15000 Mile Service

[rcherry246]

I recently hit 15,000 miles on my lexus es 350. I contacted the dealer to schedule an oil change at which time they reminded me of the 15,000 mile service for the amazingly low price of $350.00. Being the inquisitive person that I am I asked what was included in the service. It included an oil change, tire rotation, brake inspection, inspection of tire tread, fluid refill and tire inflation. With the exception of the oil change and the tire rotation this service does not even require the mechanic to get his hands dirty..... My suggestion to you is this: if you have the basic knowledge on car maintenance, do it yourself. The oil change is a no brainer, tire rotation is just a minor hastle, and the rest just requires a simple visual inspection....

So, do what I did, do this service yourself and spend the money on some nice tools which you can use over and over again(I spent my savings on a nice new floor jack (59.99 at Harbor Freight), a creeper(19.99 also at Harbor Freight) to easily get under the car, and a oil filter cap remover (4.00 at Wal-Mart) Total cost of 15,000 mile maintenance with all the necessary tools and Mobil 1 Fully Synthetic Oil and Fram Filter ... $135.00. Total Savings.... $215.00. Knowing that I didn't waste my money on some gimmic that Lexus likes you to beleive your getting a good value at their service centers... Priceless.......

[Step Hen]

Nice. I like to take care of the car when I can as well. Saves money and strangely gives me sense of satisfaction.!

Remember to hold onto your receipts for the oil and filter, and I would recommend putting them into some sort of maintenance folder with all your repair invoices and receipts should a warranty need arise later.

[Lexusfreak]

Moved to the ES 350 forum.

Welcome to LOC rcherry. I agree that the Lexus dealers charge a 'premium' to say the least for many of their services & don't blame you for wanting to look after things yourself. For future reference, I would suggest you stick with the OE filter.....& stay well clear of Fram....they are not highly recommended around these parts & for good reason. ;)

[JakeB]

I recently hit 15,000 miles on my lexus es 350. I contacted the dealer to schedule an oil change at which time they reminded me of the 15,000 mile service for the amazingly low price of $350.00. Being the inquisitive person that I am I asked what was included in the service. It included an oil change, tire rotation, brake inspection, inspection of tire tread, fluid refill and tire inflation. With the exception of the oil change and the tire rotation this service does not even require the mechanic to get his hands dirty..... My suggestion to you is this: if you have the basic knowledge on car maintenance, do it yourself. The oil change is a no brainer, tire rotation is just a minor hastle, and the rest just requires a simple visual inspection....

So, do what I did, do this service yourself and spend the money on some nice tools which you can use over and over again(I spent my savings on a nice new floor jack (59.99 at Harbor Freight), a creeper(19.99 also at Harbor Freight) to easily get under the car, and a oil filter cap remover (4.00 at Wal-Mart) Total cost of 15,000 mile maintenance with all the necessary tools and Mobil 1 Fully Synthetic Oil and Fram Filter ... $135.00. Total Savings.... $215.00. Knowing that I didn't waste my money on some gimmic that Lexus likes you to beleive your getting a good value at their service centers... Priceless.......

Spend another $20 on a good pair of jack stands. These things are pretty heavy to bench press.

[kevrisva]

I recently hit 15,000 miles on my lexus es 350. I contacted the dealer to schedule an oil change at which time they reminded me of the 15,000 mile service for the amazingly low price of $350.00. Being the inquisitive person that I am I asked what was included in the service. It included an oil change, tire rotation, brake inspection, inspection of tire tread, fluid refill and tire inflation. With the exception of the oil change and the tire rotation this service does not even require the mechanic to get his hands dirty..... My suggestion to you is this: if you have the basic knowledge on car maintenance, do it yourself. The oil change is a no brainer, tire rotation is just a minor hastle, and the rest just requires a simple visual inspection....

I paid over $500 for a 15,000 mile service last year. Today, when I called to make an appointment for 30,000 mile oil change, I was told my ES350 needs another sevice which costs $700. I was very upset. My question is if I only do oil change, will that affect my warranty?

This is the list of service for $700. Are there all necessary, and have to be done by a Lexus Dealer?

• Change engine oil

• Replace wiper inserts

• Install 44k fuel additive

• Install motor oil additive

• Replace AC filter

• Replace engine air filter

• Replace brake fluid

• Rotate and balance tires

• Adjust fluid levels

• Measure F&R brake rotor and pad thickness

• Reset service reminder

• Inspect the following:

• Ball joints and dust covers

• Brake pads and rotors

• Drive shaft boots

• Nuts and bolts on chassis and body

• Steering linkages

• Brake lines and hoses

• Differential oil (Front on AWD also)

• Exhaust pipes and mountings

• Rack and pinion assembly

• Transmission fluid

• Road test

Not a car person myself, I need some help in deciding what to do.

