Strange: Was Qouted $500 For Smallest Service.

[W201 sweden]

I recently bought a -95 LS 400 with full service history, and two owners before me.

Normally, I do ALL maintenance myself, except paint and wheel alignment. (I have been in the profession, and I neither trust or like other people working on my car!)

However, I have considered continuing servicing the car at a dealer, just to get keep all documentation up.

So I checked the price for the next service at 210 000km (130 000miles), which is the most basic stuff you can do. Engine oil + filter change, checking light bulbs, thread wear, lubricate door locks etc.

At the two official MB dealerships I've been working (some years ago), that kind of service would render a bill of approx. $220.

(45 minutes labour = $120 + oil and filter).

Lexus dealer here wanted $500, excluding the cost of the oil!

(I prefer to bring my own oil.)

Suddenly DIY seems as tempting as ever!

What are the prices like in US? Is the Lexus workshop 2-3 times as expensive as FORD etc?

[90LS400Lexus]

Is that $500. US dollars?

Thats WAY too much! My local Lexus dealer charged me about $35.00 for an oil change if I recall. Sometimes I would take it to one of our local Toyota dealers- that used the same oil/filter and they charged about $20-$22 if I recall.

[93ls400walt]

Is that $500. US dollars?

Thats WAY too much! My local Lexus dealer charged me about $35.00 for an oil change if I recall. Sometimes I would take it to one of our local Toyota dealers- that used the same oil/filter and they charged about $20-$22 if I recall.

I have not had this service.

but reviewed some posts. I found no prices for the 130K service.

but that some dealers are charging 100.00us for a oil change. Good advice found is that most of the time you leave the dealer paying much more the the orgional price. And that most of the scheduled main. is inspection only. Paying an hourly rate for this.

also, most service can be done at a toyota dealer for much less. With the Lexus dealer being the last resort.

Of note the 60K dealer service changing T-belt, fliuds, ect goes for around 1600-1800us

[SW03ES]

$240 at my dealer for oil change and tire rotation.

[W201 sweden]

Thanks guys! <sigh of relief>

Price quoted is 4000 Swedish Kronor (SEK) = approx. $500!

I find it very hard to belive, and perhaps the Lexus guy had included something extra, like brake pad removal/cleaning without telling me?

Good thing I did not just order the job! I'll check with some Toyota dealer.

By the way: I'm not sure how the maintenance plan is for the US cars, but in Europe it is as follows:

The specified service distance is 10 000km = 6250 miles.

Every odd 10 000 km service is a quick one. (The one I need to do.)

The only thing exchanged is engine oil (plus filer), the rest is just inspection/check + door lock lubrication.

Every even 10 000km (20 000, 40 000 etc.) a more time consuming service is done.

Lots of checkpoints, plus the normal oil change etc.

Additionally at 40 000km/24 months is brake fluid exchange.

At 60 000km differential oil change.

At 80 000km valve clearence adjustment, fuel filter change, cooling fluid exchange (or every 36 months)

At 100 000km spark plug replacement.

At 150 000km timing belt -"-

At 10 years and then every two years, check air bag.

When the "different distance" additionals line up, for instance at 240 000km, you will have a rather large bill waiting for you when you pick up the car...

/Alexander

[SW03ES]

That sounds roughly the same.

[ArmyofOne]

like brake pad removal/cleaning

they clean the brake pads? <_<

Edited January 2, 2006 by ArmyofOne

[W201 sweden]

like brake pad removal/cleaning

they clean the brake pads? <_<

Yes of course, don't you? Or is it called something else in "real english"?

I hope you are not making fun of me, just because my english is not perfect?

What I mean is, that due to salt and snow/rain on the swedish roads, brake parts take a lot of abuse.

This is valid for all cars, to some extent. Calipers, pads and parking brake wires corrode on their surfaces, and tend to get stuck. :o

To fix it, dismantle the parts, and scrub them with a wire brush.

