The Great Oil Change Discussion

[Mrmarkb]

Where is the oil filter

[bartkat]

Where is the oil filter

What?

[Mrmarkb]

Where is the oil filter

Thanks for the info. My husband found it while I was in the process of sending this.

[jwis250]

I have a 2007 IS250 and I live in Southern California where the temperature is usually warm. Lexus recommends using 5w-30 grade for motor oil, but is it okay to use 10w-30?

Also, I was looking to purchase an oil filter wrench for removing the filter housing cap but was not able to find one. Longo Lexus dealer said they do not carry it. Does anyone know where I can find one, even an aftermarket one is fine. What size should I look for? And is there a difference in the oil filter cap between the 2006 and 2007 IS250?

[Manolo1]

Why do you want to go 10-30? The 30 is what counts on warm weather and it is the same on both oils.

Besides, engine wear is higher when starting the engine, that is why 5 is better than 10.

[tfs114]

lol i do everything at the dealership. your car is an investment, id like to keep it as perfect as possible. let me tell you what it pays for:

-the car gets checked out everywhere

-you get a service rep who listens to your problems, then calls for a test guy to drive along with you to diagnose it

-they will fix it under warranty or free sometimes

-they often (or at least mine) gives me coupons for services i dont even know about nor give him

-you get a nice lounge with wireless internet

-you can get dropped off

-you can get a loaner car (for $8 a day)

-you get your car washed

-you get peace of mind

-you get to look at the nice new cars in the showroom

i agree with everything benzo said, but maybe i wouldnt have put it so blunt. lol

INVESTMENT???!!!! No such thing. A car is NOT an investment. Investments make you money...a car loses huge value right out the door. Now explain to me how a car is an investment and going to make you money. A car, in this day and age, is more or less a necessity - for some a cheap one for others a more expensive one - the thing sucks money from you...end of story. NOT AN INVESTMENT.

[cliffordscott]

IS350 5000 mile service:

Replace engine oil and oil filter

Re-torque axle shaft flange bolts (all models except ES)

Rotate tires (all models except IS with different size front and rear tires)

Visually inspect brake pads and rotors

Road-test vehicle

Inspect the following:2

____Axle shaft boots ____Nuts and bolts on chassis

____Ball joints and dust covers ____Steering linkage and boots

There's nothing in the above that hasn't been done, just not by Lexus and done at half or less the price.

IS350 10,000 mile service:

Replace engine oil and oil filter

Measure thickness of front brake pads and rotors (GS 430, IS)

Replace air conditioner filter (GS 300, GS 430, IS 350, LS 430, SC)

Re-torque axle shaft flange bolts (all models except ES)2

Rotate tires (all models except IS with different size front and rear tires)

Visually inspect brake pads and rotors

Road-test vehicle

Inspect the following:

____Axle shaft boots ____Nuts and bolts on chassis

____Ball joints and dust covers ____Steering linkage and boots

____Engine air filter

I see nothing in the above that requires a hightly trained and certified technician either.

Does anyone knwo where are the axle shaft fllange bolts on the is 250? And how many ft-lb or N-m is needed to retorque them? Thanks

[bartkat]

IS350 5000 mile service:

Replace engine oil and oil filter

Re-torque axle shaft flange bolts (all models except ES)

Rotate tires (all models except IS with different size front and rear tires)

Visually inspect brake pads and rotors

Road-test vehicle

Inspect the following:2

____Axle shaft boots ____Nuts and bolts on chassis

____Ball joints and dust covers ____Steering linkage and boots

There's nothing in the above that hasn't been done, just not by Lexus and done at half or less the price.

IS350 10,000 mile service:

Replace engine oil and oil filter

Measure thickness of front brake pads and rotors (GS 430, IS)

Replace air conditioner filter (GS 300, GS 430, IS 350, LS 430, SC)

Re-torque axle shaft flange bolts (all models except ES)2

Rotate tires (all models except IS with different size front and rear tires)

Visually inspect brake pads and rotors

Road-test vehicle

Inspect the following:

____Axle shaft boots ____Nuts and bolts on chassis

____Ball joints and dust covers ____Steering linkage and boots

____Engine air filter

I see nothing in the above that requires a hightly trained and certified technician either.

