Extended Warranty For Rx300 2000

[Dean Wolf]

I recently bought a 2000 RX300 with 84,000 miles.

I bought the car from a dealer, and the inspection showed not apparent problems.

I can buy a "Gold" extended warranty from the Lexus dealership which covers up to 2 yeras or 100k miles (whichever is first). The warranty costs about $1400, and seems to cover most powertrain and electrical things (though it is not the "platinum" bumper-bumper warranty).

The question is: Is it worth it to buy the warranty? What are the chances that I will spend more than $1400 in repairs for the next 16,000 miles?

Any thoughts/comments appreciated.

Thanks!

[sgriffith]

I purchased a 3rd party extended warranty when I bought my 99 RX300 in 2002. It had 32K on it and the warranty was good for 5 years or 100K. It has paid off for me. Mine was about 1400 also. Here is a list of my repairs & costs:

New rear main seal = $1100.00 (I only paid $50...my deductible)

New passenger side front strut mount = $400 (fixed at the same time as the rear main seal....I paid nothing)

I am about to have to have the drivers side front strut mount replaced also.

I am also about to have to have the transmission replaced. It will cost about 5 grand...but will only cost me $50.

I am a big believer in extended warranties...even if they are a 3rd party. I just was sure to do my research before I bought one. I would be working 4 more jobs to pay for all of the repairs that have had to be done on my RX. I am very glad that I have it.

You might check to see if it has an emissions clause...or at least includes some emissions componenets. I just got hit for about $2300 for a new catalytic converter, flex pipe, and O2 sensor. I didn't mind paying for the flex pipe & O2 sensor, but $1100 plus labor for a catalytic converter will dang near send you to the hospital. Needless to say, my warranty wouldn't cover any emissions issues.

[rastamanx]

Could you please tell me which company you purchased your extended warranty from?

[RX in NC]

sgriffith,

Thanks for providing the details on your RX300's failure history. We've shared some of your same problems with my wife's vehicle as I'm sure you already know from reading the various posts.

I'd like to obtain further information from you concerning your strut mount problems. What symptoms of strut mount failure became evident to you? At what mileage reading? Did you hear strange noises, notice a diminished ride quality, see unusual tire treadwear patterns, etc.? How did you diagnose that the problem was indeed your strut mounts? And I assume that when you elect to replace your strut mounts, you're replacing the entire strut assembly as well - correct?

Thanks for sharing your details. I suspect that failing strut mounts may be the next issue for my wife's RX. She's closing in on 75,000 miles.

[sgriffith]

sgriffith,

Thanks for providing the details on your RX300's failure history.  We've shared some of your same problems with my wife's vehicle as I'm sure you already know from reading the various posts.

I'd like to obtain further information from you concerning your strut mount problems.  What symptoms of strut mount failure became evident to you?  At what mileage reading?  Did you hear strange noises, notice a diminished ride quality, see unusual tire treadwear patterns, etc.?  How did you diagnose that the problem was indeed your strut mounts?  And I assume that when you elect to replace your strut mounts, you're replacing the entire strut assembly as well  -  correct?

Thanks for sharing your details.  I suspect that failing strut mounts may be the next issue for my wife's RX.  She's closing in on 75,000 miles.

←

Actually, the 1st day we drove our car over a bumpy road, we noticed the problem. So, our first went out at around 33K. Our front passenger side is just starting to go out (at 84K). I really didn't notice a ride difference, just the dang annoying noises from my nice "Lexus". The diagnosis was a bit involved. I took it to a dealership while under manf. warranty & they said nothing was wrong. Problem still existed, though. I waited a long time until I found another dealership & they diagnosed it right away. It just rattled when we went over a bumpy road....kind of a "thuddy rattle." There is a TSB out for these things. So, I was out of manf. warranty the second time I took it to a dealer, but the extended warranty covered it for me. I don't believe you replace the entire strut assembly...from what I can tell it was just the mount. The dealership price for it was absurd, but I didn't care b/c of the extended warranty. By the way, I just called my Extended warranty company and they are going to let me get a new tranny for the RX.... I don't have to get a rebuilt one. I pushed for it, but it was based mostly on a recommendation by my mechanic. I am relieved for that.

