Intermediate Service

[PCM]

My RX is booked into Lexus for an Intermediate service next month ( and MOT ).

Gosh, it's an expensive oil change - and not much more ...!

[ColinBarber]

Lexus service pricing has become stupidly expensive. The following shows what they should be doing - this replaces what may be listed in your service book:

http://www.lexus.co.uk/img/Lexus-Service-Checklists_tcm880-1321794.pdf

For your age of vehicle you can use essentials servicing which should reduce the price from £275 to £179. The work carried out is as follows:

http://www.lexus.co.uk/img/Lexus-Essential-Care-Service-Content-1014_tcm880-1323585.pdf

[ChrisKaye]

Let us know what advisories they give you on the MoT, bet you a badger there's at least 2, with one being £350+ to fix!!

As you have the same age RX as me, these are a couple of things that I need to sort on mine for mot in 3 months time, they are age and wear related so I would expect the same for yours...

Do you know what sort of condition your oil cooler metal pipes are in (located under the radiator above the first bit of plastic under tray under the nose of the car)? (Pic attached)

It's about 40-50quid and is prone to corroding where it is located (to the point it leaks/weeps ATM fluid) barely noticeable as drips on driveway but MoT failure, I believe.

The other thing is exhaust mounting brackets, one of mine (a metal hook welded to exhaust and attaches to a rubber mount on the underside of car) by the last rear back box has totally corroded away but exhaust itself is sound still and remaining fixings are firm.

Some useful RX owner here suggested using Jubilee clips to reattach the section with the broken hook to the rubber mount but I found some great stainless steel "cable tie" fixings which should arrive soon. Not an MoT failure but an advisory none the less.

Other than that, check your brake discs aren't scored, uneven tyre wear/tread depth, lights/horn/wipers/washer jets work, and fingers crossed!! :)

Chris

[ChrisKaye]

Colin,

Speaking to my local Poole Lexus sales chap, he curses the Gen II RX as he can't coax any of his previous customers to part with theirs to upgrade them to a newer generation!

Makes me think this could be a similar story around the country and why Lexus have decided to make servicing the older cars so expensive - any items need doing that cost an arm and a leg is a good sales angle to get customers to upgrade...

"Sure, you could fix that light bulb for £2000 BUT if we give you £x thousand as a part exchange you could use that repair money against 3 months of lease payments on a NEW shiny RX!!"

Lol...!

Whilst the current RX may not have been such an attractive proposition to entice current Gen II RX owners, I think the forthcoming new RX model certainly will be!

What do you think?

Chris

[ColinBarber]

People like the Gen II RX. It is arguable better looking than the Gen III and some people want the petrol engine / auto transmission option. The biggest factor was probably the price hike that came along with the Gen III. Lexus went from selling over 4,000 RXs per year during the prime years of the Gen II to around 2,000 per year for the current RX, except for 3,000 during the initial launch year.

I don't think they have deliberately made the costs high on their older vehicles. The parts where always priced high, essentially associated with the list price of the vehicle and servicing costs have gone up across the whole range and whether the vehicle is new or old.

From what we are hearing the new RX is going to be another jump in cost, probably too much for many existing Gen II owners to afford and the vehicle itself is going to be bigger again. For Gen I and possibly Gen II owners the equivalent current vehicle is the NX, not the RX.

[PCM]

... the seller of the RX I bought, was replacing it with an NX.

[PCM]

Let us know what advisories they give you on the MoT, bet you a badger there's at least 2, with one being £350+ to fix!!

Chris

I claim my badger ( see above ).

MOT and service at Lexus Hatfield today.

No advisories, no extra work needed.

Just great service and hospitality.

[rayaans]

People like the Gen II RX. It is arguable better looking than the Gen III and some people want the petrol engine / auto transmission option. The biggest factor was probably the price hike that came along with the Gen III. Lexus went from selling over 4,000 RXs per year during the prime years of the Gen II to around 2,000 per year for the current RX, except for 3,000 during the initial launch year.

I don't think they have deliberately made the costs high on their older vehicles. The parts where always priced high, essentially associated with the list price of the vehicle and servicing costs have gone up across the whole range and whether the vehicle is new or old.

From what we are hearing the new RX is going to be another jump in cost, probably too much for many existing Gen II owners to afford and the vehicle itself is going to be bigger again. For Gen I and possibly Gen II owners the equivalent current vehicle is the NX, not the RX.

Im still grabbing one though albeit an ex-demo lol

The essentials servicing is good value IMO. Especially considering Kwik Fit charge £150 for intermediate service - that was 5 years ago on my RX300. They charge £118 for my wife's Merc with a manager discount LOL!

[ChrisKaye]

Bet you they actually change the air filter tho, and not just "inspect it"!

PCM, badger is in the post, have used Hermes, so no guarantee it'll be moving when you EVENTUALLY get it! ;)

Good to hear yours is clear for another year tho!

[PCM]

Bet you they actually change the air filter tho, and not just "inspect it"!

PCM, badger is in the post, have used Hermes, so no guarantee it'll be moving when you EVENTUALLY get it! ;)

Good to hear yours is clear for another year tho!

Nope - no filter needed. Just the quoted price...

Badger might arrive today?

[billgatesisaconman]

My RX is booked into Lexus for an Intermediate service next month ( and MOT ).

Gosh, it's an expensive oil change - and not much more ...!

Don't forget the complientary wash & vac ... ;-) ... I take it's an essentials service ?

[PCM]

My RX is booked into Lexus for an Intermediate service next month ( and MOT ).

Gosh, it's an expensive oil change - and not much more ...!

Don't forget the complientary wash & vac ... ;-) ... I take it's an essentials service ?

And the free Wine Gum(!), and tea, and biscuits, and tyre shine...

It was an Intermediate/Minor...

[PCM]

Bet you they actually change the air filter tho, and not just "inspect it"!

PCM, badger is in the post, have used Hermes, so no guarantee it'll be moving when you EVENTUALLY get it! ;)

Good to hear yours is clear for another year tho!

Follow up call from Lexus to check I'm happy, AND Badger arrived today in post. Thank you.

http://www.american-automobiles.com/images/Badger-1910.jpg