moolman

I thought I would chime in on doing your own oil changes for the RX350.

So the wife's car, RX350, is at 10K so I call up the Lexus dealer, Lexus of Glendale, in CA. When I was there for the free 5K, the quoted my about $50 for a oil change. Kinda expensive but you get some drinks and food, I'm used to $30 oil changes at the Toyota dealership. So I make an appointment online and they confirm. I show up at the appointment and the service guy says they don't do oil changes, only "scheduled maintanance". Alright, how much is that I ask, $180, for oil change, rotation, cabin filter and inspection. I say I just want the oil change, he refuses, says I have to do all of the "scheduled maintanance".

What the hell is that? Are they allowed to do that? So I ask only for an oil change and rotation, fine I will pay for a rotation too maybe they will let me do that, Nope, they want the full $180. So I left and went to Pep Boys.

I usually do my own oil changes but since the RX350 uses the media filter instead of the canister, I was hesitant to do it.

I went to the parts department at Glendale Lexus and asked for the filter and the guy brings back a cansister filter. I tell him that I think he made a mistake, it doesn't use it. I tell him its just like the new IS where you change out the paper filter only. He keeps insisting he's right and keeps telling me its the canister, So off to pep boys I go.

I did spend a couple of hours doing the oil change, I went slow and I did mess up and waste 5 quarts of oil.

The filter I found at pep boys for $10, the oil I just bought Mobil 5000 conventional oil about $2.50 a quart. I'm leasing the car so I didn't buy synthetic.

I use a pela oil extractor to extract the oil out of the dipstick, works great on my Prius but doesn't work well on the RX. The pan must be too deep. I got about 5Q out with the extractor but I knew that the car had 6.4Q with filter but silly me thought that maybe the dealer didn't add enough oil so when I added the oil and checked the oil, it was dirty so there was a quart in there that didn't come out with the extractor. So lessoned learned, I redid it even though it's not that big of a deal to leave it alone. I drained the car and added 6Q of oil assuming the oil left in the filter brings it up to 6.4Q. I'm having a hard time reading the dipstick, I pretty sure its at the max even though I only usually like to put in 3/4 of the dipstick.

The filter housing comes off with a F type or 65mm oil filter cap. I don't know why people are buying the special tool for it. Seriously, it's a good fit and did not marr or damage the housing at all. It seems as if the housing was meant to come off with the 65mm filter cap.

Another thing I noticed is that on the Free 5K service Glendale Lexus didn't bother to use a crush washer. What friggin lazy bastards. So I got one at the Toyota dealer for free to use.

As for the tire rotation, I took it to America's Tire Co/Discout Tire. I don't usually do this but I bought their road hazard warranty for $88. They give free rotations but if you buy the warranty, they will give you free balancing. The car is on a lease and seeing what bastards they were at Glendale Lexus today. I thought that they will get me for excessive wear on the tires if I didn't rotate and balance every 5K. Besides that I get tire warranty for any sidewall damage, which has happened to me on another car, the 18inch tires cost $180 per, so just for the rotation and balancing, I thought $88 was a good deal, still cheaper that the $180 for every visit at Glendale Lexus. Rotations also usually cost $10 at other places so overall the $88 was well spent.

I also bought a cabin filter for $21.50, the guy was right, it was pretty dirty.

I'm keeping meticoulous reciepts, keeping the box tops for the filters, and all reciepts of what I bought.

So thanks Glendale Lexus, because of you I got over the fear of the new oil filter and will do my oil changes on my own from now on, besides saving lots of money.

I figure the next time I need to go to a garage or dealer is at 35K for the brake flush that it says in the manual.

xfirechief

I do it myself too. I changed the oil, & the gear lubes & put in synthetic(AMSOIL). I had the tranny flushed out & they put my synthetic in too. My son & I flushed the brake fluid out too. Put in synthetic there too. No foreign oil in my foreign Lexus. What if everyone used USA synthetics? Would gas prices go down?

Rainbird

I prefer not to change the oil and filter myself, it's way to messy, you then have to store and dispose of the used oil properly.

I have to admit Lexus greatly overcharges for routine service. I had the free 5,000 mile service on my RX350 done at Lexus, but had the 10,000 done at the local Toyota dealership. Toyota changed the filter element, gaskets, and oil. They also checked all fluid levels and did a tire rotation. Total cost: $56.17. Quite reasonable in my opinion.

TunedRX300

Wow $56.17 for a piece of paper and possible bulk recycled oil! Plus gas and time wasted for the round trip to the dealer and waiting time at the lounge. How can this be a good deal?

