MOT success

[Fishboy]

The 4th one for my Lexus which has just passed the 100k mark. The MOT tester said it feels like a new car when he took it out, no advisories. 

Be warned though, he had an 06 plate IS sat outside, apparently it is a local traders car which had been sat on the forecourt for the last few months, the brakes have siezed up solid, they have had a go at freeing them off with no success so far, so remember folks get your brake callipers maintained as they aren't including in the Lexus schedule.

 

[cidersteve]

well done Fishboy , what a good record 

[Bluesman]

Well done, another year of blissful motoring.

[djkenn]

Yikes. I just invested in a 60k service at Lexus Ipswich, made a sensible cost by the fact that I had the spark plugs changed during the fuel seal recall, and I was pleased that they couldn't find anything else to charge me for. I had assumed a brake test would include callipers?  Anyone know?

[Fishboy]

Don't bank on it. It also looks like the main dealers just replace calipers rather than refurbishing them but given their labour rates it's probably more economical for them just to change them.

[Linas.P]

Or you get your calipers "professionally" refurbished to the level exceeding the quality of new ones with 5-years warranty by the firms which specialises in that sort of thing.

On the topic, I believe Lexus only "visually" inspects the Calipers, together with measuring rotors and pads, which doesn't include any "maintenance" as such e.g. greasing the slider pins or so.If you want to maintain calipers you either have to use independent garage, do them yourself or once in 3 years pay Lexus dearly for replacement.

[Verbout]

The check of the calipers I believe is more visual, to see if the pins slide, if they don't they're condemned out of hand as mentioned above. 

New calipers are then recommended.

 Bugger Linas beat me to it.

[doog442]

On 03/02/2017 at 7:15 PM, Fishboy said:

The 4th one for my Lexus which has just passed the 100k mark. The MOT tester said it feels like a new car when he took it out, no advisories. 

 

Where did he take it out to  .....recall an MOT station snotting my Lancia down the road..barstewards.

Did Lexus ever sort out this caliper issue ?

[Linas.P]

12 hours ago, doog442 said:

Did Lexus ever sort out this caliper issue ?

I don't think Lexus would ever sort it out, it is inherited design weakness of mk2 IS i.e. undersized brakes. So brake components does overtime which results in all components wearing out much quicker. In a way.. yes they sorted it out in the next model ...mk3 from 2013 onward, because obviously you have completely different system in hybrids with regenerative braking... though not too sure about IS/RC200t.

Obviously, Lexus could include additional maintenance step for say extra £50 per service to properly clean and grease calipers at least taking this part out of fire, but here is the issue - Lexus is trying to be competitive with their service price and brake calipers is disposable part for them, which time wise takes as much time to clean as it would take to replace (and as you know their hourly rates are on high side).

Finally, new set of calipers cost ~£700 and last without extra maintenance ~60k/5years (that is kind of most they can last)... So considering it being premium brand I guess they work it out:

1. None of they "core" client would drive car for that many miles

2. The cost is going to be generally acceptable in comparison to the car value/other brands maintenance

3. It is going to last warranty period... sort of.

So either as an owner you pick up the slack of you pick up £700 bill in 5y/60k intervals - which ever you found more appropriate. Obviously, it can be done as good if not better for ~£300 outside of Lexus realm.