I've just purchased a 2010 RX450h and the dealer is offerring a 50,000 mile service contract for about $1,900. Covers all standard maintenance except tire realignment. I'll get to 50,000 miles in about 3 years. Dealer says the price is about 40% less than pay as you go. I've previously owned RXs and I don't see a big savings. Dealer says synthetic oil change every 10,000 miles adds cost I didn't have with my previous RX. Any thoughts out there? Thanks.

 

I'd suggest going on your dealer website under service and see what they charge. For my dealer, minor service (5K) is $124. The major services are every 15K and vary depending on mileage - 30/45/60/etc. The cost is somewhere between $300 and $600 for them. So that would mean maybe 8 minor services and three major services for 50K which would bring you to around $2200. Sure, it is a bit north of $1,900 but not by 40%.

My dealer has coupons and discounts for service all the time including percentage off and free alignment with tire purchase. So I rarely pay the full cost. My SA takes care of me

Congrats on your 450h and welcome to CL!

 

thanks Anita. This is very helpful.

 

If you plan to go to the dealership anyways for every maintenance, then my thought is you might as well because there probably is some sort of savings. However, I dislike how a majority of that price is for labor and not for other maintenance such as brake pads etc.

 

An even better solution is to get a Lexus Pursuits Visa card and use it for your day to day purchases which get you credits which you can use at a Lexus dealer for service, parts or towards a new Lexus. I've had the card since 2008 and racked up over $700 in credits which I use for oil changes and other incidentals. I've never spent a dime out of my own pocket for service. And when I bought our new RX this month I put $10,000 of the down payment on the card which netted me another $500 in service credits. There is no need to be paying for service.

http://www.lexusfinancial.com/consum...bel=pg_LPVHome

 

Hope you like the new car, I just picked up an 2011 RX 450h and will take it to an Toyota store after the first oil change. You can pick up your on oil if you like and bring it to them so you do not have to pay the dealer mark up on the oil. Yes you will not get a car while they are working on yours at Toyota but the oil change is < 1 hour with tire rotation. Just had my 2010 Camry done and it would have been $60 dollars for all that (oil change and rotation along with all the checks). Wish that Lexus would had had 2 years of free service like Toyota did for new cars.

 

thanks to all who posted responses. Other options suggested are very helpful. I decided not to go with the service agreement.

 

I think that was a good call.

 

Same here, had my Lexus Pursuits Visa since Dec 07, and have used the rewards pts to pay for my 10k, 20k & 30k services on my 3GS. Since then my dealer got wise and only allowed $500 on the cc for my 450h - balance had to be paid by check. Since the 1st oil change will be comped, I won't have to worry til 20k service, so by then I should have built up my rewards pts . . .

 

I was able to put 2k down for the down payment when I ordered the car. Now that I have the 450h I will go back to my Hilton HHonors American Express for points there.