2008 Rx 350 Service Schedule Question

[dindin101]

I bought a 2008 RX 350 last month with just over 10K miles on it. First time I am owning a luxury class car and I have some questions regarding the service schedule, since this car is fairly old, but very little miles on it. I took it for an oil change to Lexus dealer ship and they told me, it is time to do a brake fluid flush. Looking at the manual its for every 30K. Can I just wait for 30K and just oil change every 5K?

From the manual oil change every 5K, brake fluid 30K and engine coolent at 100K and that's it.. Also I am thinking of taking to a Toyota dealer to save some money..

Appreciate any input from the members, how I go about establishing a service schedule for this car.. Any thing to watch out at certain mileage (transmission?) etc..

Thanks for your time!

[lenore]

I would skip blake fluid change and yes the Toyota dealerships are great for saving money. You can sign on to mylexus.com and register your Vin # and on this site you will find service schedules as well as a place to record service records.

[midwesterner]

Generally agree w / Thomas. We bought our '09 RX350 out of the estate when our son-in-law's father died. It had very low miles, and had been maintained by the dealer. We continue to have it serviced by the book. The only caveat I would offer is that the car is seven years old and has only 10K miles, which means the brake fluid may have condensation in it, or have otherwise deteriorated. I've been a car guy all my life, and the general rule on low-mileage, older cars has always been to change oil and filters and flush cooling and braking systems. Modern manufacturing processes, lubricants and coolants, and technology have made that less critical, but it's good policy.

If I were buying a car with such low miles vs age, I would probably do oil and filter changes, transmission fluid change, and brake and cooling systems flush. Probably not really necessary, but cheap insurance in any case

The Lexus dealer where I live is price competitive and the service department is responsible. That is presumed to be the norm for Lexus dealers. It may be that the dealership was offering what the technician thought to be good counsel, and not an attempt to perform an unneeded service. You could raise the question with your Toyota dealer or a local independent shop that you trust.

[midwesterner]

One other thing ...

I presume the Lexus tech checked your tires, but you need to double-check. It is true that mileage is low, but tires deteriorate over time. If there is no visible cracking or rubber deterioration and no evidence of sidewall failures or tread separation, you are probably OK. But you don't want a blow-out at highway speed.

Plan to have tires rotated every 5,000 - 7,500 miles (I believe Lexus rotates every 5K service) and make sure the tires are inspected at each service. Chances are you can run 'em another 20K or more without trouble. At least, that's my recommendation. Otherwise, sounds like a good buy with the potential to serve you well for a long time with standard maintenance.

[dindin101]

Thanks a lot for all your input.. because of the age.,i will get the brake fluid flush done on my next service

[midwesterner]

Happy if I could help. Our '09 RX has been faultless. While it is mainly driven locally by my wife, we take it on long trips. With the two of us on board and a load of luggage plus cooler, it is comfortable cruiser that delivers 26 mpg, plus or minus, at highway speeds.

I'm guessing that your '08 is like new, with no mechanical or electronic problems, and will probably turn out to be a fine bargain. You should be able to do 200,000 miles or so if you wish (some folks go much more), and put little money in the car other than routine maintenance. Regular maintenance, in my experience, is the key to long-term reliability.

Hope you remain a happy camper with your purchase.