[SW03ES]

Its like anything else, you pay for a quality and affluent experience. That either appeals to you or it doesn't.

For instance, I enjoy shopping at Nordstrom. I like their clothes, suits, and the whole experience of shopping there. Last weekend I stumbled into a "Nordstrom Rack", Nordstrom's outlet if you will. I bought several things at great prices, a couple pairs of $150 Tommy Bahama slacks for $50. A few $80 shirts for $30. Now, the savings were great but the whole experience was like shopping at a swap meet. It left a lot to be desired.

So, I'll shop there from time to time but I'll still shop at the real Nordstrom.

Yeah you can do the work yourself but I enjoy the experience of having the car taken care of by the Lexus dealer, I get no hassle loaners (they're not "free", they're part of what you pay for with the service), I get dropoffs and pickups at my leisure. Plus, I have no desire to do maintenance myself and the car has a perfect Lexus dealer service history which is bound to make it easier to sell.

To each their own, but there are reasons people use the dealer.

[SW03ES]

I paid over $500 for a 15,000 mile service last year. Today, when I called to make an appointment for 30,000 mile oil change, I was told my ES350 needs another sevice which costs $700. I was very upset. My question is if I only do oil change, will that affect my warranty?

This is the list of service for $700. Are there all necessary, and have to be done by a Lexus Dealer?

• Change engine oil

• Replace wiper inserts

• Install 44k fuel additive

• Install motor oil additive

• Replace AC filter

• Replace engine air filter

• Replace brake fluid

• Rotate and balance tires

• Adjust fluid levels

• Measure F&R brake rotor and pad thickness

• Reset service reminder

• Inspect the following:

• Ball joints and dust covers

• Brake pads and rotors

• Drive shaft boots

• Nuts and bolts on chassis and body

• Steering linkages

• Brake lines and hoses

• Differential oil (Front on AWD also)

• Exhaust pipes and mountings

• Rack and pinion assembly

• Transmission fluid

• Road test

Not a car person myself, I need some help in deciding what to do.

Look at what it says in your manual. If it lists that...then have it done. You don't have to have Lexus do it, anybody can do it, but IMHO you're better off having all scheduled maintenance performed to make sure theres never a question about warranty and to preserve the car's value over the long term.

Honestly...its a $40,000 car. I don't see the issue paying $500-$700 a year for a 15k service.

[BaddBoi70]

I recently hit 15,000 miles on my lexus es 350. I contacted the dealer to schedule an oil change at which time they reminded me of the 15,000 mile service for the amazingly low price of $350.00. Being the inquisitive person that I am I asked what was included in the service. It included an oil change, tire rotation, brake inspection, inspection of tire tread, fluid refill and tire inflation. With the exception of the oil change and the tire rotation this service does not even require the mechanic to get his hands dirty..... My suggestion to you is this: if you have the basic knowledge on car maintenance, do it yourself. The oil change is a no brainer, tire rotation is just a minor hastle, and the rest just requires a simple visual inspection....

I paid over $500 for a 15,000 mile service last year. Today, when I called to make an appointment for 30,000 mile oil change, I was told my ES350 needs another sevice which costs $700. I was very upset. My question is if I only do oil change, will that affect my warranty?

This is the list of service for $700. Are there all necessary, and have to be done by a Lexus Dealer?

• Change engine oil

• Replace wiper inserts

• Install 44k fuel additive

• Install motor oil additive

• Replace AC filter

• Replace engine air filter

• Replace brake fluid

• Rotate and balance tires

• Adjust fluid levels

• Measure F&R brake rotor and pad thickness

• Reset service reminder

• Inspect the following:

• Ball joints and dust covers

• Brake pads and rotors

• Drive shaft boots

• Nuts and bolts on chassis and body

• Steering linkages

• Brake lines and hoses

• Differential oil (Front on AWD also)

• Exhaust pipes and mountings

• Rack and pinion assembly

• Transmission fluid

• Road test

Not a car person myself, I need some help in deciding what to do.

Kevrisva -

I found a great "non-dealer" mechanic who uses genuine Lexus parts and will do everything the Lexus dealer does for about 30% less! I did my research on the mechanic and he has an excellent reputation in my area. I actually spoke with the owner of the shop and he explained that the Lexus warranty remains in tact, provided wherever you have the work done can document the "factory recommended scheduled service" was completed per the Owner's manual.

However, SW03ES makes a good point in that your Lexus dealer does provide a loaner vehicle, or they should, and the national database Lexus maintains on your vehicle does add value - you just need to personally decide what that value is worth. If you maintain your vehicle and cna provide ALL the maintenance records when you sell or trade the vehicle, then you should be able to obtain the same market value as you would have by having Lexus service the vehicle.

