Toyota has their own brand of oil, which is what the factory and dealers use.
If your dealer doesn't know what oil to use for changes, find a new dealer.

 

The US 2017 Rav4 maintenance guide makes no mention of synthetic oil changes at 5k/6mos, the US standard service interval for normal operation for oil changes is every 10k miles or 12 months, oil is changed every 5k miles or 6 months in special operating conditions(severe service). AFAIK all Rav4s come with synthetic oil in the US, they have at least since 2015. Dunno what the standard is for elsewhere in the world, you haven't completed your profile so we don't know what part of the world you're in.

https://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/omms-s/T-MMS-17RAV4/pdf/T-MMS-17RAV4.pdf

 

And you live WHERE???? Obviously not in the USA.

 

5k is an option for severe service conditions, but the "free" Toyotacare service is only going to include two oil changes whether they are at 5k and 10k or 10k and 20k.

 

I know a person, from other community, that was testing different brands of synthetic oil, sending it for evaluation to a lab after 5k, 7k, 10k, etc.. Toyota synthetic oil starts losing its characteristics between 5k - 7k, so changing it around 5-6k is probably a good idea. For Brands like Amsoil, Red Line and few others, which are better quality, it`s about 7-8k.
Personally, i always use Amsoil Signature series 0W20 for last 8 years, changing at 7-7.5k.

 

Actually the oil in your picture is not API approved and does not meet Toyota specs. Technically it could void your warranty if an oil related problem were to arise. The chances of that are slim to none I'm sure, and Amsoil does offer some API approved oils.

 

I keep hearing about these Amsoil products, but I can't seem to find them at my local Walmart, Advance Auto, or AutoZone. Are they only sold in certain parts of the country?

 

Order online or from your local "dealer" (private party, it's like Amway but it's not an MLM deal, no pyramid scheme)

Very expensive. Preferred Customer program gives you dealer pricing, but it's only really worth it if you're putting 40,000 miles a year on a Diesel pickup.

Bang for the buck, just stick with Mobil-1 from Walmart (was on sale for $23 for the 5qt jug last week at my store)
UOA posted on various forums show that M1 and the factory filter are just fine at 10k.

 

Yes, it`s not cheap, 50 dollars for an oil change. Mobil1 is ok too

Other great choice would be Royal Purple 0W20, it`s 40 per 5 qts

 

0W20 recommended by Touota and Honda, even it show on the oil cap 5w20.
The package on Mobil1 indicates "For Honda snd Toyota"

 

I just don't see doing it myself is any advantage any more, the local dealer does 5 qt dino oil changes for $40 and synthetic for $55, that includes a new filter and they get rid of the used oil, and that's only after the 2yr Toyota Care expires, the first two changes(10k miles/12mo and 20k miles/24mo) are free, what's not to like about that! I did my own oil changes for decades, but in the last 10yrs or so I've had em done by Toyota, works for me, I have better things to do with my time than play mechanic, been there, done that too many years.

 

I would pay twice that price if I knew the service was being performed correctly. I've told my dealer that to their face after the final straw.
Glad it's working out for you though.

 

Hey, I don't swear by anything haha, nor I am forcing anyone to use top of the line motor oils. And I am not amsoil dealer either ? I did a lot of reading and made my choice, using their product everywhere.. transmission, dufferentials, tcase.. etc, in all my vehicles, that is all

 

Who said that you were???:shrug:

 

I am just talking out loud man, haha

Its surprising how many people automatically equate "expensive" with "top of the line" or quality

Good point, many do that. You are absolutely correct, characteristics, test results, etc should be the main factor :cheers: Unfortunately expensive and top of the line, have a tendency being together lol

 

Its surprising how many people automatically equate "expensive" with "top of the line" or quality. If it were that simple it would be great. But the issue isn't whether a lubricant passes more tests and ratings, its whether that makes any difference in normal use.

 

Ditto.

I've tested Royal Purple compared to M1, Amsoil, and Dino oils.
Let's just say that if RP put as much money into R&D as they do product placement on "gearhead" cable shows, advertising, and racing sponsorships, they'd have a great product.
But they don't, and they don't.

Testing 20w50 products in my motorcycle, Royal Purple did not hold viscosity any better than Castrol GTX. Both sheared down to a 30wt within 2,000 miles.
M1 and Amsoil were still 40wt at 6,000 miles.
The worst was Motul Twin-Synd. Sheared down to a 20wt in 1500 miles AND destroyed my clutch... and this was a JASO-MA rated oil designed for wet clutches.

 

Royal Purple sheers too easy. They have kind of a bad rap with some oil experts. As far as automotive/industrial boutique oil companies, Redline and Amsoil would be my top choices. As far as ATF or CVT I myself like Redline better since they are a group 5 (POE) based oil in their ATF vs Amsoil's group 4 based ATF (PAO). Both a far cry above Toyota's crap WS that is a group2/3 (mineral hydro cracked) oil that can't take the heat as say Lexus can using WS because most have external ATF coolers where Toyota does not. As far as motor oil Mobil 1 at Walmart or Amazon Prime (Prime member) really is your best choice for your bang for the buck. You can stick Mobil 1 Extended up just under Amsoil and Redline for motor oil and you can get it delivered from Amazon and go get it at Walmart for $25 for the Extended version $22 for the regular version, which is a group 4 oil. Most of your other synthetics are group 3 oils. Mobil makes the base stocks and the additive-packs where others have to buy them.... from Mobil, as rumored Amsoil does. You just can't go wrong with Mobil on anything they make. I use Amsoil for marine oil and marine gear oil. I think FC-W rated engine oil is a great benefit and is needed if you use your boat sporadically as I tend to do. I can get Amsoil for just a hair over OEM semi-synthetic oil. Motor oil is not near as a critical area as say transmission fluid is, I run Walmart full synthetic group 3 for $18 in a couple of my cars in the summer time and knowing what I know now, on how Mobil 1 flows better then others in winter since it is a group 4 oil. I run Mobil 1 0w40 Euro $22 at Walmart in the winter here in Minnesota. I live close to work and all our cars get changed twice a year ea. 10,000 miles a year or less on each car. The Rav4 gets Mobil 1 0w 40 Euro year round because of towing a small boat. Understanding the Differences in Base Oil Groups .

 

After years of changing my own oil and filters I now let the dealer do the job. As others have posted that saves a lot of hassle. The dealer uses API spec. oil, has changed brands over the years but apparently whatever the service department uses works fine. Spoke with another owner who said he has 250,000 miles on his V6, has always had the dealer do the changes, vehicle still uses no oil between changes. Dealer takes about half an hour to do the change, also presumably the vehicle inspections, and so that is my wait time.

 

Blogson-----------

As do I. When I bought this car in Jan '09 I decided I was not going to crawl around under cars anymore. The dealer has done every oil change since new. Now that I've moved there is no Toy dealer here. Looks like I'll have to drive to another city to find one........again.

 

RTF - Same dealer situation here. Nearest one is a 2 1/2 hour drive over some twisty mountain roads, but we usually combine that with shopping and other tasks. It's also the location of the nearest Costco, for example. Is the weather any cooler where you are now than it was in B-ville?

 

Is the weather any cooler where you are now than it was in B-ville?

Much more so, there are actually four seasons here as opposed to two. It's still Texas so it will indeed be hot, the difference is the considerably lower humidity.