Your thoughts on Dealership woes and maintenance issues

Thought I would run this one by you guys and get your thoughts. I just took my 2014 DCSB V6 Tacoma to the local dealership for the 5K service. No sooner do I get back to work with my freshly maintained truck, I get a call from the service department. The service writer asks me to please bring the vehicle back in this afternoon. Curiosity gets the better of me and I naturally ask why? I am told that they filled my engine with synthetic oil as opposed to conventional. Initially thoughts...who cares? I was told when I purchased the vehicle that all Toyotas came from the factory with synthetic fluids, but upon hanging up with the service manager, I jumped on google. To my dismay, it appears that Toyota recommends conventional oil for their V6 motors. It looks like I am headed back to the dealership for another 1.5 hours of wasted life after work...

I've never been a fan of dealer maintenance, and have always done it myself. I figured if Toyota is gonna throw in a maintenance plan with the price of their vehicles, why not? I am starting to regret my decision to give them my keys in the first place. What are your thoughts on synthetic versus conventional in our V6 trucks? Is it bad, and now that synthetic has been ran through the motor for approximately 50 miles, is it worth going back to conventional oil. Also, why would Toyota recommend 5,000 mile maintenance intervals with a conventional oil???

 

Dealer told me my 2.7 5k interval was synthetic because that's what 2.7s come with anyway. Not sure if that's true. But I'm switching to Mobil 1 synthetic after my last free oil change.

 

I'd leave the synthetic in there and never go back to the dealer unless it was warranty work or a recall. Synthetic is fine.

I did the first oil change on my 2013 even though I could get it free at the dealer. Honestly between the time it takes to take it to the dealer and wait, plus wondering if they're going to do it right (or scratch the truck, or screw something else up) it's so worth the time just to do it myself. Plus I kinda like doing little jobs on my vehicles.

Once I took my VW to the dealer for a free oil change. It was a TDI, which uses a cartridge type oil filter. I drove home thinking I was hearing something rattle in the engine. I popped the hood, looked at the filter, checked the oil, all looked OK. Drove around a bit more and still heard the rattle. Opened the hood again and looked all over the place. Then I noticed something out of place... there was a used/oily SCREW-ON type oil filter just sitting there between the battery and headlight. WTF? Clearly not a part for my car; what the heck was it doing there? And why was it used/dirty? Were they going to sneak a used filter in and then realized it was the wrong type? Did they even change the actual one that was in there? Needless to say I never went back to that dealer, either.

 

I don't let the dealer do the interval services because of this. I haven't done any of the free services. I switched over to synthetic at 5000 miles and still change the oil every 5 miles. I like it for cold engine start ups. Winters here can get pretty chilly.

50 miles won't hurt anything if you switch back to conventional. You can go with either.

5000 miles is what they go with because they haven't switched the V6 tacoma over to synthetic. The oil nowadays is good enough to go to 5000, given the filters used are meant for 5000.

 

Thanks PeeRunner. From the data I found on Goole, it looks like Toyota puts synthetic in their 2.7 motors, but still use Conventional for their V6's. Not sure why, but thats what the internet says, so it HAS to be true? Also, why would the service intervals still be 5K apart with conventional oil? I understand that oil has improved over the years, but I'm still thinking that the breakdown of conventional oil in Yuma AZ (AVG 114 degrees daily) would be high enough to warrant synthetic. Maybe I'm dead wrong?

 

BuddyS and moondeath...I agree with you both on doing it yourself!! I guess I just assumed that since Toyota was throwing in a maintenance plan I might as well use it. A clear case of tradional logic being wrong! I guess some of us...mainly me...just need to learn the hard way!

 

When I bought my '14, the dealership people mentioned repeatedly that it needs oil changes every 5000 miles, and it takes conventional oil. They made it sound as if using conventional oil was a significant advantage. Dunno why - cost, maybe?

I've read here that the 2.7s use synthetic oil. When in doubt, you can always RTFM.

 

My thoughts and experience with synthetics is that I wouldn't run it until I got some miles on the clock. On 2 stroke engines, you never run a synthetic until the rings seat, I would assume that a 4 stroke would hold to the same rule. I personally would be more concerned in getting the original oil out as it may hold break-in debris, no matter what type you put back in.

 

Rings are seated from the factory. Motors are load tested and broken in during that time. On a brand new engine cross hatching on the cylinder walls seats rings withing the first 100 mi or so say if you built the motor.

2.7 use synthetic as stated in the manual. Pretty thin 0-20 if I'm not mistaken.

 

This is what I thought as well. The 2.7 uses synthetic but it's slightly lighter.

I went to the dealer where I bought my truck for the first oil change as well (against my better judgment). It didn't go well. I went to drive away and the rear passenger tire would not roll. Keep in mind this is with just over 3000 miles on it, but was at 6 months. Then they guys who want and help try to jump in with grease covered clothes (didn't really want grease all over the seats of my new truck). They ended up keeping it for the night and saying a rear brake part broke. The paperwork was never written up with any explanation as to what happened. In fact the paperwork said I dropped it off and it wouldn't move. The whole experience pretty much ruined my faith in the dealership.

Now I change my own oil with Valvoline synthetic, oem filter, and I grease the zerks. This way I can sleep, even with my admitted OCD.

 

^^^This. Stick with Synthetic Devil. I do my own maintenance too - who is gonna take better care of your truck than you?

 

I have the 2.7. I don't recall it specifically specifying syn, but it does spec 0w20, and that only comes in syn.

What does your owner's manual say?

This is what my 2011 manual says about I-4 and V-6, respectively.

4 Cyl

“Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” is used in your Toyota vehicle. Use Toyota approved “Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or equivalent to satisfy the following grade and viscosity. Oil grade: ILSAC multigrade engine oil Recommended viscosity: SAE 0W-20 SAE 0W-20 is the best choice for good fuel economy and good starting in cold weather. If SAE 0W-20 is not available, SAE 5W-20 oil may be used. However, it must be replaced with SAE 0W-20 at the next oil change. The 0W portion of the oil viscosity rating indicates the characteristic of the oil which allows cold startability. Oils with a lower value before the W allow for easier starting of the engine in cold weather. The 20 in 0W-20 indicates the oil viscosity when the oil is at its operating temperature. An oil with a higher viscosity may be better suited if the vehicle is operated at high speeds, or under extreme load


6 Cyl

“Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” is used in your Toyota vehicle. Use Toyota approved “Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or equivalent to satisfy the following grade and viscosity. Oil grade: ILSAC multigrade engine oil Recommended viscosity: SAE 5W-30 SAE 5W-30 is the best choice for good fuel economy and good starting in cold weather. If SAE 5W-30 is not available, SAE 10W-30 oil may be used. However, it should be replaced with SAE 5W-30 at the next oil change. The 5W portion of the oil viscosity rating indicates the characteristic of the oil which allows cold startability. Oils with a lower value before the W allow for easier starting of the engine in cold weather. The 30 in 5W-30 indicates the oil viscosity when the oil is at its operating temperature. An oil with a higher viscosity may be better suited if the vehicle is operated at high speeds, or under extreme load conditions.

 

exactly.. you are not going to find a 0-20 in standard dino oil plain and simple

 

It's in the warranty and maintenance book. Notice where it says schedule B 2.7 L at the top. On the side schedule B synthetic.


Schedule A 4.0 L, non-synthetic.