Newbie with questions on '08 RX
08-17-16, 08:00 PM
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Newbie with questions on '08 RX
My wife, and I have recently purchased a 2008 350 RX with 93000 miles. I have a few questions I was hoping to get help with
1 We live in a city that doesn't have a Lexus dealership would a Toyota dealership be able to service it?
2. At 93000 miles do I need to be concerned with any recommended maintenance? Car seems to be running fine and was gone through by my Subaru mechanic but wanted some expert Lexus owners opinions.
3. As a new Lexus owner is there any quirks I need to know about.
I look forward to and thank anybody willing to share their expertise. I hope this car was a good investment and we hope to enjoy it for many years to come.
1 We live in a city that doesn't have a Lexus dealership would a Toyota dealership be able to service it?
2. At 93000 miles do I need to be concerned with any recommended maintenance? Car seems to be running fine and was gone through by my Subaru mechanic but wanted some expert Lexus owners opinions.
3. As a new Lexus owner is there any quirks I need to know about.
I look forward to and thank anybody willing to share their expertise. I hope this car was a good investment and we hope to enjoy it for many years to come.
Last edited by newbiest; 08-17-16 at 08:04 PM.
08-18-16, 12:36 AM
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Well, you are in for some interesting experiences down the road! My wife and I have an '07 RX350, of which we are original owners, now at 140K miles.
1. Unless you feel the need to be ripped off at regular intervals, I would suggest staying away from dealerships altogether. You simply don't need them for service labor. Parts are available online, including many OEM ones from dealerships. Find an independent shop that you trust and stick with them. Any place that can fix a Highlander or a Sienna probably can fix the RX350. Get yourself a Haynes manual to use as a guide to what the mechanic should be quoting. Note that your "Lexus" manual would likely be combined with one for Toyota Highlander.
2. That manual I mentioned -- it has a rather detailed maintenance recommendation for each vehicle covered. Haynes writers tend to be on the conservative side, so their list probably is more intensive than the Lexus owner's manual. Do what they say and you should be OK.
At 93K you are slightly overdue for a tune-up, unless that was done by the prior owner. See the previously suggested manual for what to check and/or replace. (I know I mention it a lot, but that thing is worth it's weight in gold!)
1. Unless you feel the need to be ripped off at regular intervals, I would suggest staying away from dealerships altogether. You simply don't need them for service labor. Parts are available online, including many OEM ones from dealerships. Find an independent shop that you trust and stick with them. Any place that can fix a Highlander or a Sienna probably can fix the RX350. Get yourself a Haynes manual to use as a guide to what the mechanic should be quoting. Note that your "Lexus" manual would likely be combined with one for Toyota Highlander.
2. That manual I mentioned -- it has a rather detailed maintenance recommendation for each vehicle covered. Haynes writers tend to be on the conservative side, so their list probably is more intensive than the Lexus owner's manual. Do what they say and you should be OK.
At 93K you are slightly overdue for a tune-up, unless that was done by the prior owner. See the previously suggested manual for what to check and/or replace. (I know I mention it a lot, but that thing is worth it's weight in gold!)
- Of particular note is the ignition system.
- RX350 uses coil-on-plug (COP) setup, with 6 individual ignition coils, one on top of each plug. These coils are rather expensive, $60-$120 each for quality aftermarket ones, and new OEM coils (made by Diamond Electric) are not at all available. Therefore, you do not want to replace them without need. I suggest you check the coils on the front bank of cylinders (there is a tool for that) and leave them in place until they fail. I still run original ones, at 140K miles.
- Original spark plugs are designed to last about 90K miles. Those you do want to replace on time because they are relatively cheap and, if not functioning properly, tend to cause the expensive ignition coils to fail.
