Engine Oil Replacment

[Bozz]

My Corolla has just had its first service at my local dealer. Whilst observing the technician refilling the engine with oil I noticed that it was not Toyota branded. When questioned the service manager said it was OK to use as it was API: SN and they were unable to get hold of the Toyota product.

Any thoughts?

 

 

 

[TonyHSD]

As long as is 0w16 it’s ok almost any brand. Perhaps they had filled 0w20 which seems a common practice for uk and Ireland dealers to use cheaper alternative oils and not the exact specs as manufacturer recommended. They are fine but some efficiency maybe lost 2-5mpg at most , engine will be ok especially if the car is driven on motorways and longer journeys, in town driving during winter hybrid engines mostly remain cold and using the exact specs oil is kind of the best for your car. 

[Bozz]

2 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

As long as is 0w16 it’s ok almost any brand. Perhaps they had filled 0w20 which seems a common practice for uk and Ireland dealers to use cheaper alternative oils and not the exact specs as manufacturer recommended. They are fine but some efficiency maybe lost 2-5mpg at most , engine will be ok especially if the car is driven on motorways and longer journeys, in town driving during winter hybrid engines mostly remain cold and using the exact specs oil is kind of the best for your car. 

Hi Tony 

It was https://carlube.co.uk/product/r-tec-1/

[forkingabout]

27 minutes ago, Bozz said:

Hi Tony 

It was https://carlube.co.uk/product/r-tec-1/

Part of the Tetrosyl group so the oil is decent enough.

[TonyHSD]

This oil has very good parameters, could be even better than what Toyota labelled oil will be 👍

[Cyker]

Was this a *Toyota* dealer??   It just sounds bizarre that a Toyota dealer can't get hold of a Toyota product!

As for the oil, most dealers bulk-buy their oil and as long as it's in spec it should be fine. I didn't realize most dealers don't use Toyota oil but I guess it makes sense when you're going through that much oil...

It's a bit irritating as I hear that is often an excuse used when an independent garage is used, i.e. they didn't use manufacturer-spec oil, but the good thing about using a franchised dealer is if something happens they can't turn around and say the wrong oil was used because then they'll be on the hook 

 

[Parts-King]

38 minutes ago, Cyker said:

Was this a *Toyota* dealer??   It just sounds bizarre that a Toyota dealer can't get hold of a Toyota product!

Most oils (bulk) are difficult to procure at the moment, there is a worldwide shortage of additives, we are getting deliveries and reordering again straight away. Certain diff oils are almost impossible to get hold of readily 

 

[Gerhard_Corolla]

22 hours ago, Cyker said:

Was this a *Toyota* dealer??   It just sounds bizarre that a Toyota dealer can't get hold of a Toyota product!

As for the oil, most dealers bulk-buy their oil and as long as it's in spec it should be fine. I didn't realize most dealers don't use Toyota oil but I guess it makes sense when you're going through that much oil...

It's a bit irritating as I hear that is often an excuse used when an independent garage is used, i.e. they didn't use manufacturer-spec oil, but the good thing about using a franchised dealer is if something happens they can't turn around and say the wrong oil was used because then they'll be on the hook 

 

Well, if they charge the prices from the alternative oils, everything is fine... But they charge the prices of 'original' Toyota oil  (aka Mobil 1) and they use Ravenol, Liqui Moly, Motul, etc.

We recently made our first large travel with the car, so I took it to a general mechanical check-up, and they found the oil level was 'not in order', it was nothing serious but not accordingly to the correct standard. Thanks to the language barriers, I didn't get that it was a little bit over filled and not under filled, so I went to a Toyota dealership to buy a liter of Toyota 0W16 before I went to pick up the car. Surprise, surprise, they sold me a liter of Liqui Moly 0W16 oil for 35 eur, the price of the Toyota 'original' oil...

It was an emergency, so what a hell, I bought it, but you can get that oil for 15/16 eur.

What bothered me was not having the choice! If Toyota is fine with using other oil brands, I should be able to decide if I want to spend half on materials authorized by Toyota for the maintenance of my vehicle, and not be charged full price for the same maintenance procedures, but use cheaper options...

[Parts-King]

4 hours ago, Gerhard_Corolla said:

What bothered me was not having the choice! If

You might have to get used to less choice! The world order means there is less choice with everything

Toyota do not (cannot) mandate a brand, so long as it meets the specification, it can be anybody's oil, they don't "make" oil, it is made by oil producers to their specification 

[TonyHSD]

Although this is true about oil makes and types etc and dealers can indeed sell other brands, however they are official Toyota representatives and they should always inform the customer upfront that because of the certain reasons they can only offer non Toyota branded oil as part of the service or as a separate spare part purchase. This is also applied for all other parts.
For example if you would like to purchase a new genuine Toyota filter and make an order and then you receive an aftermarket filter like mann or Blueprint, you are asking for Toyota red box filter not aftermarket, right? They should give custumer notice upfront and explain the reasons why it’s happening. Doing so will likely to never cause any issues or doubts about it.  
 

[Bozz]

I've no idea whether they fitted a  genuine Toyota oil filter but the part number listed on the invoice is 90915-YZZM3 and that appears to be a genuine part

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

At the end of the day, Toyota don't specify any particular brand of oil in owners manuals - just whatever grade, and whatever API spec. By the way, the latest API spec is SP.

[Gerhard_Corolla]

8 hours ago, Parts-King said:

You might have to get used to less choice! The world order means there is less choice with everything

Toyota do not (cannot) mandate a brand, so long as it meets the specification, it can be anybody's oil, they don't "make" oil, it is made by oil producers to their specification 

 

I'm all in with team dealership, at the end of the day they are the ones facing customers, and if there isn't another option, fine by me...

 

The issue is not that, is that they are charging me the full price for Toyota Mobil 1 oil, but they're using Liqui Moly oil, that cost half or less the price of the former!

[TonyHSD]

Indeed , they just have to be clear and honest with customers. Here what they had always advised. 

One of the reasons people visit dealers for parts and work is exactly that, genuine Toyota parts and in-house knowledge by their technicians. If either of these is compromised by one reason or another without upfront notice it looks and feels like dealer is cheating. 
Here another one from Toyota uk. 

 

[Gerhard_Corolla]

Toyota has amazing content for their clients in the UK, USA, and Canada!

 

In their UK Youtube channel and online 'magazine' I've found everything I could not find anywhere else...