Rainbird

Compared to Lexus it's a bargin. If you DON'T want to do the oil change yourself (I think most people don't). What do you suggest - "Jiffy Lube"? I don't think so...

VroomVroom

Most 'premium-branded' dealer service departments act in a similar fashion. I wish I could say I was surprised. There are many excellent independent shops that will do as much (or as little) work as you specify. My take - definitely stay away from the discount places of the world.

I've spent the last seven years doing my own oil changes w/ Mobil 1 and K&N filters. With both new cars we bought into the dealership's maintenance + extended warranty plan. It was really a function of time and convenience. Certainly not a decision for everyone, but at the same time there's a reason this is such a popular program. They'll bring a loaner and return our car on a flatbed, or of course we have the option of doing the dealer visit to pick up & drop off the loaner.

Lexmex

If you start bit by bit doing this stuff on your own instead of a dealer, you start to get hooked.

BTW, tomorrow I will go over what I discovered after taking a closer look at the 2GRFE engine in a 3.5 L Sienna. I think I may have an idea for an air intake.

geko29

When we took our '07 in for the free oil change, they wanted to charge us $57 to rotate the tires. Over the 40k life of a "typical" tire, this adds up to $399. A full set of tires costs about $800, so unless rotating them DOUBLES the tread life, it's a waste of money. I did it myself in 20 minutes and did a 5-tire rotation instead of the 4-tire the dealer would have done, which prolongs tire life even more, with the added advantage that the spare won't dry rot and have to be replaced without ever being used. The only downside is it'll cost me $1000 every 50k miles instead of $800 every 40k to replace the tires.

Pretty much everything else is easier to just do yourself as well. Order a box of filters from Sewell Lexus or irontoad, then put in whatever oil you like.

RXSF

when you come from mercedes where they charge you like 500, then your glad your at a lexus dealership. labor is expensive, and for people like me who only know how to pop the hood as a mere formality, then its much easier to pay lexus to do it for me.

at 50K for a car, a few hundred to keep it running isnt too much to ask

VroomVroom

Not to take away from your point, which is certainly valid, but it can be argued that tire rotations will double the tread life, or at least come close - especially on a FWD or AWD vehicle. It's a small detail, but five-tire rotations are great on AWD vehicles since they ensure that when you need the spare it'll be that much closer in circumference to the other three tires.

Believe it or not, I miss my ritual already - every 5k miles I'd change the oil, rotate the tires, and use the time to inspect the vehicle for problems and even learn more about it. However, it is nice to devote that same time and energy to detailing, which is something I enjoy more.

kingofire

How about Toyota? They service my car and I have never had a problem with it. I bring in my own oil and filters and if I dont feel like popping the hood and putting the new air filter in, I buy it myself and bring it in when i get my oil changed and they dont even charge me for it since I know some of the guys! When it comes to tires, I bought a lifetime tire balancing and wheel alignment from firestone for $185 so i just bring it to them and they rotate and balance my tires every 5k miles. Have your tires balanced using the Hunter Force machine!!!

Lexmex

That Hunter machine is a work of art.

For years, I tried to find someone who could align the rear, but everone had a Bear machine. Even Toyota dealers weren't doing this, though I would ask.

My uncle has a friend who got one of these machines from the U.S., and I can tell you my RX was a happy puppy after it got its rear straightened out.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Any local gas station with a mechanic shop would do it as well. If you don't want to pay the dealer price (Which is crazy), you don't want to do it yourself and save a bundle, and you don't want to take it to Jiffy Lube, maybe it might be time to get a good local mechanic that works out of a mom and pop shop or privately owned shop.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

The other point some are missing is that while there are a lot of people willing to pay the dealer prices for whatever reason, the fact that this particular dealership will NOT just do an oil change is just rediculous. If I went into my Lexus dealership for an oil change only they will change the oil and charge me their going rate. They wont force me to do other maintenance items that I may or may not need if I don't want to do it at that time.

What I see happening here is that this dealership is out to make money ONLY. They are not into servicing the customer. A simple oil change doesn't make much money for the time and effort they need to put into it even if it only takes 5-10 minutes and they charge you for 1 hour. They rather send the customer away for simple oil change and just stick to what makes them money. Routine scheduled maitenance.

tjain

No wonder they did not make it to the : Lexus Elite Dealers List

I just moved to texas and the dealers here are charging between $126 & $156for the scheduled factory recommended 5000 miles maintenace. If you just want an oil change it's $39.99.
For major 15 K or 30 K service they provide loaner cars do not know prices for these major services