Interim Servicing

[KayCee]

I have always used Sheffield for my servicing but due to a domstic problem I am at my daughters in Brough near Hull so i have arranged my inerrim service at Hull  was shocked at the price £350 im sure it wasnt that dear at sheffield i Thoight obviously Wrngly that it was fixed prices throughout the Network

The gent did say something about the Warranty now when you get a service you get a years warranty something called Relax or Reflex something like that

As anyone and a similar Experience on this

 

Thanks

Robert

 

[Herbie]

Well, being as no one has replied to you in almost five hours, I'll just say try using the search facility because there have been literally hundreds of posts about the demise of the traditional Extended Warranty and the introduction of the Lexus Relax Warranty.

In a nutshell, if you have the car serviced at a Lexus dealer, they will "give" you a 12-month warranty "free of charge".

Of course, nothing in life is free so they've increased the price of servicing to recoup some of the costs of providing the "free" warranty. Or am I being cynical?

[Phil xxkr]

7 hours ago, Herbie said:

Well, being as no one has replied to you in almost five hours, I'll just say try using the search facility because there have been literally hundreds of posts about the demise of the traditional Extended Warranty and the introduction of the Lexus Relax Warranty.

In a nutshell, if you have the car serviced at a Lexus dealer, they will "give" you a 12-month warranty "free of charge".

Of course, nothing in life is free so they've increased the price of servicing to recoup some of the costs of providing the "free" warranty. Or am I being cynical?

Nothing cynical at all Herbs, straightforward commercial transaction. If you recall warranty used to cost up to 900 depending on model. Now Relax is not quite as comprehensive as EW but is included in your service cost so even if its gone up a little it's still a great deal. I bought 3 years in advance so I am covered, if not I would be phoning around dealers, tell them I have a LOC gold card and what's the best price I can get and the end of a month would be best time to make the calls. 

[johnatg]

See here:

https://www.lexus.co.uk/owners/servicing-and-maintenance/vehicle-service/

There is a fixed price service charge for each model. The cost of an intermediate service for a GS450h is £315.

Do you get a discount if your car is still in warranty or if you have bought a warranty? If not, you'd be paying twice for the same thing. Ah - no - maybe not because the 'Relax' warranty is 'no extra cost to the customer' 🤔

[Vlady]

According to that link @johnatg mine GS450h at 58500 miles is £285,

which I thought is correct but if I check Relax Service online, it comes up at £315!

I also phoned Lexus Glasgow yesterday to book this service and they said it is £310, to include MOT at £55, the total sum comes up quite high for just an oil change. Yes, I know I will be getting a 1 year warranty but still ....

I am still thinking what to do, just get an oil and oil filter from Lexus and change it using private garage, this would cost me probably around £100 in all or pay almost £400 and get a 1 year warranty! 🙂

 

[Vlady]

This is for 9 year service - interim service.

It is £315, so a bit inconsistent.

[johnatg]

Vlad - are you sure you picked GS450h - my computer says £315. It's £285 for a GS300h (like mine). (The Essential service was £215 until they ditched it.)

And don't forget the hybrid health check is included in the Lexus price.

My 70K/7 years is due next month and I too am trying to decide what to do. Do it myself and just get a hybrid health check? That would come to not much over £100. Go to an Indie to get the stamp? (I do have a stamp of my own but the telephone number is old style before they stuck ones in)?

Or pay the full whack. I have only done about 4000 miles since the full 60K/6 years service.

[Phil xxkr]

2 hours ago, Vlady said:

According to that link @johnatg mine GS450h at 58500 miles is £285,

which I thought is correct but if I check Relax Service online, it comes up at £315!

I also phoned Lexus Glasgow yesterday to book this service and they said it is £310, to include MOT at £55, the total sum comes up quite high for just an oil change. Yes, I know I will be getting a 1 year warranty but still ....

