Very weird! What was their excuse or reasoning?

 

I am getting a timing belt done at a Toyota dealer versus a Lexus dealer. I was told they have Lexus trained technicians with 15 years experience. 605 verus 800 for belt, pump and serp belt.

 

I found the same with Toyota dealers in California. Ditto for a buddy who lives in NV. They will not service a lexus vehicle. They claimed it was for warranty reasons, but my guess the real reason is most lexus & toyota dealers are under the same auto group umbrella, so if Toyota were to service lexus vehicles, it would rob service revenue from lexus. Here in Tucson, the main Toyota dealer is under different ownership than the lexus dealer, so they are more than willing to work on your lexus as long as it isn't something specific to that model (ie, standard maintenance).

 

Lexus is great, but I wonder if their cost-be-damned business model will hold up. I have a tire shop for the tires and oil changes ($50/synthetic oil) and an independent for most everything else. The plus side for Lexus is they're right across the street from my work so I can choose convenience or price.

 

I guess if I wanted convenience AND price, I'd just buy a fleet of old domestic cars. My 02 Dakota chore truck needs a new belt tensioner (and probably serp belt). I emailed my daughter and she is having her husband, a mechanic, come to the house later this week, pick up some cash from the kitchen counter, and make the repairs in my driveway. She says he stays busy because they have lots of friends with crappy cars.

 

I dont know if you have Nav or not..but in mine the toyota dealers come up on the service menu...if you have nav i would bring that screen up and drive to the toyota dealer and show him. They have the oil and filters that you would get at a lexus dealer.

 

Now I have a local Toyota dealer and I took my 430 in to have the rear taillights changed. They whispered in my ear that they had a tech that had 10 years Lexus experience and that they would be more than happy to service my car.

 

I checked prices on installation of springs/struts at my Local Toyota Dealer and local Lexus Dealer (Owned by two different people).

It ran $596 in labor alone to put a whole new set of struts/springs at Lexus (Including a free Loaner for the day)...

$900 for just labor at the Toyota Dealer (With no Loaner... although I could rent one of their Toyota Corollas for $70 a day)

No brainer there.

 

If word gets out on this we'll start seeing a bunch of Toyota's at the Lexus dealer. Then they'll run out of free loaner cars and bagels!

 

LMAO!

Well said

 

Its funny cause when i got my LS 430 serviced at the Toyota dealer they gave me a little a** prius. I looked like really you dont have anything bigger, they were like thats it. Long story short it drove pretty smooth but couldnt wait to get my baby back. I didnt realize how much i love my tint into i was riding around in that prius (fishbowl). Maybe next time ill go to lexus dealer lmao.

 

i'll never take it to Toyota dealer, i rather take it to independent mechanic before I take it to Toyota.