Then apply some kind of "never seize" - personally I use a CRC product with cupper flakes in synthetic semi fluid grease. Works great.

This process takes at least 15 min per axle - much more with some cars, time somebody has to pay for...

I have not seen any car on which this is not necessary after a couple of years.

best regards,

Alexander

[SW03ES]

Dealers don't do that sort of thing as routine maintenance for vehicles with disc brakes. Thats neccisary for vehicles with drum brakes, but not for vehicles with disc brakes.

For a lot of us nowadays that procedure would seem completely unknown to us, as we've never really been around a lot of vehicles with drum brakes.

Thats not going to be neccisary on your LS.

[RFeldes]

Alexander,

I find your English to be excellent, if not better than some others who post here. Sometimes the semantics are difficult for different cultures. I don't think Army of One was making fun, Just his sense of humor. Don't take it personally ;) "He's tough, but he's fair" A good guy to have on your side.

[SW03ES]

Yeah, I don't see any issues with your english either. I never would have thought you didn't speak perfect english, and I'm sure Army didn't mean that.

[GRAND_LS 4]

like brake pad removal/cleaning

they clean the brake pads? <_<

Yes of course, don't you? Or is it called something else in "real english"?

I hope you are not making fun of me, just because my english is not perfect?

What I mean is, that due to salt and snow/rain on the swedish roads, brake parts take a lot of abuse.

This is valid for all cars, to some extent. Calipers, pads and parking brake wires corrode on their surfaces, and tend to get stuck. :o

To fix it, dismantle the parts, and scrub them with a wire brush.

Then apply some kind of "never seize" - personally I use a CRC product with cupper flakes in synthetic semi fluid grease. Works great.

This process takes at least 15 min per axle - much more with some cars, time somebody has to pay for...

I have not seen any car on which this is not necessary after a couple of years.

best regards,

Alexander

I was actually suprised your not from an english speaking country. Your english is better then a lot of english only speaking posters. He was prolly just suprised about the pads cleaning service.

At my dealer, $40 bucs gets you oil, filter, 40 point inspection, exterior wash and interior vac. Not to mention a DVD player while you wait, and some good food and drinks ;)

[jc19907]

-Dealships are good for certain things, but not everything... Brakes, tires, alignment, oil changes etc. can be done elsewhere. Anything more than 30$ for me is way too much for an oil change and a look-over. I go to Toyota for service on my car. They charge me Toyota pricing for my Lexus - not Lexus pricing. My Toyota dealership has a handful of mechanics who used to work @ the Lexus dealership. They use all OEM stuff; additionally, in my area there are several Toyota dealerships, compared to one Lexus dealership.

I'd recommend you have engine, body, electrical, suspension, and tranny work done at the dealer or a Toyota dealership. I wouldn't chance outsourcing repair (outside Toyota or Lexus) that your mechanic hasn't seen on a daily basis. My oil changes cost 16 bucks and they even look the car over, just like Lexus would. Most other services are cheaper than Lexus too.

Reason being? I had my car serviced in Nashville and they tried to charge me .5 hours of labor to install a cabin air filter... Total cost to replace - 60$. I took the service manager out and opened the glove box

and pulled the filter out and put it in twice in about 1 minute... It was pretty funny... They took off the labor for that and a few other things I needed. Toyota doesn't charge me labor for flat fee items. Lexus tried to do just the opposite to me. Don't know if its the same elsewhere. I choose to go elsewhere. 2cts...

[nc211]

Alexander, I've been following your threads "and learning from them ;) ". From your knowledge base of cars in general, I doubt you'll be spending too much time at the Lexus dealership at all! When I got my 95, I didn't even know how to change my own oil. But 18 months later, and the help of these great guys on here...I'm now like you...only to the dealer for alignment and paint. Well...timing belt and that sort of stuff too...BUT I'm working on learning that stuff as well! What I've learned about this car is that it's really easy to service and maintain! Very well built, with servicing in mind for sure! Except for a few hard to reach items...it's pretty much cake. And you, coming from european cars in general "not bashing them here, ok", your new 95 LS400 will seem like Dr. Suess stuff in comparision! If I can do it....good lord....anybody can do it too! I am going to send you a PM now...check your email...

