Maintenance Schedule For Is250/350

[Sleepyk]

So, I was reading through the information on the lexus owner's webite (the one at http://auth.owners.lexus.com), and I noticed that the maintenance schedule posted there for the IS250/350 is different from what is printed in the owner's manual that came with the car. The printed manual mentions only 5,000 mile maintenance intervals, but the website gives the option of 5,000 mile or 7,500 mile maintenance intervals based on the driving conditions. Here's what the criteria states:

Your Lexus should receive scheduled maintenance every 5,000 to 7,500 miles (or every 4 to 6 months), depending on your circumstances and driving habits.

5,000-Mile Or 4-Month Intervals

Use 5,000-mile or 4-month intervals if you primarily drive your Lexus under any of the following conditions:

- Driving on unpaved or dusty roads

- Towing a trailer or using a camper or cartop carrier

- Repeated trips of less than five miles in temperatures below freezing

7,500-Mile Or 6-Month Intervals

Use 7,500-mile or 6-month intervals if you primarily drive your Lexus under conditions less strenuous than those listed above.

I don't do any of those terrible things to my car, so I would love the longer maintenance period (and so would my wallet). What are your thoughts on this?

[Rx330driver]

yes, those two intervals have always been posted. If you go to lexus for service, they automatically give you that sticker which gives you the 5,000 mile interval reminder. Also, your car will begin to flash the "maintenance required" light just after 5,000 miles, maybe around 5,500 to 6K. THerefor, they want you to change the oil every 5K, though maybe they just want your money. With all of my lexus cars, i have always gone every 5K. Its really up to you

[bartkat]

You're always safer going by the severe service or 5000 mile intervals. In fact, I don't even usually go that long for oil changes.

[lambobaby1218]

You're always safer going by the severe service or 5000 mile intervals. In fact, I don't even usually go that long for oil changes.

Then why does my dealer insist I come in ever 3,000 miles, and even sets my service indicator for that??

[Sleepyk]

You're always safer going by the severe service or 5000 mile intervals. In fact, I don't even usually go that long for oil changes.

Then why does my dealer insist I come in ever 3,000 miles, and even sets my service indicator for that??

This is the part I don't get. I know most manufacturers are moving away from the 3k oil change interval with the modern oils. Heck, I got 240k+ miles out of a nissan truck using synthetic oil with 25k/1-year change intervals.

But the on-line maintenance schedule indicates oil changes every 7500 miles. And they even recommend different types of work depending on whether you're on the 7500 or 5000 interval, which is based on your driving conditions. Lexus says the warranty is good regardless of which interval, but I want mine to last a lot longer than the warranty. Maybe I'll do some sort of hybrid with oil changes on the 5k intervals, but the more intense work on the 7500 mile cycle. It would be way too easy for me to just knuckle under and take it in at 5k intervals.

[bartkat]

You're always safer going by the severe service or 5000 mile intervals. In fact, I don't even usually go that long for oil changes.

Then why does my dealer insist I come in ever 3,000 miles, and even sets my service indicator for that??

I have no idea. You'd have to ask them. My private oil change guy does the same, 3000 miles. I did that with previous cars, but with the 350 I'm going 4000 to 5000 or 6 months. It's a matter of personal preference, except you should stay within the recommendations stated in the manual for sure.

[bartkat]

You're always safer going by the severe service or 5000 mile intervals. In fact, I don't even usually go that long for oil changes.

Then why does my dealer insist I come in ever 3,000 miles, and even sets my service indicator for that??

This is the part I don't get. I know most manufacturers are moving away from the 3k oil change interval with the modern oils. Heck, I got 240k+ miles out of a nissan truck using synthetic oil with 25k/1-year change intervals.

But the on-line maintenance schedule indicates oil changes every 7500 miles. And they even recommend different types of work depending on whether you're on the 7500 or 5000 interval, which is based on your driving conditions. Lexus says the warranty is good regardless of which interval, but I want mine to last a lot longer than the warranty. Maybe I'll do some sort of hybrid with oil changes on the 5k intervals, but the more intense work on the 7500 mile cycle. It would be way too easy for me to just knuckle under and take it in at 5k intervals.

Most car manufacturers list two service schedules, one for severe and one for normal use. I have no idea why that online schedule is different than the one in the printed manual. However most owners I have talked to are going with the 5000 mile oil changes.

Back in the day, manufacturers recommended 3000 miles but with a filter change only every other change. I never went along with that because I couldn't see running new oil through a partially dirty filter.

[lambobaby1218]

So can the dealership set up the reminder to go off every 5,000 miles instead of 3,000???

[allans123]

You're always safer going by the severe service or 5000 mile intervals. In fact, I don't even usually go that long for oil changes.

Then why does my dealer insist I come in ever 3,000 miles, and even sets my service indicator for that??

You're dealer wants to make money. If you're an "average" driver, mostly highway miles, changing the oil every 5k miles is just fine. Save your money. By the way, don't by the marketing bull about using premium gas either. USA Today, engineering professors at UC Davis, a scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Wall Street Journal and others say premium gas a waste of money, unless you need genuine high performance, and Lexus' are not genuine high performance vehicles. Even then the difference is insignificant to today's engines. All "91 octane" means is that the fuel burns faster than 87 Octane, sometimes not desirable like when driving at high altitudes (1 mile or more). Todays cars cannot tell the difference between 87 or 91 octane. I've been using 87 octane from Costco or Rotten Robbie or USA Gasoline since I bought my IS350 brand new and there's nothing wrong with the way it runs. Don't believe me? Have family or friends do a blind test by having them put gas in your car multiple times (to eliminate guessing) and then you drive it trying to guess which fuel.

