I watch several car vlogs on You tube and some of the content fly's in face of some of the things I have learned in my 80 years. I am very impressed with your back ground and credentials. You are the best I have seen. I was a mechanic at one time and I learned the value of using Synthetic oil is the way to go. Lately I have been told by some, that I watch, that you should change your oil every five thousand miles whether or not you are using synthetic oil. I own a 2016 Toyota Prius eco 2 with 92 thousand miles. It has been serviced at the Toyota dealer religiously since it was new. They change the oil ( Mobile One synthetic ) every 10,000 miles. I drive conservatively and warm the car up completely. What is your opinion? Also I am planning on purchasing a suv soon. I am torn between the CRV and Rav 4. The biggest concern is the transmissions. The fourth Gen. E-CVT in my 2016 Prius has a sterling reputation. I am very leary of standard CVT trannys. It is my understanding that Honda has gone to E-CVT transmissions in the last couple of years also. They are both wonderful SUVs. Is the Honda E-CVT as good as the Toyotas. Thank you in advance for your advice.
you should change your oil every five thousand miles ... What is your opinion?
This has been discussed to death and it's posted in the FAQ.
It has been serviced at the Toyota dealer religiously since it was new. They change the oil ( Mobile One synthetic ) every 10,000 miles.
It is too much between oil changes, and I'm unsure if servicing at the dealer is a good idea.
Although the Prius is resilient to sludge - These late production ZR-series single VVT-i are reasonably bulletproof.
With that being said, it is better to change it every 5,000 - 7,500 miles - it will prolong the life of the engine.
I am torn between the CRV and Rav4
As far as reliability, the RAV4 is miles ahead.
In the general, the race between Toyota and Honda isn't as close as it used to be - Honda has fallen behind.
The biggest concern is the transmissions
Honda's CVTs are on the weak side, usually lasting 125k-150k miles with regular service.
So far the exact reliability statistics are unknown, but as soon as the CVT begins to jerk - it fails really fast.
And it begins to jerk either because of bad software, or usually because of infrequent oil changes.
Oil changes should be done every 25k miles at most, do not forget about filter/s.
(Although I can't confirm, there's two, one located under the oil pan, and another in the ATF return line)
It's not cheap to service, it is not particularly reliable, it's not particularly nice to drive - it's "meh".
As far as the RAV4's, The conventional CVT version is quite rare - but it is very mediocre.
The fourth Gen. E-CVT in my 2016 Prius has a sterling reputation
That transmission is called "P610" and it is in fact reliable - nothing breakdowns mechanically.
It's the same one as used in the Corolla Hybrid and C-HR, with the 1.8L Hybrid powertrain.
Consider getting a C-HR 1.8L Hybrid (IF available in your region) it is a Prius in SUV form.
I am very leary of standard CVT trannys
Yes, standard CVTs are weak - after all the only thing common between MODERN CVTs and eCVTs is the name.
(In theory both of them are continuously variable, although one uses a belt and the other electric motors)
but also consider that the conventional automatic on the new RAV4 had issues in the first 2-2.5 years.
It is my understanding that Honda has gone to E-CVT transmissions in the last couple of years also
Is the Honda E-CVT as good as the Toyotas
NO - They're not great, and there are still complaints on software issues causing it to jerk or not drive.
And I'm concerned about the hydraulically operated overdrive clutch -
(at high speeds it's driven directly from the engine to the wheels and wether it wears out is unknown)
Although it is still unknown, my suspicion is that if ATF is dirty, pressure will drop, and it will burn.
Toyota's eCVT on the RAV4 is the "P710" and it's just a bigger "P610" with no big differences.
The main difference is use of "1NM" electric motor (total output of 122hp) and the "3NM" with 218-222hp.
Toyota's CVT is DEFINITELY better.
BUT, there's a known issue with the RAV4's hybrid drive with an ongoing class action!
Both are a mixed bet, but the Toyota sure seems - especially if not affected by the battery cable corrosion scandal.
I personally prefer the traditional automatic transmission over CVT. With that said, I go with Toyota RAV4 over CRV.
