Some people tell me to change my oil every 3,000 miles but my dad says ever 5,000-6,000 miles. Which should I do? I'll be hitting my 3,000 mile mark soon. HELP.

Id go by what your owner's manual says. I think you will find that for your car Toyota recommends changing the oil every 5,000 miles. Go with that.

I agree!

Hi I recently bought this old 84 Toyota and there was no manual in the car. The car was tuned up etc including oil change so I don't really have to do a change just yet. However does anyone know how long a duration between oil changes for this old car? I see someone said every 5000 miles but is that only for newer Toyotas or would it hold true for these older models too?

For me as a rule of thumb, if you do a lot of highway miles then 5K, if a lot of stop and go traffic or driving short distances then 3K because your oil hasn't gotten up to normal operating temperature and moisture will accumulate in the oil.... a bad thing.

How can I tell when I need to change my oil? I know where to look for the dipstick (is that what it's called?) but anyways, what color should the oil be normally? And what color should it be when it needs to be changed?

Did you not read the posts in this thread? Never go by color as to when to change oil. You either go by mileage or time.

Just wondering, if you changed the oil every 3,000 miles as opposed to 5,000 what would the difference be on the car?

What difference are you asking about, please be more specific.

Just checked my engine oil at 5000 miles. Still looks golden and new! Confused if this oil could be worn out and still look this good! Thanks.<br><br>-Michael<br>CA "01 Prius"

Hi Michael,<br><br>Good Question, the oil still looks new because the engine is brand new and has not had any time to build up the normal contaminants you see in most engines after a several thousands of miles. The oil is still clean but is viscosity is broken down. This is due to heat from both from friction and combustion. Though you can"t see the changes the oil cannot lubricate as well or dissipate heat. This is what really cause engine wear. I hope this helps. :)<br><br>-A