So I know the Lexus dealership service department is the last place I should be having work done, but this particular job (transmission flush & fill) I want done right with the right fluids, so that's where the car is going. I have one dealership within a half-hour of me, and the other two are about an hour drive. Called around to get quotes, and this is the result:

Close dealer - $350
Far dealer #1 - $850
Far dealer #2 - $180

Obviously going with the $180 option, but just wondering why/how there could be this much variance in costs for the same job? The $350 one doesn't seem that outlandish but how can that other dealer be charging twice that? Any thoughts?

 

WOW! How many quarts are they removing? Outrageous prices for what essentially is an oil change.

 

You didn't mention your mileage but remember for high mileage cars normally you don't want to flush...only drain and fill. I had mine done at Jiffy Lube at 100,000 miles and that was 10 years ago. I'm almost at 230,000 now and other than some slow shifting on cold mornings the transmission shifts fine. That being said I still have my GS400 serviced at the dealer 99% of the time...even though I have an Indy. So I would never say don't go to the dealer. Just clarify with them the procedure they are going to perform on the transmission.

 

I agree with kevin3344.
Pricing retail customer price high, atf type t iv would be $10.00/quart --I'm guessing the dealership cost is in the $3-4 range, if not less--. For a flush they'll need 10 quarts or so. They will put a 'C' tech to connect/disconnect hoses from your car to the machine and flip a button. Do I need to continue?
Our cars have years and mileage on them. Multiple drains and refills would probably be safer, although this can be debated to death.
Each dealership is independently owned and as such they dictate their prices. Without competition prices soar, capitalism 101.

 

I bought a case of OEM Toyota Fluid for about $76 for 12 quarts on Amazon 2 years ago. I just did a drain and fill 4 times on 3 oil changes and the last drain and fill I changed the transmission strainer/filter, cleaned the trans pan magnets and resealed it with new OEM orange Toyota FIPG. Just as stated above multiple drain and fills are better for a transmission with higher mileage as it does not shock the transmission as a power flush would which I highly recommend you avoid.

On the different price points, you need to go over what is actually included because the cheaper places just do a drain and fill and the more expensive places do a complete power flush and will change the transmission strainer/filter as well. Keep in mind most standard transmission holds 12 to 16 quarts of fluid throughout the system but if you just do a drain and fill you will only get about 2 to 3 quarts drained out. Stick with the OEM Toyota transmission fluid for best results.

How many miles are on your GS?

 

Shwalker07: Your mechanical advice is always helpful and well thought out. But it always drives me crazy when someone gratuitously uses the term "price point" when "price" would get the point across to us peons. Just sayin'

 

Lol, I blame a lot of work meetings with power points and people sharing their point of view for it to be over used by me to make a point.

 

Thanks for all of the replies.

For reference, I have around 103k on the odometer of this 2003 GS300. I recently had a trans solenoid replaced at an independent transmission shop and am getting the flush/fill done to make sure all of the fluid in the trans is the right stuff and the same age.

 

Consider going to www.dealerrater.com and looking up the service dept reviews at
each of your intended shops.

 

I did a filter change (dropped pan) and then 14 qt. drain & fill on our '03 GS about a year and a half ago when there was 88k on the odo. Even going through 14 qts. I never got clear fluid - still had the 'black death' in it. Ever since then I've been doing the pan drain & adding 2 new quarts but the fluid remains dark. It now has 108k on it and am concerned that the 'black death' may become a reality and was thinking about a dealer flush. Not a good idea at this stage?

Steve

 

You still have tons of old trans fluid that sits in the torque converter, trans cooler and valve body. When these shops perform a power flush it shocks the transmission loosing up all the dirt/debris that could be helping your transmission run as good as it does now as higher mileage goes on... Even for me after a few drain-n-fills, it still remained dark but it did get redder on the last drain-n-fill which was also when I changed the trans filter and cleaned the magnet in the trans pan.

Is your transmission shifting poorly or acting up?

 

Not really acting up but have noticed some hiccups on steep driveway (?!) and sometimes going into reverse.

Steve

 

Drop both cooler lines, run the suction side in a bucket of clean fresh fluid, discharge side into an empty bucket. Start car, wait till clear fluid comes out.

Sometimes old school ways are best.

NOTE! GS's have a cold min fluid issue that is critical for cold weather operation. So make sure there is a MINIMUM amount of fluid when cold start. Mine always had this odd "kick off into neutral" feeling when I would start at home getting out of the driveway (forward or reverse, didn't matter). Fluid hot was always good. But Checked it COLD, and alas, it was LOW on cold start. Watch for it. The pans are shallow in the GS (hence only 2 quarts comes out on a drain and fill). So in cold it can suck the pan dry really easy.

 

Sounds better than the way I did it, thanks. I'll give that a try.

Steve