- You will have to make the decision regarding the plugs on the back bank of cylinders (the one facing the firewall). Unless you are confident that someone has replaced them, you probably should replace them now. The problem here is that it is difficult to get to them. You will have to do a lot of dis-assembly / reassembly to get to the back-bank coils and plugs, or pay someone accordingly to do that for you. (Apparently, that portion of the design work had been delegated to a Ph.D student intern, and that person thought that it was perfectly fine to turn a spark plug replacement into a multi-hour affair.) If you forgo the replacement, the back-bank cylinders will begin to misfire eventually, forcing you to do the repair then. However, misfires there may cause sympathetic misfires on other cylinders, with resulting fouling up of plugs and eventual damage to the previously mentioned expensive coils. Misfires also often contribute to the failure of the catalytic converters, if your car has them.
- Judging by your statement that you recently purchased the 2008 RX, I take it that you and your wife have not yet discovered a way to print your own money. I am going to offer you the next best thing (as far as middle-aged Lexus ownership goes). Specifically, get that Haynes manual I mentioned a number of times before, and learn to do that part of the maintenance cycle yourself.
- You probably are approaching the end of your radiator's useful life. Ours failed after nine years, almost on the dot, but we leave in a hot climate. They use a lot of plastic in that one. Watch for small puddles near the front of the car. Also watch your coolant level at regular (and short) intervals. From what little I know about Montana, it is a pretty big place. If you drive far from places where you can easily get service, I suggest you carry 2-3 cans of K-Seal coolant system sealant with you at all times.
- I don't recall if the Haynes manual lists that as part of the 90K service, but I strongly suggest that you check the functioning of the power steering pressure relief valve. And watch that thing like a hawk going forward until it eventually fails. The consequence of that thing failing and going unnoticed is nearly simultaneous development of leaks in multiple places in the power steering system. You don't want to know how much the main power steering components for the RX350 cost, believe me! As a precaution, watch your PS fluid level very closely and check frequently (i.e., weekly). There should be no change at all in the level from week to week. As soon as you notice the level changing, get some die and start looking for leaks.
- Check engine oil level frequently (i.e., weekly or once per fuel-up) and keep it as close to max as is practical. At the next oil change, consider adding stop-leak additives preventively. Lucas has some good ones.
08-18-16, 06:17 PM
#5
1. Yes, Toyota will service it, its basically a Highlander with better interior and comfort ride. In fact my brothers friend who works for Toyota will be taking my Lexus in to change my key Personalized Settings. I do recommend if you replace parts try to get OEM parts. Don't downgrade the quality of a Lexus to save money.
2. If you sign up in Lexus owners, you can order a replacement manual for free of charge, which will tell you all the maintenance and recommendation.
http://drivers.lexus.com/lexusdrivers/home
3. Any car there is always ups and downs. for example first gen RX had the sludge issue. I think this one is the oil cooler line and condensation headlights.
2. If you sign up in Lexus owners, you can order a replacement manual for free of charge, which will tell you all the maintenance and recommendation.
http://drivers.lexus.com/lexusdrivers/home
3. Any car there is always ups and downs. for example first gen RX had the sludge issue. I think this one is the oil cooler line and condensation headlights.
08-21-16, 06:40 AM
#6
Driver School Candidate
Well, you are in for some interesting experiences down the road! My wife and I have an '07 RX350, of which we are original owners, now at 140K miles.
1. Unless you feel the need to be ripped off at regular intervals, I would suggest staying away from dealerships altogether. You simply don't need them for service labor. Parts are available online, including many OEM ones from dealerships. Find an independent shop that you trust and stick with them. Any place that can fix a Highlander or a Sienna probably can fix the RX350. Get yourself a Haynes manual to use as a guide to what the mechanic should be quoting. Note that your "Lexus" manual would likely be combined with one for Toyota Highlander.
2. That manual I mentioned -- it has a rather detailed maintenance recommendation for each vehicle covered. Haynes writers tend to be on the conservative side, so their list probably is more intensive than the Lexus owner's manual. Do what they say and you should be OK.
