Need Oil Recommendation Please.

[r_j]

Hi guys,

I drive a 2012 Toyota Corolla with 2000 miles . I am currently living in South Florida but will be working in and around Phoenix within a month and that is why I am here. My job will require me do drive approximately 100 miles a day. Often times, I will be idling my engine with the A/C on doing paperwork. Driving will be about 50/50 hwy/city. I don't drive hard, but the Arizona heat is a concern. The owners manual recommends a 0w20 and if a 0w20 is not available to go with a 5w20 but it must be replaced with a 0w20 at the next oil change. The manual also goes on to say, an oil with a higher viscosity (one with a higher value) may be better suited if the vehicle is operated at high speeds, or under extreme load or conditions. The manual only list ILSAC certification as required. I prefer to get the oil at a local store, however, I am also open to ordering online if its going to result in acquiring a better oil for my application. I am looking to be able to go 15,000 miles or more before I change the oil. Mpg and cost of oil are concerns , however most important to me is protecting the engine. Any information will be greatly appreciated.


rj

 

[fxrider]

A Good Synthetic oil is Needed for sure, Mobil-1 EP if you can find it in yout WT. or Pennzoil Ultra, Castrol Edge. just a few.

 

[yonyon]

Is there some reason you think the information you posted as coming from the owner's manual is incorrect?

 

[fdcg27]

Why don't you email Toyota, and ask them?
A thirty grade might better suit your operating conditions, although I would think that the engine would be fine on a twenty.
As has often been noted here, Ford mods survive quite well in similar uses on twenty grades, so a twenty is likely all you need.
If the Ford can live on a twenty grade in police or taxi use, I would think that your Corolla could as well.
This is not to mention the countless Hondas that have lived long and happy lives on twenty grade engine oil.
If you want to give the car something good, Toyota offers a very good 0W-20, and there is always M1 0W-20.
I would not go 15K on an OCI without a UOA to back it up.

 

[r_j]

Originally Posted By: yonyon
Is there some reason you think the information you posted as coming from the owner's manual is incorrect?


No I don't think the information coming from the manual is incorrect. I was just posting it because I wanted to provide as much information as I had to get the best recommendation possible. My main interest was to receive a recommendation for a brand and type of oil. I know there are synthetics out there and different classes at that.

 

[Turk]

A TOP quality, high Flashpoint, low NOACK Volatility Syn or Dino.

Examples are: Pennzoil Yellow Bottle, Penn Platinum or Ultra. Amsoil XL or Sig. Series.

For 15k drains (I wouldn't do that on a new engine), use Amsoil Sig. Series or M1 EP and their respective filters only.

Good luck with your travels!

 

[2cool]

M1 is available in 5W-20 and 0W-20 and is in the chains and WM. Use it with confidence. As fgcd27 stated, Fords and Hondas seem to thrive on 20wt, and my work truck has 167K on 5W20.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Welcome to the forum! Fine choice of car; I had an '07 and loved it, but had to sell because my wife couldn't drive a stick and that was getting in the way. That engine will likely be fine on nearly anything you put in it. My recommendation would be to use the Toyota 0W-20. It's usually available at a decent price at the dealer, and I know for a fact that Denso filters are sold at decent prices.

Else, Mobil 1 and Pennzoil Platinum are both sold at Walmart for around 27 bucks for a 5-quart jug. That's a good price for excellent oil. I don't know, though, about filters there. I think Fram has the cartridge filter there, and Purolator may also.

Hot engine idling is actually rather easy on oil. It's easy to think it's getting super hot in there, especially as the A/C becomes less effective at idle and the cabin starts warming up. But engine oil temperatures generally track close to coolant temperatures, and when they deviate, they do so with sustained high engine rpm. Poking around town and/or lots of idling is actually a good way to keep the oil relatively cool.

 

[Bill in Utah]

I'd either use 5w-20 or 0w-20 (5w-20 would be my first choice) for 10k MAX OCIs.

QSUD would be my first choice as its a excellent oil at (for now) an excellent price (for syn).

Is your vehicle one of the approved 10k max OCI? Any limits to that with severe service?

You are under warranty for 60k. Don't give Toyota a reason to not fix your vehicle *IF* something happens.

Bill

PS:

 

[oggb]

Agree with Bill 100%; Use Quaker State Ultimate Durability 5w-20, or really any quality 5w-20 synthetic oil that you can find a decent deal on.

Bear in mind that sitting in the heat with the engine idling is cake versus stop-and-go driving in heavy traffic while in 100F heat.

 

[clarklawnscape]

strictly opinion here, but im not going over 10k on an oci unless i could get the oil that lets say nasa uses in the space shuttle

 

[Gene K]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
I'd either use 5w-20 or 0w-20 (5w-20 would be my first choice) for 10k MAX OCIs.

QSUD would be my first choice as its a excellent oil at (for now) an excellent price (for syn).

