MadMax96

I have a 1999 LS400 that just turned 140k on the clock...runs like a champ. The car has always gone to the same dealer since two owners ago for all service. I've been taking it there for oil changes and everytime they say it needs nothing... well I knew that couldn't last forever.

This time they tell me I need new brakes all around including front rotors and possibly replacement sensors.

Their quote for front rotors/pads, front sensors (pad sensor I'm assuming) and rear pads is $1200... ouch!

This I know is high - and I've done brakes on several different cars so I'm not afraid to dive into this job. It just sucks because now it's cold here in IL.

The other thing they told me I need is to get the coolant and trans flushed. The quote they gave me was to get the coolant, trans, & differential flushed as well as replacing misc filters or whatever. For that they want $550. Is this way out of line?

I'm thinking of trying to find a local guy that works on imports.. but I'd need to be recommended one. I'm not going to pick a random place out of the phonebook.

Thanks......

kwikrnu

Dealers always rape you on service.
Do it all yourself. You can get the get the coolant for around $20 a gallon and the transmission fluid for around $5 a quart. get the brake parts online if you want lexus stuff for cheaper than the local dealer would charge, or get them at Autozone if you don't want to pay that much.

heyhowyado

and if you're like me (i'm NOT mechanical) try to find a good mechanic who's familiar with your car........i was lucky enough to find a garage that has 2 guys who are lexus mechanics (they used to work at a dealer)....the used car dealer where i bought my car were the ones who hooked me up......that would be a good place to check....if you have a used car dealership in your area that is reputable, give them a call and ask them if they could recommend someone to you.......

good luck!

Sanpete

You might also check the costs at a Toyota dealer instead (assuming you're talking about a Lexus dealer). They're usually cheaper than Lexus, but have access to the same resources.

Say what part of Illinois you're in, and someone might have recommendations for your area.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

they would only need to replace the sensors if the dash lights up christmas tree status saying that you have pad wear.

rotors are cheap, i buy the brembo blanks tirerack sells, set of four shouldnt be more than $200-220 the pads are pretty good, front and rear can be had for under 150 if going OEM thru carson (for all four)

labor=diy

Harky

If you are even moderately handy, you can do all that work yourself!

1. Buy new rotors online - Brembo OEM equivalents are a good deal. Buy their pads, too. I bought all 4 wheels worth from buybrakes.com for $368.00.
New brake pad wear sensors are required only if the brake idiot like is on. Even if you see rub marks on it, it's OK. (It's just a simple wire loop that gets worn thru by the rotor. No magic.) DO NOT BUY AUTO ZONE's OR CHECKER's or anyone else's cheap rotors - they are likely Chinese junk! And they will warp.

2. Coolant swap is easy...Drain out the old stuff using the valve at the bottom of the radiator. Refill with distilled water only and run that til warm to flush out the old. Do this twice - water is cheap!
Drain and refill with 50/50 mixture of TOYOTA coolant and distilled water. It's important that you use the Toyota stuff and distilled water to keep abrasive solids to a minimum. This will extend the life of your water pump -a very expensive replacement item!! (Most regular antifreeze has silicates in it for corrosion protection of cast iron engines and this stuff eats up pump seals.)

3. A tranny flush may not be necessary if the car is still shifting OK and the fluid does not have a burned smell. Drain out what you can with the drain plug. You will likely get 2 or 2-1/2 quarts. This is only about a 1/4 of the total volume of fluid in the tranny. Refill with new Toyota T-4 fluid only. Run that for a 100 miles or so and do the drain routine again. After 3 or 4 of these drain-refill cycles, your fluid condition will improve. Then, just drain the tranny pan when you do your oil changes. That will keep it fresh.

Good luck.

MadMax96

Yes - I'm handy enough to do brakes and stuff - I don't bother with the oil changes because I don't feel like dealing with the mess. I still have oil to return from changing the oil on my motorcycle But at these prices, a trashed sweatshirt is money well spent. A set of ramps would be good right about now also..

I just got Brembo rotors from Tirerack about a month ago for my mom's Camry and they are sooo much nicer than the junky made-in-china ones from Autozone. I put some Satisfied Pro Ceramic pads on her car and she's thrilled.

My wife ended up taking the car into the Lexus dealer so I'm thinking they were trying to sell her all these items...

I think the price was quoted with the sensors as a worse case scenario.. but either way, that's a lot of beans for a brake job.

I'm in the NW burbs of Chicago FWIW and the dealer is Woodfield Lexus in Schaumburg.

Thanks for the tips Harky - good info.

Of course this couldn't come at a worse time - it's starting to get pretty cold out and my tandem garage doesn't make it easy to work on the car (one car wide, two deep). Oh yeah - my wife is 9 months pregnant too.. so saying we're tight on $$ is an understatement.

Thanks for the input everyone - sounds like I just have to make the time to get this stuff done.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

methinks you should take a wheel off and measure the thickness of a rotor, you could just get it turned, i know sometimes underhanded dealers will say you need four NEW rotors instead of spending ~$20 and having them turned.

Harky

With 140K on the clock...you may not have sufficient thickness to allow the rotors to be turned.
How are the brakes acting? Do you get shudder or pulsing when braking? What problem was the dealer checking for you? They may not be "broken".

ycao2

ok,I just had of mine who works at an acura dealership to order a set of front pads for my 94 LS400 at the lexus dealership next door, what I paid: $75.