Lexus Newbie Here - Venice Florida
12-03-10, 05:47 AM
#16
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Just for the heck of it, I called my local Lexus and Toyota dealerships to get estimates for the service work I need. Both dealers came in at the same price of $1,400 - $1,450.00 for the Timing Belt, Water pump and valve cover gaskets. I am glad I have a trusted mechanic in Port Charlotte who is doing all the same work for $870. 
12-03-10, 05:31 PM
#19
srqmark,
Your mechanic is giving you a good, fair price. I had timing belt, water pump and coolant changed last month for $700 here in Charlotte, NC. Inlcuding the valve cover gaskets for the difference seems reasonable.
Good luck with your new ride and Welcome!
Your mechanic is giving you a good, fair price. I had timing belt, water pump and coolant changed last month for $700 here in Charlotte, NC. Inlcuding the valve cover gaskets for the difference seems reasonable.
Good luck with your new ride and Welcome!
12-30-10, 03:28 PM
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Service Update
I took my SC430 in for the timing belt, water pump and valve cover gaskets today. This is the breakdown of the bill:
Timing Belt $70.00
Water Pump $115.00
Valve Cover Gaskets $80.00
Coolant $30.00
Labor $575.00
Total time in the shop 7 hours.
I looked at the timing belt and it did show some wear, my mechanic also checked out the spark plugs (since my valve cover gaskets were leaking) and they were perfect (currently I have 70,000 miles on her). The water pump showed no signs of leakage either. But now I have a piece of mind.
The Lexus dealer and Toyota dealer wanted $1,450.00!
Timing Belt $70.00
Water Pump $115.00
Valve Cover Gaskets $80.00
Coolant $30.00
Labor $575.00
Total time in the shop 7 hours.
I looked at the timing belt and it did show some wear, my mechanic also checked out the spark plugs (since my valve cover gaskets were leaking) and they were perfect (currently I have 70,000 miles on her). The water pump showed no signs of leakage either. But now I have a piece of mind.
The Lexus dealer and Toyota dealer wanted $1,450.00!
12-31-10, 09:07 AM
#22
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Welcome from Kansas City area, srqmark. Just caught up with this thread and noted the great difference between dealer and third party garage charges. I am wondering if some of that disparity (besides the difference in margin) is whether the Toyota and Lexus garages might have proposed to replace your belt idlers and tensioner. On a 70K mile engine that would be pretty much automatic. In addition, they might have proposed a new serpentine belt if it somehow hadn't been replaced already. At dealer prices, those items alone could have added another $300. Glad you have it fixed - now you can sleep easy (or at least worry about something else)!
12-31-10, 10:12 AM
#23
The timing belt part itself is reasonable and labor is nearly half what Lexus charges. Our local dealer sells the timing belt kit for 2x what you paid. The dealer labor is appx $600-$800 depending on where you live. Our cost in Dallas area is about $300 less than your dealer. Valve cover gaskets are easily 3x what you paid as well based on the list price I am seeing at dealer online right now. If it's only Lexus dealer in town-they can charge whatever they want! All in all, I'd say you got a GREAT deal and in summary the savings was in three places: The timing belt kit, the valve cover gaskets and the labor. 
I had a 93 GS300 back in 1998 that needed the timing belt service and even back then 13 years ago it was close to $1k at Lexus dealers.
I had a 93 GS300 back in 1998 that needed the timing belt service and even back then 13 years ago it was close to $1k at Lexus dealers.
12-31-10, 03:14 PM
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Welcome from Kansas City area, srqmark. Just caught up with this thread and noted the great difference between dealer and third party garage charges. I am wondering if some of that disparity (besides the difference in margin) is whether the Toyota and Lexus garages might have proposed to replace your belt idlers and tensioner. On a 70K mile engine that would be pretty much automatic. In addition, they might have proposed a new serpentine belt if it somehow hadn't been replaced already. At dealer prices, those items alone could have added another $300. Glad you have it fixed - now you can sleep easy (or at least worry about something else)!
The timing belt part itself is reasonable and labor is nearly half what Lexus charges. Our local dealer sells the timing belt kit for 2x what you paid. The dealer labor is appx $600-$800 depending on where you live. Our cost in Dallas area is about $300 less than your dealer. Valve cover gaskets are easily 3x what you paid as well based on the list price I am seeing at dealer online right now. If it's only Lexus dealer in town-they can charge whatever they want! All in all, I'd say you got a GREAT deal and in summary the savings was in three places: The timing belt kit, the valve cover gaskets and the labor.
I had a 93 GS300 back in 1998 that needed the timing belt service and even back then 13 years ago it was close to $1k at Lexus dealers.
I had a 93 GS300 back in 1998 that needed the timing belt service and even back then 13 years ago it was close to $1k at Lexus dealers.
I read the DIY thread earlier on the how to change the timing belt... I am pretty handy, but was not going to attempt this one
01-01-11, 07:03 AM
#26
If you live in Arizona..
Once again, I wanted to make everyone in my area aware of a truly FANTASTIC
third party Lexus Master Certified shop.. at half the cost.
http://www.lexsautotech.com/
Tell Paul I said HI.. He is even open two Saturdays a month, and has a loaner
for you.
On our Lexus cars, I can't begin to tell you how much he has saved us, as well as his knowledge of the vehicles. Next door. is Toyauto..these are great
people as well.
Katy
third party Lexus Master Certified shop.. at half the cost.
http://www.lexsautotech.com/
Tell Paul I said HI.. He is even open two Saturdays a month, and has a loaner
for you.
On our Lexus cars, I can't begin to tell you how much he has saved us, as well as his knowledge of the vehicles. Next door. is Toyauto..these are great
people as well.
Katy
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