Oil Change

[margo57]

:( Just spent $128 at the dealer for an oil change on a Lexus LS4 60. Is there a less expensive way to change the oil?

[eightyfour]

:( Just spent $128 at the dealer for an oil change on a Lexus LS4 60. Is there a less expensive way to change the oil?

Buy your oil and filter, take it to an oil change station they will charge you $20 to $25 to change the oil and filter. Works for me.

[SW03ES]

Anybody can change the oil. I'd find an independent mechanic who services a lot of Toyota & Lexus vehicles and establish a relationship with them for all your maintenance if you don't want what the dealership has to offer.

Its a $70,000 car, you don't want to take it to Jiffy Lube but there are plenty of options.

[kimseongjae]

:( Just spent $128 at the dealer for an oil change on a Lexus LS4 60. Is there a less expensive way to change the oil?

I TOO WAS SHOCKED TO FIND THE LEXUS FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS OF BMW AND BENZ WHEN IT CAME TO REG. SECHEDULED SERVICE. I CALLED THE DEALER TO FIND THAT ONLY THING REPLACED ON THE CAR WAS THE OIL AND THE FILTER FOR $180- I LIVE IN LOS ANGELES. ALL OTHER SERVICES PERFORMED WAS JUST CHECKING. HAVING BEEN A PREVIOUS TOYOTA OWNER, NOT MUCH GOES WRONG WITH A CAR- IF IT DOES, THEN YOU KNOW TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER.

JUST TAKE IT TO YOUR REPUTABLE CAR REPAIR SHOP. IT DOES TAKE ABOUT 8 QT. OF OIL SO MY SHOP CHARGES ME $40. DO NOT TAKE IT TO A PLACE LIKE JIFFY LUBE. MOST OF THE WORKER WILL NOT BE FAMILIER WITH EXTER STEPS TO IN ORDER TO ACCESS THE OIL FILTER WHICH HAS NO CANISTER.

[SW03ES]

Its a luxury car...why would you be surprised when service is comparable in cost to BMW and Mercedes when the cars are comparable in cost as well?

Please don't type in all caps...

[Stuart S]

My friendly Lexus dealer charges only 47.99 for an oil/filter change with dino (non-synthetic) oil. What a deal!

That's why I take my 2007 LS460 to my Toyota dealer, who has an internet coupon for an oil/filter change for only $17.95 for a V-8 using a genuine Toyota filter and conventional oil. It is the same filter used by Lexus. Lexu$; it not only sounds expensive...

[SW03ES]

Actually I think $47.50 is very reasonable for an oil change at the Lexus dealer.

You have to think about the source. You can't expect Nordstrom to charge the same for a pair of socks as Wal-mart would...even if they are the same socks. Nordstrom spends more money on decor, location, comfort, training their staff, paying their staff who tend to be more experienced in customer service. Totally different operations.

As it is for the Lexus vs Toyota dealer.

For the Lexus dealer to run their operation with all the additional overhead they probably have the same profit margin on that oil change as the Toyota dealer.

[Stuart S]

Actually I think $47.50 is very reasonable for an oil change at the Lexus dealer.

You have to think about the source. You can't expect Nordstrom to charge the same for a pair of socks as Wal-mart would...even if they are the same socks. Nordstrom spends more money on decor, location, comfort, training their staff, paying their staff who tend to be more experienced in customer service. Totally different operations.

As it is for the Lexus vs Toyota dealer.

For the Lexus dealer to run their operation with all the additional overhead they probably have the same profit margin on that oil change as the Toyota dealer.

Here's my $0.02: "A penny saved is a penny earned." I understand your rationale, but I disagree. I can't justify spending almost 3 times as much at a Lexus dealer for the identical service from a Toyota dealer - it would be different if Lexus wasn't Toyota, but they're the same corporate entity. The Lexus "amenities" are nice - Starbucks coffee, USA Today, PC access, HDTV - but since I already had them before I left home, they're worth zip to me. Plus, my Toyota dealer is more convenient, being much closer to my home. The Lexus service might be worth a 25 or 30 percent upcharge, but 267%? Not in today's economy. If Lexus is to survive on their non-warranty service, they need to be more realistic and competitive.

[SW03ES]

Oh I'm not saying you should do it...I'm just saying you have to understand why the pricing is the way that it is. If the benefits have no value to you then you shouldn't spend the money.

Lexus is owned by Toyota, but it is not Toyota.

If Lexus is to survive on their non-warranty service, they need to be more realistic and competitive.

Most Lexus owners are happy to just spend the money at the dealer and never even go through this thought process... they'll be fine. Thats what all luxury car dealers charge...

[LTP]

Actually I think $47.50 is very reasonable for an oil change at the Lexus dealer.

