Lexus 60,000/120,000 mile service - GS450h

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

Hi all,

My GS450 is due it's 12th service (it's circa 90,000 miles but that is the srvice it has reached).  The total cost of the service is £745 (before my discount) so is the biggest service of them all.

Any idea what is in it, what will be done/changed and what the additional cost will be?  They said it is likely to take all day as there is a lot of labour involved in the service.

As the car is 11 years old in November, and technically I could be using the Minor/Major service from the Essential Care Package but not sure that will be anywhere near as comprehensive.  The car is under Lexus Warranty until the start of August 2018 thankfully.

Any thoughts, or anyone actually have the list of work the technician does on the service to justify the price?  I already have the lists of items, which are available on the website, but these are not specific to 60 or 120,000 miles.

Brian.

[Zotto]

Probably spark plugs change and some more check. May be some fluids change too.

[Farqui]

Luigi's right, the extra 60k items are; plugs, timing belt*, diesel filter*

*model dependent

On the https://www.lexus.co.uk/owners/servicing-and-maintenance/#ServicingYourLexus page, choose the 'Lexus Service Checklists' to see the side by side comparison of 60k vs 100k, etc 

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

Mmmm...mine does not have a timing belt or diesel filter.  

it's all the checks I'd like to know about to justify £4-500 more than the last service, which included filters, oils and brake fluid etc...

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

9 hours ago, Farqui said:

On the https://www.lexus.co.uk/owners/servicing-and-maintenance/#ServicingYourLexus page, choose the 'Lexus Service Checklists' to see the side by side comparison of 60k vs 100k, etc 

Thanks - I have been through all of that info, but really looking to get a properly comprehensive "why does this cost £745" list followed by the technician, versus the £220 less Essential Care Major service for cars over 5 years old...

[rayaans]

On 8/18/2017 at 11:51 PM, Diesel Do Nicely Brian said:

Thanks - I have been through all of that info, but really looking to get a properly comprehensive "why does this cost £745" list followed by the technician, versus the £220 less Essential Care Major service for cars over 5 years old...

Its the spark plugs that are changed.

The essential care major service does not include the price of spark plugs. There will be 6 spark plugs - about £10 each from Lexus so that would be about £60. Rest is labour - its a 2 hour job apparently. Half the engine is disassembed because its a PITA to get to them. Then they'll need gap adjustment

I believe they charge £150 or so to do the spark plugs alone but you can't really compare to essential care servicing as its not labelled an essential care service.

[Zotto]

Spark plugs are far more expensive, being iridium type and sold by Lexus (online they are cheaper). In service there is also auto transmission fluids change.

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

Thanks Gents.  Hopefully the extra expense will be worth it - I am working hard on getting the car back to as close to new quality as possible.

Another £57 of parts at the weekend for a couple of specific clips, a new cup holder insert and touch up kit.

[Britprius]

9 hours ago, rayaans said:

Its the spark plugs that are changed.

The essential care major service does not include the price of spark plugs. There will be 6 spark plugs - about £10 each from Lexus so that would be about £60. Rest is labour - its a 2 hour job apparently. Half the engine is disassembed because its a PITA to get to them. Then they'll need gap adjustment

I believe they charge £150 or so to do the spark plugs alone but you can't really compare to essential care servicing as its not labelled an essential care service.

The plugs on the GS450H are easy to get at and change only requiring the engine top covers to be removed, and one bolt holding the coils. It took me well less than an hour to change mine including an oil, and filter change.

These plugs in the Toyota cars are changed every 120,000 miles, and are removed, checked, threads lubricated, "yes I did say lubricated" and refitted at 60,000 miles according to the service schedule for the Prius for instance. The reason for removing at 60,000 is given as to stop them seizing in.

If the plugs were changed at 60,000 miles the one now fitted have only done 30,000 miles. Since they do not deteriorate with age only miles there is no reason to change them.