Is your vehicle one of the approved 10k max OCI? Any limits to that with severe service?

You are under warranty for 60k. Don't give Toyota a reason to not fix your vehicle *IF* something happens.

Bill

PS:

Doesnt Toyota require 0W20 for 10,000 mile OCI.

 

[r_j]

Originally Posted By: tpitcher
A TOP quality, high Flashpoint, low NOACK Volatility Syn or Dino.

Examples are: Pennzoil Yellow Bottle, Penn Platinum or Ultra. Amsoil XL or Sig. Series.

For 15k drains (I wouldn't do that on a new engine), use Amsoil Sig. Series or M1 EP and their respective filters only.

Good luck with your travels!




I think I am going to go ahead and use M1 EP since I have had good experiences in the past with it on other vehicles, however, under different conditions. It's also widely available and reasonably priced. Thanks for all of your input.

rj

 

[bourne]

If you are going to end up using an M1 product , why dont you go for Toyota's own 0w20. Its made by XOM and has a higher
VI than any M1 you can purchase. Moreover its freely available and usually at a similar price point as M1 through your Toyota Dealer. Call around and see if they will give you a volume disc if you buy quantity.

 

[r_j]

Originally Posted By: Gene K
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
I'd either use 5w-20 or 0w-20 (5w-20 would be my first choice) for 10k MAX OCIs.

QSUD would be my first choice as its a excellent oil at (for now) an excellent price (for syn).

Is your vehicle one of the approved 10k max OCI? Any limits to that with severe service?

You are under warranty for 60k. Don't give Toyota a reason to not fix your vehicle *IF* something happens.

Bill

PS:

Doesnt Toyota require 0W20 for 10,000 mile OCI.



Thanks for the welcome. In the maintenance guide. It states, change the oil every 5000 miles or 6 months. I think I am going to stick with that recommendation for now.

 

[teddyboy]

I'd use M1 0W20 or Toyota 0W20 at Toyota's recommended 10K oci. There is no way I'd go beyond Toyota's recommended oci with a car under warranty. If you're going to do the oil changes yourself, you need to save every receipt for oil and filters and keep copious records proving that you didn't go past 10K on the oci. One of the reasons for buying a new car is to get the new car warranty. Don't blow it by failing to meet their maintenance standards. If you have an engine problem, you can be sure that they will use lack of maintenance to beat the claim if you give them that out.

 

[Gene K]

Originally Posted By: r_j
Originally Posted By: Gene K
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
I'd either use 5w-20 or 0w-20 (5w-20 would be my first choice) for 10k MAX OCIs.

QSUD would be my first choice as its a excellent oil at (for now) an excellent price (for syn).

Is your vehicle one of the approved 10k max OCI? Any limits to that with severe service?

You are under warranty for 60k. Don't give Toyota a reason to not fix your vehicle *IF* something happens.

Bill

PS:

Doesnt Toyota require 0W20 for 10,000 mile OCI.



Thanks for the welcome. In the maintenance guide. It states, change the oil every 5000 miles or 6 months. I think I am going to stick with that recommendation for now.


Toyota will warranty 10,000 mile OCI if you use the 0W20 Toyota Synthetic. There is a chart at the bottom of the following link with the Corolla.

http://www.toyota.com/owners/web/pages/resources/maintenance/synthetic-motor-oil

 

[r_j]

Originally Posted By: teddyboy
I'd use M1 0W20 or Toyota 0W20 at Toyota's recommended 10K oci. There is no way I'd go beyond Toyota's recommended oci with a car under warranty. If you're going to do the oil changes yourself, you need to save every receipt for oil and filters and keep copious records proving that you didn't go past 10K on the oci. One of the reasons for buying a new car is to get the new car warranty. Don't blow it by failing to meet their maintenance standards. If you have an engine problem, you can be sure that they will use lack of maintenance to beat the claim if you give them that out.


Good Point. I

 

[Zako2]

My first (knee jerk) reaction would be to ignore the manual and use a quality synthetic 5W20 motor oil the whole time. Take the advises such as "just use what the manual says" with a little grain of salt. The primary advantage of 0W20 oil over 5W20 is that 0W20 flows better when its freezing outside. The 0W20 is kind of useless anywhere in the South and Southwest United States unless you live in the Southern Rockies with sustained freezing mornings, etc (an occasional ski trip into mountains doesn't count).

If you are following the "thicker is better" school of car maintenance, consider using a quality High Mileage 5W20 motor oil, such as Valvoline Maxlife 5W20 (this should be safe for 5,000-8,000 OCI depending on how you drive). Those HM formulations tend to be a bit thicker than the average, but they still stay within their rated grade.

 

[A_Harman]

The Toyota 0w20 is excellent. I would choose it over M1 0w20. But since you're in the southern US, a 5w20 would work fine, and there are many good ones. Just stick with the owner's manual recommendation for oil change intervals until the vehicle is out of warranty.