Back in August 06 my 98 GS300 and I were in dire need of a quick oil & filter change, so I stopped at Express Oil Change. Express Oil Change (Express) is a large chain of your run-of-the-mill quick-oil & lube establishment. They are huge in Alabama, and have begun over the past 4-5 years to market themselves as a "total" or "complete" service center. They not only will change ur oil and fluids, but they can complete maintenance and fix problems on any brand of Automobile.

I was told the previous change that I needed a new serpintine belt and that they had the part and could install it. So, upon returning for my next service I requested the belt be replaced. The belt change was performed by some dunkin donuts looking guy wearing what looked to be coaches shorts (a la Lt. Dangle?). The belt-change probably took this guy 30 minutes, if I had the tool needed to adjust the pulley tension I could have done it in 5 and I've never done it before.

Well now its mid-late January and I have a dead car in the shop because of this *******. He loosened the nutt on the assembly way too much so that the bell wobbled the pulley spun itself into my engine block, locked-up, popped my serp. belt and sent smoke inside and outside my car. I wonder how much fuel economy, power, smoothness, and response I had lost since the installation?

So the lesson is, I learned to let a place called Express Oil Change only handle my oil. Be wise and learn from this if you don't already know.

-drew

 

I wouldn't let them even do my oil, or touch my car.... Just wondering why you would have them do work like that on your Lexus? Only place i would let anyone touch it would be Lexus Dealer or Toyota dealer. But im glad you learn your lesson! Could you file a complaint and have them pay for it?

 

Only one who touches my car is me, unless it is warranty or Im present.

 

30min to do a drive belt. You know some time is good to get to know your car, or get to know you mech/service tech. Good luck with the fix, and I would try and make the shop pick-up the bill.

 

I'm new to the Lexus crowd but, I can take my Lexus to Toyota for work?
I understand that Toyota makes Lexus but was unaware that it could be serviced there.

Please, straighten me out here cause I have a squeeky belt that I need looked at.

 

Although I have confidence in Toyota and Lexus to be able to do this kind of thing, haven't let them touch it in years to do an oil change. My uncle and I do it. Cheaper, quicker (since we have the tools and know what we are doing), and we alone are ultimately responsible. My uncle even takes the old fluid out and people are happily willing to use my old synthetic oil in their vehicles regardless of issues. Welcome to Mexico.

 

I'm going to tell my GS brothers this. Either take it to Lexus, a trusted mechanic or do it yourself if you are capable. Your GS deserves the best maintenance.

These small shops use crap oil, you are lucky to get a new oil filter and just run by crooks in most cases.

They see a Lexus pull up (or a Benz/BMW) and their ***** gets hard and they see $$$$$$$

Avoid it.

My father (shame on him) took his SC to some lube a few years ago and they didn't screw in the oil nut and didn't change the filter. The car was leaking all the oil in the driveway.

Those guys now can't use their hands to screw in anything.

CROOKS GET KAPUT!!!!!

 

First of all, let it be known, that you do not need to loosen anything to remove the serpentine belt on a 2GS3. Glad you learned your lesson though. I hope you make them pay for the repairs.
Good luck,
-Will

 

Only dealer or exact motorsports for me

 

the bolt on tensioner used to release tension to remove the belt has reverse threads. when you push on the pulley to loosen tension, you are actually tightening the bolt. I don't see how he loosened it.

like others said, keep your GS away from jiffy lube, tire kingdom, midas, express lube etc..

 

Yo SilverGS... You can have a Toyota dealership work on your Lexus... I have, and had no problems.. Actually over here the Toyota people is way cheaper than the Lexus Other than that my friends and I do the work on it!
If you have any mechanical knowledge or a little bit, its not hard to work on cars Repair Manuals are $$$ savers

 

Thanks for the heads-up Vborder!!!

 

While we are on the subject of oil change shop horror stories, here's one. I worked for an Attorney who had a new Lincoln town car. The local "Oil Can Henry's" was the only place to ever touch it. One day, the brakes failed. Towed it to the dealer, they found MOTOR OIL in the master cylinder! The moron grabbed the oil gun instead of the brake fluid gun! Not under warranty, repair bill well over 3K. They had to pretty much replace everything in the brake system. Of course, they denied any responsibility.
The people employed at these places could never make it as tradationa automotive service techs. Do you want to have someone like that working on your car?

 

You're going to laugh, but I've been using Express Oil Change for my oil changes for 10 years and have never had a problem. I've used them for my GS oil changes ever since I got it 3.5 years ago while using Mobil 1 Syn 10W30 and have always had great service and no problems... I don't have work done there though...

 

Actually, considering the number of "Quick Lubes" around nation wide, the number of reported problems is very low. My wife has used them for years. Changing oil in a car is a simple job right up to the time when something is left loose, then bad things happen very quickly.