Does anyone knwo where are the axle shaft fllange bolts on the is 250? And how many ft-lb or N-m is needed to retorque them? Thanks

I think I found it in the service manual, but not sure. It may be the flange where the drive shaft hooks up behind the transmission. I'm taking mine in for 24 months service and plan to have them do the torque thing then. I never had it done on my IS300 and 2 years now not done on the IS350. I think it may just be a precaution for something that maybe got loose in the past. Kinda like checking the torque on your wheel lug nuts.

[cliffordscott]

IS350 5000 mile service:

Replace engine oil and oil filter

Re-torque axle shaft flange bolts (all models except ES)

Rotate tires (all models except IS with different size front and rear tires)

Visually inspect brake pads and rotors

Road-test vehicle

Inspect the following:2

____Axle shaft boots ____Nuts and bolts on chassis

____Ball joints and dust covers ____Steering linkage and boots

There's nothing in the above that hasn't been done, just not by Lexus and done at half or less the price.

IS350 10,000 mile service:

Replace engine oil and oil filter

Measure thickness of front brake pads and rotors (GS 430, IS)

Replace air conditioner filter (GS 300, GS 430, IS 350, LS 430, SC)

Re-torque axle shaft flange bolts (all models except ES)2

Rotate tires (all models except IS with different size front and rear tires)

Visually inspect brake pads and rotors

Road-test vehicle

Inspect the following:

____Axle shaft boots ____Nuts and bolts on chassis

____Ball joints and dust covers ____Steering linkage and boots

____Engine air filter

I see nothing in the above that requires a hightly trained and certified technician either.

Does anyone knwo where are the axle shaft fllange bolts on the is 250? And how many ft-lb or N-m is needed to retorque them? Thanks

I think I found it in the service manual, but not sure. It may be the flange where the drive shaft hooks up behind the transmission. I'm taking mine in for 24 months service and plan to have them do the torque thing then. I never had it done on my IS300 and 2 years now not done on the IS350. I think it may just be a precaution for something that maybe got loose in the past. Kinda like checking the torque on your wheel lug nuts.

Thanks for the reply. My IS250 is a little bit over 1 year old and I am now doing the oil change and tire rotation myself. I also like to retorque those axle shaft flange bolts as suggested in the maintinance manual but I don't know where they are. When you bring in your car for service, can you ask the technician where they are. I would appreciate that very much. Thanks. cliffordscott.

[AKK]

All the people saying dealer service prices are fine and "an investment" and "only lexus should touch it" are dealers.

Any place can change the oil. Cars depreciate fast and are not an investment.

In reality, it would be better to drive it to 100K and pay for 14 oil changes and sell the car.

That would be saving money. Most lexus people aren't gonna drive it for 10 years, so why spend a dime on anything besides oil changes?

[bartkat]

All the people saying dealer service prices are fine and "an investment" and "only lexus should touch it" are dealers.

Any place can change the oil. Cars depreciate fast and are not an investment.

In reality, it would be better to drive it to 100K and pay for 14 oil changes and sell the car.

That would be saving money. Most lexus people aren't gonna drive it for 10 years, so why spend a dime on anything besides oil changes?

A car is an investment. It may be one that depreciates, but it's an investment none the less.

As far as maintenance is concerned, it's often necessary to have that done or risk your warranty being voided in case a related item fails due to lack of same. It doesn't have to be done by the dealer, but it does need to be done.

Neglect the coolant and lose your water pump or maybe the radiator for example.

And yeah, I've had cars I kept 10 years and most were trouble free partly because I kept them maintained.

[05LSV]

A car is an investment. It may be one that depreciates, but it's an investment none the less.

Sorry, but I'll have to agree with the posters tfs114 and AKK above.

Investment:

"In finance, the purchase of a financial product or other item of value with an expectation of favorable future returns."

"In general terms, investment means the use of money in the hopes of making more money."

Unfortunately, buying a car, unless it's a Duesenberg or a 1968 Corvette, is not an investment.

[bartkat]

A car is an investment. It may be one that depreciates, but it's an investment none the less.

Sorry, but I'll have to agree with the posters tfs114 and AKK above.

Investment:

"In finance, the purchase of a financial product or other item of value with an expectation of favorable future returns."

"In general terms, investment means the use of money in the hopes of making more money."

Unfortunately, buying a car, unless it's a Duesenberg or a 1968 Corvette, is not an investment.

