I'm curious why the 20. I will probably follow their recommended specifications, but I could be converted to 0w-30. Hope that helps out some. What kind of oil and filters do you all use? If what you want to know is written in a manual, that information overrides spoken information. All the standard safety features are listed. We will more likely see 300,000 miles on the odometer at the actual finish line.
If you feel 30 will offer your Corolla better protection than a 20 viscosity, it is your Corolla. He looked this up on his Toyota computer. I will trust in Him for my salvation. The W does not mean weight. Find the tools you need, find a source for parts, and go for it! Some people refer to the W as weight. I picked up Quaker state oil 0w-20 non-synthetic as well.
I will bring it in for the 5k maintenance soon, but I will be doing my own oil changes. You have to get a Funnel that is designed for the transmission tube. As for the recommended drain interval of the oil we can go to a given oil companies website to find out what their recommendations are for their product and Quaker State recommends following the vehicle manufacturers recommended drain interval only and doesn't recommend extended drain intervals with their products synthetic or otherwise. We have a lot of decisions. If floaty means it floats over bumps rather than transmitting every detail directly to your spine, chances are some people will appreciate it. Sometimes the temperature drops into the 20's but usually it is in the 40's or 50's. Dig back in the Cars.
Just wanted to give my thoughts; to stress what might not be obvious, that the wider the range of the viscosity, the more stable the pouring rate of oil is at the different operating temperatures. The Corolla appears to have slipped. If you keep reading, it also states that if you drive your vehicle under adverse conditions that you might consider using a heavier weight oil. When I first got the Corolla I looked at the Service Manual and noticed Toyota doesn't list oil change until 10,000 miles. I heard conventional is good enough because corolla's don't need the expensive stuff. Service Managers run service departments and don't usually know very much about oil.
I've had three Toyotas previous to the Corolla and they each specified 5W-30. As a group, perhaps we can try both and compare notes in a few years. Ours proved particularly adept at collecting lint, as if Toyota had wrapped its seats with lint-brush material. They can have the next light, we will have the last one in the end. Each car is different - depending on the driving conditions, age, mi I need to change my oil at 3000 miles, so far my 1999 corolla is at 119,000 miles. A Chevrolet Corvette and a Chevrolet Cobalt are both cars, but the similarity ends there. I totally disagree and feel that is deceiving the consumer in a big way.
Granted, there is a lot more to that than this simple description - check out forums, and oil spec sheets on the manufacturer's web pages for more information. For the same reason, when you jab the accelerator to pass, kickdown brings a dramatic burst of engine noise as it revs into the high rpm range. They have some number W to another number. A previous poster mentioned that partly because of cafe standards that car manufacturers are recommending these thin oils like 0w20. Last week it hit 5,000 and brought it in. Think about this for a few.
If so, what changed to allow the use of 0W-20? More recently, automakers are pushing to lower and lower viscosities. Everything ran good and mpg was good. Many people make the mistake of not checking the fliud when it's running and at operating temperatures. Specifically, I asked him would it be better if I changed the oil at 5,000 miles for the break-in oil on my 2012 Corolla S instead of 10,000. This little difference in viscosity could make a difference at extra hot temperatures, say sustained 70 mph or lengthy stop n go city traffic -both while outside air temp is above 85 F. Edited February 19, 2010 by corolla1999ce The numbers 10W-30, 5W-30, 15W-30, 20W-40 - all refer to the different oil viscosities.
Best to start with the factory recommendations, then experiment for yourself afterwards. Written data trumps oral data. Does your Corolla have a thermostat? The era when only Toyota and Honda cared about small-car quality is over. I would rather change it at its half life. I am not convinced that they use a break in oil anymore, but they very well may still need one.