oac3

Hello everyone: As you can probably tell, I am a newbie here and struggling to catch my breadth at the huge amount of info on this forum. It is astounding !

Here is a quick intro of myself:

Just purchased a '99 LS 400, loaded with Nav, HID, heated seats, etc.... Paid $33K (out the door) for it in LA. Car had 60K miles. Checked the history, every service had been done up to date, except the 60K mile service. I loved this car so much in the past few days since owning it. It blew me away when I got behind the wheels, so soft, so sensous, so buttery smooth. I could have gotten a ticket for speeding since it was so easy to get up to 90mph without even feeling it. Before pulling the trigger on purchasing the LS, I had my sights on the GS 300, the BMW 528i and the Audi A6. I test drove all of these, and leaned towards the GS 3. A friend of mine drove up for a weekend with us in his 97 LS and I loved it. I went out and test drove the '97 LS. It was good but not great. Think the car felt a little underpowered with the 260bhp. Decided maybe a '98 was it with the newer 290bhp engine... The only one I found was in a color I didn't like. Then saw a couple '99's in the lot. They were gorgeous with the walnut+leather-trimmed steering. I decided right there it has to be the '99 or newer. The price was a little steep for me, at $39K +ttl (36k miles, with Nakamichi option). I wnet elsewhere and found the same vehicle with the Nav for almost 8K less (before ttl). Bought it on the spot and my decision couldn't have been more correct. The only problem I have is that the wofe has decided she will use it as her daily work commute, while I get to drive it on weekends...Thats the life in America for ya !

Anyways, I was at a Lexus dealership today checking out the cost for the 60K mile service. They told me it will cost exactly $1,000.02 (incl tax). Ouch !

Question: What are people paying for this service ? Can this service be performed at, say, a Toyota dealership instead ? I think the price is really too steep, and wonder if others are getting this done for a lot less.

I will appreciate any and all opinions on this.

Oh, my other car is an '01 Toyota Sequoia, so I am solidly bethrothed to the Toyota family.

wwest

If you don't have an owners manual set then get one, it says the $1000 (timing belt, etc.) service interval is at 90k. 60k should be 75-$150.

SilverFlare

hi..wwest.
I just done my 60k svc in longo lexus...they served me very well.. and ask for Veronne he is a nice guy and willing help u a lot...
if u do have a AAA card u can get another 10% off.
the price is about 550-600.... : )

SilverFlare

oops..wrong name....
oac3.... hi welcome..

oac3

Thanks everyone for your helpful suggestions. Yes I do have the owner's manual and my question was the cost not so much on what the service would entail.

Sufice to say, I did call Longo Lexus and talked to a service technician. He quoted me $298 total. He also said it would take about 3-4 hrs to complete the service. I have booked an appointment at this dealership for next weekend. I'll let you all know how it goes.

It is just a shame that some dealerships would just want to rip you off. I mean, there is a world of difference between $1000 and $300. How can that be ??? I am truly amazed ! This is my first Lexus vehicle and I have heard of the quality of the service dept., but my first impression is certainly not that good. I plan to take my business elsewhere from this dealership. Twice they have failed to earn my business - at vehicle purchase (no move on price) and now at service (exhorbitant charge) !!!

FusionMan79

I think wwest meant to say repair manual. If you don't have that, get one. If you've got a knack for doing technical stuff or repairs it'll save you a ton of money, showing you exactly how to fix things. I don't have the repair manual for my car (couldn't find one for under $90) but I use a site called alldatadiy.com You can get repair info and diagrams, repair procedures and all TSBs for $25 a year on a single car. Helped a ton on changing my shocks and struts. It's also helping a great deal with my wiring plans.

Fusionman

oac3

fusionman, I get it. Unfortunately I am not handy at doing stuff like that. I just pay the "experts" and get it over with. Not to beat this to death, but today I called another Lexus dealership here in San Diego. The cost for a 60K mile service ? $895.

So here is the summary:

Kearney Mesa Lexus = $1,000
Carlsbad Lexus = $895
Longo Lexus = $298

Some one here paid = $550-$600 @ Longo Lexus

Another poster here claimed b/w $75 - $150

Anyone know why there is so much wide discrepancy for something that should be pretty much same across dealerships ???

For the life of me I cannot figure out why this is so out of whack: same service, on the same car and from 3 different lexus dealerships working to provide service to consumers ??? Now I know why the earth is indeed round !

hpc

Ask each dealership what they are including in the 60k service. I paid $800 some but I got a whole bunch done such as timing belt, accesory belt water pump and all fluids and all this other stuff. That might be the big difference.

wwest

actually I meant owners manual "set" or package.

One of the manuals supplied to the owner explicitly defines the items recommended for each maintenance interval and the circumstances, rough service or not, under which those items should be addressed.

If you show the service manager these items for 60k service and ask him, INSTRUCT HIM, to only do the recommeded service (non-rough) for that interval then 60k service should cost less than $150.

Sooner

wwwest ur an idiot

wwest

I am very certain that as my two kids were growing up, especially during their mid to late teenage years, they classified me just as you do today.

But they have aged somewhat and with age comes maturity, nowadays they don't think of me so much as an idiot but as someone older and with more life's experience.

paradox

Y'know, sometimes from reading Wwest's posts, you'd get the impression that he's very set in his ways... from the old school. An "OG," if you will. Sometimes you agree with him, sometimes you don't. But -based on his response here-, I gotta say that he demonstrated a heckuva lot of class!!! We can all learn something from that.

oac3

sooner: if you have nothing good to say to wwest, maybe saying nothing would have been better.

'nuff said

I have a request to make:

I noticed that crud from tire and the road seems to accumulate underneath the body panel and within the wheel wells of my LS. I figured it is because there is no mud guard at any of the tires. Turns out Lexus does not make mud guards for the LS, so a local dealership told me. I went to a car-shop to find out if they make this. No luck, they suggested it has to be OEM (Lexus).

Does anyone know if there is a factory mud guard, or if there is an AM one. I am interested in purchasing for all four tires.

Your help is appreciated.

Sooner

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SQ-LS

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