Side Mirror

SLORICK · March 3, 2010

Dealer finally fixed shell of passenger side mirror for $110 (+ $60 labor) after previous quotes from him and different dealer that only $500 (guts with mirror) or $700 option (complete side mirror) were available.

Wife damaged outside front shell of passenger side mirror on 02 LS430 and it fell off in car wash.

She freaked once home and saw electronic guts without front shell. We drove back to car wash and found it.

Seems some tabs were broken, so it would fit back on, but not hold, so we taped it around the edge with fiberglass strapping tape (thin width) to hold it together temporarily. Mirror was OK.

We live on the Central California Coast, so nearest dealers are 3 hours North, East or South.

Wife drove to San Francisco East Bay Area for business (4 hours North) so I went with her, and took car to Lexus Dealer during business hours, saying I had a day for them to repair mirror if price was reasonable.

Service Tech returned from Parts Dept saying only options were complete mirror ($700) or internal guts with mirror ($500) and that there was no option for just mirror glass or external shell (body and front cover: I just needed front cover).

I said I would fix it with super glue around the edges before spending that much.

I am 60 now, worked at a gas station in High School, and driven six cars now over 200,000 miles each, so know about dealers vs indies vs junkyard parts and DIY. Rather pay Dealer to fix now, if reasonable.

Next business trip south to Los Angeles, stopped in at our regular Oxnard/Ventura Lexus Dealer.

Told them predicament and what SF Bay Area dealer said; A Service Tech said same thing: Parts Dept showed numbers to get complete unit or guts only, but not just the shell or cover. Super Glue was next, but I am lazy.

Finally, month or two later, it was time for 90K service, Timing Belt, and tires were near the wear bars.

Oxnard Dealer could see we used him for major checkups and warranty work, but had local indie do oil changes.

Dealer could expect $1000 each for 90K & TBelt & Tires (5 tires x $250 each) and we had subwoofer replaced free under Certified Pre-Owned Warranty (Purchased at 40K miles) just before it expired last year. I told dealer our additional problems were brake squeek, RF passenger door speaker now out, RF door mirror shell and pitted windshield.

Service Tech said he would see what he could do. He knew warranty expired and insurance wouldnt cover $2000 lexus windshield, so all this was coming out of our own pocket.

Maybe because I went along with recommendations for fluid flushes, lower control arm bushings ($242 parts, $720 labor), allignment, turn brake rotors (pads OK), Lo and Behold, the side mirror shell WAS available for just $110 and $60 labor.

(PN: 87915-5003-B0 Cover, Outer Mirror). THAT's more like it.

I also got RF door speaker ($183 spkr, $180 labor) and aftermarket windshield for $371.

Total $4448 after 20% OFF cupon received in mailbox weekend before scheduled appointment. There IS a God.

Car is paid off, so Total is like six months worth of car payments ($750 x 6) to go another 90K miles.

(until the next thing breaks) (Life is Fun. . . wondering what's next.!!!)

1990LS400 · March 3, 2010

That's great! It could have been an honest mistake by the previous dealers you checked with. My 2000 LS400 is only two years older and I've found that one of the console parts (insert for the upper console tray) is no longer available individually but only as part of a much more expensive module containing parts I do not need.

If you haven't used it, http://www.toyodiy.com is a great place to get individual parts numbers. You have to register to see the diagrams. Attached is their diagram for your 02 LS430 mirror. Only the LH mirror is shown in the diagram but part numbers for both RH and LH mirrors are listed.