calvin2376

iTrader: (2)

I'm dying to get the F-Sport sway bars for my 2007 IS350 (mainly the rear). It's CPO, with an extended VSA warranty. I know that if I were to buy the sway bars from the dealer and have Lexus install them, they'd be covered under the warranty same as all the other parts for the same amount of time. However, the dealer here only sells the sway bars as a kit (when I really only want the rear) and he quoted me about $650 for the parts alone, not including install. Sewell appears to have the rear bar for about $200.

The options seem to be 1) buy them from the dealer and have them install (don't want to do this because it's very expensive), 2) buy the parts from Sewell and have a dealer install them, 3) buy the parts from Sewell and install them myself/have a different shop install them, 4) buy the parts from a CL member and install myself/have shop install them.

Some questions:

1) Does anyone have experience with warranty coverage issues on sway bars they didn't purchase new from a dealer and have them install?

2) What's a dealer charge typically to install them?

3) If I buy the parts new (from Sewell, for example) and have the dealer install, will it be covered by my warranty or just for 12 months, or something else?

4) If I buy them not from the dealer and install them myself/have a shop do it, then my warranty still holds in full it just wouldn't cover the sway bars or any damage caused by failure of them, is that correct? Can you imagine a scenario where the sway bar failed and caused some other damage that I'd then be on the hook for?

Any other thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated, as I'm new to the IS, Lexus warranties, and modding.

jbjones85

iTrader: (20)

1) the only way installing the rear sway yourself would void any part of the warranty would be if the dealer could prove that whatever was wrong was directly caused by the sway.... which I can't think of anything that the sway could cause damage to.
2) I would image its an hourly rate of around $90 and it should only take an hour
3) Depends on the dealer but I would think so since its a lexus part installed at a Lexus dealer.... Might even show your dealer the price and see if they will match it. Mine did on oil filters.
4) see #1.


Go for it, I just got mine in the mail (well UPS) the other day and i'm waiting for the weather to warm up some so I can put it on.

Sffd103

iTrader: (16)

Buy it from Sewell and install it yourself or have another shop install it. I can see no possible damage caused by a direct bolt on part made by Lexus.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

The rear bar takes like 15 minutes to install yourself with a buddy... the front takes more like 30-45 minutes since you have to remove/replace a couple of plastic covers under the car but it's still incredibly easy.

Unless you forget to tighten the bolts or something I can't think of a scenario where you'd have a problem with them, and the 12 month warranty on all F-sport parts is more than sufficient. NO need whatsoever to let the dealer rape you for this mod.

If you're completely terrified of doing your own work any shop in the world with a lift should be able to do this for you for 1 hour of labor (no way in hell I'd pay more... if I'd had a lift we could've done the entire job in like 30 minutes front AND rear).

calvin2376

iTrader: (2)

Can you tell me about this 12-month warranty on F-sport parts? When I clicked "warranty on Sewell I got nothing. I assume this is just 12-months of warranty coverage for the parts alone? What if you install it yourself, does it still apply? Do they make any other stipulations?

If you could link me to info on the F-sport parts warranty that'd be great, I couldn't find it on Sewell.

calvin2376

iTrader: (2)

Also, just talked to the dealer nearest me and they said it calls for 3 hours to install the rear sway alone at a cost of $345 labor only (!!!) but that it usually only takes 2 hours (!).

Clearly this is absurd, and I told the service person as much when I called. If I had the space and tools (I live in a city and park on the street) I'd do it myself in 30 minutes following the DIY.

But given I don't have the space or tools, and that if I have a Lexus dealer install it then it's covered by warranty, I'd like to have it done at a dealer. I'm even willing to pay a full hour of labor for it, but no more.

Does anyone have experience with dealers installing ONLY the rear sway bar, how long it took and what it cost? I'd drive to a different dealer if they could do it in an hour.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

http://www.lexus.com/models/IS/f-sport/

Click on "F-sport equipment warranty" and scroll down to see: