RX350 MOT fail - advice please ...

PCM · March 9, 2019

Hello,

Can I ask for some guidance please...

My wife's lovely 99,000 miles RX350 failed its Lexus MOT this week.

She has been quoted for... and the their prices seem rather high. We do use an independent to: Japex.

1.

olliesgrandad · March 9, 2019

4 hours ago, PCM said:

Hello,

Can I ask for some guidance please...

My wife's lovely 99,000 miles RX350 failed its Lexus MOT this week.

She has been quoted for... and the their prices seem rather high. We do use an independent to: Japex.

1.

Not what you want to read. Am I right in thinking that the 350 has a cambelt. Changing that with the water pump might be a good idea unless it's been recently done.

As for the brakes I know a local fastfit quoted £740 for pads and discs all round on Mini...

Surprised the car needs so much work if it's been regularly serviced. Would make me question the standard of service at your garage if so many things need attention at once . Worth getting a quote elsewhere. Don't know where you are but Lexus Cheltenham give me 15% membership discount on parts and labour . Had my car mot last week and there was a non failure split in a wiper blade. Mot and 3 wiper blades came to £79 odd in total.

stringbender · March 9, 2019

I went to Lexus Cheltenham this week and they only gave me 10%. How long ago did they give you 15 % ? Have I been "done" ?

Connoisseur · March 9, 2019

1 hour ago, olliesgrandad said:

Not what you want to read. Am I right in thinking that the 350 has a camvelt?

RX350 to 2009 has chains no cam belt. hth....

olliesgrandad · March 9, 2019

2 hours ago, stringbender said:

I went to Lexus Cheltenham this week and they only gave me 10%. How long ago did they give you 15 % ? Have I been "done" ?

That was this week.

Spottedlaurel · March 10, 2019

It doesn't help reduce the biggest items on your list, but brake discs can be skimmed if they have enough thickness left on them. I've had this done on a Camry and LS400 before, both of which had been unused for a while until I bought them, and it was very successful.

They do it on the car and take the pads out, so these may as well get changed at the same time.

Hopefully a good independent will have a more sensible pricing strategy.

PCM · March 10, 2019

Yes, I think an independent 2nd opinion is on the car-ds.

🚗

Jaystar77 · March 10, 2019

I'm looking at doing the front brakes on mine (including the calipers) and it's looking like £100-ish for the pads and discs from M-Tech and around a £100 each for the calipers via a motorfactor on eBay.

Rear discs were £100 and I only needed one caliper at £60 last year.

When my suspension gives up the ghost I'd be shopping for a set of coilovers rather than spend £4-500 on two rear shocks. My man-maths makes that look like a more appealing option at least.

Never priced up a waterpump but the timing chain will make it more a complicated operation most likely.

Britprius · March 10, 2019

21 minutes ago, Jaystar77 said:

I'm looking at doing the front brakes on mine (including the calipers) and it's looking like £100-ish for the pads and discs from M-Tech and around a £100 each for the calipers via a motorfactor on ebay.

Rear discs were £100 and I only needed one caliper at £60 last year.

When my suspension gives up the ghost I'd be shopping for a set of coilovers rather than spend £4-500 on two rear shocks. My man-maths makes that look like a more appealing option at least.

Never priced up a waterpump but the timing chain will make it more a complicated operation most likely.

It is easier to change a water pump on an engine with a timing chain not harder as there is no complications with keeping the crank to camshaft timing.

More often on the Toyota/Lexus brakes it is the slide pins that seize not the actual caliper pistons, and if this is the case they can usually be freed, and new slide pins be fitted "if required".

Worn brake discs "even if worn below manufacturers recommended minimum thickness" is not an MOT failure.

John.

Jaystar77 · March 10, 2019

My apologies John, you are correct the coolant pump isn't actually tied into the timing chain operation. It looks more like the fact that the engine needs lifted slightly to get the pump out (?) could be more the issue.

I've seen plenty of Toyota calipers over the years. Enough to just opt for fresh calipers when possible. Rebuilt quite a few so I realise the sliders are a weak spot but there have been many that the main piston has been the problem. Probably just part of owning quite a lot of older vehicles I guess!

m4rkw · March 11, 2019

Might be a bit far for you but I recommend Toyotec in Redhill. I recently had some MOT issues and my local garage quoted over £1500 for the work without a wheel alignment. Toyotec quoted £1120 *with* an alignment.

welland · March 17, 2019

On 3/9/2019 at 6:21 PM, Connoisseur said:

RX350 to 2009 has chains no cam belt. hth....

that's interesting. The RX400h has a timing belt. I realise that the rx400h and the rx350 have a different size of engine, but i had thought that they were otherwise closely related. They must be more different than i thought.

welland · March 17, 2019

On 3/9/2019 at 11:09 AM, PCM said:

Hello,

Can I ask for some guidance please...

My wife's lovely 99,000 miles RX350 failed its Lexus MOT this week.

She has been quoted for... and the their prices seem rather high. We do use an independent to: Japex.

1.

What's that about split dust covers nthe rear shocks? Does this refer to the rubber gaiters that cover the chromed shaft on the shocks? My gaiters are also split, but after two MOTs,there has been no mention of this. I had been wondering if there is a repair procedure that can fit an alternatve jacket without removing the shocks, but I've not found anything yet.

Connoisseur · March 17, 2019

13 minutes ago, welland said:

that's interesting. The RX400h has a timing belt. I realise that the rx400h and the rx350 have a different size of engine, but i had thought that they were otherwise closely related. They must be more different than i thought.

Yes, though what we gain by not needing a belt change we really do lose on the mpg😅

PCM · March 18, 2019

19 hours ago, welland said:

What's that about split dust covers nthe rear shocks? Does this refer to the rubber gaiters that cover the chromed shaft on the shocks? My gaiters are also split, but after two MOTs,there has been no mention of this. I had been wondering if there is a repair procedure that can fit an alternatve jacket without removing the shocks, but I've not found anything yet.

A split cover... more I don't know... Sorry.

granadaman · March 29, 2019

Done my own discs and pads on a rx450h front and back for £125 from Euro carparts for front and back pads and front discs. £85 rear discs from gsf car parts. Your pins are probably what are seized get them off and either fit new or clean and red rubber grease them. On mine it’s a straight forward job just didn’t bleed them As you need a tech stream to bleed on mine. The water pump I’d buy myself and get fitted anywhere as it’s not a Lexus only job and any reputable garage would be far cheaper, gators just forget only dust covers and advisory only.