2012 Toyota Camry I4 Oil Change Strategy

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SatinSilver

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This is for my dad's car with 26k miles. The manufacturer calls for 10k oil changes with 0w20 synthetic. I know the color of the oil is not a tell-all but it's a darker color and a half quart low after 6k miles. Again this is not my car but I'm wondering if I should top off the oil, do an early oil change at the dealer, or wait till the car hits 30k for the scheduled oil change. Dealer charges $60 for a full syn change.

I was thinking of taking it to the Ford dealer for some 5w20 syn-blend but there is no MC cartridge oil filter available. So either bring one with me or leave the old filter in for 4k miles and do a normal oil change at 30k. Oil change at the Ford dealer is $20 with a coupon. They charge $50 for a full syn MC oil change. Oil changes at the Ford dealer don't show up on the Carfax like they do at the Toyo dealers. This really seems to help at trade in time.

Dad usually trades the car in every 5yrs with around 80k miles for a new Camry. He's been doing this since 1992. Thanks guys!
 
1/2 quart low...you could just add 1/4 quart and see where it gets to; but if it was me, and it was 1/2 way between full and add I would watch it to see if it was continuing down, checking each fill up or once per week. If it got down to 1/4 above add that's when I'd put some in.

Are you considering changing it yourself as an option? If you are then having a UOA done will answer any questions you have about the oil's durability.

Even if you have it done elsewhere you might be able to get them to take a sample for you. But from what I've read, going 10k on Toyota 0w20 should be just fine.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Are you considering changing it yourself as an option?


Not really, I edited my OP a little bit. At trade in time it seems to be help with the value having all the oil changes listed on the Carfax.

Edit: Plus the Ford dealer recommends 7500 intervals on their full syn oil and Toyota has had oil sludging issues in the past. I've had the dealer pull samples for me in the past for UOA's on previous cars.
 
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Since $$$ seems to be an issue, ask the dealer if they'll change the oil YOU BRING IN...many do for $20 and less....if so buy the oil/filters on sale (often for as little as $10 for synthetic oil/filter after rebate) and you'll have a syn OC for $30...AND...change the oil @ 7500...
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
If he trades his cars every five years why are you worried about this? Just follow whatever schedule Toyota recommends and the car should be fine, even if it burns a bit of oil.


+1
 
If your father is consistently doing business with them (OC's and perhaps the dealer from where the vehicle was bought) see if they'll top it off no charge.

Or I'd top it off myself with 0W-20 TGMO and keep going the regular OCI. I can see the logic in having the OC's listed on the CarFax, makes sense.

Me... I don't care as I'm probably going to run my Accord into the ground.
 
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How hard does he drive it? If it was me, I'd probably keep an eye on it, and change at the recommended 10k, which I'm guessing would coincide with being a full quart low.

If it never goes past say 3k rpm, what is the point of having lots of oil in the sump? It's a new engine, it should have little blowby/garbage going into the oil.
 
Does he drive over 20K a year? I would do seasonal oil changes at least every 4 months. In our cars the oil is toast at 7K. If the oil was a 0/5/10W20 real synthetic you possibly could go the distance if its a LL lube. Any brand other than Amsoil or Redline sell a true 20 grade sythetic?
 
If I were in your situation, I would change oil every 10K with syn (not semi syn) and top off as needed.

You're a good son for checking the oil... now get out there and top it off! :)
 
Since this car is destined to be a trade in, I wouldnt worry bout the small stuff. Just top it off and take in the car for its oil change as scheduled.

Toyota's 10k oci scares me, not because the oil and filter cant handle the interval but because people will come in to the dealership 2quarts low and 2k miles over the oci.
frown.gif
 
Originally Posted By: vq35de_touring

Toyota's 10k oci scares me, not because the oil and filter cant handle the interval but because people will come in to the dealership 2quarts low and 2k miles over the oci.
frown.gif




If you tell the customer to come in for LOF changes at 7,500 miles, .... in the real world they'll likely end up coming in at 10K anyways.

10K intervals result in a 12.5K OCI.
wink.gif
 
I will never go beyond 5000 miles in any Toyota oil change interval. Toyota is known for making really huge bonehead mistakes when it comes to altering tried and true designs or standards which ultimately end up in huge recalls. I can see the 10,000 OCI turning into another sludgefest. With thousands of "victims" doing another class action suit. Will these Bozos who make these decisions ever learn?
 
Originally Posted By: Doog
I can see the 10,000 OCI turning into another sludgefest. With thousands of "victims" doing another class action suit.


+1
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
If he trades his cars every five years why are you worried about this? Just follow whatever schedule Toyota recommends and the car should be fine, even if it burns a bit of oil.


Good question. I was considering purchasing the car down the road. Just a possibility. On the previous 07 Camry I remember thinking I probably don't need to check the oil level since my dad would take that car in for oil changes every 5k. But when I first checked the oil level it was a full quart low. I remember at the time the car had 40k miles on it. The previous Camry to that was an 01 and would let out a puff of smoke on start up.
 
Originally Posted By: satinsilver
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Are you considering changing it yourself as an option?
Not really, I edited my OP a little bit. At trade in time it seems to be help with the value having all the oil changes listed on the Carfax.


That is B.S. I've never had an oil change done at a dealer, and therefore never had changes listed on Carfax, and never had an issue trading a car in. Never told "sorry we could've given you a thousand more if only you had your oil changes done here." Also sold a 2 year old car private party and they paid top dollar but never asked for any maintenance records. If a dealer really wants to sell you a new car they'll give you as much as they can for a trade in unless there's something obviously wrong with it.
 
Originally Posted By: vq35de_touring


Toyota's 10k oci scares me, not because the oil and filter cant handle the interval but because people will come in to the dealership 2quarts low and 2k miles over the oci.
frown.gif

I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. I'm sure most Toyo dealerships and 99% of the lube joints are recommending 3-5000 OCI on those cars. The Ford place just told me since I live in a hostile environment like FL, I need to do 5000 mile changes no matter what Ford manuals or oil life monitors say.
 
I would top-off/replenish and continue to the scheduled interval. TGMO is refined by XOM, so a good choice would be a $6 quart of M1 0w20 from walmart. Watching my dads 2012 Camry I4 he hasnt burned a drop yet (5k into his 2nd 10k OCI).
 
Originally Posted By: kam327


That is B.S. I've never had an oil change done at a dealer, and therefore never had changes listed on Carfax, and never had an issue trading a car in. Never told "sorry we could've given you a thousand more if only you had your oil changes done here." Also sold a 2 year old car private party and they paid top dollar but never asked for any maintenance records. If a dealer really wants to sell you a new car they'll give you as much as they can for a trade in unless there's something obviously wrong with it.
Never had it brought up either. I've had folks check the oil a couple times to make sure it had oil.
 
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