You have to think about the source. You can't expect Nordstrom to charge the same for a pair of socks as Wal-mart would...even if they are the same socks. Nordstrom spends more money on decor, location, comfort, training their staff, paying their staff who tend to be more experienced in customer service. Totally different operations.

As it is for the Lexus vs Toyota dealer.

For the Lexus dealer to run their operation with all the additional overhead they probably have the same profit margin on that oil change as the Toyota dealer.

Here's my $0.02: "A penny saved is a penny earned." I understand your rationale, but I disagree. I can't justify spending almost 3 times as much at a Lexus dealer for the identical service from a Toyota dealer - it would be different if Lexus wasn't Toyota, but they're the same corporate entity. The Lexus "amenities" are nice - Starbucks coffee, USA Today, PC access, HDTV - but since I already had them before I left home, they're worth zip to me. Plus, my Toyota dealer is more convenient, being much closer to my home. The Lexus service might be worth a 25 or 30 percent upcharge, but 267%? Not in today's economy. If Lexus is to survive on their non-warranty service, they need to be more realistic and competitive.

I agree with you 100%; buying a Lexus does not means we agree for them to rip-off customers. I pay about $300 for oil change at Lexus dealer of Santa Clara last month. My car has only 16000 miles but I will go to Toyota dealer for oil change next time to save money.

[SW03ES]

Absolutely, thats why you have the right to take it wherever you want.

You didn't pay $300 for an oil change, that was a 5k maintenance package, oil change, tire rotation, a bunch of inspections, a loaner, and a carwash and vacuum. Still expensive definately. You'll pay $100 or so for that service at Toyota and get no loaner, I oay $75 at my independent shop with no loaner and not including any oil (I bring my own). $300 is high though, even for a Lexus dealer.

[2007ls460]

:( Just spent $128 at the dealer for an oil change on a Lexus LS4 60. Is there a less expensive way to change the oil?

I change my own oil and the parts alone cost about $65. Mobil 1 or Toyota synthetic oil (0W-20 or 5W-20) cost $6/qrt and the toyota filter element about $10. My 2007 ls460 owners manual recommends 0W-20 oil for better gas mileage and that is what I use.

When I did my second oil change at 10K, my dealer charged me $149 - that is when I decided to do my own.

to others at this posting:

I don't understand why anyone would go aganist the recommendation of Lexus and use a mineral based oil.

[rlx101]

if i could afford to pay $50-70K cash for a car then i would not be worried about saving a few bucks on the oil change... may be its just me.

besides, DIY oil change or at the 3rd party shop will probably void your warranty if something happens with the engine. Lexus will not have documented oil changes in their system and may use it as a reason to not cover certain things..

[WhitSTer]

if i could afford to pay $50-70K cash for a car then i would not be worried about saving a few bucks on the oil change... may be its just me.

besides, DIY oil change or at the 3rd party shop will probably void your warranty if something happens with the engine. Lexus will not have documented oil changes in their system and may use it as a reason to not cover certain things..

Actually that isn't true anymore. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (P.L. 93-637) is a United States federal law (15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq.). Enacted in 1975, it is the federal statute that governs warranties on consumer products.

A lot of dealers were trying to use this arguement to 'extort' owners into using their servicing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson%E2%8...ss_Warranty_Act

As long as you keep some sort of written records on the maintenance you yourself did, the warranty remains in effect.

Whit

[Stuart S]

:( Just spent $128 at the dealer for an oil change on a Lexus LS4 60. Is there a less expensive way to change the oil?

Oops! I already replied - see my August 2009 comments.

[2007ls460]

if i could afford to pay $50-70K cash for a car then i would not be worried about saving a few bucks on the oil change... may be its just me.

besides, DIY oil change or at the 3rd party shop will probably void your warranty if something happens with the engine. Lexus will not have documented oil changes in their system and may use it as a reason to not cover certain things..

If you did worry about saving a few bucks, you one day could pay cash for a car like this.

Most people who work on their own cars have a passion for things mechanical and can appreciate the innovation a car like the LS460 has to offer. The more things you can do and understand in life the better!

[SW03ES]

Yeah I agree, the notion that people that have money should not worry about value is a fallacy...

[eatingupblacktop]

Most people who work on their own cars have a passion for things mechanical and can appreciate the innovation a car like the LS460 has to offer. The more things you can do and understand in life the better!

Exactly right! Most diy's that I know love to be hands on with their cars. The savings in $ is not usually the primary reason for engaging the work because often any savings are offset by the extra time spent on the repair. However, not only do you get to appreciate (or criticize) the design/engineering of your vehicle, you have the satisfaction of knowing the job was done right. I don't know any diy who doesn't think he/she can do the job better than the dealer's tech or local indie. There's a vested interest (ownership) that motivates them to spend whatever time it takes to do it right. In most instances, this motivation is what separates the diy from the typical service shop tech.

