Bichon

That doesn't jibe with what it says in the printed manuals that came with the car, nor with the service reminder system built into the trip computer, both of which adhere to a 5000 mile interval regardless of service duty.

JeffTsai

iTrader: (1)

Whats wrong with spending $250 for 3 years of maintenance? If you do it all yourself it's going to be pretty close to $250-300 for a 3 year period. Maybe $500 if you use all premium fluids and parts and replace fluids/parts when it's not necessary. Honestly filters and oil DO NOT cost much at all.

Let's do some calculations.

3 years @ 12K/yr = 36k miles. This is the average for "MOST" people.
Assume oil changes at every 5K miles using Mobil 1 Full Synthetic. It's $22 with tax at WalMart for the 5quart tank. Assume oil prices go up over the years so average $25 per oil change. 36,000/5,000= approx 7 oil changes within the 3 year period. 7 X $25 = $175 for the Full synthetic Mobil 1 oil alone.

Add 7 Mobil 1 oil filters at about $10 a piece = $70

Fluids that need to be refilled/topped off (washer, coolant, etc) = $20

Assuming you want to flush the coolant at 30k, altough it's recommended at 100-120k with the Toyota red coolant. I don't know how much the Toyota coolant is, but I assume it's costs quite a bit more than the normal green stuff. Let's factor in $40 for that.

Not really a necessity (I think the recommended interval is 60k), but if you want to change the differential oil and tranny fluid....the fluids cost about $50 for both.

Engine air filter and cabin air filter. Again I don't, know the exact prices from the dealer but they usually aren't very expensive. Let's factor in $50 for replacing both at 15k miles although the cabin one is not completely necessary.

Brake pads. This is not included in the normal 15k,30k,45k,60k, etc intervals. But if you did replace them it costs about $100 for the pads if not less.

Add it all together:
$175 Mobil 1 Full Synthetic Oil
$70 7 x Mobil 1 Oil Filters
$20 Misc Fluids
$40 Toyota Red Complete coolant flush
$50 Transmission and differential oils flush
$50 Engine & Cabin air filter
$100 brake pads
-Total: $505

Note, this price is factored with premium stuff like Full synthetic oils and high quality fluids. You could opt to go with normal dino oil like the dealer uses and shave off about $75. You don't really need to do a tranny, differential, and engine coolant flush at the 30k mark...you can shave off $90. If you choose, you can use some lesser brands of other stuff on the list and that can shave off a little more. I only use top quality or OEM stuff when servicing my car so I won't shave any off for inferior brands.

So, use normal dino oil + no tranny, diff, coolant flush...shave off $165
With that in mind, price for 3 years of maint with one brake pad change = $340.

Obviously labor time is not included in there, but if you like working on your own car...that time spent doing maintenace is something you like doing. Instead of playing golf like other people, you change the fluids on your car

Tightening bolts and doing visual inspections are easy do to yourself as well if you know what to look for. Replacing damaged components obviously will be extra on top of maintenance, but that it's an extra charge if you take it to the dealer as well.

Anyways, to sum it up. Those of us that are backyard mechanics can and do get this stuff done for MUCH less than the dealer charges for it. I use higher quality oil than the dealer uses as well. $300-500 for 3 years of maintenance is something very possible for the DIY mechanic.

ES3

I think the big stuff is the oil change, whether you DIY or at the dealer, in fact for the 10k tune-up, they didn't even ask me if I wanted any of the other stuff done. I knew it involved rotating tires (can't be done with the IS) and some other minor stuff. They did the oil change for 41 bucks or so and that was it. I'll probably consider some of what comes with the 15k tune-up. But again, oil change is MIP, IMO.

duckduck

Where do most people get their parts from? Toyota/Lexus dealers?

mikewpu04

And if you dont get the 15k service done at the dealer...how do you reset that pesky oil mtce reqd light?

daveortega

BMW owners: $0.00 for the first four years

Larry96815

My wife's MB was at two years but only 3,200 miles. 1100 since the one year mark. It cost $400. A big OUCH! I love the car but the service prices are crazy and I told them just that. When the warranty is gone I will take it elsehwere.

Aloha

IS_Mine

Yeah and after reading this thread...

I'm still jsut going to take my car to my local Toyota dealer. Much cheaper and they treat me just as good! Too bad they can't do the Brake TSB!

tcho82

iTrader: (1)

Just got my 15k service done, Total was like $330 with tax. They took off like $45 since they can't do a tire rotation. I know it's a bit high for a lot of "inspecting" but this time around I was lazy. I've done my own oil changes etc.. in the past. But its cold here. Very cold. Just don't have the desire anymore.

Technique

You could have told them just to change the oil, which is all they did anyway...

There's being lazy and then there's being plain lazy... You were the latter

rx4sc

What I do is that I take the Lexus to a Toyota dealer for service....same service, half the cost...You don't get a fancy 40,000 loaner car, but you save $200

tgara

I just had our 06 IS250 AWD serviced at the 15K mileage.

I would note that while there are basic items recommended by Lexus at the various service intervals, dealerships may include additional items to take into account regional differences (a car driven in the Northeast goes through filters and brakes differently than a car driven in Arizona, for example). That said, the additional make-work profit motive cannot be discounted!

At my dealership (Hartford, CT), at 15K miles, they do an oil and filter change, replace both wiper blades, replace the cabin filter, rotate the tires, and do the regular inspection. Normal cost for this is $259. However, my car is presently running with new snow tires and did not need a rotation (this cut the cost by $50). So, I ended up paying $209. Here's a breakdown of parts costs:

Oil, 5W20, 6 qts, $2.70 per quart
2 wiper blades, $18 for both
Cabin air filter, $45 (ouch!)
Oil filter, $10
"K18 MI 3000" (lubricant additive I think), $30.

Anybody know why the engine air filter isn't changed at 15K miles? I asked the SA about this, and he said its supposed to be changed at 30K miles. That seems too long to me. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

Technique

I would change it at 15k miles... But waiting till 30k is fine as well...

I change the interior (A/C) filters in my cars every 6 months (it's the air I breathe after all!) and the filters for the engine every year...

I get the filters at cost though, so I don't pay $45 for a damn filter... That's robbery... I would order from lexus-parts.com or something... sheesh...

Link: http://www.lexus-parts.com/partdetai...bCategoryID=41 <-- $26 for the cabin filter... Which is a decent price... I believe my cost is like $15... I mean, it's just a piece of paper!

tgara

Thanks Technique.

I was thinking of changing the engine air filter myself, as you suggested, and doing it now. In the future, I'll also change the cabin filters instead of getting hosed for $45!

Thanks for the link on the parts, too. The cost online for these parts are about half of what the dealer charges. For example, I got hosed paying $1.77 for my oil filter gasket.... Sewell has it availble online for 98 cents!

jjbodean

and only $9.20 to ship it to you. SWEET!

1 90430-12031 - Gasket Oil Drain Plug $0.98 $0.98
Sub Total $0.98
Shipping* $9.20
Tax $0.00
Total $10.18