Types of financial investments include shares, other equity investment, and bonds (including bonds denominated in foreign currencies). These financial assets are then expected to provide income or positive future cash flows, and may increase or decrease in value giving the investor capital gains or losses.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investment#Business_Management

Are you saying no one ever lost money by investing in securities?

Capital equipment in my factory is an investment and it depreciates.

[SW03ES]

All the people saying dealer service prices are fine and "an investment" and "only lexus should touch it" are dealers.

Thats not true. I most certainly am not a dealer and I have all my service done at the dealer. Its not free but I don't find the prices outrageous seeing they include a loaner car. The customer service is great, I have a great service rep, and I enjoy the experience. So, why not.

Value is in the eye of the beholder. I could save money by taking it elsewhere but I have no interest in that. I'm in a position where doing everything as inexpensively as possible isn't as important as it is for some people. Obviously the dealers are in business, and the money is made in service not in sales so people obviously agree with me or don't know any better. Lexus dealers constantly rank at the top of customer satisfaction charts so my guess is its the former. Are they all dealers too?

Its totally fine if you choose not to use the dealer, its not required or neccisary, just don't say those of us who don't find the prices objectionable and have the dealer service our cars are product schills because thats BS.

Plenty of people think buying a Lexus or any other luxury car is silly and pointless, you obviously disagree with them. Why can't we disagree with you?

That would be saving money. Most lexus people aren't gonna drive it for 10 years, so why spend a dime on anything besides oil changes?

Because its something that has a lot of value to us and its important to us that it be maintained properly. And I actually disagree. Look how old a lot of these cars are. Plenty of Lexus owners buy them planning on getting a new one in 3 years or so, and the car gives them no reason to trade it in and they're at 10 years before they know it.

On the practical side a late model car is MUCH more valuable and easier to sell if it has complete maintenance records that match the factory suggested schedule. Even more so if its done by the dealer.

If I were to sell my going on 5 year old 96k mile ES tomorrow, do you think mine is a stronger asset with printed Lexus dealer service records every 5k miles that exactly match the reccomended schedule or one with no records at all or just oil changes?

I agree that a car is not an investment in the sense of what I see as an investment. An investment is something that you plan on increasing in value. Sure plenty of people lost money investing in securities and stocks, but they INTENDED those investments to grow in value. A car is a material purchase, like a pair of shoes or a suit. Its smarter financial sense to think of it like that.

However, your material posessions will last longer and will hold their value better if they are properly maintained. Only a fool doesn't take care of their posessions.

[CrunchySkippy]

Capital equipment in my factory is an investment and it depreciates.

You depreciate assets, not investments. The factory equipment is a depreciable asset. The money you spent purchasing the equipment is in investment in your business - presumably to increase or even maintain the efficiency of your factory output.

But back to the original discussion: I just took my IS250 to the local Toyota dealership for the 10,000 mile service. I did it mainly because of the convenience (Toyota dealer was within walking distance of work vs 25 miles for the Lexus dealer). It cost me $69 as compared to the Lexus price of $230. They did everything except replace the cabin filter.

That may be a good alternative for the people that want dealer documentation, but don't want to pay Lexus prices.

[R.Holmes]

Capital equipment in my factory is an investment and it depreciates.

You depreciate assets, not investments. The factory equipment is a depreciable asset. The money you spent purchasing the equipment is in investment in your business - presumably to increase or even maintain the efficiency of your factory output.

But back to the original discussion: I just took my IS250 to the local Toyota dealership for the 10,000 mile service. I did it mainly because of the convenience (Toyota dealer was within walking distance of work vs 25 miles for the Lexus dealer). It cost me $69 as compared to the Lexus price of $230. They did everything except replace the cabin filter.

That may be a good alternative for the people that want dealer documentation, but don't want to pay Lexus prices.

Lucky you that you got a Toyota dealer to work on your Lexus. Eventhough a Lexus is a Toyota product, some Toyota dealers will not work on a Lexus. I was checking on the price to replace my timeing belt and water pump and went to the Toyota dealer and they flat out refused to work on my Lexus. Wouldn't even give me a quote or the time of day. Toyota prices are cheaper and for the same services including parts that are Lexus and Toyota comparable.

[bartkat]

Capital equipment in my factory is an investment and it depreciates.

You depreciate assets, not investments. The factory equipment is a depreciable asset. The money you spent purchasing the equipment is in investment in your business - presumably to increase or even maintain the efficiency of your factory output.

