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Interesting that even the official warranty and service manual says to do oil changes at 6 months / 5k miles if the vehicle is driven in special conditions like in cold temperatures and in stop and go traffic.
This is an old-school thing that I've followed on every new car I've had. Some argue it isn't necessary but the cost of one oil change is very cheap insurance.
Why?
Engines have tight tolerances. When new, the metal parts within the engine have a lot of friction. In spite of the lubricating oil, metal is ground out and shaved. Much of it is near microscopic. It's the job of the oil filter to remove these metal particles from the oil. Most of this initial wear occurs within the first 1K miles. So, the old-school thinking is to perform a change of oil and filter (especially the filter) to get the ground up metal out of the engine. Yes, the oil is designed to hold particles in suspension but can it hold them for the 10K miles? Depends how much there is.
Oil drain plugs are often magnetic. That is to trap the metal shavings that don't get filtered and can be removed at the next oil change. If you are there to see it, check out a drain plug at an oil change. It may look like the photo below. You can also open up the replaced oil filter and find metal shavings.
This is an old-school thing that I've followed on every new car I've had. Some argue it isn't necessary but the cost of one oil change is very cheap insurance.
Why?
Engines have tight tolerances. When new, the metal parts within the engine have a lot of friction. In spite of the lubricating oil, metal is ground out and shaved. Much of it is near microscopic. It's the job of the oil filter to remove these metal particles from the oil. Most of this initial wear occurs within the first 1K miles. So, the old-school thinking is to perform a change of oil and filter (especially the filter) to get the ground up metal out of the engine. Yes, the oil is designed to hold particles in suspension but can it hold them for the 10K miles? Depends how much there is.
Oil drain plugs are often magnetic. That is to trap the metal shavings that don't get filtered and can be removed at the next oil change. If you are there to see it, check out a drain plug at an oil change. It may look like the photo below. You can also open up the replaced oil filter and find metal shavings.
Ahhhhh that makes perfect sense - everywhere the oil is going are freshly ground/shaved parts where these particles would be less present over time but most present while new. Got it.
Originally Posted by ggebhardt
LOL!
I told you that you would get a lot of opinions !!!
Yes indeed, love this forum!
Originally Posted by Eagleboy99
Drive it like you stole it. At least that is the advice for V8 boat engines.
Well the new RX 350's have a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder now, no more V6's going into them, but supposedly its supposed to be comparable. I suppose its possible it could be relatively the same.
New question:
"Mfg manual suggestions aside" - how would (if at all) some of these opinions might differ given this vehicle comes with and requires synthetic oil vs conventional?
See klamalama comment below. Also the car car nut recommends break in oil change at 1000miles. Yes the oil may appear clean and clear but there are metal shavings from the build process that will get in the oil. The sooner you get them out the better. He shows the shavings his new engine had at 1000miles. He also says change every 5000 miles or 6 months not 10,000 miles. See links below.
Why you should change every 5000miles Women had car that she changed every10k like manual said, around 120k it starting burning oil which got worse and at 180k the engine was shot. Think about how much she saved by stretching the change interval vs rebuilding the engine.
I change every 5K in my turbo engine cars and only synthetic due to the high temps that can coke dyno oil. Having said that, Blackstone oil analysis at 5K has shown the oil has lots of life left and would be just fine to 10K.
I use Havoline full syn that come in a 6-quart box at walmart. Nothing special about it. All full syn motor oil are pretty much the same in specs, its the additive packaging that separates them. The 6-qt box is convenient cause our RX takes 5.8 qts. I put all six quarts in and wont have partial filled bottles to store. My Tacoma takes 5.5 qts and I put all six qts in as well, although I use an oversize filter.
Whats crazy is my 2008 LS 460 manual said every 5k with only synthetic and that baby took 9.1 quarts yet other vehicles say 10k.
That 2008 also called for using API SM rated oil. API standards have since gone to SN and in 2017 to SN PLUS and now SP. Oil formulations have improved quite a bit since 2008.
If you research on the web majority say 7,500-15,000 miles. BMW recommends 15,000 miles. Putting any major brand and changing at 10,000 which is what the people that built our vehicles recommend and your vehicle will be just fine. Used Mobil 1 in my vehicles for over a million miles changing every 10,000 miles and if course never had a engine issue.
Hard to beat Mobil 1 and Walmart runs sales on it all the time, Costco sells it too. This car uses 0W20, not 0W16?
I wait until Walmart has it on sale for $23 for a 5 quart jug. Mobil was running a rebate twice a year. It was online you just scan a copy of the receipt and it was a $12 off on the jug.
Yeh, I paid $30.00 for the 5 qt jug Mobil 1 at Walmart, I bought 2 and they shipped for free. The RX350h takes the 0w16 I read the Mobil 1 makes this oil for Lexus brand. Now is on sale for $27.00
12-22-22, 09:49 AM
Recommended oil and change schedule