John 

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

Thanks John.

[ColinBarber]

20 hours ago, rayaans said:

I believe they charge £150 or so to do the spark plugs alone but you can't really compare to essential care servicing as its not labelled an essential care service.

I haven't seen a recent post about the cost Lexus charge for plugs but I believe it to be around £17 - £18 each (possibly + VAT). You can pick up the OEM plugs for around £10 each from most stockists.

As with oil, the dealer have high margins on these parts.

[rayaans]

9 hours ago, ColinBarber said:

I haven't seen a recent post about the cost Lexus charge for plugs but I believe it to be around £17 - £18 each (possibly + VAT). You can pick up the OEM plugs for around £10 each from most stockists.

As with oil, the dealer have high margins on these parts.

I think its £17-18 with VAT. It was £15 a few years ago. I haggled them down on my older RX though to £10 each but that was in 2015 so probably gone up to around £12-13 if you haggle. 

 

[rob_clio172]

120k service will be...

 oil, oil filter, engine air filter, spark plugs, a/c filter, rear diff oil, rear brake strip down and clean. No brake fluid as you say its 11yrs old and brake fluid is every 2yrs. 

[derkins]

Has anyone got a definitive "this was done" on a GS 450h following this 100k major, £750 service?

It all seems a bit "this should be done" based off the website list...but the get-out of "model dependent" throws the GS hybrid v GS standard into a confusing state of will MY GS get all that it needs and not what takes somebody's fancy.

Beyond simple oil and filters there is a lot of 'checking' and not a lot of 'doing' on the list. I'd like to see diff oil and transmission fluid done at 100k. All of the coolants and other fluids changed and the known problems for these engines checked such as timing / vvt gear and valve clearance requiring a bit of actual work to justify the cost but alas the chance of all that is probably wishful thinking!

I'll drop a grand if it's going to add to the life of the car...but I'm not paying for a feel good valet and a splash of fuel in the tank...and my local dealership although well reviewed by many here were a tad unhelpful and generally a bit of a pissy tone to emails as it's not been serviced by them for some time (independently).

[rob_clio172]

1 hour ago, derkins said:

Has anyone got a definitive "this was done" on a GS 450h following this 100k major, £750 service?

It all seems a bit "this should be done" based off the website list...but the get-out of "model dependent" throws the GS hybrid v GS standard into a confusing state of will MY GS get all that it needs and not what takes somebody's fancy.

Beyond simple oil and filters there is a lot of 'checking' and not a lot of 'doing' on the list. I'd like to see diff oil and transmission fluid done at 100k. All of the coolants and other fluids changed and the known problems for these engines checked such as timing / vvt gear and valve clearance requiring a bit of actual work to justify the cost but alas the chance of all that is probably wishful thinking!

I'll drop a grand if it's going to add to the life of the car...but I'm not paying for a feel good valet and a splash of fuel in the tank...and my local dealership although well reviewed by many here were a tad unhelpful and generally a bit of a pissy tone to emails as it's not been serviced by them for some time (independently).

60k or 120k is the big 1s, vvt gear and valve clearances are pointless checking unless there is an issue. Fortunatly lexus/toyota built these engines alot better than say an old ford lump which would need clearances checking. Even if the vvt cam gear was checked theres no way of knowing it would fail the next time you start the car driving off there car park.

Large chunk of the cost is labour and the parts probably aint cheap either. Diff oil will be changed on every 20k or 2yr service. The coolant is toyota pink so 100k or 10yrs (then every 20k there after...i think). Auto transmission oil im not sure but is it not lifetime oil?? The rear brake strip down is a bit of labour too, the rear calipers and discs will be removed and h/brake shoes inspected and cleaned up. Inspection of all suspension componants, brakes, wheels, tyres, engine and cooling system for leaks, there is alot more to a service than throwing a load of filters and fluids at it.

Any service will add to the life of the car thats its intended purpose but it doesnt mean things cant go wrong still. 