Here is the info on my extended warranty company:

Western Diversified Advantage Preferred Vehicle Service Contract

1-800-606-3524

That number should get you what you needed. My contract price was $1485.00....and they are about to have saved me around $6K on a tranny, plus all of that other stuff. Anyways, let me know if you need more info.

[sandimas3]

sgriffith,

Thanks for providing the details on your RX300's failure history.  We've shared some of your same problems with my wife's vehicle as I'm sure you already know from reading the various posts.

I'd like to obtain further information from you concerning your strut mount problems.  What symptoms of strut mount failure became evident to you?  At what mileage reading?  Did you hear strange noises, notice a diminished ride quality, see unusual tire treadwear patterns, etc.?  How did you diagnose that the problem was indeed your strut mounts?  And I assume that when you elect to replace your strut mounts, you're replacing the entire strut assembly as well  -  correct?

Thanks for sharing your details.  I suspect that failing strut mounts may be the next issue for my wife's RX.  She's closing in on 75,000 miles.

←

Actually, the 1st day we drove our car over a bumpy road, we noticed the problem. So, our first went out at around 33K. Our front passenger side is just starting to go out (at 84K). I really didn't notice a ride difference, just the dang annoying noises from my nice "Lexus". The diagnosis was a bit involved. I took it to a dealership while under manf. warranty & they said nothing was wrong. Problem still existed, though. I waited a long time until I found another dealership & they diagnosed it right away. It just rattled when we went over a bumpy road....kind of a "thuddy rattle." There is a TSB out for these things. So, I was out of manf. warranty the second time I took it to a dealer, but the extended warranty covered it for me. I don't believe you replace the entire strut assembly...from what I can tell it was just the mount. The dealership price for it was absurd, but I didn't care b/c of the extended warranty. By the way, I just called my Extended warranty company and they are going to let me get a new tranny for the RX.... I don't have to get a rebuilt one. I pushed for it, but it was based mostly on a recommendation by my mechanic. I am relieved for that.

Here is the info on my extended warranty company:

Western Diversified Advantage Preferred Vehicle Service Contract

1-800-606-3524

That number should get you what you needed. My contract price was $1485.00....and they are about to have saved me around $6K on a tranny, plus all of that other stuff. Anyways, let me know if you need more info.

←

just my 2 cents, but if you check with your local Mercury Insurance Agent (mainly in southern california) you can buy a great warranty for about half the price.

[SW03ES]

Screw shopping, if his warranty covered all of those repairs AND agreed to a new transmission over a rebuild, I'd pay twice the $1500 he paid. Why would anyone want to shop for a cheaper warranty after that story? Thats a great warranty.

Thanks for the reccomendation sg, I'm planning on buying an extended warranty for my ES after the factory one is up and will definately look into that company.

[RX in NC]

sgriffith,

Congrats on the good news of getting a brand-new transmission. Keep us posted on how it goes and what differences you experience once the new transmission is in place. Do you get to pick the shop (I'd go to my Lexus dealership since your warranty is paying for it) or does your warranty company get to pick the shop (they would probably get several independent quotes and go with the low bid)?

[denslexusgx470]

Screw shopping, if his warranty covered all of those repairs AND agreed to a new transmission over a rebuild, I'd pay twice the $1500 he paid. Why would anyone want to shop for a cheaper warranty after that story? Thats a great warranty.

Thanks for the reccomendation sg, I'm planning on buying an extended warranty for my ES after the factory one is up and will definately look into that company.

