lifeisgood

Actually, it was closer to $400 including tax and an upgrade to synthetic oil. Along with the usual tire rotation and oil change, the air filter and cabin filter were changed, so this added considerably to the total bill.

But hey, when I picked the car up, the cashier handed me a single pink, long-stem rose. If I were female, or gay, then perhaps I would have appreciated the gesture more. Needless to say, I felt a bit silly holding a rose standing outside the dealership waiting for my car. But maybe it was just a way to distract me from thinking about the outrageous bill that I just paid for an oil change and a couple of air filters.

I know Lexus offered a pre-paid maintenance plan at the time of sale. Anyone remember the cost and how much you save versus pay-as-you-go? We opted to extend the maintenance package (from 50 to 100k miles) on my wife's 530XI after hearing how BMW hoses you for routine maintenance. I guess high maintenance costs are not unique to BMW.

Oh, I did give the rose to my wife. She asked if I minded if she threw it out because it didn't have any baby's breath--it was just a plain rose.

Technique

Dude, this post qualifies as one of the funniest I have EVER read

Seriously, ROFLMAO!

ihkskim

well for 1.. i wouldn't go back to dealership after the 1st free one because all they do is do an oilchange and some other useless crap that doesn't justify $400 or $175 wutever

Foxberry

Life, what dealership? Is $400 typical for the 15k service at others? I'm at 12k right now...

Bichon

Don't think it's Ray Catena, Foxberry, as they've been handing out little boxes of candy. Or at least that's what they gave me when they did my nav TSB early this month.

I'm so glad I do most of my own maintenance. Oil and filter changes are easy, and apparently I'm saving LOTS of money by doing my own work.

sirkfc

If your 15K service is "only" $400, then I think I just got ripped off... I paid $3995 for a service plan at my local dealer, which covers all service and oil changes up to 50,000 miles. (They waived the time component for December to Remember). I was under the assumption that the 15, 30, 45K services were $800+, as they were for BMWs.

Normally I'm hesitant to buy additional services from the dealer, but in this case, as a promo, they also extend my warranty to 7 years, 100K (3rd party warranty, $50 deductible). The risk is that it all has to be done at my local dealership, so if I move, it's pretty much worthless...

Hate to say it, but now I hope the 30K and 45K services cost a lot more, just to make me feel better about my service plan...

I got them to put in the contract a cancellation clause which prorates my return based on miles driven... Should I get that money back? I have less than 100 miles on the car, so it'd only cost me like $10 to cancel the contract.

Thanks.

kensteele

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=240559

Batmobile

iTrader: (2)

haha... i agree your post did have me laughing out loud.

did everyone know our first oil change and etc is on Lexus? it says it in the owners manual we just need to call

TimboIS

You got owned. Sounds like you got the "dealer" recommended service, rather than the Lexus recommended service. Generally Lexus requires only oil and filter every 6 months ($50). All the other crap (visual inspections, etc) you can do yourself.

socalJD

KenS, you do know if you trade in your IS for the IS-F next December, you'll have donated apprx $800 (not adj for inflation) to your dealer's early retirement fund . . .

15951

Well...every rose does have its thorns, you know.

My thoughts:

- I hope you can sit down after that visit to the stealership. I also hope you have an IS250 that needs tire rotation.

- Pre-paid maintenance plans are almost always losers for the consumer, or the dealer wouldn't sell them. Think about it.

To the person that paid $4k for pre-paid maintenance, you got ripped off. Get the prorated refund ASAP. Wouldn't you be MUCH better off putting that money into a savings account for car maintenance and paying out of it as necessary for service? If you financed that additional $4k, your dealer should be sending you roses too, including the baby's breath.

kensteele

Not going to argue the nonsense here. This is a friendly community remember?

lifeisgood

From the Lexus Owner's Manual Supplement", scheduled maintenance at 18 months or 15 thousand miles:

1) Replace engine oil and filter (reset oil maint. light)
2) Clean air conditioner filter
3) Inspect engine air filter
4) Inspect nuts and bolts on chassis
5) Re-torque axle shaft flange bolds
6) Rotate Tires (IS 250
7) Visually inspect brake pads and rotors
8) Road test vehicles

Inspect the following:
Axle Shaft bolts
ball joints and ust covers
Body
Brake lines and hoses
Engine Coolant
Exhaust pipes and mountings
Front differential oil (awd)
Rack and pinion assembly
Rear differential oil
Steering linkage and boots

Also from the owner's manual supplement:
"Your dealer may recommend more frequent maintenance intervals or more maintenance services than those listed in the scheduled maintenance log. These additional services are not required to maintain your warranty coverage. Ask your dealer for an explanation of any recommended maintenance not included in the scheduled maintenance log.

Lexus will not deny a warranty claim solely because you do not have records to show that you maintained your vehicle. However, damage or failures caused by lack of proper maintenance are not covered under the warranty."

I don't see any thing listed on the bill that is outside the scheduled maintenance recommended by the factory.

But, you make a fair point that we should all be mindful that a dealer could be adding additional, unnecessary maintenance items. And we could probably cut the cost down by only insisting on oil and filter change, without jeapardizing the warranty (unless the differential is dry); I actually opted to do this for the 10k service.

But this time I got a rose.

sk72

Just curios to find out... can I do a oil change for my wife's IS250 in a toyota dealership like how soe of the ES owners does??

Thanks...

lifeisgood

I'll pm Foxberry the dealer's name. Bichon, I'm curious how do you know that Lexus will accept your word that you changed your oil on a regularly scheduled basis if you have a warranty claim? I might do this then.

A couple of months ago, my son wanted to change his oil on his BMW and after spending over $120 on ramps and other crap--I said to him you know we could have just gone to Jiffy Lube and it would have cost us a lot less, without any of the mess.

But after hearing that others are doing it for a car that's still under warranty, then I might reconsider doing it myself.