End of the day they offer a service and a price, if the price is too much then take the risk of going somewhere that charges you alot less but probably wont have a clue on what is involved on that particular service. Or they will know what needs doing but just wont do it anyway to save the cost and get the custom, probably use none genuine parts too again to save cost . They also may not be wise to common faults like seized rear calipers, waterpump leaks, front inner pads sticking wearing quicker than the outers... all stuff that a lexus dealer will be wise too.

I would be using a lexus dealer for the big services for sure.

 

 

[oraman]

Any idea how much the BIG service costs on a 6 yr old IS300h ? Im considering lexus and want to keep the hybrid system under warranty but don't wanna pay ridiculous sums for servicing. 

[wharfhouse]

All service pricing is listed on the Lexus website - for servicing under 5 years old see: https://www.lexus.co.uk/owners/servicing-and-maintenance/vehicle-service/#pricing and select your vehicle - so for example for IS 300H:

For over 5 years old you can opt for Essential Care see: https://www.lexus.co.uk/owners/servicing-and-maintenance/lexus-essential-care/ again there is pricing for some models though the IS 300h isn't listed yet. I took out an Essentials Care service plan when my IS 300h was 5 years old though and the price was just a little more than the IS250 that is shown:

Hope that helps

[Malc]

I'm understanding from the owner of a Lexus hybrid that the indy they always used to use for servicing their cars just will NOT touch a hybrid ...  so you may find reticence by other than Lexus to service your car ......  guessing that the expertise just isn't with the indys yet and / or the liability issues are too great if anything goes awry

Malc

[LexIS200Sport]

You could try the link below for hybrid vehicle independent garages: 

https://www.hevra.org.uk/

 

[Britprius]

On 12/31/2017 at 11:43 PM, rob_clio172 said:

60k or 120k is the big 1s, vvt gear and valve clearances are pointless checking unless there is an issue. Fortunatly lexus/toyota built these engines alot better than say an old ford lump which would need clearances checking. Even if the vvt cam gear was checked theres no way of knowing it would fail the next time you start the car driving off there car park.

Large chunk of the cost is labour and the parts probably aint cheap either. Diff oil will be changed on every 20k or 2yr service. The coolant is toyota pink so 100k or 10yrs (then every 20k there after...i think). Auto transmission oil im not sure but is it not lifetime oil?? The rear brake strip down is a bit of labour too, the rear calipers and discs will be removed and h/brake shoes inspected and cleaned up. Inspection of all suspension componants, brakes, wheels, tyres, engine and cooling system for leaks, there is alot more to a service than throwing a load of filters and fluids at it.

Any service will add to the life of the car thats its intended purpose but it doesnt mean things cant go wrong still. 

End of the day they offer a service and a price, if the price is too much then take the risk of going somewhere that charges you alot less but probably wont have a clue on what is involved on that particular service. Or they will know what needs doing but just wont do it anyway to save the cost and get the custom, probably use none genuine parts too again to save cost . They also may not be wise to common faults like seized rear calipers, waterpump leaks, front inner pads sticking wearing quicker than the outers... all stuff that a lexus dealer will be wise too.

I would be using a lexus dealer for the big services for sure.

 

 

Lexus dealers are wise to the rear caliper slide pins seizing, but still do not grease them as part of the service. If it's not on the service list it's not done. They wait for them to seize then sell you new calipers. If they did service them they would last the life of the car.

John.

[ColinBarber]

2 hours ago, Britprius said:

Lexus dealers are wise to the rear caliper slide pins seizing, but still do not grease them as part of the service. If it's not on the service list it's not done. They wait for them to seize then sell you new calipers. If they did service them they would last the life of the car.

John.

You can always ask them to do it in addition to the service, but the extra cost isn't justified when it is so easy to do yourself. If done regularly you can remove the pins, re-grease, and put back without even jacking up the vehicle.