Here's a description of "flat rates" from AA1 that offers a perspective on some issues owners have with service shops:

"The labor your are charged on your repair bill is usually based on a standard "flat rate" estimate. Repair jobs are classified by year, make and model, and the times can vary a great deal from one vehicle to another. The labor time required to perform a certain task will vary depending on how much other stuff has to be removed to get at the part, the average degree of difficulty of the job, whether any special tools are procedures are required, the age of the vehicle and so on. Changing a starter on one car might be a relatively simple task if the starter is easily accessible, but on another vehicle you might have to remove part of the exhaust system or loosen a motor mount and raise the engine to replace the starter.

All of this is supposedly taken into account when a vehicle manufacturer or aftermarket manual publisher comes up with flat rate tables for various repair jobs on various vehicles. The flat rate information is published in printed or electronic format, and is then used by car dealers and repair shops to prepare repair estimates. Sometimes a shop will add extra time to an estimate depending on the vehicle's condition, or from previous experience if they feel the published flat rate does not allow enough time to complete the job.

But here's how many motorists often get screwed. If the actual time it takes to repair your vehicle is LESS than the estimated flat rate time, you still pay the flat rate. Why? Because life isn't fair. The shop makes additional profit on the job, and the technician who does the work often receives a bonus for beating the flat rate (a good technician can almost always beat most flat rate times). What's worse, if the actual time it takes to fix your car is MORE than the flat rate, you get billed for the extra time!

Ideally, you should only pay for the ACTUAL time it takes to fix your car and not one minute more or less. But that's not the system most dealerships or repair shops use for obvious reasons.

Many shops also have a separate DIAGNOSTIC fee. This covers the time it takes to connect a scan tool to your vehicle and read out any fault codes that may be in the vehicle's computer. The diagnostic charge typically ranges from $75 to $100 or more.

The cost of the parts to fix your vehicle will depend on where the repair facility buys their parts, and how much they mark them up. As a consumer, you usually pay the FULL RETAIL PRICE when you have a repair facility install the parts for you. They typical markup is 30 to 40%, though it may be less on some parts depending on the discount the shop gets from their supplier or distributor. Yes, you could save some money here by shopping around and buying the parts yourself -- BUT most shops will NOT install parts that they do not purchase directly. It's like taking a bag of groceries into a four star restaurant and asking the chef to use your groceries to prepare your meal. Most shops have brand preferences and will only install parts they know are from quality suppliers. That cheap alternator from China may cost $50 less than the brand name OEM alternator, but it probably lacks the durability of the OEM unit.

As a rule, aftermarket parts are usually less expensive than OEM parts. But the quality may not be the same, so stick with brand name aftermarket parts."

Addendum

If any of you are latent gearheads, I'd recommend getting to know some mechanics at your dealer/indie. Better still, go to an F1 race, and try to talk up some of the pit crew (obviously not on race day). Amazing insight into how things work and the many misconeptions people have about their cars.

[JWhite]

This is what happens at the Quick Oil and Lube places. Sad thing is they didn't even tell me what they had done. Noticed oil leak a month after I had the car serviced and after looking underneath this is what I found. I do my own now.

[lex460]

This is what happens at the Quick Oil and Lube places. Sad thing is they didn't even tell me what they had done. Noticed oil leak a month after I had the car serviced and after looking underneath this is what I found. I do my own now.

Over tightening and stripping threads happens often.

DIY if you can if not next best is lexus.

[lex460]

Yeah I agree, the notion that people that have money should not worry about value is a fallacy...

Value is taking it to Lexus, or DIY, cheap is local oil change place.

[lex460]

Here's my $0.02: "A penny saved is a penny earned." I understand your rationale, but I disagree. I can't justify spending almost 3 times as much at a Lexus dealer for the identical service from a Toyota dealer - it would be different if Lexus wasn't Toyota, but they're the same corporate entity. The Lexus "amenities" are nice - Starbucks coffee, USA Today, PC access, HDTV - but since I already had them before I left home, they're worth zip to me. Plus, my Toyota dealer is more convenient, being much closer to my home. The Lexus service might be worth a 25 or 30 percent upcharge, but 267%? Not in today's economy. If Lexus is to survive on their non-warranty service, they need to be more realistic and competitive.

"it would be different if Lexus wasn't Toyota"

Why do you really think LS is just a Toyota... If so you need to get educated this will get you started.

http://www.lexus.com/quality/

If only Euro automobiles had the same standards their forums wouldn't be filled with service problems.