I am still thinking what to do, just get an oil and oil filter from Lexus and change it using private garage, this would cost me probably around £100 in all or pay almost £400 and get a 1 year warranty! 🙂

 

Is that 310 +55? Because the Mot can be had for a lot lower than that Vlad. But if it's 255 it has to be a good deal, as it covers your hybrid and inclusive of warranty. As an example I have a problem with my steering column which was a subject of a TSB a few years back. This is now being replaced at a total cost of almost 3k😱😱😱 under warranty. Most of us have chosen to acquire cars beyond their original warranty period knowing full well that if something does go wrong it will not be inexpensive. I mentioned previously that I bought my warranty and service plans using a 0% credit card which I pay down monthly so is quite affordable 😊

[Vlady]

2 hours ago, johnatg said:

Vlad - are you sure you picked GS450h - my computer says £315. It's £285 for a GS300h (like mine). (The Essential service was £215 until they ditched it.)

And don't forget the hybrid health check is included in the Lexus price.

My 70K/7 years is due next month and I too am trying to decide what to do. Do it myself and just get a hybrid health check? That would come to not much over £100. Go to an Indie to get the stamp? (I do have a stamp of my own but the telephone number is old style before they stuck ones in)?

Or pay the full whack. I have only done about 4000 miles since the full 60K/6 years service.

That's the thing - Hybrid Health Check! 4 weeks ago I payed for it separately and no one at the service desk offered me a Minor Service that would include a HHC, at that time I wasn't really much aware of this service, so if I am going for a service know it will be just an oil service + warranty. If I was offered this deal at the time I would have went for a Service and a warranty but now this service will cost £315 + (£59.95 HHS) + MOT (£54.95 I have been told by Lexus), so £430 roughly. Grrr!

[johnatg]

I get my MoT done at a trusted local garage down the road - £35. Now the thing is that the MoT includes all the basic safety checks that are covered in the intermediate service. As Vlad said above, the Lexus intermediate service is really just an engine oil change on top of that, plus a few trivial and probably unnecessary (after 4K miles) things as well.

How much is a stamp in the book and a year's warranty worth - Lexus wouldn't be giving the warranty away for free if they thought that there was a serious chance of a claim (Yes - I know - some people have saved thousands and been really glad they had the warranty)

The hybrid health check is of course worth while - I'll be geting that at least.

I'm veering towards diy service, a local MoT and a Lexus HHC. My MoT is booked for Monday, 20th Sept, service due Oct 9th.

[OldTrout]

John,

What you suggest in your last paragraph is the Britprius service scheme.

Been using it since Britprius suggested it in these forums.

John

 

[johnatg]

Indeed - it's what I have used for many years on many previous cars. But then I got offered a pittance for my IS250 by a Lexus dealer. But I saved a fortune doing my own servicing over 7 years. It's just that My GS300h is a bit more valuable at the moment. Maybe it won't be by the time I come to sell it, probably a considerable way down the road!

[Phil xxkr]

4 hours ago, Vlady said:

That's the thing - Hybrid Health Check! 4 weeks ago I payed for it separately and no one at the service desk offered me a Minor Service that would include a HHC, at that time I wasn't really much aware of this service, so if I am going for a service know it will be just an oil service + warranty. If I was offered this deal at the time I would have went for a Service and a warranty but now this service will cost £315 + (£59.95 HHS) + MOT (£54.95 I have been told by Lexus), so £430 roughly. Grrr!

I thought HHS was part of a service and MOT at least £20 cheaper ? 

[Herbie]

36 minutes ago, Phil xxkr said:

I thought HHS was part of a service and MOT at least £20 cheaper ?

Hybrid Health Check is done as part of a service but the MOT is no cheaper. In fact, I could get an MOT at almost any local garage for £20 less than Lexus were charging, even on a service plan and warranty.

[Phil xxkr]

55 minutes ago, Herbie said:

Hybrid Health Check is done as part of a service but the MOT is no cheaper. In fact, I could get an MOT at almost any local garage for £20 less than Lexus were charging, even on a service plan and warranty.

As I said Herbs 

[Vlady]

I will check with my Local Garage how much they charge for an MOT. 

