2004 Es330

[pmw194]

Had the 30 day/1000 mile service today. Told the service rep that there was a noise in the right rear door. When we picked up the car he told us that a batch of cars went out without the proper foam blocks in the door. They had a TSB and did whatever they had to do. No noise now but I thought they had this fixed since I have been reading posts about it for a few model years back. Car was built in November, 2003.

I asked the dealer how much the third service (1 yr./10,000 mi.) would cost. He said $249.00. I suspect that by the time I make it to 10,000 miles it will be higher. He mentioned changing the cabin filter and rotating tires but nothing else. Is this about what other Lexus dealers charge? I don't have a clue since I've always changed my own oil. Don't know how easy it will be on this car.

Thanks in advance

[amf1932]

Believe it or not.........As of yet Lexus hasn't corrected this rear door noise. That has been my gripe........If they know about this problem, why don't they do something about it when the car is manufactured? :chairshot:

[SW03ES]

All they have to do is remove a peice of weatherstripping from the base of the door, and the problem will be solved. They just did it to mine. Its very common on the ES.

Also shop for the pricing on that 10k service. The 10k is a "mini-service" which includes an oil change, tire rotation, and inspection. I just had one done, was quoted $220 from one dealer, $160 from another. By bringing the synthetic oil with me I was out the door at $130. For an oil change, a tire rotation AND a loaner for the day $130 was worth it.

[steviej]

there is a military term for lexus intermediate services.....BOHICA.

Anyone in the service should know what that stands for, if not, pm me and I will explain.

The 10k serivce can be done completely at home.

1. oil and filter are a piece of cake. 5 parts oil and 1 part filter.

2. rotating the tires can be done front to back with the jack that comes in the car if you don't have a floor jack. second piece of cake.

3. the cabin filter is the third piece of cake and can be obtained at www.iron-toad.com for almost half of what the dealer is going to charge you ($29 vs $56 or so). ( I didn't have to change mine until 20k, but this will be geographically dependent)

4. last piece of cake, you can visually inspect the brake, coolant, tranny and windshield washer fluids.

save your money for the really big services (multiples of 15).

steviej

ps, if you can't tell, I like cake.

[iammikey]

My dealer in quoted me $150 for the 10,000 mile service. The advisor talked me out of it and said an oil change at $35 was all I needed and spend the $230 on the 15,000 mile service, which includes replacement of all fluids (oil, tranny, brake, etc.), rotate and balance the front tires, new cabin filter, and a car detail. I'll have the 15K service done next month.

[monarch]

I asked the dealer how much the third service (1 yr./10,000 mi.) would cost. He said $249.00. I suspect that by the time I make it to 10,000 miles it will be higher.

If you invest that $249 toward the purchase of the two factory repair manuals for the 2004 ES 330, you can avoid ever having to go to the dealer for service at least for 5 years or 60,000 miles. And the cost to maintain your car yourself will be just pocket change.

Example:

At 5000 miles rotate tires and change oil and filter.

At 10000 miles rotate tires and change oil and filter and cabin filter

At 15000 miles rotate tires and change oil and filter and air filter and drain and refill radiator with Toyota Super Long Life Coolant and drain and refill transmission oil pan.

At 20000 miles rotate tires and change oil and filter and cabin filter

At 25000 miles rotate tires and change oil and filter.

At 30000 miles rotate tires and change oil and filter and air filter and drain and refill radiator with Toyota Super Long Life Coolant and drain and refill transmission oil pan with Toyota Type T-IV fluid Partially change brake fluid with genuine Toyota Brake Fluid. Partially change power steering fluid with Toyota Auto Trans fluid (Dexron type).

It's only when you get up into the 60-90,000 mile area that will you have to do more extensive stuff

like serpintine drive belt and timing belt replacement, spark plug replacement and throttle body cleaning. And it's only up in the 60-90,000 mile area that you need to be inspecting things more closely like the condition of the rubber front axle boots.

Drive and corner at reasonable speeds and on smooth roads and you won't need all the suspension, strut and bushing type replacement work you commonly read about on this forum at 90,000 miles or so.

[obsidianr]

I just had my 10,000 mile service last week on my '04 ES and I was only charged $95 by my dealer.

[SW03ES]

Good deal!

What I find so interesting is that the dealer that quoted me $230 and the one that quoted me $130 both had the same labor rate, $89....

[pmw194]

Thanks for the feedback.

I looked over the engine and it looks fairly easy to change the filter. I just received a notice from my local Toyota dealer (owned by the same family as the Lexus dealer) for an oil change with "genuine" Toyota oil and filter for $24.95. Sounds like the same as what you would get at Lexus. This might also be the way to go. See what I feel like doing when 10k arrives. Don't know what the Toyota labor rate is but Lexus is $93 an hour.

[carlexes330]

Thanks for the feedback.

I looked over the engine and it looks fairly easy to change the filter. I just received a notice from my local Toyota dealer (owned by the same family as the Lexus dealer) for an oil change with "genuine" Toyota oil and filter for $24.95. Sounds like the same as what you would get at Lexus. This might also be the way to go. See what I feel like doing when 10k arrives. Don't know what the Toyota labor rate is but Lexus is $93 an hour.

The toyota service is really great and i alternate between Lexus who charges me $249 for the service or $89 from Toyota same fluids same filters etc etc .

[tim john]

I have a local shop do my oil changes for $27. discount tire will do the rotation for free since I bought tires from them, also fixed 3 slow leaks on my wifes car for free. Dealers are a ripoff. The 04 ES is the same motor and trans. as the Toyota v6 Camry. It's not rocket ship. I go to my Lexus dealer for warranty work, thats about it.

Tim

[stcist2]

All they have to do is remove a peice of weatherstripping from the base of the door, and the problem will be solved. They just did it to mine. Its very common on the ES.

is this possibility of my rattling noise from my rear doors? could you post a pic of the piece they removed? wouldn't that cause a wind leak? thanking you in advance

Stan

[SW03ES]

The doors are triple sealed, its just a very small piece of trim, no difference in noise or anything like that.

I could post a picture but I don't think you'd be able to tell, its just a very small little piece right at the bottom of the door panel....

I have a local shop do my oil changes for $27. discount tire will do the rotation for free since I bought tires from them, also fixed 3 slow leaks on my wifes car for free. Dealers are a ripoff. The 04 ES is the same motor and trans. as the Toyota v6 Camry. It's not rocket ship. I go to my Lexus dealer for warranty work, thats about it.

Its all relative. I have an independent Lexus repair shop that does the 5k service (oil change & tire rotation) for $80. Its great that you have a shop that does the oil change for $27 and Discount Tire does the rotations for free. Personally I don't have the time, or the desire to take the time to take the car two places to have one service done.

The dealer is more (about $180) for that service, but it was always nice to drop the car off and get a nice loaner and be able to do all of it on my own time, or have the dealer come to my office and get the car and leave a loaner. I also had a good bit of warranty work done, and some things done for free that the dealer didn't have to do such as remove & install a radio bezel that was scratched for me, replace light bulbs for free because of my relationship with them and the valued nature of my business to the service advisor. All in all the service was great and having the car maintained was a pleasant, upscale experience that I enjoyed.

As the car got older I made a change and now enjoy saving some money, but when I buy a new one I will probably take it to the dealer again.