At 93K you are slightly overdue for a tune-up, unless that was done by the prior owner. See the previously suggested manual for what to check and/or replace. (I know I mention it a lot, but that thing is worth it's weight in gold!)
1. Unless you feel the need to be ripped off at regular intervals, I would suggest staying away from dealerships altogether. You simply don't need them for service labor. Parts are available online, including many OEM ones from dealerships. Find an independent shop that you trust and stick with them. Any place that can fix a Highlander or a Sienna probably can fix the RX350. Get yourself a Haynes manual to use as a guide to what the mechanic should be quoting. Note that your "Lexus" manual would likely be combined with one for Toyota Highlander.
2. That manual I mentioned -- it has a rather detailed maintenance recommendation for each vehicle covered. Haynes writers tend to be on the conservative side, so their list probably is more intensive than the Lexus owner's manual. Do what they say and you should be OK.
At 93K you are slightly overdue for a tune-up, unless that was done by the prior owner. See the previously suggested manual for what to check and/or replace. (I know I mention it a lot, but that thing is worth it's weight in gold!)
- Of particular note is the ignition system.
- RX350 uses coil-on-plug (COP) setup, with 6 individual ignition coils, one on top of each plug. These coils are rather expensive, $60-$120 each for quality aftermarket ones, and new OEM coils (made by Diamond Electric) are not at all available. Therefore, you do not want to replace them without need. I suggest you check the coils on the front bank of cylinders (there is a tool for that) and leave them in place until they fail. I still run original ones, at 140K miles.
- Original spark plugs are designed to last about 90K miles. Those you do want to replace on time because they are relatively cheap and, if not functioning properly, tend to cause the expensive ignition coils to fail.
- You will have to make the decision regarding the plugs on the back bank of cylinders (the one facing the firewall). Unless you are confident that someone has replaced them, you probably should replace them now. The problem here is that it is difficult to get to them. You will have to do a lot of dis-assembly / reassembly to get to the back-bank coils and plugs, or pay someone accordingly to do that for you. (Apparently, that portion of the design work had been delegated to a Ph.D student intern, and that person thought that it was perfectly fine to turn a spark plug replacement into a multi-hour affair.) If you forgo the replacement, the back-bank cylinders will begin to misfire eventually, forcing you to do the repair then. However, misfires there may cause sympathetic misfires on other cylinders, with resulting fouling up of plugs and eventual damage to the previously mentioned expensive coils. Misfires also often contribute to the failure of the catalytic converters, if your car has them.
- Judging by your statement that you recently purchased the 2008 RX, I take it that you and your wife have not yet discovered a way to print your own money. I am going to offer you the next best thing (as far as middle-aged Lexus ownership goes). Specifically, get that Haynes manual I mentioned a number of times before, and learn to do that part of the maintenance cycle yourself.
- You probably are approaching the end of your radiator's useful life. Ours failed after nine years, almost on the dot, but we leave in a hot climate. They use a lot of plastic in that one. Watch for small puddles near the front of the car. Also watch your coolant level at regular (and short) intervals. From what little I know about Montana, it is a pretty big place. If you drive far from places where you can easily get service, I suggest you carry 2-3 cans of K-Seal coolant system sealant with you at all times.
- I don't recall if the Haynes manual lists that as part of the 90K service, but I strongly suggest that you check the functioning of the power steering pressure relief valve. And watch that thing like a hawk going forward until it eventually fails. The consequence of that thing failing and going unnoticed is nearly simultaneous development of leaks in multiple places in the power steering system. You don't want to know how much the main power steering components for the RX350 cost, believe me! As a precaution, watch your PS fluid level very closely and check frequently (i.e., weekly). There should be no change at all in the level from week to week. As soon as you notice the level changing, get some die and start looking for leaks.
- Check engine oil level frequently (i.e., weekly or once per fuel-up) and keep it as close to max as is practical. At the next oil change, consider adding stop-leak additives preventively. Lucas has some good ones.
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