I hate to get into faith discussions, but very misleading title.
Bad title: Break-in oil change is totally unnecessary, or how I tried to spark debate but just sounded like a dick
- Thread starter M3Cavalry
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Title has been fixed.
I haven't heard much of a debate for the side representing not doing the break in oil change.
What could those points possibly be?
1. You are wasting $50-$100 on a $70K vehicle
2. You are needlessly padding the service dealers pockets
3. You are squandering the lives of micro-organisms that lived millions of years ago
This one seems too lopsided to me. If we want a good fight, let's pick something more controversial.
What could those points possibly be?
1. You are wasting $50-$100 on a $70K vehicle
2. You are needlessly padding the service dealers pockets
3. You are squandering the lives of micro-organisms that lived millions of years ago
This one seems too lopsided to me. If we want a good fight, let's pick something more controversial.
You could add that engines are broken in at the factory so that it's not necessary any more like it use to be.
If you look back at manuals of old you had directions on how to adjust the valve clearancesā¦ but now you have warnings to not drink the fluid from the batteryā¦
If you look back at manuals of old you had directions on how to adjust the valve clearancesā¦ but now you have warnings to not drink the fluid from the batteryā¦
4. You want a free engine from Toyota when it grenades under warranty by following their maintenance schedule.
Most engines aren't broken in at the factory. They build the vehicles and send them out, that's it. Performance cars may be broken in, we are talking the high dollar stuff.
My 2011 M3 required a break in period, there was even a sticker on the windshield. The redline even reflected it and was changed after the break in service was performed. If you didn't adhere to the break in rules, your warranty could/would be voided. The amount of stuff the replaced/changed after the break in period was impressive. I don't recall the milage, I think it was 1500mi. You had to keep it under 4k rpm for 1500mi, which was a nightmare, because the V8 M3 was a high revving V8, it was unhappy under 3k, the redline was around 9k iirc. The yellow/redline would actually change as the engine came up to temp. It was a fun car. Anyway, longwinded point is, the is zero break in period at the factory for most vehicles or engines.
The point of the 500mi break in oil change is to get the leftovers from assembly out of the engine. The break in period (which is mentioned in your manual) is for a different reason.
Am utilizing my āfreeā 10k service today at 757 miles. The service advisor was like āOh youāre going to void your 5,000 mile serviceā and I said āYou mean the one where they rotate the tires and look at the car and say good to go? I wonāt miss it.ā
I aspire for a life where I can enjoy a brewery in the afternoon on a weekday.
No way the advisor said that, seriously? These guys continually impress me
Probably meant the 5k service won't be free.
I didn't even know there was a free 5k service until I got an email. I know the 10k oil change is free. Some have had luck getting the dealer to do the 500mi or 5k oil change for free, most haven't, and the dealer would count it toward your 3 free oil changes. I don't want them messing with my tires, I have a tire shop for that, one that has a TQ wrench and uses it, but I don't mind sitting thee for an hour if they want to check the fluids and make sure nothing is falling off the thing, think of it like your annual check up. Though my Toyota dealership is cheap, no free snacks, no free drinks, the waiting area is in the middle of the sales floor, I'm not sure they even have a TV, losers
.Worst one at that dealer was a kid who called my wife a scammer in front of all the other customers because he was new and she was using a corporate coupon heād never seen before. Weāre longtime customers and have never had an issue with those coupons before. (We made a stink and got a free brake/rotor job out of the deal.)
Weāve had other problems, but that one takes the cake.
This is a topic that (I think) people overthink on modern cars/trucks. Generally, thereās neglect and thereās regular maintenanceā¦without defining these items by specific parameters, we all know that neglect is bad, so we shouldnāt neglect our vehicles.
One thing I used to do is change my oil anytime before a long road tripā¦I learned to NOT do that when stranded once because the tech didnāt put the oil plug on right (imagine being so dumb you canāt screw in an oil plug properly). Anyway, now I want some miles after service.
Another similar (and equally futile) debate is how often to change oil on an ultra-low mileage carā¦esp. when it has an oil life monitorā¦which leads into arguments of whether synthetic oil degrades with time or only use/conditions. Lots of opinionsā¦but again, I think itās hard to fall into the āneglectā group unless you simply donāt care about your car/truck.
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Just completed 1st oil & filter change at home on my 2025 LC 1958.
Picked up an OEM oil filter from the Toyota dealer.
Once the skid plates were removed, it was easy access to the filter & drain plug.
Picked up an OEM oil filter from the Toyota dealer.
Once the skid plates were removed, it was easy access to the filter & drain plug.
The Motor Oil Geek addresses many issues on his YouTube channel.