Good luck to you.

[JGTNewLexusOwner]

Its like anything else, you pay for a quality and affluent experience. That either appeals to you or it doesn't.

For instance, I enjoy shopping at Nordstrom. I like their clothes, suits, and the whole experience of shopping there. Last weekend I stumbled into a "Nordstrom Rack", Nordstrom's outlet if you will. I bought several things at great prices, a couple pairs of $150 Tommy Bahama slacks for $50. A few $80 shirts for $30. Now, the savings were great but the whole experience was like shopping at a swap meet. It left a lot to be desired.

So, I'll shop there from time to time but I'll still shop at the real Nordstrom.

Yeah you can do the work yourself but I enjoy the experience of having the car taken care of by the Lexus dealer, I get no hassle loaners (they're not "free", they're part of what you pay for with the service), I get dropoffs and pickups at my leisure. Plus, I have no desire to do maintenance myself and the car has a perfect Lexus dealer service history which is bound to make it easier to sell.

To each their own, but there are reasons people use the dealer.

I am in the SW camp here (about the Lexus dealer not Nordstroms :) )! When you consider the cost of your time and the time away from work/family/golf/etc, it is worth it to have the Lexus dealer do it. Plus they dropoff, pickup and provide a loaner for free. Used to do this stuff, but with the high tech and warranty issues, I go to the dealer. But to each his own!

[mburnickas]

I disagree here. I am paying 80% for "Inspect " things...my god You can do the samething yourself in about 1-hour for 90% less. For me, it is sad that a little service like this cost $700. I could do all this above by the time it would take to drive to a stealership and come back...For me, I can put the money I save by doing it myself to other items I need completed (easy).

I bring my car in for items I HAVE to (so far once) in 7+ years...My lexus dealer does NOT provide a loaner unless it takes longer then a day servic. YMMV.

[JGTNewLexusOwner]

I disagree here. I am paying 80% for "Inspect " things...my god You can do the samething yourself in about 1-hour for 90% less. For me, it is sad that a little service like this cost $700. I could do all this above by the time it would take to drive to a stealership and come back...For me, I can put the money I save by doing it myself to other items I need completed (easy).

I bring my car in for items I HAVE to (so far once) in 7+ years...My lexus dealer does NOT provide a loaner unless it takes longer then a day servic. YMMV.

That's what I love about these forums, good healthy disagreement. Gotta remember mburnikas, I am an idiot (and terrible at work or inspection of a car)! Anyway, on the loaner, since I am 40 miles from my dealer and the dealer sells alot in this area, they know that noone would buy a car from them unless they come and get it and leave the loaner. This is even for routine maintenance like oil changes etc.! Now, the loaner is a Toyota but hey, that is ok by me!!! Pretty cool huh! (hey, what does YMMV mean....I am still reeling after someone used ONR (optimum no rinse) in the Detailing posts I started...ha ha!). But thanks for the healthy discussion!!!! Always appreciate an opposing view, helps me to learn (49 going on 50 and still learning!!!!).

[rjt65]

Ymmv = your mileage may vary, meaning It basically means your experience may be different.

I too use them for it and find that should take care of any warranty issues.

Bought the maint. package for 3 years at purchase but do agree some of the costs are very high for inspection. the service guy was honest and told me not to expect anything less than 500$ when bringing the car in for any repairs maint etc.

Not too much more than my Nissan Maxima.

Also, told on this forum not to have anyone wash it but myself I lose the free car wash !!!!!

I too don't have the time for all this self care stuff, so tend to outsource these types of things. But I am detailing it myself to avoid scratches , so the money I save on carwashing can cover my yearly Maint costs.

cheers all

TTFN

[JGTNewLexusOwner]

Amen rtj! and thanks....but now what the heck is TTFN...I have enough acronyms at work....ha ha.

[Ira d]

I disagree here. I am paying 80% for "Inspect " things...my god You can do the samething yourself in about 1-hour for 90% less. For me, it is sad that a little service like this cost $700. I could do all this above by the time it would take to drive to a stealership and come back...For me, I can put the money I save by doing it myself to other items I need completed (easy).

I bring my car in for items I HAVE to (so far once) in 7+ years...My lexus dealer does NOT provide a loaner unless it takes longer then a day servic. YMMV.

