JTV

Got a estimate from local lexus dealer for 30K mile tune up on 04 GX. He wanted $989 for it. I then went to the local toyota dealer and gave him the maintenance log and asked him to give a price for everything listed due for the 30K check (minus the oil change). His price was $449. He said he has several people that bring there lexus's in to the toyota shop because there shop fee's are about half.

Any body have any advise good or bad about letting the toyota guy do it.

thanks

purplehazek4

$900+ is way too much, even for a Lexus dealership.
the local Lexus dealership around me charges a lil over $500 for the
30k (which is still a lot for the work they do: oil,tranny oil, diff oil, rotate tires, and "check" stuff) but at least you get a loaner vehicle.

rxdriver

The Toyota dealer will be fine. To them, the GX will be a fancy 4Runner!

V8_Fan

If you have a '04+, it should come w/ the super long life coolant (good for ~100K mi) and WS type transmission fluid (good to about 100k mi, toyota claims, though I'd still change it sooner). So at 30K mi, there should be little to do, mainly repack front wheel bearings (big job, normally $350 alone), change engine oil/filter, engine air filter, cabin air filters, rotate tires, change diff/transfer case fluids, torque drive shaft bolts (f/r), check stuff over (fluid levels, brake linings, ball joints, suspension, etc.). IIRC, the owners manual says to merely inspect diff/t-case fluids and change if you primarily tow. I suspect if the toyota dealer is doing the 30K for $500, they aren't doing all of this. Toyota charges like $250 to change the diff/t-case fluids alone on a landcruiser, then the bearing repack is $300-350 (4runner or landcruiser), so that's already over $500.

ahc21ahc

Jim - the GX schedule does not say to repack front wheel bearings

http://www.lexus.com/pdf/service/LUVs.pdf

Only for the LX. Is that something you've done for your 4runner?

I suspect that the $900 quoted is only for oil change, engine air filter, cabin filter, replace fluids, rotate tires, lube & re-torque, and inspect various things.

V8_Fan

Yes, I noticed on the link you posted it mentions nothing about the front wheel bearings. I checked the toyota maintenance logs for the '03 and '04 4runners (they make no distinction between V6 and V8 for the drivetrain although the latter if full-time 4wd) and it has no mention of the wheel bearings, either. So maybe they changed it for the newer vehicles (GX/4runner) in '03? My manual (lexus SUV's, 2003) says to repack the bearings, so I assumed all toyota 4wd's still had to do this since this has been specified as a 30K mile interval maintenance item at least since the early 1980's on all 4wd (both part time and full-time) toyota trucks, landcruisers, LX450/470's. OTOH, I've found that unless one drives through deep water, the bearings are fine for at least 60K mi w/o repacking (repacked 4runner bearings at 100K, 135K, 170K, and the grease (I used synthetic) looked still new, so I'm pushing my interval out to 40-45K to save labor, as it takes the better part of an afternoon for this job. :-)

It says in the 2003 Lexus SUV supplemental owner's manual:

-lube front drive shaft bushings (GX,LX)
-lube prop shaft, retorque bolts (GX,LX)
-repack front wheel bearings (GX,LX)
-replace A/C filter (GX,LX)
-replace brake fluid
-replace engine air filter
-replace engine coolant ('03 has long life, not the super long life)
-replace engine oil and oil filter
-retorque drive shaft flange bolts (RX300)
-rotate tires
-inspect:
-AHC (LX)
-ball joints & dust covers
-body
-brake lines & hoses
-brake linings/drums and brake pads/discs
-drive shaft boots
-exhaust pipes & mountings
-fuel lines/connections, fuel tank band, fuel tank vapor vent system hoses
-fuel cap gasket
-rack & pinion assembly
-steering linkage & boots
-transmission, transfer case, and diff oil

-road test vehicle

special operating conditions:
-inspect nuts & bolts on chassis and body
-replace AC filter (RX300, if primarily operated on unpaved or dusty roads)
-replace diff oil (only if vehicle is operated primarily while towing a trailer or using camper or car-top carrier)
-replace transfer case oil (same conditions as above)
-replace transmission fluid (LX, same conditions as above)

PS: since your manual does not specify the front wheel bearing repack, I would NOT have it done at 30K if you just drive on normal streets. I think it's WAY premature from what I've seen from my own experience from normal driving. I'm doing mine on my LX at 60K since it's still under warranty. Also, you can have the toyota dealer do your service for much less; just save the receipts for the warranty.