So a few days ago when I was dealing with the huge issues with my sub and my dealer not owning up to a crap install and the dud sub they gave me and getting it all handled WONDERFULLY at Lake City Scion, I stopped by a different Toyota/Scion dealer on the way home from Lake City (at the time I was only able to set an appt.)

I was at 4000 miles and decided to get my first oil change.

Recommended on the tC is 5w30, and I realized today on that little sticker they put on my windshield that it looks like they put 10w30. I found my paperwork, and sure enough it shows they put in 5 quarts of 10w30.

I have a couple different questions about this:

1) WHAT is the difference between 5w30 and 10w30?

2) Is it necessarily BAD they put 10w30 instead of 5w30?

3) It was one of my free scion oil changes but I'm sure when it's not I pay for each quart. Does it REALLY take *5 QUARTS* to change the oil in a tC?

*Note*
This was one of the standard oil changes that was done and is covered with the purchase of my new tC. They also offered to rotate my tires but then determined it wasn't necessary at that time. The services I was given were only what is covered in the 3 free oil changes.

Help is appreciated... I just started thinking more about some of this...

 

1) it's just a heavier weight. most people i know run 10w30.

2) it's not going to hurt anything. most people run 10w30 in the summer and then 5w30 in the winter...in ny at least.

3) i haven't had to do a change yet, seeing how i got my tc on friday. check your owners manual in the back. it tells exactly how many quarts u need. if memory serves correct from a quick glance i think i did see 5 quarts.

on a side note, i wouldn't have waited until 4k miles. i would have done the first change at 1k miles. there are metal fragments that can come loose while the engine is breaking in. it's just what i've been suggested to do. also, i'd get some synthetic in there as well. just makes the car run better and u can potentially see better gas mileage.

 

Hey i did my oil changed at about 1500miles and on the sticker they put on the top corner of my windshield it says Pennzoil 10w-30... i thought toyota dealers used toyota oil ... well my car has been running fine running that oil so no worries but i will change it when winter comes...

 

4qts to the full mark..and 10w is fine, its not a huge deal unless you live in sub zero temps all year.

 

in some cars...using the wrong weight of oil might result in the engine burning through the oil too fast. in my car for example...my engine gave me a check oil level light a WEEK after an oil change that used.."generic motor oil" which my mechanic uses on ALL cars...-.-

now i just buy my own oil, then take it to him to drain the old out, pour the new in.

 

hmm... when i changed my oil is was about 4 quarts of oil to full not 5

 

someone posted an "All you need to know about oil" somewhere, search and find

 

here it is...
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=52480

and this is a maint thread, moved to the proper forum.

 

It's a bit of reading, but it's very informative:

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=52480

It's a sticky in the Maintenance section.

I might suggest people look around the forums a bit more,
check out the other sections rather then just camping one area.

 

how true....

 

Unless one like to camp out. Then you may want to look into an Aztek or a Tacoma if you want to see your family again.