Salduchi

iTrader: (3)

So I got my vehicle back from the last recall with a short list of items the dealer listed as needing to be done. Most important were the front brake pads, rotors turned and oil change. I paid my mechanic $199 for this today. Does that sound fair? The dealer had quoted me $129 just for the oil change and the "29 point inspection", so I obviously said no thanks.

anthrax144

Check to make sure they flushed the brake lines. That's part of the 30k mile service.

Sffd103

iTrader: (16)

really good deal!

Salduchi

iTrader: (3)

Brake Fluid Service was on the dealer list. Dealer had (1) hour next to it on the list. My car only has 16,029 miles on it.

I thought so, I have a late model Civic EX and an Acura CL that I take to him and had always gone to the dealer for the Lexus. At 13,500 miles they did the 15,000 service and got me for over $500 and that really pissed me off. They took the money from my Lexus card points but still, I promised myself that would never happen again.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

Ask again for just the oil change, it should be like 50-60 bucks.

Anyway, what was wrong with the rotors that they had to turn them? Unless they had a problem there's no good reason to do that and it just wastes good metal you could use for braking.

Excluding the turning rotors part I'd break it down as-

$65 in parts for new pads, oil change shouldn't be more than $25-35 at an aftermarket shop... so you paid $100 for labor on brake pads...which seems a bit high to me.

And honestly at only 16k miles you shouldn't need brake pads either unless you're REALLY hard on your brakes.


See, that's the problem. Never, ever, ask for the "x miles" service.

15k is just an oil change, nothing else. So if you'd just asked for an oil change it would've been $50-60.

I can't fathom WTF they would get $500 for at the 15k service though- even doing the "inspection" BS wouldn't have added more than $100-150 more to the cost.

KillaIS250

iTrader: (1)

Your at 16k miles and you need new brakes and your rotors turned? Doesn't sound right to me. Do you break hard a lot??.

$129 for the oil change and inspection is BS....just ask for a straight up oil change (something like $65 at dealers like Longo Lexus for regular oil) and be done with it. You can do the inspection with your own eyes if you want afterwards..lol.

E6BAV8R

The best thing to do is just call around to a couple independent Lexus mechanics and get their quoted prices for various items at your mileage service... then you can call the dealer and ask their prices on those items and laugh in their faces because they are ridiculously expensive. Then take your list of independent mechanics and pick one of those that you think will give good service and a competitive price.

ddhleigh

Make sure you also keep a copy of what was done at the independant store. Incase you need to show it in the future for service records.

Salduchi

iTrader: (3)

Oh I was down to 1mm. The dealer pointed that out and my guy showed me the pads, they were toast, one was down to the metal warning clip. the dealer also had Turn Rotors on their list. My guy charged $70 for turning, so no biggie. Got include the Turn rotor otherwise your math comes out looking bad. Thats what I like about my guy, Dealer said I had a dirty cabin filter, my guy said he cleaned it and it was fine. He is very conservative.


Oh man hell I don't ever ask for ANYTHING, those dealer "representatives" have it down to a science. Oh its time for this that and the other, oh its been this long and your due for this, oh its been xxx since your last xyz. Man they know everything about your car and how to maximize.

Let me find that $500 + invoice and I'll scan that sucker and I'll post it up.

anthrax144

Actually, I think the cabin filter is supposed to get replaced every 15k miles. It's not really a big deal I suppose. It's only a $20 part and 5 mins of labor so you can do that yourself.

Salduchi

iTrader: (3)

I Agree, but seriously my guy I feel was fair. He's never sheered me ever on my other cars. Plus the dude is 6/10ths of a mile away. He did my civic EX a couple months ago for Oil & filter, A/C filter and tire rotation $60 bucks even.

Yes, a sensible idea.


Yes, agreed

Jmags

iTrader: (1)

When I first got my IS, I brought it in for a recall, the lady on the phone was like "ok so youll get a free tank of gas and cleaned and detailed too!"

I assumed this was the free car wash that I always hear about. I naturally said "that sounds great!"

FFW to three days later, I'm dropping off the car and I have to sign some papers.

I look at the total and it says "detail job, 199.00" I'm like "ok, I just want the wash and vacuum please, no DETAIL needed"

They totally tried to sneak it by me.

Salduchi

iTrader: (3)

Yes, excellent point. I checked Sewell and those "Kits" are cheap, 15k, 30k 60k etc. i even asked my guy If I can bring that in for him to use my parts, he was way cool and said "ya, thats fine I don't really make anything on parts".

Salduchi

iTrader: (3)

Wow...that's pretty ballsy, they wouldn't try that around here.

Salduchi

iTrader: (3)

I have that invoice scanned and saved as a pdf just cant seem to upload it. Hmm...