[ZINFANDEL22]

$240 at my dealer for oil change and tire rotation.

HOLLY SH@T!! I pay $40.00 and bring my oil. That extra $200.00 gets me a top meal and a great bottle of wine .thats tire rotation also included.and dat be the best english i could come up with. ;)

[SW03ES]

The $240 includes me bringing my own oil.

All the dealers around here are like that. Toyota charges $80 or so for the same service, but no loaner car.

The reason I bring my own oil is they mark up Synthetic oil to $20 a quart, I pay $5. I just needed a fog light replaced and thought out of ease I'd let them do it. Cost? $40 per bulb plus $35 to install. I bought the bulbs at a car parts store for $4 a peice and paid the $35 for them to install them

[ArmyofOne]

like brake pad removal/cleaning

they clean the brake pads? <_<

Yes of course, don't you? Or is it called something else in "real english"?

I hope you are not making fun of me, just because my english is not perfect?

What I mean is, that due to salt and snow/rain on the swedish roads, brake parts take a lot of abuse.

This is valid for all cars, to some extent. Calipers, pads and parking brake wires corrode on their surfaces, and tend to get stuck. :o

To fix it, dismantle the parts, and scrub them with a wire brush.

Then apply some kind of "never seize" - personally I use a CRC product with cupper flakes in synthetic semi fluid grease. Works great.

This process takes at least 15 min per axle - much more with some cars, time somebody has to pay for...

I have not seen any car on which this is not necessary after a couple of years.

best regards,

Alexander

NONO lol i wasnt making fun of you at all, i have seriously never heard fo this procedure being done to disc brakes. now, the drums yes i have heard of it. i have a set (rear) and i clean them every spring.

FWIW, i have never seen a car wth disc brakes REQUIRE this procedure. i live in New York State. there is not a place in the world that puts more salt on the roads that NY. and nobody here offers this service. been around cars my whole life and NEVER have i ever dissassembled brakes just to clean them. i have never had a problem LOL. this is completely new to me.

Edited January 3, 2006 by ArmyofOne

[W201 sweden]

ArmyofOne: sorry I did misinterpet you! Hope you have no hard feelings, I sure don't! ;)

I'm so relieved that you were not pulling my leg, after all I came here to make new friends, not enemies...

And for the kind words form you guys: Thanks a lot, I'm flattered!

Regarding the rust removal/cleaning of pads:

I promise you guys, you need to do it here! Take my word for it, I've been working on cars professionally for several years. (But I no longer do it - got some better education and moved on...)

Countless times I've been forced to pry off the old pads with a crow bar, then grind the pad cut outs in the calipers clean, and spray some lubrication in the bellows to get the piston moving again...

Like I said, MANY times... Volvo, SAAB, AUDI, VW, Renault, MB, BMW, Toyota, Nissan etc...

Especially the rear brakes clogg up, and most makers include a pad removal/cleaning every second service or so.

Also, factory rebuilt calipers are very common here, and the typical independant parts dealer "on the corner" has a selection on stock for the more common cars.

One reason for the difference between US and Sweden may be, that most cars in US are bigger, and seem to have auto tranny, right? That would keep the rear brakes working a bit more, since there is less engine braking.

Here, rear brakes on automatic cars are generally in a much better condition than on manual ones.

And back to the original topic:

The local authorized Toyota wanted approx. 1800 SEK (about $250) to do the service INCLUDING the oil!

Since I bring my own oil, knock another 400 SEK from the price... :) total: around $200

With my other cars, I've done all the maintenance myself, and the only reason for me to let them do it, is to continue the (so far) full service history.

/Alexander