PERRYinLA

If I had $60 to spend on an oil change, I'd go to one of those $19.99 lube joints I mentioned above, and with the $40 left over I'd stop at a car wash, and with the $25 I had left I'd find a sports bar with a big screen TV. $25 buys a lot of burgers and beer.

Oh, wait- they only have vinyl seats at my fav sports bar. Never mind.....

ChrisSC300

Its not that i some love for lexus dealership, i just dont trust other places to do it. About 8 months ago a had it changed at like jiffy lube and they ended up not putting in the oil filter correcly and my car leaked oil really bad and i had to add oil around every 4 days. I thought there was something seriously wrong with my car.

PERRYinLA

I'm just jealous, Chris! I don't have $60 to spend on an oil change- hats off to you for having that sort of disposable income!

But no matter who does your oil change, you need to check their work afterwards- there are posts about even dealers screwing up (and posts about dealers using the most junior-level "gofers" to do routine oil-changes).

I not only check my filter for tightness afterwards, I also take a felt-tip marker and draw a line over the filter and engine- that way, if the filter starts to loosen I'll notice it.

One final oil change tip- take the new oil filter and fill it with oil. That way, you don't get those several seconds of no oil pressure as the oil pump fills the new filter. The filter material holds the oil- almost none will spill if you do it properly- in advance. I only do this when I change it myself- I'm too embarrased to ask the "gofer" to do it.

(...but I certainly would if I was paying $60 for it!)

Toog4me

ChrisSC300 ,

1500 for an AC compressor? Some guy wanted to buy an SC and it needed a new AC compressor so i got an estimate from JF Lexus in Beverly Hills and the price was something in the 200s, no where neer 1500...

4HUN

I got my A/C comp. replaced not to long ago at Lexus of Melbourne for 1300. I also got my 60k mile service at 80k. They did the timing and adjusted, and shimmed, where needed, my valves. This was my biggest bill, 1900. Ouch. O well, it still drives like new though. Well worth it.

Hey ChrisSC300, I usually go to Lex of Jax. You gotta love the way they treat you.

lex400sc

Ack, pesky old valve timing! I think I need mine adjusted soon because I hear a ticking. But who knows, it could just be the sound of a belt running.

BimmerLexus

At least they should have given you a valid reason...not just because it's a Lexus.

If they said the extra $10 was because you have a V8 and the $19.99 price reflected work done on a 4 cyl or 6 cyl that would make sense. Also, the plastic engine shroud or what ever it is called that has to be removed under the car before you do any work...that takes labor.

Those are valid reasons for a $10 up charge....

Not strictly because it is a Lexus....that's bull!

lex400sc

So are you saying they'd charge a Tundra SR5 V8 owner $10 more than a Tundra Limited owner? The 4Runner and probably other 4x4 Toyotas have the same shroud/skid plate under the engine bay as well. The service guy specifically said the $10 upcharge was soley because he had a Lexus, which I think is BS.

BTW, Din has an SC300 5-speed----same exact drivetrain as a Toyota Supra NA to the T.

Din

I do have a SC300 not 5speed though.

I took my car to some oil change place and they didnt even have to take the bottem plastic cover off.

lex400sc

That is true too. The oil filter is visible and reachable without removing the shroud as is the screw. The shroud pieces are held on by like 40 screws, it'd be hell to remove and cost a whole hell of a lot more than $10 in labor.

Din

There are only 2 Toyota dealers that are close to me and one has a sisster Lexus dealer so when I went there they told me to take it to their Lexus dealer. Im pretty much stuck out.

BimmerLexus

Valve adjustment? I didn't think my SC400 needed valve adjustment. I thought they were self adjusting....

You learn something new every day.

Joe

Toog4me

Speaking of service at lexus dealers, when i brought mine in during game 1 of lakers vs. nets, they had a party and cattered food... it was pretty nice... BMW and Mercedes never did this.

2JZ-GTE SC

I usually use 10W30 oil... I wanted to switch to synthetic, but a friend told me not to because it would just make the engine depend on the synthetic from now on (plus the fact that it will be a lot more expensive). Here in California, an oil change is about $45 at a Lexus dealer while it is only $19.99 at the Toyota dealer right across the driveway. I have heard the "because it is a Lexus" line fromt eh salesman a million times and people will just jack up the price more becasue they think that you can afford it. I just go to Jiffy Lube to do my oil change, even though its more expensive, I get a free car wash for around $25.

lex400sc

Self-adjusting valves appeared in the 1998 models with VVTi (variable valve timing) along with new hydraulic valves. It's a real ***** too because our engines are DOHC and the valves are tucked away underneath.


2JZ-GTE SC, I prefer 5W30 because it heats up my engine faster. An especially good function in my mediterrainean climate.