primatives

Hey Guys,

Are Lexus vehicles expensive to service compared to other luxury brands like Mercedes, BMW? There was discussion about how Lexus vehicles are known to be very reliable so I wanted to know if and when something does break is it expensive to replace/service. Do you guys do the basic stuff yourself like oil change/ air filters.

Fizzboy7

Some will say they can be expensive, but I say otherwise. I've spent very very little on my car since new (with and w/o warranty). You can shop around for a basic oil change, which should be in the $70-80 range at a Lexus dealer. If you need other routine maintenance done, they almost all offer discounts through the dealer's website. Or if you have a private mechanic, it shouldn't cost too much more than what a modern Toyota product costs to repair.
Overall, little breaks, so that should keep the costs down more than anything. On the other hand, German cars are extremely finicky and all seem to have electrical problems exactly after the warranty ends.

tex2670

Lexus doesn't come with maintenance included like some of the other lux brands, so find a local mechanic you trust, and go back to the dealer only if you have a warranty issue.

BertL

OP, a number of Lexus owners (especially RX that I presently own and follow more closely on these boards) use a local Toyota dealership for service -- many (but not all) will perform Lexus non-warranty service such as oil changes, tire rotation and basic checks, and some go so far as to even update the online Lexus service record for you as well. Other owners are happy doing their own basic maintenance which is fine even during warranty as long as records are maintained. Me, I go to the dealer, treat myself once a year, and enjoy the amenities or have a new Lexus loaner for the day.

As far as costs to maintain -- it's just my personal observation having now owned 5 Lexus since 1994, a BMW and a MBZ... but for me, my Lexus is far less expensive to maintain both during warranty and post-warranty than my BMW or MBZ by an order of 2 to perhaps 3 times. Two points off the top of my head:

• I just had my 3rd annual service done on my 2013 RX450h, and to-date I've spent just under $300 total -- which could be cut in half if I would have gone to Toyota for the basics or shopped around perhaps. In the first 2 years of both my BMW and MBZ, I spent more than double what I did on my Lexus (in it's first 3 years) performing only the items stated in each manufacturers standard maintenance schedule based on time (not miles).
• While very subjective and perhaps even model or model-year dependent in some cases, I consider long-term reliability is important when considering long-term cost. There are many reviews and studies discussing Lexus having some of the best reliability in the market that can be easily found on the web or referenced in various threads for specific Lexus models here on CL. As such, the need for parts with a Lexus over the long haul should be less than the other guys. Are any parts cheap these days for a luxury brand? Probably not, including Lexus. As others have said, the German cars tend to start to cost big(ger) bucks as the warranty expires and years go on -- that is not my perception having owned my first 4 Lexus beyond warranty expiration.

Lil4X

"Lexus service" depends largely on your local dealer. Mine was exceptionally good, but an oil and filter change cost about $100 bucks - but that includes a wash. Around here that's called the "$80 wash job".

The only real advantage of going to your dealer is that ALL service is recorded, and work performed is documented. Most of my visits included small details that would have been extremely expensive, but were handled under warranty. These included replacement of the warped front rotors and eventually the fogged headlights on my RX330. My earlier RX300 had no service issues in 3-1/2 years. I kept my second RX longer, but had no real problems (the rotors and lights were early issues with the new model). Were I to buy another new Lexus, I'd buy it from the same dealer - who now offers 2 years free routine service. After that, I'd consider going to a good Toyota shop for oil changes, etc.

Dealerships are a notoriously bad place to go for routine service. MOST dealer's separate the mechanics and technicians from the "grease monkeys" in the service pit. It's common for these kids to screw up everything they touch. I had a front axle drain plug cross-threaded and leaking on a Suburban, but I was able to chase the threads with a borrowed tap and repair it myself. I later had a Civic that required FOUR quarts of oil, but taking it to my Honda dealer for its first overall inspection and oil change, the mouth-breathers in the pit added FIVE quarts of oil. When I got home there was oil blowing out of the dipstick tube - I checked and found they'd overfilled it and carefully drove it back to the dealer, refusing to leave until it was right. So, rather than simply draw out a quart, they completely drained and refilled the oil . . . this time with the proper FOUR quarts. I think the service manager was about to have a stroke.

