Thanks for taking the time to read my post. I have. 2009 is 250 with 83,000. most of miles came from commuting to school and traveling to my shore house. I have noticed a few things that I needed some opinions on. until my warranty was up I always got all oil changes, tune ups & parts from the dealership but now that my warranty is up its becoming rather expensive to do so ( for example they wanted 340 plus tax for an extended miles service check) which at the time just isn't in my budget. I want to keep this car as long as possible since its not old at all but the miles are a constant anxiety for me as this is my first car. my first question is for my next oil change is it better to bring it to mechanic or to a lube express/jiffy lube express and is it better to get strictly synthetic oil or will a synthetic oil blend be ok? my second question is I've noticed the car doesn't ride as smoothly anymore , I can hear the engine with my radio at volume 10. it's not any strange noise just the engine which I never remembered hearing before? my third question is (it's only happened twice) but when I turn the car on and I'm in park I feel a heavy vibration under my seat? I also hear a creek in my steering wheel sometimes ? any help would be greatly appreciated! thanks!

 

Oil changes are a piece of cake, I get the filter media from Sewell for cheap ($10 at local dealer) and run Mobil1 that I get from Wal-Mart for around $37 for seven quarts (buy the 5 gallon jug and two quarts). Check the Mobil1 website from time to time because they offer a $10 coupon for oil. About a month ago I got the 5 quart jug for $14 using the coupon at Wal-Mart. Mobil1 oil with OEM filter for a full synthetic oil change for around $30 is a pretty good deal.

I typically change my oil around 10,000 miles (twice a year), and yes, I check it often to ensure it is clean and at the right level. I have not found media from Mobil1 yet so I am just using the OEM - so far so good. I have a Toyota filter wrench from Advance auto that works great for the filter canister. I do not open the drain plug on the canister, I simply unscrew the canister slowly and let the oil drain as much as possible, then remove it. This way I don't have to mess with the new gasket, ensuring it doesn't leak etc. I am sure I will open it at some point and change the gasket but I haven't yet.

I would never go to Jiffy Lube or any fast service place because I don't trust them as far as I can throw them. I am sure most of them have good people but it is not for me. Finding a good mechanic is great, very different from the local fast service place.

Shocks are a maintenance item and need to be replaced from time to time. For this car, I would stay OEM and not go with Monroe. You could opt for F-Sport or some other high end shock but I don't think the low end stuff is very good.

Various noises are also a result of wearable items. For example, hearing outside noises can be a result of older weather strips on your doors. You can replace them and get the door back to closing like it did when it was new. Of course, there are dozens of other seals and rubber bushings that break down over time.

Not sure about the heavy vibration under your seat. That could be any number of things like worn out engine mounts that are not holding the engine still while idling. I don't think it would be that drastic but it is worth checking out. Have you heard about the the carbon build up issue where people say they feel various shaking? I have had my car for a short while and have not had any issues that seem related to the carbon issue (knocking on wood) so I am not positive of the symptoms but other folks have said they can vary from car to car.

Here are a couple of threads on the carbon build up issue:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-s...d-threads.html

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-s...ld-up-csp.html

Good luck!
Jason

 

^Nice response..

 

Stealerships FTL!

I've read couple posts on CL already and this is all you have to follow:

Every ____ miles,
5,000 oil change
15,000 air/engine filters
30,000 brake fluid (driver rear, passenger rear, passenger front, driver front.)
60.000 spark plugs
100,000 coolant

Of course, regular wear and tear likes tires and brakes are not included in this

 

My thoughts exactly! Kudos to you sir

The oil change can be extended up to 10K miles easy with synthetic too, since the OP asked. There are several oil threads with good info

 

Using good oil and keeping it clean will do wonders for a car. I had a 1992 Honda Accord for many years and got 300,000 miles with it using Mobil1 oil and filter every 7500-10,000 miles depending on my driving requirements. Of course, I fixed any minor leaks and issues before they became major leaks and issues in an effort to keep it reliable.

We have a 2005 Corolla S that has 165,000 and runs like a champ following the same plan. Our son is now the owner of it as I moved up to my 2007 IS 250.

I like how the Toyota/Lexus engines run very clean. I can go 5K and the oil is still very clean compared to other cars. My wife has an Acura MDX and my daughter has a Honda Civic and they do not run nearly as clean as our Toyota motors do. Honda's are very reliable as well but they don't run as clean.