TPMS is indicating low pressure, but all pressures are ok, so I take it over to the shop where I got the runflats. I tell the owner what's wrong and he calls a guy to bring out the portable r/f detector. While he's checking the tires, we chew the fat and walk around with the guy. Unfortunately he can't get the detector to work on any tires. (He shows me how to work it on another car's tires). 25 mins of their time and no charge "You bought the tires here and we couldn't get it to work, so I'd feel guilty charging you". So I'm off to the dealer. There are 3 greeters in the service area, who basically introduce me to my service manager put down mats, and move my car. All I want to know is if there is a reset to hit or a bad sensor, and if so, which one. My service manager guides me through the process, and I am off to the library to wait (choosing this over the media room and the business center). I eat free cookies and have a drink. The concierges (2 of them) ask me if I need anything else. 1.5 hours later the service manager comes to get me. There is a sensor out and they will be happy to replace it for $334. They charge me $36 for telling me this. The mechanic leaves me a nice thank you note. I go back to my tire shop, and the owner calls around and finds a Lexus sensor for $120, and NO CHARGE for installing it. "Heck all you gotta do is break the bead, put it in, and rebalance it, and you did get the tires here". I understand I'll need to go back to he dealer to have them program the monitor for the new sensor (I think, right?) But I'll do it when I'm really hungry. As usual, I get a call 2 days later asking me about my "service experience" and to look for a questionnaire. OK, so I know these are luxury cars and the dealer is on par with my BMW dealer. BUT PUHLEASE, greeters? concierges? library? snack bars? That's where my $334 goes. Give me an actual car guy to talk to, someone who's honest and nice and unassuming, a plastic chair, some greasy magazines, the standard fake paneling, and I'm perfectly happy. But I can't get all that into the questionnaire Lexus will send me. So I'll say yeah the service was perfect. Ok, end of rant. Sorry guys....

 

That was too funny. I haven't been in a Lexus dealership as I go to Davenport Motors and I believe the only fancy thing I'm paying extra for is the coffee. I can live with that.

 

The Tires Shop in my area sell the TPMS for $90.00 each incl. program ( after market)

 

Pretty funny and so true! Lexus is really going too far with these costs!

 

This is why I had this system disabled! Good luck.

 

I don't know about you, but I have driven many years w/o a little light to tell me if a tire is too low. The SC has a cable under the console that you can unplug that will disable the tmps system. Its worked for me for 4 years now! COST=$0

 

I just replaced my headlight bulbs. Lexus wanted $260 per bulb plus $245 labor to replace them. I bought the exact same bulbs on Amazon for $50 each and paid Toyota $100 to install them (you either have to drop the bumper or be a contortionist with very small hands to do it yourself). In the end, I paid about $210 total. Lexus wanted just over $700 including tax.

 

Where I come from, one company owns both the Lexus dealership and the Toyota dealership and they sit side by side. Wondering if the Toyota dealership would be willing to do the work or if they would tell me to go next door. Haven't had the car long enough to check this out.

 

Barncat, I've been wondering the same thing, while mine are not next door to each other they do have the same owner and I really don't like or trust the Lexus side from past experiences!

 

my local Bay Ridge Toyota/Lexus have their service center two blocks away next to my work place. I honestly never saw a Lexus being service in Toyota and like wise the other way around. Also, I think they have so many business that they only service Toyota & Lexus now

 

lexus is going to charge you like 115 to program it, you could have gotten it off Sewell for around 80 but then you would have had to wait a little bit, I usually buy them from sewell and then have toyota program them for 50 bucks, I think they charge like 15 bucks or so to unmount the tire and put the sensor in.

 

I would get a after market set that display PSI number in each wheel. I don't like the OEM warning <--- I pull the plug on my SC

 

Lexus was developed to be a reliable luxury company and was designed very carefully to be an example of high end service to the people who could afford the price tag. My first luxury car where their service department was also high end. I appreciate being coddled, but then again my warranty company gets to pay the tab. I actually miss that type of service when I take the wife's Infiniti in and when I take my odyssey in its like take a number. Another difference is my Lexus loaner is always a top of the line Lexus, Infiniti gives us a lower model Infiniti , and Honda lets you call a car rental company. You get what you pay for. Once my warranty is no longer in effect, I will go back to my small shop mechanic and forego the luxuries or maybe look for another low mileage SC.

 

yeh lexus is way to expensive for minor things. i wound up getting my sensors from tire rack and installed at toyota for half the price lexus wanted.

 

So is this right... If I get the Lexus TPM from Sewell, will it still need to be programmed at the dealer? Or does that only apply to aftermarket TPMs? I'm still trying to decide whether to replace this one to keep the system original, but then look to replace all of them eventually, or chuck it and unplug the monitor and replace it with a whole new system. I do really want TPMS with run flats.