New Owner - Basic Oil question

Hello everyone –

Joining you all from Ottawa, Canada.

Been lurking on this BBS for about 6 months now and it has helped push me over from a Tacoma to a Tundra and answered a lot of my pre-purchase questions.

I have now owned my 2010 Tundra 5.7L RW for just over month now and am enjoying it. The pic below is from when I purchased it – the only personalization I had done at the time of this picture is the “Iron Maiden” decal on the rear window. Lol! Since then, have added Spidertrax 1.25” wheel spacers and a 35% tint on the front windows.



Currently I am super broke, but once I have some funds a 3/1 lift and larger tires are on the wish list. Look forward to collaborating my experiences with you all. I am also attaching a picture of my 2005 Taco – it has been a phenomenal truck. Sold it this week with 135,000 mi (218,000 kms) on the clock for $10,000. I had purchased it in 2008 for US$10,600 in a bank short-sale Not too bad of an investment IMO.



My first question is with regards to type of 0W20 oil. PO has been using synthetic Mobil 1. Is this worth the price? I have used Castrol dinosaur-based oil on my Taco all its life, changed religiously every 5000 mi and the engine still sounded beautiful when I sold it. I would prefer to do the same with the 5.7L, and save some funds, but what do you all think? - Sam

 

And here is one more pic of my last Taco. I got to get over her. lol!

 

Welcome and congrats. Partial to black vehicles?

I use Mobil1 full synthetic extended performance 0w-20 and change once a year. That amounts a little less than 3k miles for me. I buy the oil from Wal-Mart and the price is more than reasonable, imo.

 

I used mobil 1 on my old acura gsr like 10 years ago it worked great but I found out from an old mechanic he mentioned that Royal Purple is a lot better than mobil 1 ever sense then I haven't tried anything else I used Royal Purple in my Tacoma for 8 years never had a problem what do you think about Royal Purple?

 

Welcome from CO. Nice RW.

 

Based on the replies so far, sounds like you are all partial to synthetic oil. I will continue to use it too in that case. I used Royal Purple gear oil in the differential for my 86 Toyota p/u and did not have any issues. Thanks everyone.

 

Nice truck!
I use Mobil Synthetic and change it every 7-8k miles. I'm on my 4th oil change and seems to be responding well

 

Welcome from SC!

 

I think Royal Purple is fine. Frankly I think all these synthetic oil brands are similarly good. From my reading, Amsoil seems to be slightly better. But I couldn't justify almost double the price they charge.

 

Welcome!. I'll chime in with a vote for Mobile 1. I use it on all my vehicles.

 

all i use is mobil one. you can find it on Amazon usually for $22/ 5 qts. or walmart. autoparts stores usually want $36.....so in Canadian that is like $1000 bucks.

 

Thanks everyone. I will be using synthetic when I do the oil change this weekend. Next got to figure out what the housing you all talk about is (replacing the plastic for aluminum). Have my Fumoto valve from the Tacoma ready to be installed too

 

Royal Purple is very good, AMSOIL is very good. Mobile 1 is very good. M-1 is soooo....very good to be ranked #1. Unless your "off road competition race" Tundra appears in "Dirt Sports & Off Road" mag, you don't need the more expensive dino oil. Just sayin................It's only money. IMHO

 

Look up what a "synthetic" oil really is and some of you might change oil brands. Lol!!

 

Go synthetic.

But I'm confused, Ottawa, but the pic of your old Taco - Boiled Peanuts, Fresh Peaches, and Sweet Potatoes. Are you a GA transplant or make a spring run to FL? Just curious and oh welcome to the world of Tundra, I also came here via a Taco and by the way great 'investment' on your Taco.

 

Haha! I am a Yankee that moved to Canada in 2010. Lived in MD for 6 years, S. Florida for 6 years and Wisconsin for 10+ yrs. I visit the US frequently to stay in touch with friends. The pic from GA is a round-the-country US road trip I made in 2010, before moving to Canada. Good catch!

Yes, based on the feedback I went synthetic on the Tundra. Absolutely love the upgrade from the Taco - I think Toyota designed the migration of Taco owner to Tundra, by putting the 3.5L in the new Tacos and making it ugly. lol!

 

and also making the new tacomas about $50k i cant see paying that much for the smaller truck

 

Yeah I run AMSOIL 0W20 for piece of mind... just like alot people say about 4x4 should go for oil too... "better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it". Even though I didnt get a 4x4 lol.. harder to find when you buy slightly used. As for your tacoma investment, I had the same experience with mine, 134,500 miles, 2006 dbl cab TRD off-road and I got $12,000 from the dealer. So not too bad. But the fact that they had one on their lot with 160,000 miles, 2008 TRD Sport for $20,000 was reassuring for me that I could talk them up a little.

This is also my first Tundra and im loving it so far. Definitely miss my Tacoma as i put alot of time and effort into her... had her for 10 years. Anywho, congrats on the purchase and glad your still part of the Yota family lol

 

Honestly I am not sure what oil I use. It is probably the dinosaur version. The place that changes my oil is the same place I get my tires and they balance for free and give me a break on oil changes since I buy my tires from them. IMVHO, as long as you change your oil every 5K as you said, the oil is not that big of a deal. I have 250K on my '07 Tundra to back me up.

Oh! I I also miss my '04 Tacoma. I love that tuck! I love my Tundra more though.

 

When I was at the dealership signing on my truck the manager or whoever told me that they only change the oil every 10k miles. The tire rotation and inspection is done every 5 put you have to pay extra to get it changed at 5k. Any other get that same talk?

 

oops delete mines a third gen. this is second gen form

 

Welcome from Texas.

x2 on the Royal Purple but I've switched over to Mobile 1 since it seems to be much more widely available. I could probably go longer between oil changes but I get mine done every 5k miles. Can't complain since I've got 114k miles and she still purs like a kitten.