Dealership Using Different Oil Viscosities

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I just purchased an '05 LS430 with 67K. I had researched the service history and all the oil changes were done every 5K at the Lexus dealership. Great service history! In going through all the old service invoices I could find in the dash, I found some information I would like to share as it seems really unusual to me. Especially coming from a Lexus dealership. The first oil change at 5K was with 10W-30. Then at 15K it was changed to 5W-40. The next record I could find was at was at 30K where 10W-30 was used. The last record was at 65K where 0W-20 synthetic was used. So, I am assuming based on the paper invoices I found in the dash, the majority of the time they used 10W-30. Interesting the switch to 0W-20 Synthetic at 65K.

I'm not freaking out but when the manual calls for 5W-30 I "assumed" the dealership would use 5W-30. FWIW, I'm gonna use a 0W-40 synthetic
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any way...
 
Another tangent is the tech could have put something else in and the dealer just keyed the right/wrong thing on the receipt.
 
I don't know about the engine, but me thinks the dealership didn't care what it was as long as it was oil.
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5w/40 seems odd (why would a Lexus dealer even have that? Is it possible it is a typo?) but based on what the Acura dealer did with my RL I'd say 10w/30 in place of 5w/30 isn't too unusual. If they did it, they would have a hard time not standing behind it.
 
I guess it could be a typo but no other invoice has "5W" on it. They all have 10W-30 on them.
 
Congrats on the new car...
Strange previous oil use if that's what was used for it. The LS430 is only specced for 5w30, as you stated.
While 0w40 is a fine oil, I would have stuck to a 30 weight and gone with M1 0w30 AFE.
I just like the specs better with the 0w30 and having the comfort factor of staying within grade is nice too.
Just my opinion...
 
Most dealers and lube centers simply use the least expensive oil they can get away with selling. While there are plenty of exceptions, it's up to the owner to be educated enough to properly oversee what products are used when maintaining their vehicles.

Since most vehicle owners don't take the time to learn about servicing their vehicles properly, shops tend to take advantage of a trusting customer by generally using products they would likely not use in their own vehicles. This isn't to say that the product or bulk oil won't adequately protect the engine, just that the shop employees would use a higher quality oil (in their personal vehicle) than the bulk oil bought from the lowest bidder.

For the OP in Virginia, Congratulations on a wise purchase and desire to educate yourself on maintaining your solidly built Lexus.

Mobil 1 5W-30 will also be fine for your application and will likely shear a little less than the 0W-30 (with the engine's many long timing chains and etc..). For cold-start protection, 5W-30 and 0W-30 will perform very similar down to a few degrees below zero.
 
Originally Posted By: Roob
Congrats on the new car...
Strange previous oil use if that's what was used for it. The LS430 is only specced for 5w30, as you stated.
While 0w40 is a fine oil, I would have stuck to a 30 weight and gone with M1 0w30 AFE.
I just like the specs better with the 0w30 and having the comfort factor of staying within grade is nice too.
Just my opinion...


But I'm one of those guys that have noticed in many other countries the same engine is spec'd for ?W/40 weight oil by Castrol, Shell, etc. I feel I'll get better protection. Notice the word "feel".
 
Originally Posted By: DuckRyder
5w/40 seems odd (why would a Lexus dealer even have that? Is it possible it is a typo?)


Exactly what I was thinking...

That wouldn't even be in a Lexus dealer.
 
Apparently car makers don't get a lot of warranty claims from dealers using the "wrong" oil or they would be all oveer the dealers about it.
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Apparently car makers don't get a lot of warranty claims from dealers using the "wrong" oil or they would be all oveer the dealers about it.


Usually you get the bulk oil of the month deal.

Whatever is in the barrel.
 
Originally Posted By: Gebo
I guess it could be a typo but no other invoice has "5W" on it. They all have 10W-30 on them.


Mybe it was 15w40 than!
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Originally Posted By: Bluestream
The only people on the planet that freak out over oil viscosity are our BITOG members


Agree......except for 0Wxx oils where they are not needed!
 
This car's entire life was in Jacksonville, FL. Not exactly 0W-20 climate. I called Brumos Lexus yesterday and talked with a service advisor in an attempt to clarify that Lexus was now ok'ing 0W-20 in 2005 LS430's. He didn't want to have much of a conversation but he said it was fine. I said well the oil cap and owner's manual recommend 5W-30. He asked me to hold on a minute but I could still hear him asking someone else about the 0W-20 and they said "No Problem." He would only give me 2 word answers. I think it's funny where people will give you an authoritative reply until you question them and then they, all of a sudden, don't know for sure.

I haven't lost any sleep and I've already changed my oil. Oh, and the oil filter was on so tight I broke my oil filter wrench trying to remove it! You know those aluminum looking ones that fit over the end? It split.

As I was typing before that last thought entered my brain, it amazes me that the people that should know don't know. Or maybe I should say, don't care.

I'm just happy the lady that owned it for the last 10 years had the oil changed every 5 K!
 
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Originally Posted By: Gebo
..... it amazes me that the people that should know don't know. Or maybe I should say, don't care.


That's why you have to check and double-check most everything in today's world where apathy and a "I don't care" attitude have become the new normal. Sloppy inattention to detail is sadly accepted as being OK too.

Glad you came to this Forum to visit with folks who do care and take pride in their work. Thankfully (as you said), your Lexus had a 5K OCI interval of decent oils which likely didn't hurt the longevity of a bulletproof engine.

Have a rejuvenating weekend.
 
Originally Posted By: Gebo
This car's entire life was in Jacksonville, FL. Not exactly 0W-20 climate. I called Brumos Lexus yesterday and talked with a service advisor in an attempt to clarify that Lexus was now ok'ing 0W-20 in 2005 LS430's. He didn't want to have much of a conversation but he said it was fine. I said well the oil cap and owner's manual recommend 5W-30. He asked me to hold on a minute but I could still hear him asking someone else about the 0W-20 and they said "No Problem." He would only give me 2 word answers. I think it's funny where people will give you an authoritative reply until you question them and then they, all of a sudden, don't know for sure.

I haven't lost any sleep and I've already changed my oil. Oh, and the oil filter was on so tight I broke my oil filter wrench trying to remove it! You know those aluminum looking ones that fit over the end? It split.

As I was typing before that last thought entered my brain, it amazes me that the people that should know don't know. Or maybe I should say, don't care.

I'm just happy the lady that owned it for the last 10 years had the oil changed every 5 K!
Sounds like one of those "pushout the units" operations best avoided.
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Gebo said:
I called Brumos Lexus yesterday and talked with a service advisor
That's the first place you went wrong!
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As the song says, "you can tell when they're lying, when their lips are moving"! Any quality 5W30 would be fine in that engine, they're pretty tough.
 
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