Oil change question

So I'm taking my Tacoma in for it's first oil change ... first for me. 20k Miles.

My grandfather who worked on cars for 30 years always steered me away from synthetic. Just change it every 3-5k miles ... But that was 1970-2000.

The place I have always used and really like, Mobil, wants $42.00 for conventional and about $80.00 for synthetic. Is it worth it? Also, they have a "5k mile oil" that they recommend for vehicles going 5k that is $52.00?

Thoughts?

 

I believe the oil change interval on reg. old conventional oil is 5,000 miles

 

BTW planning on changing it myself in the future but the 20k mark sort of crept up on me. Wife and I are heading out to Whistler Thursday and I don't have the time to do it myself before then.

Just to get in the way of the "I do it myself, don't trust the #@$@#$"

I'm learning about this place

 

The longer oil change intervals for newer vehicles is due to more oil in the pan. I think you're getting charged too much for oil changes in general, $30 reg, $60 syn here.
I only run synthetic oil in everything but I do my own maintenance.

 

better listen to him,he gets mad when you don't

 

Just do a conventional oil change for now. In the future when you do it yourself use syntetic. Auto Zone, etc. run specials on oil and filter combos. I can usually get a jug of synthetic oil and filter for about $30. The price that an oil change place will charge you for conventional. Unfortunately the tacoma uses 5.5 quarts and the jug is 5-5.25 quarts. You can just add extra from a quart of conventional or do it right and buy an extra quart of sythetic. I personally don't think adding a quarter quart of conventional is going screw up the synthetic, but I'm sure others will disagree. The tacoma is the easiest vehicle I have had to do an oil change on. Chris4x4 has an excellent write up.

 

I would switch as soon as you can. My dad has a 98 camry with the sludge monster eng. Toyota recommended switching to synthetic or the sludge would come back. 5 years later it has not come back. I know the 11 camry uses synthetic from the factory.

 

$80.00 for an oil change....f*ck that! Better be a lifetime oil change for that price! lol You're getting ripped off if you decide to go that route.

 

80 bux, what a joke. This truck takes about 15 minutes to change the oil. Spend 35 on synth, diy and be happy it was done right and at half the cost. Its not brain surgery...seriously. you can do it.

 

The filter is the limiting item. Even if the synthetic oil is good for 10k, you'd still need to change the filter at 5k and top up the oil.

Even conventional oil is surprisingly expensive nowadays. 5-quart jug is around $20. Add $5 for the filter. So you are paying the mechanic $17 for labor. If you have a Toyota dealer nearby, take a look at their ExpressLube prices, probably in the $40 range and you get a genuine Toyota filter.

 

Thanks for the tips guys, I ended up with the conventional for now.

I am going to do these by myself, no issue there, just in a mad rush before leaving Thur morning. I have two kids who will be spending the week with my sister and mom ... damn those two take a lot of time to get ready to go somewhere for a few days.

 

I just did a oil change today with Mobile One synthetic and a OEM filter...total price of doing it myself came to around $25.

 

Where are you buying your stuff? I looked all over and was getting 35-40 for just the oil, Mobil 1. I did find some gallon jugs for 25ish.

 

The time your going to spend driving it there and waiting, you could do it quicker and cheaper. Hit up autozone, get some good quality synthetic (despite what grandpa said), royal purple if you wanna spring for it, and a new oil filter. Spend the 15 minutes to do it, dont even have to jack it up, or remove skid if its stock skid.

I do the family vehicles every 3-5k miles. many state they can last longer, but i suppose its outta habit.

 

if you lived closer to me..i would have done it for you. $80 is insane...i've gotten to the point where i dont even get dirty doing my truck's oil change.

i use synthetics...20k on the oil change clock is crazy..like dog years

 

If you change your oil every 3,000 miles, don't waste your money on synthetic. Conventional oil will be fine.

 

I didn't go 20k miles, this is just the first change I've done. Only had the truck two months.

 

In a rush, do not mistakenly remove the transmission drain plug.