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It is definitely worth the $$ for extended warranty becuz u can never trust these cars (even though i have a big trust in em) with so many high-tech features! heck, i think my Gx is a different story though.... <_<

[sgriffith]

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, we are very pleased with the warranty company. I have learned several things from my 3 years of owning our RX, and the most important is find a qualified mechanic you can trust. I found one off of this site (Jason at JPI). I have traditionally taken my RX to a dealer to have it serviced...but after Jason fixed my catalytic converter and other things, I am a life-long customer for one simple reason... Honest answers....no sales. He actually told me he never liked the RX line because of the problems. Would you find a dealer who told you that? Once I went to pick the car up, he asked me if there was any maintenance that I wanted to do for myself but just didn't know how. He showed me how to clean the MAF & throttle body. Who else would take the time to do that? And if you are wondering about his qualifications....he used to work for Lexus (the dealership I used to have my RX serviced by) & goes to Lexus/Toyota training with the mechanics from the dealerships. AND when I took my car over the first time to get my cat. converter replaced, I didn't plan on having to leave it there. After I discovered that I had left my drivers license at home & couldn't rent a car to drive 3 hours home....he loaned me his personal car. Talk about service!!!

If anyone is in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area (or surrounding area) I would highly recommend him. You lose the flash of the Lexus dealership, but you know that you aren't getting sold on something you don't need...and you can get an honest, striaght-forward answer. I hope to be picking up my RX with the new tranny on Wednesday. Will let you know the final outcome.

Just some of the things I have figured out over the few years...but yeah, so glad I got the extended warranty. My wife tried to talk me out of it when we bought the vehicle.....and she is SO glad that I wouldn't listen to her (and she NEVER says that!!)!!!

[Lexusfreak]

ONLY get an extended warranty if it's a 'Lexus' extended warranty. Anything from the 'aftermarket' is worthless for the most part & many horror stories (NOTE: many but NOT all of them) have been shared on these forums as well as CL about them. Put the money in your pocket if it's not a Lexus extended plan. B)

[sgriffith]

Had I put that $1500 in my pocket & not purchased the warranty, I would be paying about $5500 (+ the $1500) to get all of this stuff fixed. 'Lexus' isn't the only great extended warranty....you just have to do your homework.

[sgriffith]

Well, getting a new transmission is proving to be a little more difficult than anticipated. My mechanic called me and said that the warranty company is wanting him to completely take a part the transmission and find a part that has failed. Naturally, this would be at my expense. He doesn't want to do that for a number of reasons: 1.Cost...it will be an expensive job. 2.They may just say they will replace a part instead of the whole thing. So, I have called them and they aren't giving in any at all. He is on the phone with them about once an hour trying to get them to replace the whole thing. Any other suggestions? I am standing my ground and fighting with them, but it doesn't seem as if it is going anywhere. I am so frustrated that I am thinking of just trading this thing off!!!!! I now feel stupid for holding them up as a great company.....but this has never happened with them before.

[RX in NC]

This matter will essentially come down to what you received from your warranty company IN WRITING in terms of repairing/replacing your transmission. This could be a letter, an e-mail, a fax, etc. You didn't go into these details in your posts above, so I have no way of knowing exactly what your arrangement states (and whether that arrangement was oral or written). If the agreement is in written form, then you have a clear plan of action that the warranty company must follow and you can hold them accountable to it without legal intervention as long as you stand firm and keep your foot squarely on their throat. But if the agreement to replace your transmission was oral (such as a telephone conversation with an employee of the warranty company), you have a much more complex battle to fight. It may very well be worth your time and expense to retain an attorney in this matter. And be sure to include any costs associated with retaining an attorney in the mix as you proceed with your warranty company.

You've filed claims and had repairs done by this warranty company before, correct? Was this always an oral agreement or was documentation required? What is different this time (other than the much greater cost of repairs when faced with replacing a transmission)?

Stick to your guns. If your agreement was indeed oral, you hopefully documented the name, position, and phone number of the individual at the warranty company who agreed to the replacement. If this person continues to refuse to work with you, find a reputable small-claims attorney in your area and get him busy with your case immediately. Do not allow time to lapse - act decisively and imminently to keep the ball rolling.

Keep us posted. And if you did NOT get the agreement to replace your transmission in writing, you've learned a very valuable lesson from a mistake that you will never repeat, I'm sure.

