david55838

Hi all,

I know RX owners aren't the usual demographic for DIY oil changes, and I know Lexus pays for at least the first one, and I know that many don't recommened early oil changes on a new Toyota/Lexus any more, BUT... I have always flushed out factory oil on new cars at around 1500 miles, and I enjoy doing it (helps me bond with the new car).

So, is anyone aware of any DIY on the 4RX for this? With that new plastic drain gizmo supplied with the oil filter, I was hoping to 'read all about it' somewhere. The YouTube videos I've seen on other Toyotas with the 3.5 V6 haven't cleared it up much.

Thanks!

sderman

I originally downloaded this years ago to change the oil on my 07 ES and 07 RX and it still works for my 14 ES. Should also work for the 16 RX. BTW, I would use disposable rubber gloves and ignore using the hose.

Lexus_oil_change.pdf

david55838

Thanks, sderman, but the link doesn't work.

sderman

[QUOTE=david55838;9613230]Thanks, sderman, but the link doesn't work.[/QUOTE

Sorry, first time I tried to insert a pdf - hopefully this time is OK:

avalon_oil_change.pdf

david55838

Worked this time. Thanks again. Looks like a bit of a PITA.

jwrichter

Unless you are a Lexus mechanic why change your own oil? I say this because I want someone with the ability to look the car over in addition to the oil change. You want to bond with your car? Try sleeping in it for awhile.

ggebhardt

Changing the oil at 1500 miles is a waste. It may make you bond with your vehicle but does nothing but waste synthetic oil.

sirtiger

oil changes are the easiest thing to do. Amazing how lazy people are these days & say I need to service my car...no one can do it!

david55838

I just enjoy it. Probably easier to let the dealer do it - and I will take advantage of the one free service - but I want to do it as long as I can.

sderman

Agree fully. And I can do it in far less time than it takes to drop if off at a dealer or mechanic which usually requires a 1-2 hour wait or a return visit to pick up the vehicle. I also change my own so I can choose my oil brand. I presently use Royal Purple and before that, Red Line. I stopped using Mobil One years ago when they changed their base stock from a completely synthetic (synthesized from the ground up molecule by molecule) to a highly refined/processed petroleum stock after they lost their suit against Castrol for doing this and still calling their oil fully synthetic.

ericsan13

Paranoia and convenience. Mechanics are famed for cutting corners. Your car will not get the care or attention that you would give it yourself. They could just top off your oil, skip the filter change, strip nuts, use the wrong viscosity, etc. My friend went to Toyota for an oil change and they changed her original Toyota battery to a near-dead aftermarket battery. Of course she didn't find out until her car died.

It's easy to do at home if you have the right tools and saves the time needed to drive to dealership and wait around for something that's easy to do.

sderman

BTW, if you are going to provide your own oil to an outside oil changer, oils such as Royal Purple are great because they are. indeed, purple and so tells you whether they used the supplied oil rather than a far cheaper "dino" oil. I am also very concerned about the integrity of whoever does the changing . Obviously, the best way to check is if they actually changed the oil is to check if the oil on the dipstick is clear, not dark, but it is no assurance that they used a synthetic oil.

DenverRx

The 16' RX is one of the easiest vehicles to do an oil change. Ground clearance is high enough so you don't need ramps, and filter is right up front. Just purchase a toyota filter tool (fits on a socket wrench). I'm not paying my dealer $100 and waiting 2 hours for each change.

sirtiger

I should also add that sometimes do all 3 of my car's oil change at once...so quick & easy. I gotten pretty good at gauging how the color of the old oil changes over time.

Comfort

Just because a dealer changes your oil doesn't guarantee a quality job. Those employees are at the bottom of the food chain and may or may not be good at it. Some have other duties. The only issue I've had after an oil change was a leak caused by an over tightened filter at a dealer. So not only did I burn two hours but had to turn around the next day to burn another two hours getting it fixed. I don't do my own oil changes but supply oil and filter and go to the same shop where I can observe the process.