Service Time

84Stoney · June 4, 2008

Right, so it's service time (as MOT is almost out too!).

My car has a full set of Lexus stamps and I had originally intened to keep it that way. But Lexus Exeter want £170 for a 70k service, plus MOT cost (plus, I think, VAT!)

I am pretty (very, very) skint at the moment! Does anyone know what this service entales? Is it worth paying the premium to presurve my full dealer history on what is now a 7 year old vehicle?

edeath · June 4, 2008

The extra money you spend getting serviced by Lexus is more than the value you will lose off a car of that age by not getting it done by Lexus. Though on the flipside if you go with Lexus, you can probs get an IS250/220d for the day (Lexus Park Lane will do it) and the service will be a much better experience and you can garuntee Lexus parts are used.

kam05 · June 4, 2008

All depends on how long you will be keeping your IS for. If you're looking to sell up soon or in the near future, then a full FLSH may make your car easier to sell. If you're keeping it until its dead, then IMHO, no point in going to Lexus for servicing, just buy genuine service items (keep the reciepts in the service book) and get a local garage to fit them. If a good local garage can provide a VAT reciept and stamp your service book with their stamp, then thats even better.

My IS200 is now 7 years old and I can't see selling it until it becomes uneconomical to run, so I've been doing my own servicing for a while now (eg: oil/oil filter/spark plug changes using genuine items). For complex jobs, I get my mechanic to do them.

I think the 70k service is a minor service (check your service book, it tells you what items need replacing), basically a oil and oil filter change and also a general checkup (eg: check hoses, bodywork etc). To sum up, if I was in your situation, I'd buy genuine service items and fit them myself (not sure how confident you are at changing oil, filters, sparks etc), otherwise get a good local garage to do your servicing/MOT's.

Rikos · June 4, 2008

Like Kam said if your looking at selling soon then i'd probably keep the LFSH but otherwise i'd go to an independant garage.

Jiberjaber · June 4, 2008

I had the same issue just lately - 170 quid is quite cheap tbh for a lexus stamped intermediate service, Lexus Croydon and Hadleigh were after 260 and 320 for a 50K (intermediate) and then 50 odd quid on top for the MOT!

I have bitten the bullet and tried out Westfield Motors today, 204 for the 50K service and MOT, that included 6 quid for a car for the day and their service was great. I have come away happy, money still in my pocket and no need to go back and complain about oil over the engine cover or scratches to the paint work or lub spray all over the place when they have lubbed the hinges and catches. I havent checked but I bet they also managed to not over fill the oil like Lexus have on nearly every service I have (they even commented on it in one service! - I have never topped up since I got the car LOL - still I guess if they over fill you are getting VFM!)

The stamp mentioneds lexus and toyota specialists, and from my chat with the guy who did the MOT and is one of the directors (Chris Williams) left me feeling that I had made the right choice - they have been looking after Lexus and Toyota for a good 20+ years and seem to know all the bits and bobs we know as a community to look out for and then some!

84Stoney · June 6, 2008

Gonna leave the service for the minute. It actually had a 70k service last June and has only covered 4.5k since.

Gonna £25 MOT it and leave the service a month or two until funds allow!

Also, may have a new contact in Lexus so may be able to work out a discount. (Or a Lexus stamp ;) )

Dego · June 6, 2008

I tend to use my local Toyota garage. I reckon the toyota stamp in the service book is the next best thing. At least they will be familiar with the vehicle/engine etc. and a bit cheaper than a Lexus dealer garage. Anyway the nearest Lexus dealer to me is nearly 2 hours drive away.