Just Purchased A Lexus - A Few Questions

[Jobow]

Hi all

I ve just entered the heady heights of Lexus Ownership, having purchased a low mileage IS200SE Auto.

A couple of questions, if anyone can help me?

Dealers: Are there any reputable dealers outside of the Official Lexus Garages that specialise in these cars?

Also what is the average cost of a service at a Lexus Garage?

Possible knocking: I picked up my car, with new front pads fitted. I ve noticed when I release the pedal the brakes clunk (on the front) and the front passenger side clunks when going over a speed hump. I struggle to think its a ball joint as although the car is 2003 its only covered 10,000 miles.

Could this just be the brakes bedding in?

Rust: My car isnt rusting, but are these cars prone to rust, in sat the arches, door bottoms?

many thanks guys!

Joe

[aztecbandit1]

Hello Joe and welcome to the club :)

Not sure on the service side of things down your way but, i would say shop around as most of the Lexus dealers charge different prices? But you can find some good company's that will do the same service for a bit /lot cheaper than lexus and you can even supply your own parts :)

The knocking on the front does sound like the brake pads are moving in the caliper? might be a good idea to see if they fitted the shim kit when the last set of pads was fitted as quite a few throw them away with the old pads, Mines done it for a while and does seem a common problem,

Rust wise mine is nearly 9 years old and the bodywork is very good with no rust but a few stone chips around the car and come to think of it with all the is200/300's i've seen over the years i've never seen rust on any of them :)

[ormi]

Hello Joe and welcome to the club :)

Not sure on the service side of things down your way but, i would say shop around as most of the Lexus dealers charge different prices? But you can find some good company's that will do the same service for a bit /lot cheaper than lexus and you can even supply your own parts :)

The knocking on the front does sound like the brake pads are moving in the caliper? might be a good idea to see if they fitted the shim kit when the last set of pads was fitted as quite a few throw them away with the old pads, Mines done it for a while and does seem a common problem,

Rust wise mine is nearly 9 years old and the bodywork is very good with no rust but a few stone chips around the car and come to think of it with all the is200/300's i've seen over the years i've never seen rust on any of them :)

why not try a toyota garage??????they are the same car as for the cost i work for a toyota garage in edinburgh and we give a special labour rate to cars over 4 years old and theirs a further drop for cars over 6 years old(you have to ask for it though they are sneaky and wont tell you about it unless you ask!!!)hourly rates vairy though and you'd need to ask your local dealer.

oh ps welcom to the club.

[doog442]

Hello Joe and welcome to the club :)

Not sure on the service side of things down your way but, i would say shop around as most of the Lexus dealers charge different prices? But you can find some good company's that will do the same service for a bit /lot cheaper than lexus and you can even supply your own parts :)

The knocking on the front does sound like the brake pads are moving in the caliper? might be a good idea to see if they fitted the shim kit when the last set of pads was fitted as quite a few throw them away with the old pads, Mines done it for a while and does seem a common problem,

Rust wise mine is nearly 9 years old and the bodywork is very good with no rust but a few stone chips around the car and come to think of it with all the is200/300's i've seen over the years i've never seen rust on any of them :)

why not try a toyota garage??????they are the same car as for the cost i work for a toyota garage in edinburgh and we give a special labour rate to cars over 4 years old and theirs a further drop for cars over 6 years old(you have to ask for it though they are sneaky and wont tell you about it unless you ask!!!)hourly rates vairy though and you'd need to ask your local dealer.

oh ps welcom to the club.

A hell of a lot of IS200's creak/clunk and knock according to this forum. Starting with the brakes seems to be the first port of call, then check ball joints then do what I do if still no joy...turn the stereo up. Mine went back numerous times under warranty and they replaced everything they could including the shocks / ball joints etc and it still has a little knock.

Strange thing,no one else can hear it...i do have super duper hearing however due to a lifetime of wearing ear plugs

[Lexus2D]

:)

[Rory]

I took my car to a bmw specialist as the labour was less than half

[edeath]

Welcome to the club. Unfortuantely i have found Lexus Twickenham to be pretty useless, however Lexus Park Lane (Vauxhall) are very good. However for a 60,000 mile service, MOT and Cambelt change they quote me around £1k!! Their labour is over £100/hr however I took my car in to have the ball joints looked at and they gave it a full safety check and valeted it for free even though the ball joints were fine!

I took the car in to see them as I had a similar problem to you. The problem is that when the pads were changed they threw away the clips that hold them in place in the caliper - so as they are floating they bang backwards and forwards in the caliper when you brake, go over bumps etc. Problem for you is the parts dept for Twickenham is the other side of the A4 i think but i will be the best place to source the clips. You may be able to get a kit but it costs around £60-70. Your best buying the clips individually as they work out around £10-15 a wheel.