Long sad story short, once I checked the dipstick in the Service Manager's presence, I drove off the property, never to return. I quickly found a good independent Honda shop, and although they were a little expensive, they were highly skilled and completely honest. I stayed with them for six years, until I bought my first Lexus.

Toys4RJill

I would probably go to a Lexus dealer over a Toyota dealer if I were you. Build a good relationship, use their facility and enjoy your car. I would hate to see a warranty problem occur that a Toyota dealer cant or won't fix.

I have understood why people who buy luxury things become so cheap after they buy to only then take a Lexus to a Toyota dealer.

mikez

Parts are not that expensive compared to some euro luxury brand, but the labor is the real killer.

My local Lexus dealer charges the same labor rate as my Aston dealer, it actually cost more to do some work on my Lexus than the Aston, haha

sears1234

If you do service at Lexus dealer, I believe the annual cost should be exactly as same as Euro car dealer (like Mercedes).

Lexus require 5k service (10k for oil, 5k for inspection), Mercedes only requires 10k service, so the total cost is same.

If your car is GX, RX or ES (maybe include NX now), you can go to the Toyota dealer to do the service, the parts are exact same (this is what I was told at Toyota dealer), and labor is much cheaper.

NickTee

If you haven't yet figured it out, Lexus is part of Toyota.
You'll get better service, and it's good to build a relationship with the service advisers, at the Lexus dealership, but the rest of you post is silly.

Toys4RJill

Local Toyota dealers near me won't fix warranty. So what is so silly about that?

BertL

My experience and present ownership of both a Lexus RX and Mercedes SLK differs.

I appreciate what the Lexus maintenance schedules state, but e.g. on the RX, many of the 5K/6mo maintenance recommendations are actually a tire rotation noted "as required" with just visual inspections when one looks closely at the schedule. I have found over many years that Lexus Service Advisors I've worked with won't force those to be done to maintain one's warranty status when you have low mileage like I do, and they have always worked with me to do what is really necessary, for example not changing cabin filters for no other reason than it says to in the manual because of time. OTOH, two MBZ dealerships I've checked with before each service I've had done were adamant that I do the complete maintenance routines on my SLK to preserve my warranty and I'll have new cabin filters when I pick it up hopefully later today.

To support my generalization in Post #4 with exact numbers I've paid with all service performed by a Lexus or MBZ dealer:
BTW, I recognize I'm comparing very different types of vehicles and I'm a very-low mileage guy, but as my MBZ is in the shop right now having Service B done, I happened to ask when I dropped it off earlier this week what the Service B price would be for a GLK350 and was told it's "about the same" as my (little) 4-cyl turbo SLK250. ...so, even if things are off somewhat, I'll let others draw their own conclusions from what has been charged to my AMEX card.

NickTee

Because the warranty only lasts so long and the service can be done at the Toyota dealership for cheaper. For example, a transmission flush is around $100 more expensive at Lexus versus Toyota.
What I find funny are the people that "buy" low-tier luxury vehicle, then scoff at the idea of saving money. A penny saved is a penny earned and I'll gladly take the cheaper service that I have to pay for. That money can go toward other things.

Toys4RJill

Modern Lexus vehicles do not have automatic transmission flushes until outside the warranty period.

I find it amazing that a person might spend how much on a Lexus and then have it seviced at a Toyota dealer because they are cheap.

I would hate to see an LS460 owner buy their car from Lexus and then go to a Toyota dealer and have a mechanic who has never likely serviced a LS460 in their life touch the LS. Even worse for a ISf or LS600h.

I8ABMR

No they are not expensive to service relatively .

BertL

Folks, I think everyone gets the point that owners can make a choice where and how they have their Lexus serviced, and that not everyone has the same opinion. Let's end this "Is Toyota vs Lexus Service Right?" side bar, and move back to the original intent of this thread related to the cost of maintaining a Lexus compared to other luxury brands please. Thanks.