That's what I love about these forums, good healthy disagreement. Gotta remember mburnikas, I am an idiot (and terrible at work or inspection of a car)! Anyway, on the loaner, since I am 40 miles from my dealer and the dealer sells alot in this area, they know that noone would buy a car from them unless they come and get it and leave the loaner. This is even for routine maintenance like oil changes etc.! Now, the loaner is a Toyota but hey, that is ok by me!!! Pretty cool huh! (hey, what does YMMV mean....I am still reeling after someone used ONR (optimum no rinse) in the Detailing posts I started...ha ha!). But thanks for the healthy discussion!!!! Always appreciate an opposing view, helps me to learn (49 going on 50 and still learning!!!!).

My last service was done at the local Toyota dealer who for the most part know the car as well as

the Lexus dealer and they have the same parts to install. IMO Lexus charges way to much for their

service and I dont need the loaner unless its being left overnight.

[JGTNewLexusOwner]

Hey ira d, so the Toyota dealer did do your service? Good, I have one closer to me and maybe I should try that!

[Ira d]

Hey ira d, so the Toyota dealer did do your service? Good, I have one closer to me and maybe I should try that!

Yes they did, I also live closer to the Toyota dealer. If I need warranty work I will go to the Lexus

dealer but for just the basic service I will go to the Toyota dealer.

[SW03ES]

Thing is...around here the Toyota dealers not much less...

[stuart8181]

My Toyota dealer is half the price. Same parts. I checked the part numbers.

[jnadler139]

I recently hit 15,000 miles on my lexus es 350. I contacted the dealer to schedule an oil change at which time they reminded me of the 15,000 mile service for the amazingly low price of $350.00. Being the inquisitive person that I am I asked what was included in the service. It included an oil change, tire rotation, brake inspection, inspection of tire tread, fluid refill and tire inflation. With the exception of the oil change and the tire rotation this service does not even require the mechanic to get his hands dirty..... My suggestion to you is this: if you have the basic knowledge on car maintenance, do it yourself. The oil change is a no brainer, tire rotation is just a minor hastle, and the rest just requires a simple visual inspection....

I paid over $500 for a 15,000 mile service last year. Today, when I called to make an appointment for 30,000 mile oil change, I was told my ES350 needs another sevice which costs $700. I was very upset. My question is if I only do oil change, will that affect my warranty?

This is the list of service for $700. Are there all necessary, and have to be done by a Lexus Dealer?

• Change engine oil

• Replace wiper inserts

• Install 44k fuel additive

• Install motor oil additive

• Replace AC filter

• Replace engine air filter

• Replace brake fluid

• Rotate and balance tires

• Adjust fluid levels

• Measure F&R brake rotor and pad thickness

• Reset service reminder

• Inspect the following:

• Ball joints and dust covers

• Brake pads and rotors

• Drive shaft boots

• Nuts and bolts on chassis and body

• Steering linkages

• Brake lines and hoses

• Differential oil (Front on AWD also)

• Exhaust pipes and mountings

• Rack and pinion assembly

• Transmission fluid

• Road test

Not a car person myself, I need some help in deciding what to do.

[SW03ES]

Interesting anecdote. I had the Lexus in for oil change and rotation today $160 out the door. I also had the Prius in for the same service and the bill came to $80 out the door, my Toyota service rep said the service would have been about $15 more for the Lexus...So for that the Toyota dealer is about $65 less.

[KBRX330]

I would want these done at 30k:

• Change engine oil

• Replace wiper inserts

• Replace AC filter

• Replace engine air filter

• Replace brake fluid

Drain & refill transmission fluid

• Rotate and balance tires

• Reset service reminder

• Inspect the following:

• Ball joints and dust covers

• Brake pads and rotors

• Drive shaft boots

• Nuts and bolts on chassis (retorque)

• Steering linkages

• Brake lines and hoses

• Exhaust pipes and mountings

• Rack and pinion assembly

• Road test

All can be done at a Toyota dealer if less expensive as the ES350 shares the same drivetrain with the Camry & Avalon. Now some will say the trans drain/fill is overkill but I do mine at 30k. If you don't then you should have a complete fluid exchange or flush at 60k which is the severe service requirement.

[mhawkin1]

I thought someone said you don't 'drain/fill' the transmission on the 350? That it was a 'sealed' unit or something.

[KBRX330]

I thought someone said you don't 'drain/fill' the transmission on the 350? That it was a 'sealed' unit or something.

If you talk to the Lexus dealers they are "lifetime fill" if you talk to the Toyota dealers they flush them with a B&G machine. I'll get mine done at 30-40k intervals because I'll drive this car 150,000 miles and always do that. 3 flushes will cost me about $600 over the life of the car.

[KBRX330]

FWIW: I just did my 1000 mile break-in oil change. Cost $19.50. Very easy to do yourself.

[mr_raider]

What do you do when your dealer is a Toyota and Lexus dealer?