Okay, time for my 60,000 mile service.

Dealer quotes me $980, but that does not include the timing belt. (Supposedly that goes until 120k) What on earth are they going to change that will merit $1000?

Also, I thought platinum plugs were good for more than 60k miles. (Other than just check and possibly regap them.)

Anyone know of a non-dealer shop in Oklahoma that might be a little more reasonable? Or is the dealer really worth the extra $$?

 

"What on earth are they going to change that will merit $1000?"

They will change the amount of money you have in your pocket. Ask you local Toyota dealer for a price or the Car Talk site on NPR (Moderator, if this is a no no, sorry and please feel free to edit) has a list of consumer referenced/supplied trustworthy mechanic by localities.

This thread has been beat to death before so if you do a search......

 

get timing belt and 60k service done at the same time....you will save big bucks

CEO

 

Although your vehicle to be serviced is almost 10 years old, the price of the 60K service package sounds about right (excluding the timing belt). A majority of the expense points to the labor rate charged by the Lexus dealership, which is pretty expensive. The 60K service includes all the typical fluid changes (oil, tranny, brake, coolant, differential, power steering, windshield, etc.), spark plugs, air filter, A/C filter, and a dozen of checks and inspections.

If I were you, I'd shop around a couple other places (Lexus or Toyota dealerships) and get some quotes to compare. Considering the age of your car, you should consider having your timing belt replaced, even though you haven't reached 90K or 120K miles.

 

My Dealership also adjusts the valve shims as part of the 60k service. However, i think our price for a 60k is a few hundred more than what you said. But we do all of the above.. all the fluids basically, replace plugs, adjust the valve clearances, ect.. Having the t-belt done at the same time isnt a bad idea.. we usually recommend them at 90k, but ive seen them go as far as 130k before breaking. When doing your t-belt, also have the cam seals and front crank seal replaced, as well as the idlers and water pump. Its just smart to replace those parts, since you are already in there.

 

Most Lexus dealers recommend 120k, I believe. I know mine does.

For what its worth, the timing belt on the car that was recently stolen from me had 188k on the original belt. I wouldnt recommend this as an average lifespan, but just so you know how overbuilt these timing belts are...

The new 93 SC4 I recently bought has 66k on the odo. When I asked the service manager at my Lexus dealership what the service interval was, in terms of time (example: 120k OR 72 mos), he looked it up and said there was no time given, so 120k was the recommended change. Gotta love Toyota build quality!

Steven Lee
93 SC4 66k

 

I would do it all yourself and save about 85%.

As lexusk8 stated the items, you could do these things in about 3 hours and still save 85%!

 

I'd suggest that you determine whether your vehicle falls under the "Special Operating Conditions" category.

If you DON'T: drive on rough, muddy, or snow-melted roads; drive on salt covered roads; drive on unpaved or dusty roads; spend extensive time idling or low-speed driving for long distances; tow a trailer or use a camper or car-top carrier

then you DON'T fall into SOC category and your service requirements are nowhere near as extensive (example: ~$350 vs ~$1300 for 60k service for our previous RX300) BUT it appears that many Lexus dealerships either recommend strongly or automatically perform SOC level service regardless of your driving habits and conditions.

This is what comes of operating the Service Dept. as a seperate cost center. The usual justification, when asked, usually starts something like: "In our experience............". Considering the level of expertise in the T/L engineering department combined with the huge amount of testing that goes into verifying the service demands vs design parameters of every system in the car (at this point let's remember how conservative T/L is in adding new tech to their cars), I strongly feel that those service recommendations in your Owner's Manual are sufficient as written.

And this has been beaten to death. Sorry if I'm (again) repeating myself redundantly as well as saying the same thing over and over.............

 

Beat to death?????????? Amen....

Do a search on the topic and you can read opinions all night long.............

 

I would look for an independent lexus repair shop around your area. If not we are located in the Dallas area. We can and will save you money.
JPI