out from underneath when you forget your ratchet or socket.

Toyota oil is made specifically for Toyota by Mobil 1. It is VERY good oil. However, even Kirkland oil Costco is VERY good oil.

 

[The_Dark_Knight_Forever]

Toyota oil is made specifically for Toyota by Mobil 1. It is VERY good oil. However, even Kirkland oil Costco is VERY good oil.

Not to derail the thread...
After doing some research my personal top picks for the money are:

1) Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Full Synthetic (made with Natural Gas)

2) Valvoline Restore & Protect Full Synthetic

3) Valvoline Extended Protection Full Synthetic High Mileage (with Ultra Maxlife Technology)

4) Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic (made with Natural Gas)

5) Costco's Kirkland Signature Full Synthetic

Mobil 1, Amsoil & Motul are great oils also but I personally don't think they are the best value for the money.

 

[SouthCoast]

Not to derail the thread...
After doing some research my personal top picks for the money are:

1) Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Full Synthetic (made with Natural Gas)

2) Valvoline Restore & Protect Full Synthetic

3) Valvoline Extended Protection Full Synthetic High Mileage (with Ultra Maxlife Technology)

4) Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic (made with Natural Gas)

5) Costco's Kirkland Signature Full Synthetic

Mobil 1, Amsoil & Motul are great oils also but I personally don't think they are the best value for the money.

Chatgpt is a great source to pit oil brands/viscosities against each other to determine a best case scenario for your location and driving habits. I've found it helpful in discussing different viscosities and oci's with regard to uoa results. Might be worth a few minutes to discuss with an AI if lots of information is necessary to come to a conclusion.

Note: I pitted chatgpt against google ai to see what the info differences would be. Chatgpt gave math/probability answers, based on personal usage, preferred reasoning behind viscosity change and specific location factors. Google ai gave answers shrouded in legalese, government/EPA requirements and warranty protective verbiage. Google ai "would not" budge from the "factory spec" viscosity one bit.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Chatgpt is a great source to pit oil brands/viscosities against each other to determine a best case scenario for your location and driving habits. I've found it helpful in discussing different viscosities and oci's with regard to uoa results. Might be worth a few minutes to discuss with an AI if lots of information is necessary to come to a conclusion.

Note: I pitted chatgpt against google ai to see what the info differences would be. Chatgpt gave math/probability answers, based on personal usage, preferred reasoning behind viscosity change and specific location factors. Google ai gave answers shrouded in legalese, government/EPA requirements and warranty protective verbiage. Google ai "would not" budge from the "factory spec" viscosity one bit.

 

[Wagzilla]

Just changed mine , got the oil, oil filter and washer at the dealer

 

[mars001]

I have Fumoto valves on every cars/trucks/motorcycles I own right after the 1st oil change for the last 40 years... Highly recommended! Just flip the lever and drain the oil without even get a single drop on my hand.

 

[Joe Dirt]

I have Fumoto valves on every cars/trucks/motorcycles I own right after the 1st oil change for the last 40 years... Highly recommended! Just flip the lever and drain the oil without even get a single drop on my hand.

Hello and thanks for the info, curious to where you picked up that Fumoto oil plug drain thanks.

I found it!! caliraised web site..

https://caliraisedled.com/products/original-oil-drain-valve-with-m12-1-25

 

[SouthCoast]

Hello and thanks for the info, curious to where you picked up that Fumoto oil plug drain thanks in advance.

You can them straight from the company website or amazon. Go to the website to determine which one you need first, as there are different applications

 

[Joe Dirt]

You can them straight from the company website or amazon. Go to the website to determine which one you need first, as there are different applications

Thx, just responded. Found it

 

[mars001]

Yes, I got mine from Amazon and it looks like about the same price as ordering direct from Fumoto but I got free shipping with Amazon prime.

 

[chouser]

Yes, I got mine from Amazon and it looks like about the same price as ordering direct from Fumoto but I got free shipping with Amazon prime.

I wouldn't get it from Amazon. Too much counterfeit stuff. I'll stick with the stock pan bolt. Not worth the worry. What's the sense in adding another failure point?

 

[enginir]

Some Toyota dealership parts centers offer discounts on their oil and filters. I got 3 of each the other day of OEM oil filter, drain gasket, and Toyota OEM oil for $125 after taxes. Great price and also cheaper that getting oil elsewhere (I do get mobile 1 from Costco sometimes but that’s only if I’m at Costco)

I did use one of the free oil changes but might not go back to get the second one because when I did my oil change after they did, they put more than 6 quarts into the engine .
I am at a little over 15,000 miles

did first oil change myself at 970 miles

second oil change done by Toyota at 4,700ish miles

3rd oil change done by me at 9,700 miles,

4th oil change done by me at 14,500 miles.

is easy to do yourself, I recommend getting a torque wrench if you are worried about stripping the thread in the oil pan.

very easy to do, I just use rhino ramps which give me more room and not having to inch like a worm under the car

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