[sgriffith]

Well, this one will probably be chalked up to "lesson learned" for me. When I called them and asked them about the tranny, I asked that if the tranny was indeed bad, then would they replace it with a new one. They said yes. However, in order to prove that to them, they wanted to take off the whole dang transmission and have it looked over for a part that had failed. I just got the car back about 3 hours ago. My mechanic did tell me that the fluid was a little low (1 qt.) and that this probably caused my slipping. He did feel it too when he drove the car before, but he reset the ECU, went ahead and did a drain and fill on the tranny, and drove it for about 3 days. He never felt it again.

He also said that when he dropped the transmission fluid pan that it was very clean...not much dirt and virtually no metal shavings. He said that if the tranny was indeed bad that there would probably have been much more junk in the pan. Does that sound right to you? It made sense to me.

I did also have the rear main seal replaced and they had to drop the tranny then to replace it. He told me (I think this is what he said) that if they didn't reset the ECU after they did that, then it could have also caused this issue. Anyways, I didn't feel a thing on the 3 hour drive home, but will do much more testing this weekend. I am going to give my contract to a friend of mine who is a lawyer and see if he can't help me force them into something. I am not really going to hold my breath.

I would love to replace the tranny on this dang thing, but I guess the best I can do right now is argue like hell with them and do my drain and fills. I found out that the reason it was a quart low was that I was checking it incorrectly.....so lesson learned. At least it was only like 1500 miles since I had done that. Thanks for the advice and I will continue to battle with them. Will post something if I can strong-arm them into something.

[RX in NC]

Good luck - let's hope that the low fluid level was indeed your only problem. Check that fluid weekly for fill level, color/clarity, and smell. Make it a habit to check your transmission fluid whenever you check your oil level, and weekly intervals should be the minimum. I always check oil, transmission, and tire pressure first thing in the morning before the vehicles have been cranked, when readings are generally truest.

The fact that you had a very clean pan certainly improves your chances that transmission failure is not imminent. The best thing to do is to keep checking it and always keep a bottle of clean T-IV fluid handy.

[rbrown2769]

I had my transmission replaced on 99 rx300 with about 69K on it. I had an extended warranty and the company required the transmission shop to disassembly and inspect the transmission for damaged. This seems to be common practice. IN my case the planetary gear and couple of other gears was chipped or broken and they did a replacement for me with an remanufactured unit. Apparently this planetary gear was over $500 or more just to replace. I think my total cost was around $2900.00.

[Unlisted]

ONLY get an extended warranty if it's a 'Lexus' extended warranty.  Anything from the 'aftermarket' is worthless for the most part & many horror stories (NOTE: many but NOT all of them) have been shared on these forums as well as CL about them.  Put the money in your pocket if it's not a Lexus extended plan.  B)

 

←

you can only purchase a Lexus warranty if the car is within the original factory 4/50k warranty period. After that you must get an outside warranty.

[Lexusfreak]

The extended warranty is slightly different in Canada than the U.S. I guess my point is if you do get an extended warranty that is not Lexus read the fine print & do a check on the company to make sure it is a reputable company & check where you would have to get service done should something fail (IE: can you get the vehicle fixed at the Lexus dealer or a company of the extended warranty firms choice). B)

[LexRexBlue]

I had my transmission replaced on 99 rx300 with about 69K on it. I had an extended warranty and the company required the transmission shop to disassembly and inspect the transmission for damaged. This seems to be common practice. IN my case the planetary gear and couple of other gears was chipped or broken and they did a replacement for me with an remanufactured unit. Apparently this planetary gear was over $500 or more just to replace. I think my total cost was around $2900.00.

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My RX had 68,000 miles on it. I've been hearing a sound for a few months. They changed the bearings (1side and then the other), and the differential, but the sound was still there. They did hear it in the morning when it was cold and determined it was the transmission. They changed it under the original 6 year 70,000 mile warranty. I did not have an extended warranty.