I was looking at the maintenance price list posted on my local Lexus dealers website to see what should have been done since the last dealer service on my vehicle. I noticed that at 120,000 miles they include a bunch of BG MOA flushes.

Do you guys add any additives to you fluids?

 

Additives as part of dealer services are pure profit centers for the dealers, IMO. Beyond using synthetic motor oil and the occasional bottle of Chevron Techron in the fuel tank I have found no need for these extras.

 

That`s right^^^ Lexus vehicles are so reliable that they have to make up something to get extra money from you.

 

Well, they are making a killing then. $569 for the flushes below.

BG Brake flush
BG Fuel Induction Service
BG Auto Trans Conditioner
BG Coolant Flush

http://sd3d.simmonsmcs.com/dealershi...vid/0501690560

 

Fuel system cleaner every once in a while but that's it.

 

Any preferred fuel system cleaner for Lexus or are they all pretty much the same? I used Seafoam every other oil change for my M45.

 

Seafoam here every 4K miles on the tank. Full synthetic oil when I see the oil a bit darker than normal at about 6K miles.

 

I visit my sis once a year and use Berryman's B12 coming and going. Its a high speed, 1000 mile run and it seems to keep fuel issues at bay.

 

Absolutely, as many will never question what they are told needs done to their vehicle.

 

I've never added anything to any car I've ever owned. I'm sure they can't hurt other than the expense but as far as I know I'm doing ok.

 

The guys over at Bob is the oil guy forums swear by Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO) which can be used in fuel tank or with oil.

You can google search this exact phrase:

Marvel Mystery Oil added to fuel site:www.bobistheoilguy.com

 

BG makes great products despite what some may say. I have a friend that is a chemical engineer for BG. I also volunteer and regularly work on vehicles with two separate mechanics that run / manage shops. Every one of these individuals have attested to BG's products and their benefit.

Now you don't need BG additive for every tank or oil change. However, the regular supplementation of the BG products into oil changes etc. are beneficial.

I have over 200K miles on my car. I have tore down the engine to the point where I replaced the manifold gaskets. I can say the engine looked CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN! I also took a scope and looked at the pistons and cylinder walls and those had nearly zero signs of wear.
I add BG to my oil and fuel system on a semi regular basis.

 

I saw the usefulness of BG products some 30 years ago in the shop when they were fairly new to the game. At the time engines chewed through oil, there were few if any synthetic fluids and lubes, tolerances were poor allowing blow-by past the rings further contaminating the oil, and fuels burned much dirtier. Today, we have clean fuels, tons of emission controls, clean burning vehicles with tight tolerances and little blow-by, synthetic fluids for most every need, and while engines rev higher they tend to be much easier on oil and other fluids if tended to in the proper manner.

As a result, while I can agree with the occasional use of additives such as those from BG I find it hard to see the need for these induction and other cleaning services the dealerships are trying to pass off to customers. As stated previous, IMO these are just cash in the pockets of the dealerships and offer limited benefit to the majority of car owners. Would rather see owners using some of that money to switch fluids to all synthetics and perform fluid changes more frequent than stated in the Owner's Manual with a few exceptions. For example, the oil changes themselves which can still be done at 5K intervals but switch from dino to synthetic oil. Extra money could also be spent on exterior and interior cleaning and care needs and problem areas, such as MAF sensors, as they come up.

In particular, I am disturbed by dealerships pushing these extra services as early as 30K miles to individuals who would not know better.

 

I agree many services are scheduled way before their need. I did replace the brake fluid but at the 90K service ,and also put off the fuel injector/throttle body cleaning until then. in the 400h the throttle body cleaning did make the engine start and stops much smoother. I am late to the full synthetic oil switch, I did use Castrol synthetic blend up to 95K and just switched to Pennzoil Platinum high mileage synthetic and I do notice more power and zero oil use. under warranty we were required to change the oil every 5k so I used a more conventional blend. I wish I had changed to full synthetic sooner, of course now it is in the engine from the factory.

 

BG44K fuel additive is a great product but somewhat hard to find. Some authorized dealers sell it on eBay.