Maintenance? Regular Service?

[Dom455]

I have had my 07 Lexus IS350 for about 3 months now and am looking for some advice on the regular maintenance schedule for the car and haven't found much.

I know regular oil changes, tire rotations, and brake checks are essential and simple rather through the dealership or other service stations but as for other vehicle check ups etc. are they necessary, and if so how often and do you suggest going to the dealer or other reliable service stations.

Also for simple services such as oil changes, tire rotation, etc is it better going to the dealer or is it just as good going somewhere else for less than half the price?

Thanks!

[1990LS400]

All you need to do is to follow the maintenance schedule in the maintenance manual that came with your car when it was new. If you don't have the maintenance manual, you can view it, the navigation and the owners manuals in the owners section of www.lexus.com .

Hopefully your IS has been properly maintained before you bought it since lack of maintenance cannot be "undone".

It's your choice on who maintains your IS. I no longer own Lexus but most of the maintenance and repairs I had done during the 24 years I did were performed by independent repair shops that specialize in Lexus vehicles - the indie shops I have used are/were owned by former Lexus dealer service writers and generally charged about 80% of what Lexus dealers charged. The main problem I've had with my local Lexus dealer is their service writers trying to sell completely needless services and repairs to me.

I've have almost always done tire rotations and oil changes myself on all our vehicles and wouldn't dream of letting a Wally-mart, Fire-and-Brimstone, Badyear or "Iffy-lube"-type quick oil change shops touch our cars.

My view has been that the only time to take a vehicle to a dealer for service is during the basic warranty period or when during the period after a new car purchase when maintenance is included.

[VBdenny]

There really isn't too much these cars need. No tire rotation due to staggered directional tires. At 50k miles I change all fluids.

[Dom455]

Thank you all for the help.