But back to the original discussion: I just took my IS250 to the local Toyota dealership for the 10,000 mile service. I did it mainly because of the convenience (Toyota dealer was within walking distance of work vs 25 miles for the Lexus dealer). It cost me $69 as compared to the Lexus price of $230. They did everything except replace the cabin filter.

That may be a good alternative for the people that want dealer documentation, but don't want to pay Lexus prices.

I had to invest in that machine before it became an asset, but never mind. :D

[SW03ES]

Your business is the investment, not the equipment ;)

[bartkat]

Your business is the investment, not the equipment ;)

Without equipment there is no business.

[SW03ES]

True, but the equipment is a tool you use to make your investment perform. In and of themselves the tools are not investments...

This is gonna go on a while haha

[bartkat]

True, but the equipment is a tool you use to make your investment perform. In and of themselves the tools are not investments...

This is gonna go on a while haha

I believe the original question/remark was if it was good to invest in scheduled maintenance/service on the car.

[bartkat]

IS350 5000 mile service:

Replace engine oil and oil filter

Re-torque axle shaft flange bolts (all models except ES)

Rotate tires (all models except IS with different size front and rear tires)

Visually inspect brake pads and rotors

Road-test vehicle

Inspect the following:2

____Axle shaft boots ____Nuts and bolts on chassis

____Ball joints and dust covers ____Steering linkage and boots

There's nothing in the above that hasn't been done, just not by Lexus and done at half or less the price.

IS350 10,000 mile service:

Replace engine oil and oil filter

Measure thickness of front brake pads and rotors (GS 430, IS)

Replace air conditioner filter (GS 300, GS 430, IS 350, LS 430, SC)

Re-torque axle shaft flange bolts (all models except ES)2

Rotate tires (all models except IS with different size front and rear tires)

Visually inspect brake pads and rotors

Road-test vehicle

Inspect the following:

____Axle shaft boots ____Nuts and bolts on chassis

____Ball joints and dust covers ____Steering linkage and boots

____Engine air filter

I see nothing in the above that requires a hightly trained and certified technician either.

Does anyone knwo where are the axle shaft fllange bolts on the is 250? And how many ft-lb or N-m is needed to retorque them? Thanks

I think I found it in the service manual, but not sure. It may be the flange where the drive shaft hooks up behind the transmission. I'm taking mine in for 24 months service and plan to have them do the torque thing then. I never had it done on my IS300 and 2 years now not done on the IS350. I think it may just be a precaution for something that maybe got loose in the past. Kinda like checking the torque on your wheel lug nuts.

Thanks for the reply. My IS250 is a little bit over 1 year old and I am now doing the oil change and tire rotation myself. I also like to retorque those axle shaft flange bolts as suggested in the maintinance manual but I don't know where they are. When you bring in your car for service, can you ask the technician where they are. I would appreciate that very much. Thanks. cliffordscott.

I called the service advisor yesterday to discuss the 24 month service. I already have oil change, air and cabin filters so all that was left were the inspections. I questioned him specifically about the drive shaft flange bolts. He says these flanges are at the front and rear of the drive shaft and are part of vibration damping system. He says they've never seen a loose bolt in all the time he's been at Lexus. The reason it's on the list along with inspecting suspension components is on account of liability. When they have the car they are supposed to inspect all these things just in case the driver goes out and later has a problem. It's just a precaution on their part and Lexus corporate requires they do this. He advised me to just keep driving and doing the mainenance I've been doing and not be concerned about those flanges.

See attached PDF

Propeller_shaft_install.pdf

[GeddyMD72]

my first oil change and Lexus dealer service was free at 5000K. After that it is $56 for oil change at Lexus of Monterey Peninsula.

Yup... mine was also free... its $49 just for a oil change at Balise In West Springfield..

Its an oil change. IMO anything much over $20 seems a bit ridiculous. My Toyota dealer in Milwaukee offers the 1st time oil change of $17.95 + tax. They say regular price is $29.95.

[passion4jdm]

I haven't gone to my first 5000 mile service yet, but just wondering if Lexus uses synthetic oil or not. Should I ask them to put in syn oil?

[Sigma Projects]

I assume the dealer puts in what Toyota specifies, may not be the same brand since I think they might come from the factory with ENEOS oil and whatever Toyota specifies in their Lexus cars should be great for it.