dalarainc

I have the pleasure to know a very very very good shop that takes care of everything on my GS,Miata and now they will be taking care of my SC, it is an independent shop but Lexus Certified I have developed a good relationship with them and they even handled all the comunication between the shop that did the TT Upgrade, so my 2 cents on this issue is find a good shop that you can trust and will not rip you off.

Valueguy

I have a question:

Money aside does anyone think buying Amsoil oil and filter would allow a 10,000 mile interval between oil changes? My Mercedes only needed a 10,000 mile interval with synthetic oil and a good filter. Why not the Lexus? I would be willing to buy the best filter and best oil in order to save a trip to the dealer. I would change the oil at 5,000 miles and then do the full service with oil change at 15,000 miles. No service at 10,000 miles.

What grade/blend of oil is best? If you are going to change the oil at 5,000 miles do you even need a synthetic at all? My local Toyota uses standard oil and rec. a 5,000 mile interval on my 4 Runner. All per Toyota. This is a 6 cylinder engine as well. What gives? Finally, I am sure a regular synthetic is fine at 5,000 miles as the BEST would easily last 10,000 miles.

Valueguy

Check out www.amsoil.com (storefront) and read for yourself. THe second best oil to Amsoil is pennzoil platinum which would easily last 10,000 miles.

GS350

As far as I know it depends on the filter, not the oil, whether or not you can go that distance between oil changes. But of course the oil has to be able to go that long. It usally comes down to the filter's capability.

moolman

I'm sure Amsoil is good stuff but I tend to stay away from MLM marketed stuff, ie. Noni Juice, Herbalife etc. The people selling the stuff end up not being objective, ie. cure cancer, cure all disease, go a million miles on one oil change. Anyway, Amsoil is good stuff, you could probably go 15K on it but on your first try I would at least do an oil analysis at 10K and 15K to make sure it's okay. On new cars, doing 15K would void the warranty and any good oil regardless of synthetic or regular dino could easily do 5K. I use synthetic because I like using the best for my car but I have no illusions that it will make my car run better. I think realworld, if you use synthetic you're engine might run for 500K miles while dino oil will make it run 450K miles, nobody uses their car that much, so it makes no diiference. I've also heard the argument that cars that are just driven in everyday life will not take advantage of synthetic oil. Just use Pennzoil Platinum, only $4 a quart at walmart, way cheaper than Amsoil, let the MLM marketing pyramid collapse, don't feed anymore money into it.

Valueguy

I agree with you. Amsoil even states that Pennzoil Platinum is the SECOND best oil and will easily last 10,000 miles. I was planning on using that oil IF and only IF my oil changes could go 10,000 miles. At 5,000 miles any of the rec. oils by Lexus/Toyota would be fine because the filter is the part that needs changing at such an early interval.

Which oil and blend does Lexus rec. for the GS 350? where do you buy the filter and what does it cost?

Thanks.

moolman

Lexus recommends 5W30, no specific brand or blend, as long as it meets the those Automotive specs, which any brand name oil should, you can use the cheapest walmart brand that goes for 50cents a quart and still be good on the warranty and by the way, that's the oil that those quick lube places use, bulk oil that comes in huge barrels. I think the Lexus and Toyota dealers use the bulk oil in the barrels too, all dealers do, that's how they cut costs, they are not going to stock up on 1000's of quart bottles. I was reading on BITOG forums and some people think that the stock Toyota oil is made by Mobil, the Mobil Clean 5000, I don't know for sure but somebody has to be making it for them since Toyota is not a oil company.

As for oil filter, I use the factory filters, I'm going to order some filters from one of the online Lexus dealers, I tried Sewell, when I was ordering the BS SST tool and all weather mats but they didn't have it on the site. Nobody seems to be making an aftermarket oil filter for the GS350 yet, they have them listed on the website but nobody has the filter in stock, and remember it is not the same filter as the RX/Avalon.

Marylander

I just made an appointment for my 10K service, and was told it would cost $198 (plus "shop supplies fee"...).

This makes the $140 quoted in the first posting in this thread look downright cheap. In fact, when I asked for a quote from a local non-dealer Lexus expert, he told me $158 (though that includes shop supplies....).

Sheesh!

dpaulyn

well . . . just traded in my E-500 for GS350 . . . if you folks think Lexus service is expensive, try having your Mercedes serviced . . .

farkas

iTrader: (5)

I've got them both! He is right, it is never cheap but you have to consider what you are driving and with that comes some expense! FYI Lexus oil change here in Ohio is $43.00 with Syn oil at Lexus dealership. Mercedes Oil change with Mobil-1 $58.00.....

LVLEXUS

Took MY L into the dealership....needed oil change....got the bill..$110.00. Asked the Service Writer if the oil was freshly brewed and told him that it was major rip off. To my suprise....The Service Writer asked me what I thought the price should be...I was straight with him...told him that I thought it was fair at 50.00. Guess what? The Service Writer redid the invoice and charged me 50.00! Now is that Lexus At Its Best! Plus I have the paperwork and my GX470 will going in next. Plus I got several bottles of water to quench my thirst.

farkas

iTrader: (5)

Was this the Las Vegas dealership? I hear they have all sorts of specials there.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=347708

SiccMonkey

The reason BMW offers the maintance package is actually not for the customers benifit but thier own...It is all part of their CPO master plan. They are hoping to get back thier perfectly maintained vehicle to sell again. i remeber reading about it a while back.

My most expensive oil change was $1500, the idiots at precision tune left the filler nozle inserted in the valvle cover and started the car. The best part is they didnt even mention it to me, The next day i saw a puddle of oil under my car. It ends up they cracked the valve cover and nicked up the inside as well. took me about 2 months of constant fighting but i got them to pay for all the repairs needed to fix their f-up

SC400-V8

iTrader: (1)

I seriously cannot believe they would do that. Or any business of any type would do that.

starstreak

I missed the part in this post. Do I have to take my car to Lexus to get the oilchange done in order to keep my warrenty?