///MDex

I had this discussion with another CL friend, and I thought it would be a great thread.

What justifies the relatively high labor rate at the dealerships?

I can only relay my opinions based on my dealings with my local dealership Service Dept.

Reasons for using the dealer:

- Sometimes we just don't want to spend the time on it - we'd rather be doing something else (...out on the lake....) :>)
- The dealer has very compentent mechanics
- We (asnd our beloved cars) get treated very well at the dealer; great service goes a long way these days
- High confidence in work done (no second guessing)
- Loaner (....hey, get and RX so we can haul......)
- Diagnostic capability
- I can take my own parts in (aftermarket & stock) and use them just for labor without catching any flak
- Tech support when I am actually working on my own car (I went in with a caliper in my hand, and I got to go out on the shop floor andspeak to a Tech directly, and he was very cool & helpful)

Does all this warrant the high labor price? Mostly 'Yes', at least to me.

Some stuff, of course I can do on my own pretty quickly (T/B cleaning, adjust throttle, wiper blades, etc.)

tomtnc

My $0.02:

I agree that anything requiring electrical diagnosis should be handled by a Lexus dealer.

Anything that requires a lift should be handled by a mechanic with a lift :-)) I choose to use mechanics that offer the same quality work at 1/2 to 1/3 the price of a Lexus dealership. For me, the exhorbitant service prices don't justify a cup of coffee, a loaner, and a touch of kiss butt. Fact: there are few items on a Lexus (other than some electical issues) that require unique Lexus-specific knowledge to diagnose and repair. For example, I'm too big to crawl around under a car on jackstands so I'll send the silver bullet to a reputable local mechanic (who did the TC install) for the 3.76 LSD install this summer.

Anything that doesn't require a lift will be handled by "yours truly". I grew up in a DIY environment, so I've got a lot of experience and a high comfort level with DIY. I've also got the other critical ingredient which is a nice selection of tools. I don't think I"ll spend more than one day a month turning wrenches on my car and i get a lot of personal satisfaction from completing a job myself. Therefore, I won't send my car to a mechanic on the basis of "you know, my free time is better spent on the lake or at the strip club" For example, I'll DIY the brake upgrade I plan to purchase in the next month.

///MDex

Something worth mentioning:

- An oil change usually cost me <$30. That's with me breinging my own oil, and I get a loaner.
- I don't thik than kiss butt and great service are one in the same
- People like Tom, who have the skills set, and tool sets needed to do their own work, sure, it makes absolute sense to DIY. If I were Tom, I would do nearly everything myself too.

Most Lexus owners, obviously not represented here on CL, don't fall into any of the categories above, most have more money than time, and I bet that is also a deciding factor in Lexus Service Department Pricing Strategies.

tomtnc

Well said

Sovero1

I usually take my car to my friend mechanic's shop, where, for cheap, I get my oils/brakes/belts, etc (trivial things) changed. For something more serious, like taking apart the engine and whatnot, I take it to the dealer.

Wald GS

iTrader: (1)

I take it to my dad's friend who is a mechanic/engineer. He shows me exactly what he does and charges me very reasonably...Sometimes even 1/4 of what Lexus charges depending on what work is involved...

Bryan