doosam

Hello all,

I have a 2007 RX350 with a 245,000km on it. I purchased it not too long ago and the time has come for me to do an oil change. I was wondering if I should go for synthetic oil or the regular type for the oil change. I'm not sure whether the previous owner used synthetic or regular but judging form the sticker and when I got it, it gave the previous owner about 10k before the next oil change and I have driven about 8k since purchase. So I'm guessing they used synthetic.

Can I get away with a regular blend with such high milage or should I go for synthetic?

Best Regards,

Band

I have used synthetics (Mobil 1) since the late '70s, so I may be biased.
Lubrication upon startup is superior, especially in cold climates, and this is when most wear occurs. I have never had a leak on a high mileage engine, but if a small leak is there, a synthetic will likely find it.
I use Mobil 1 EP 5W30 with 5,000 mi change intervals on my '05 RX330. Oil level on dipstick does not budge in 5,000 miles with 91,000 miles on this engine. I have had similar experience with other cars including 220,000 miles on a VW Jetta. These oils do not sludge, another issue in cold climates.
Synthetic blends don't interest me. What is blended?
I buy a 5 qt jug of Mobil 1 at Walmart and take it to the dealer for an OEM filter and change. I have never been refused this service, and it ends up costing about $50 total for a top quality oil change. You could likely go to 10,000 mile change intervals with an extended performance synthetic on your RX.
Many European cars have long change intervals, but also have huge sumps. Get their house brand synthetic and you're looking at a $200 to $400 oil change.

NateJG

Synthetics don't have any more propensity to find a leak than do "conventional" oils - as the nature of synthetic is to merely be a "perfect" copy of mineral oils (sans the imperfections usually associated with them).

A better question is "how often will you change the oil? Or under what service constraints will you use the car?" in helping you to decide whether or not you should deviate from the recommended practice.

My European (BMW) car uses the same 7-qt capacity as does my RX; and while the labor charged by my Lexus dealer for an oil change is twice what BMW charges me the BMW synthetic costs almost twice ($7.58 vs $3.83 a qt) what Lexus charges me. My last oil change was at the closer Toyota dealer - which saved me about $40 for the same service at the Lexus dealer - and saved me about 60 miles of travel.

I am also old-school - and change my (synthetic) oil at 5,000 miles in all of my highway vehicles; and I have been using multi-vis synthetic in all of my air-cooled engines since the seventies forever (it took Briggs & Stratten almost twenty years to get on board) - and I sold my first B&S lawn mower at 35 years old (the mower, not the owner) - still running - and always lubed with a Mobil 1 or equivalent.

So, to be more succinct - why would you Not want to put and frequently change the best oil currently available in your car, when it's likely one of the least expensive maintenance operations that you can perform - and since it is the control medium for very expensive mechanical systems (camshaft timing, bearings, lifters, chain tensioners, etc)?

pauljcl

The 10K miles oil change requirement on Lexus is typical of the Toyota 0W20 synthetic oil, and I also assume (like you) that that is the oil that is in your car. Have you checked the oil level? Does your car use oil between oil changes? If not, then the Toyota 0W20 is an excellentr oil to continue to use. [A Lexus dealer told me it was made by Mobil, but I could not verify).

I too have used Mobil 1 for longer than I can remember and have never had a lube problem. I concur with the expressed opinions that synthetic is the way to go and that it does not make sense to save a few pennies (after the longer oil change period) on a risk of losing pounds. On a higher-mileage car, in case of oil use between oil changes, I would probably use the originally recommended 5W30 weight (Mobil 1) rather than the newer 0W20 Toyota oil, though I use the new Toyota oil in my 2009 RX (45K miles) and it seems fine. If you find the car uses oil nonetheless, you may want to try the 0W40 Mobil 1 Long Life (which is what I used to use in a previous BMW). It is supposed to be a 'weak' 40, i.e. closer to 30, and the 0 is great for cold weather. (BMW recommends 5W30 oil, but approves the Mobil 1 0W40 LL01 for its cars). The LL01 designation satisfies the BMW requirement for longer-lasting oil, and BMW suggests oil changes every 15K miles or yearly - but I have never exceed 7500-8K miles on it since I only drive that far on each of my cars in a year. If I were to drive more on each car, I would probably not exceed the 10K mark between oil changes, but that is pure 'gut' feel and no data backs it up (which is the case for most opinions on oil change intervals that you can read. I've got to believe that BMW and Lexus are conservative in what they recommend.)

rxonmymind

IMHO if you start with one type of oil stick with it. I've heard too many stories ( and my own experience) of going from conventional oil to synthetic in a high milage vehicle causing failure. Possibly the detergents used in synthetic oils? Who knows. Just stick with one brand throughout it's life and do it regularly.

Oh and my experience? Changed to synthetic oil on my 330k Toyota Sienna prior to a long distance trip. While on the trip the tyranny kept slipping and otherwise failed spectacularly on a major uphill grade.Three reputable shops with over 25+ years at each said they don't do it and would never recommend it. Same goes with engines I suppose.

mandyfig

5W30 Synthetic, you can not go wrong with it.

Band

Just for fun, put a container of Mobil 1 5W30 and a container of 5W30 non synthetic oil in your freezer overnight. Then pour them through a small funnel and you folks from the north will believe!
Also, many synthetics do not need added viscosity stabilizers (impurities?) to achieve their viscosty numbers.
Synthetics are generally comprised of molecularly altered base stocks, and have superior lubricity to conventional oil - witness the failure of a high mileage auto transmission whose clutches were glazed and possibly due to fail regardless.
The 0W20 oils are good, but are in existance mainly to help meet CAFE standards (Corporate Average Fuel Economy). Heavier grades are generally spec'ed in other countries for the same car. Like he said, "You can't go wrong with a 5W30 synthetic".

meccan0ble

About to do my first oil change at 166k miles. This helped.

ToledoRX

Can't go wrong with Mobil-1 5W30 synthetic. $5-6 per quart at Costco or Wally's world.

jerrytim

I have a 08 rx 350 awd, had oil changed, they put synthetic oil in, never used it, car has 138000 miles, they changed it back to conventional oil for free, Lexus dealer said stay with conventional oil change 3-5000 miles be good, Place that changed oil says go with synthetic, more money for him, that's what I think, any input on this would be good, thanks

astowell

Wow.. "First oil change at 166k" I think thats pushing it.. I usually do mine every 5k. JK... ;-)

Mobile1 0w-20 (Synthetic) & Mobile 1 filter
2001 Land Cruiser 150k
2007 Tacoma 190k
2004 Rx330 230k

I usually change again around 5k, depends how the oil looks, if its Darker I change it, if its stays clean I may leave and extra 2k..

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