[bartkat]

To each his own. We have a long thread where octane levels are discussed. The arguments are pretty much personal preference, similar to the discussion on oil and oil change intervals. I prefer to use premium fuel, not just for performance, but also a name brand for the additives to help keep my high performance, state of the art engine clean and operating efficiently. I also choose to change oil every 3000 miles or 6 months, just because that's what works for me and makes me comfy for the last 50 years. Cost differences aren't that big of an issue for me in this case.

I really don't know how the dealer sets the maint light to 3000 miles. I set mine to zero and it doesn't come on again until 5000 miles. That's the only reset I know of.

Premium gas discussion here:

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...t=0&start=0

[Jazzed up Toyota]

You're always safer going by the severe service or 5000 mile intervals. In fact, I don't even usually go that long for oil changes.

Then why does my dealer insist I come in ever 3,000 miles, and even sets my service indicator for that??

This is the part I don't get. I know most manufacturers are moving away from the 3k oil change interval with the modern oils. Heck, I got 240k+ miles out of a nissan truck using synthetic oil with 25k/1-year change intervals.

But the on-line maintenance schedule indicates oil changes every 7500 miles. And they even recommend different types of work depending on whether you're on the 7500 or 5000 interval, which is based on your driving conditions. Lexus says the warranty is good regardless of which interval, but I want mine to last a lot longer than the warranty. Maybe I'll do some sort of hybrid with oil changes on the 5k intervals, but the more intense work on the 7500 mile cycle. It would be way too easy for me to just knuckle under and take it in at 5k intervals.

Most car manufacturers list two service schedules, one for severe and one for normal use. I have no idea why that online schedule is different than the one in the printed manual. However most owners I have talked to are going with the 5000 mile oil changes.

Back in the day, manufacturers recommended 3000 miles but with a filter change only every other change. I never went along with that because I couldn't see running new oil through a partially dirty filter.

[Jazzed up Toyota]

You're always safer going by the severe service or 5000 mile intervals. In fact, I don't even usually go that long for oil changes.

Then why does my dealer insist I come in ever 3,000 miles, and even sets my service indicator for that??

This is the part I don't get. I know most manufacturers are moving away from the 3k oil change interval with the modern oils. Heck, I got 240k+ miles out of a nissan truck using synthetic oil with 25k/1-year change intervals.

But the on-line maintenance schedule indicates oil changes every 7500 miles. And they even recommend different types of work depending on whether you're on the 7500 or 5000 interval, which is based on your driving conditions. Lexus says the warranty is good regardless of which interval, but I want mine to last a lot longer than the warranty. Maybe I'll do some sort of hybrid with oil changes on the 5k intervals, but the more intense work on the 7500 mile cycle. It would be way too easy for me to just knuckle under and take it in at 5k intervals.

Most car manufacturers list two service schedules, one for severe and one for normal use. I have no idea why that online schedule is different than the one in the printed manual. However most owners I have talked to are going with the 5000 mile oil changes.

Back in the day, manufacturers recommended 3000 miles but with a filter change only every other change. I never went along with that because I couldn't see running new oil through a partially dirty filter.

***************************************************************************************************

The answer, my friends lies in antiquity. During the days of leaded gas, cars should only be driven 3,000 miles before oil changes. The reason was that as an engine sits (not running) gasoline seeps down the cylinder walls

into the crankcase. The tetraethyl lead in old gas nutralized the detergents in oil. With unleaded gas, this does not happen. Many "old timers" don't know this and stick to the 3,000 mile intervals, dispite what all the owners' manuals say. And, of course, anyone who can make a profit off this outdated interval, will! Since the dawn of unleaded gas, I have change the oil (regular oil) in as many as 11 vehicles at 7,500 mile intervals and have driven them all over 100,000 miles and they were still strong, when I sold them. The only car I change every 5,000 is my Yaris. I commute 85 miles a day and that is a small engine and revs frequently. The new IS350 will get 7,500 intervals like all my other did. Do it for yourself and the environment. Stop wasting oil. Leave that to BP.

[ShaunComan]

On 1/5/2010 at 0:01 PM, allans123 said:

You're dealer wants to make money. If you're an "average" driver, mostly highway miles, changing the oil every 5k miles is just fine. Save your money. By the way, don't by the marketing bull about using premium gas either. USA Today, engineering professors at UC Davis, a scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Wall Street Journal and others say premium gas a waste of money, unless you need genuine high performance, and Lexus' are not genuine high performance vehicles. Even then the difference is insignificant to today's engines. All "91 octane" means is that the fuel burns faster than 87 Octane, sometimes not desirable like when driving at high altitudes (1 mile or more). Todays cars cannot tell the difference between 87 or 91 octane. I've been using 87 octane from Costco or Rotten Robbie or USA Gasoline since I bought my IS350 brand new and there's nothing wrong with the way it runs. Don't believe me? Have family or friends do a blind test by having them put gas in your car multiple times (to eliminate guessing) and then you drive it trying to guess which fuel.

I can not vouch for the IS250 recommending premium and really needing it but it does play a factor. Myself and my crew run GST Eclipse and WRX Impreza and unleaded is abuse. It causes horrible idle and just ugly on the turbochargers performance. Higher octance withstands higher compression before detonation, so i would not be cheap cause if the motor is designed to run at higher compression and you use low octane don't be surprised if it causes engine knock later on. It's designed to run higher octane not to be expensive but to not have preignition or cause air/fuel struggle.