According to Gov.uk the price is £54.85

[Malc]

I have mentioned this before ......  when my indy ACTUALLY TAKES the car for it's MOT ( whilst doing the annual service ), He's there to nudge the Tester into understanding ( and indeed himself understanding the specific Tester's thoughts at that time too ) some of the nuances of the car should the Tester be persuaded to give an Advisory rather than maybe a fail ........ so's at the next MOT it again passes without comment, nor written Advisories hopefully .....  and for that attendance with the Tester I'm happy to pay the full £55 which of course covers my indys extra time there discussing my car with the Tester

This has happened to my benefit on a couple of occasions specifically when the UCAs etc which seem quite ok might actually fail ..  we know these are irrefutably challenging to even feel they've  " gone " on the Ls400 ........ so's he can get them changed soonest whatever

Malc

[royoftherovers]

23 minutes ago, Vlady said:

I will check with my Local Garage how much they charge for an MOT. 

According to Gov.uk the price is £54.85

That is the MAXIMUM price Vlady.

[Shahpor]

I got my MOT done at my local MrClutch for £29 a few weeks ago.

Used them a few times now and it has always been quick, easy and painless.

Unlike the 2 times I took my car to the main dealer where they listed the wrong shock as leaking, advisory for a leaking shock that they said "wasn't actually leaking but the technician is being overly cautious" and the usual engine cover and under tray obscuring components nonsense.

[Vlady]

I thought it is a nominal price and if I get it for £40 that is only due to garage good will towards me. I didn't know you can negotiate the price on MOT! Thanks gents!

[johnatg]

I've now done my Intermediate service - here are a couple of things to report. Note that I've done about 4500 miles since my last full service at Lexus Stockport. I bought 5 litres of Mannol Ultra Legend 0w20 oil (£21.03) (the GS300h engine takes 4.5 litres of oil) and a genuine Lexus Oil Filter (£12.99). All items on the Lexus Intermediate Service list have now been covered either with my recent MoT or by me - except for the 'Service Wash and Vac' and the Hybrid Health check. And of course the Relax warranty.

First - I was surprised at how clean the old oil was. Usually when you drain a sump the old oil is jet black. This time the old oil was a dark reddish-brown colour. Very impressive that Lexus engine design has reduced the combustion products which get into the oil so much. So the main oil drain went without a hitch.

Now - excuse me - a rant. I'm attaching a pic of the instructions for changing the filter as printed on the side of the new filter box. The unusual feature of these filters is that there is a drain plug to drain the oil before you undo the filter cover. You remove the cap then insert the pastic spout which comes with the new filter, and that opens a valve in the filter cover to produce a neat stream of oil. Well, I inserted my 3/8" drive into the cap and turned - it was extremely tight - the cap didn't unscrew but the whole filter body did. Now the design of the oil system is such that there is a considerable head of oil above the filter. So removing it without draining causes an epic uncontrolled flood of oil - it did mostly all end up in my drain pan.

I held the filter cover in my Workmate and needed a long breaker bar to release the cap. That was a bit worrying as the filter cover is made of plastic and I had to hold it very firmly indeed. 4500 miles after the cap had been torqued to 9.5 ftlbs? I don't think so.

I suspect that the Lexus 'technician' didn't bother to tighten the drain cap properly but just used a 3/8" drive to tighten the whole filter cover to their usual torque setting of FT (T = tight if you're not familiar with the expression) - instead of using the proper filter tool to remove and tighten the filter cover.

The torque spec for the filter cover is 18ftlbs and for the cap 9.5 ftlbs.

Does it matter? Maybe not really - but there's a right way and a wrong way to carry out this service operation. Can't we expect Lexus technicians to use the right way? Perhaps it's as well that the Service listings (Full and Intermediate) note 'All checks and inspections are visual - No dismantling of components takes place'

So your expensive service gives your car an oil change and a good coat of looking at.

Rant over. But it's not the first time I've become aware of Lexus 'technicians' work irregularities.

So my service cost £34 + MoT £35 and was done properly. I've foregone the warranty deal - my choice. Your mileage may vary!