rmward Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 Would appreciate input on some major repairs that are needed on my mother's 2008 ES 350 with 91,000 miles. She's a very spry 87, but doesn't drive much, only 3,000 miles/year. The Lexus dealer is recommending the following: Replace the rack and pinion assembly as it is leaking from both boots: $3,000 - she hasn't seen any leaks on the garage floor and she scrubs the floor monthly Replace both front struts and an alignment: $1,000 - same on this one, no spots on the garage floor Door lock actuator replacement (driver's door won't lock or unlock) $600 Trunk lock repair (Trunk will not open) $425 Transmission flush: cost TBD - I see this is on the factory maintenance schedule at 90k Drain and refill coolant - can't find this on the factory maintenance schedule To me the sensible thing to do would be to get her a new car, but at her age I'm not confident she could adjust and with the shortage of inventory prices are ridiculous. She has almost always had the car serviced at the Lexus dealer and prefers their work. The few times she took it to a local independent shop the service hasn't been great. $5,000+ in repairs to a 91k mile car seems excessive. I've had GM vehicles most of my life and haven't experienced these types of costly repairs. Are these typical with repairs for her ES with the mileage she has? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexigrl Posted March 1, 2022 Share Posted March 1, 2022 Door lock, trunk lock...that's totally your decision. Transmission drain/fill is a good idea. Coolant from what I found online per Lexus is 100k miles/120 months (10yrs), so it's overdue as the car is 14 yrs old. Maintenance Schedules - All Models | Lexus Drivers You have to get underneath the car to see if the rack is leaking from both boots. You usually won't see anything on the floor from this if it's not a huge leak. Struts, the same thing you won't see anything on the floor. If it's seeping/leaking, you'll see the dampness on the strut itself. I'd bring it elsewhere for a 2nd opinion on the rack and struts and have them show you the leaks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RX400h Posted March 1, 2022 Share Posted March 1, 2022 Where did you get those costs? It's difficult for me to believe that all of those things need replacing. Our Lexus is close to 17 years old and of all those things listed, only the coolant change was needed as a maintenance item. By contrast, the two chevys I've owned in the past required thousands of dollars spent on component failures and leaks. Lexus is rated #1 as the most reliable auto brand by Consumer Reports. You really should take yours to a more reputable mechanic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmward Posted March 1, 2022 Author Share Posted March 1, 2022 Thanks. The costs were from the Lexus dealer where she purchased the car new. A second opinion is on the calendar when we get the car back tomorrow. The door lock and the trunk had to be repaired. Can't have her crawling over the passenger seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RX400h Posted March 1, 2022 Share Posted March 1, 2022 A good independent shop would most likely charge quite a bit less than the numbers you listed but sometimes a Toyota dealership can save you a chunk, also. When we needed the spark plugs replaced, the Toyota dealership saved us $200. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexigrl Posted March 1, 2022 Share Posted March 1, 2022 I buy my parts and bring any work on my car to a Toyota dealership, easier to get in and less expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmward Posted March 1, 2022 Author Share Posted March 1, 2022 Thank you for all the input. We'll see what the independent shop comes back with. I'm frustrated because the door locks have failed twice in two years and this is also the second time the trunk lock has failed. The first time the door locks failed it was $1,500+ (at the Lexus dealer). I too thought Lexus and Toyota's were supposed to be bulletproof, but maybe she just got a lemon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RX400h Posted March 2, 2022 Share Posted March 2, 2022 I've been perusing on and participating in this forum for over 16 years now and have not seen many door lock issues. If this happened to me I would try to find out the root cause of each failed component or subassembly. It is unlikely that the design has changed significantly over the years. My 25 year old Mazda MX6 GT had never had a door lock fail. I guess if there were multiple kids playing with the lock switches, failure could occur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron721 Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 On 2/28/2022 at 6:57 PM, rmward said: Would appreciate input on some major repairs that are needed on my mother's 2008 ES 350 with 91,000 miles. She's a very spry 87, but doesn't drive much, only 3,000 miles/year. The Lexus dealer is recommending the following: Replace the rack and pinion assembly as it is leaking from both boots: $3,000 - she hasn't seen any leaks on the garage floor and she scrubs the floor monthly Replace both front struts and an alignment: $1,000 - same on this one, no spots on the garage floor Door lock actuator replacement (driver's door won't lock or unlock) $600 Trunk lock repair (Trunk will not open) $425 Transmission flush: cost TBD - I see this is on the factory maintenance schedule at 90k Drain and refill coolant - can't find this on the factory maintenance schedule To me the sensible thing to do would be to get her a new car, but at her age I'm not confident she could adjust and with the shortage of inventory prices are ridiculous. She has almost always had the car serviced at the Lexus dealer and prefers their work. The few times she took it to a local independent shop the service hasn't been great. $5,000+ in repairs to a 91k mile car seems excessive. I've had GM vehicles most of my life and haven't experienced these types of costly repairs. Are these typical with repairs for her ES with the mileage she has? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron721 Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 Yes, My most recent bill at the Lexus dealership was $4,000: radiator replacement, two front control arms, h2o pump and an alignment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RX400h Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 ....all things that could be done by an honest independent repair shop. Yes, it requires taking the time to bring in the vehicle and paying an inspection fee, but you could save many hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreemin2 Posted August 20 Share Posted August 20 I'm dealing with your same issues currently! I bought the Comprehensive Warrantee policy when I purchased a used 2008 ES for $2500 with 65K mileage. BEST INVESTMENT EVER! Axels, struts, boots all were required ($5K retail @ Dealer). Just replaced pully and serpentine belt($1500 @ Dealer), tire sensors one by one needed replaced($600 ea retail). I got my money worth from the Warrantee which just expired. I'm considering another extended warrantee for $3600 for future repairs. I love the car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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