When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Multi-millionaires need not be concerned with fluid level checks or fluid changes because the cost of a remanufactured ES350 transmission is affordable for them:
Umm. The people on this particular forum all have Lexus products that cost a lot more to buy than your repair quote.
As to whether we are all multi millionaires, some are and some are not. If 3 or 4 grand is viewed as only affordable by "multi-millionaires", then why would you even be shopping or owning a luxury car?
If 3 or 4 grand is viewed as only affordable by "multi-millionaires", then why would you even be shopping or owning a luxury car?
One way aspiring millionares build wealth during their working years is thru saving money on avoidable expenses. Aggressive preventive maintenance such as transmission fluid changes enables aspiring millionares to 1) save $10,000+ on vehicle depreciation, sales taxes and state registration expenses via keeping them for 200,000+ miles instead of just the usual 100,000 miles 2) avoiding the possibility of needing a $7,000 replacement transmission during those 200,000 miles. 2) avoid the need to spend $1,500 on an extended powertrain warranty at the time of new car purchase.
One way aspiring millionares build wealth during their working years is thru saving money on avoidable expenses. Aggressive preventive maintenance such as transmission fluid changes enables aspiring millionares to 1) save $10,000+ on vehicle depreciation, sales taxes and state registration expenses via keeping them for 200,000+ miles instead of just the usual 100,000 miles 2) avoiding the possibility of needing a $7,000 replacement transmission during those 200,000 miles. 2) avoid the need to spend $1,500 on an extended powertrain warranty at the time of new car purchase.
1. Lets back that theory up with facts. I am not wasting my time or money doing transmission fluids not required or suggested by the manufacturer.
2. I keep my cars a long time and never get rid of them with a paltry 1000,000 miles on the clock.
3. Never had a repair bill in over 40 years of driving anywhere close to 7 grand.
4. Extended power train warranty on a Lexus--for foolish people only.
Once again. 40 plus years of driving. Number of transmission repairs or services. Zero. Number of engine failures-zero. Number of engine rebuilds-zero ; Number of Power Train warranties purchased-zero.
I keep track of all vehicle expenses. Pretty well standard maintenance items only--brakes, tires, oil changes, battery etc.
1. Lets back that theory up with facts. I am not wasting my time or money doing transmission fluids not required or suggested by the manufacturer.
2. I keep my cars a long time and never get rid of them with a paltry 1000,000 miles on the clock.
3. Never had a repair bill in over 40 years of driving anywhere close to 7 grand.
4. Extended power train warranty on a Lexus--for foolish people only.
Once again. 40 plus years of driving. Number of transmission repairs or services. Zero. Number of engine failures-zero. Number of engine rebuilds-zero ; Number of Power Train warranties purchased-zero.
I keep track of all vehicle expenses. Pretty well standard maintenance items only--brakes, tires, oil changes, battery etc.
As I state before, I found it ironic when members complain about Lexus gouging them at the dealership. Members will post maintenance items they did not think they needed and others will chime it with the often used stealerships. Here Lexus is stating the transmission NEVER needs to be changed unless extreme conditions exist like towing. My Lexus Service Manager refused to take my $$$$ when I asked him about the change. His reply was a change can cause more harm than benefit. I will trust Lexus and Service Managers over any members here, those that manufactured the car and services them all day every day.
It's largely a peace of mind issue. Owners like the 151,000 mile GS owner below who drain and refill the transmission oil pan every 30,000 miles have the peace of mind of knowing there's still plenty of reliable life in their 151,000 mile transmission and they need not worry about being stranded, an unexpected $7,000 transmission replacement bill or a huge drop in the resale value of their car if the transmission fails and they do not want to pay the $7,000 to replace it.
Peace of mind? That's the mantra used by every shady sales person selling items of dubious value. Typical peace of mind products--no health life insurance flogged on 3rd rate tv channels, extended warranties at Best Buy, and in my opinion, extended warranties on Lexus ES 350's.
You really figure all those Lexus and Toyota engineers are shooting you a line of BS when they say fluid changes not required?
FWIW we've got an RX in the family that's over a decade old and I changed the transmission fluid every 60k miles. It's been chugging along fine and I could see the car lasting 20 years or more. Changing the fluid every 60k to 100k miles sounds prudent if you intend to keep the car for a long time.
I don't think the flush is necessary, as that is the expensive one to do.
With a drain & fill, which is all ToyoLex called for on their [mostly] pre-2007 stuff, every 30k... keep with that and you'll be fine.
I have the same eng/trans combo, just on a 2012 Camry... and my prior ES300 needed a transmission at ~150k, and well, I'm not doing that again... and that was considered cheap at 2000$ for a low mile one.
The U-series trans, all low miles from JY's are in the 2-4k range... rebuilds will be more. So MY lesson learned was to not chance another repair of that amount, and simply do the 60$ Drain & Fill once every year or two.
Got mine with 20k on the clock. I had it done before I bought it... along with tint & autostart
I did it again with 37k on the clock.
I've been doing the same on my dads' RX330 with the jerky transmissions, and its the way to go... since 43k, until now at 140k every couple of years it gets done, since that's about the right mileage.
In fact, he's somewhat hoped it would've cost him more than it has by now so he can get into a newer one
My Lexus service advisor was a friend long before he took the job at Lexus. He advises to not service my 2015 ES 350 transmission. He said the only exceptions would be if you use it outside of it's intended usage ... ie regularly drag racing up a mountain, towing, etc. Then it may be worth having the fluid at least checked.
As always, you own the car, so it's your right to do what you want.
...
i wouldnt mess with it. these are bulletproof cars. the only ones ive seen show up with tranny problems had the fluids changed. they are sealed for 100k miles, and honestly o wouldnt change the fluid after that either bc it can cause trouble. theres some stuff you just should not do with these cars. this is one of those things.
I have a 2008 ES 350 that I bought new. Have 200,000 + miles on it. Never changed the tranny fluid. Never missed a beat in 10 years. Have a 2017 ES. Not gonna change a thing! These cars are built like a tank!!
The 6 speed ES350 automatic transmission could potentially last that long too if owners were willing to periodically drain and refill the transmission oil pan with new Toyota WS fluid.
