30,000 Mile Service

[mhawkin1]

Sorry if this post is redundant.

My next service will be my 30k – as you all know the dealers charge about $500 for this service. I replaced both my cabin and engine air filters at 20k miles. The other 30k mile items in the owner’s manual are “change engine oil/filter – rotate tires” and “brake fluid replacement” and then about 75 inspections.

I think they inspect the car on the normal service intervals so I am not concerned about this. My questions are, should I just tell them to replace the brake fluid and perform a normal service (?) and does the brake fluid even need replaced at 30k?

Any thoughts or options would be appreciated.

[joeb427]

Sorry if this post is redundant.

My next service will be my 30k – as you all know the dealers charge about $500 for this service. I replaced both my cabin and engine air filters at 20k miles. The other 30k mile items in the owner’s manual are “change engine oil/filter – rotate tires” and “brake fluid replacement” and then about 75 inspections.

I think they inspect the car on the normal service intervals so I am not concerned about this. My questions are, should I just tell them to replace the brake fluid and perform a normal service (?) and does the brake fluid even need replaced at 30k?

Any thoughts or options would be appreciated.

It funny.People never change brake fluid or maybe do it when they need brakes and I never hear of any brake problems.

Yet,I'm a maintenance junkie and do a brake fluid change every two years.

The trans fluid is said to be lifetime in many vehicles.I still do a fluid change at 30K too.Then another at 50K if I keep the vehicle that long.

[mhawkin1]

Is that a "yes it does need changed" or a "no it doesn't need changed." ;)

[1990LS400]

There are a few less than 75 inspections in the 30K maintenance for an 08 ES -- see the attached.

Your car is under warranty so don't omit required maintenance operations. Replacing the brake fluid at 30K miles or 36 months is well within the safety margin of brake fluid life unless your name is Mario Andretti -- the point of maintenance is to not wait until fluids degrade to the point of causing damage or reduced functionality.

We usually keep cars for more than 10 years and drive them to around 200,000 miles before we sell them -- we sold the last few to friends and relatives who got a lot more use from them. I have sometimes wondered if the reason we have very few problems with our cars over the long haul, compared to many others, is that we follow maintenance schedules closely and even do some maintenance operations a little more often than recommended.

My 2000 LS400 is due for it's 120,000 mile maintenance in a few weeks -- it's still runs and drives perfectly and everything works as it should. The 120K maintenance will be done "by the book" although at an independent Lexus repair shop which charges substantially less than a Lexus dealer -- the brake fluild will be changed as it was at the 30K, 60K and 90K maintenance operations.

[joeb427]

Is that a "yes it does need changed" or a "no it doesn't need changed." ;)

I'd change it but probably 90% of others don't at 30K without any problems.

Flip a coin. :D

[1990LS400]

I'd change it but probably 90% of others don't at 30K without any problems.

Flip a coin. :D

90%, huh? Really? I think it is extremely rare for a car owner to tell a car dealer to not perform a required maintenance operation while a car is under warranty.

[joeb427]

I'd change it but probably 90% of others don't at 30K without any problems.

Flip a coin. :D

90%, huh? Really? I think it is extremely rare for a car owner to tell a car dealer to not perform a required maintenance operation while a car is under warranty.

I only use a dealer only for warranty work.

$575+ for a 30K service in my area is ridiculous.

I use a very good shop and keep records of work done.

You also can tell a dealer service advisor you do not want certain things done.All you have to do is have records that those items were done at the proper interval to keep your warranty intact.

An example of the typical dealer service ripoff.

You're waiting in the waiting area and the service advisor comes to you with a dirty cabin filter and tells you it needs to be replaced.

How much?$45 for the filter and $40 labor.

That's when you say but how much is the labor to put the old one back?He says no charge.Then put a new one in for the $45 and don't charge me $40 labor.:P

[mhawkin1]

I think since I have already changed the filters I will ask them to perform a normal oil change/tire rotation plus replace the brake fluid and remote battery.

I expect them to generally “inspect” the car whenever it is in their shop.

I am all about preventative maintenance as well, but if I can replace the air filters within seconds there is no reason to pay them to do it.

[joeb427]

I think since I have already changed the filters I will ask them to perform a normal oil change/tire rotation plus replace the brake fluid and remote battery.

I expect them to generally “inspect” the car whenever it is in their shop.

I am all about preventative maintenance as well, but if I can replace the air filters within seconds there is no reason to pay them to do it.

I usually do my own oil changes because I like using synthetic oil.I change my filters too.Lexus charges a crazy amount for a air filter and/or cabin filter change both part and labor.Both so simple to do and you save on the filters too whether you stay with Toyota filters or not.

You can bring the car in to Lexus service and specify just what you want them to do and they'll do it.

In your case a normal oil change/tire rotation plus replace the brake fluid and remote battery and the general take a peek inspecting the car.

[LexPaul]

Follow the maintenance schedules as given in the manual and use only Lexus parts if possible. ....and your Lexus will return the favor.....

[KBRX330]

I buy all the parts from the Toyota dealer across the street for 30% less. The air filter for my ES350 is the same as my Rav4, the cabin air filter is the same as the Camry and the oil filter element is the same as the Camry. I use synthetic 5w30 oil so my service costs me about $55 versus the dealer $500. I replace the brake fluid when I reline the brakes at about 60,000 miles. I have driven all my Lexus-Toyota vehicles over 150,000 miles and only change the brake fluid 2-3 times. But I use higher performance DOT4 fluid which seems to last.

You will notice your ES350 shares the majority of its parts with the Camry since it is the same platform.