Full Service Reveals Heaps Of More Expensive Work!

[AshIS2000]

Hi folks,

I've just had my 53 plate IS200 go through a full service with Lexus Woodford at 62K. (Cost for comparison: £750 including VAT).

Happy with that and the fact that I got to drive a new IS200 as a courtesy car for the day (yippee!), but was given a list of issues and respective costs that I just cant afford right now.

So am turning to the forum for advice on suggestions and alternatives please. I'm not very good under the bonnet so suggestions on a good London-based outfit would be awesome!\

OK, here's the list - All prices include parts, VAT and labour:

- Coolant by-pass hose £209

- Front breaks are squeaking ("because shims are missing"): £117

- Front break discs ("now at 28mm should be 30mm!"): £199

- Off-side front shock leaking: £250

- Off-side ball joint: £177

- 4 wheel alignment £141

Many thanks in advance for your suggestions and advice!

Cheers!!

[Parthiban]

Did they say the work was urgent or was it just an advisory?

With regard to brakes and the geometry, take the car to WIM if it's not too far, that's where I (and many others) go for that sort of work (especially the geo)

Do the shims cost £117? I'm amazed they cost that much :o

Ball joints are a common fault on the IS200, so might need doing. I was told I had a mildly leaky shock many years ago, but they said it was fine for the time being - still haven't had to replace it :D

I use Lexus Woodford too, don't be afraid to haggle with them on prices, especially if quite a lot needs doing as they are normally happy to drop them a bit - and in any case Woodford offers 10% off to LOC gold members so worth joining up on here for that too :winky:

[Mars]

I assume the 62k service was a major service for £750, even so you need to haggle mate. I will be having a major service in the new year and will be paying a lot less than £750. Also some things advised on as Parthiban says do not need to be done straight away or in some cases at all.

Did that service include your timing belt and tensioner??

[lexynik]

at 60,000 your cambelt needs doing anyway,the bypass hose costs about £12 and gets changed while theyre in there

shocks - pair excel g front shocks approx £130 from buypartsdirect

[Mars]

at 60,000 your cambelt needs doing anyway,the bypass hose costs about £12 and gets changed while theyre in there

shocks - pair excel g front shocks approx £130 from buypartsdirect

Yes we know. I asked the question as in theory dependant on when his car was registered the timing belt would have been due to be changed either late 2009 or early 2010. If the price included the timing belt etc.. then I think that is a reasonable price.

Lexynik were you after a TRD front lip????

[lexynik]

i paid £850 for 60,000 service plus cambelt,tensioners,waterpump and bypass hose after a very hard haggle - if hed had all that for 750 he did well but still lexus fault for not advising strongly enough to do the bypass hose at the same time -

Mars wasnt really after a lip as it looks like the 300 i was getting wont be available for a bit as been pranged and im not gonna buy a car on the vcar list however cheap - might get a set of 20s for the disco instead - how are you by the way ? long time no hear

[AshIS2000]

Did they say the work was urgent or was it just an advisory?

With regard to brakes and the geometry, take the car to WIM if it's not too far, that's where I (and many others) go for that sort of work (especially the geo)

Do the shims cost £117? I'm amazed they cost that much :o

Ball joints are a common fault on the IS200, so might need doing. I was told I had a mildly leaky shock many years ago, but they said it was fine for the time being - still haven't had to replace it :D

I use Lexus Woodford too, don't be afraid to haggle with them on prices, especially if quite a lot needs doing as they are normally happy to drop them a bit - and in any case Woodford offers 10% off to LOC gold members so worth joining up on here for that too :winky:

[AshIS2000]

Hi P!

They didn't say whether it was urgent or an advisory - although my discs did not appear as an advisory in my recent MOT - done <1 month ago!

Thanks for the WIM site - it's slightly out of my way so I will look closer to home! :)

I assume £117 is for the shims + brake pads.. although I did not clarify this - thanks for the pointer!

Interesting point on the leaking shock - it came up as an advisory on the MOT but I haven't done anything as yet either.. "excessive play" was the description so I guess thats technical speak for some ballbearings or the like missing! I will get this fixed though - wouldn't want to risk my wheel fallin goff whilst going over one of Ken's lovely humps! :)

Thanks - for some reason I assumed work was fixed priced - lesson learned ey?! They did give me a 10% discount though, so I guess my chirpy smile must have impressed the young ladies quoting the prices!! :P

Thanks again for your response.

[AshIS2000]

I assume the 62k service was a major service for £750, even so you need to haggle mate. I will be having a major service in the new year and will be paying a lot less than £750. Also some things advised on as Parthiban says do not need to be done straight away or in some cases at all.

Did that service include your timing belt and tensioner??

[AshIS2000]

Hello Mars,

Yes it was the major service and included the following:

- carried out full 60K/6year service £436.91

- visual report F.O.C (whatever that means!)

- engine oil £21

- gearbox oil 80w/90 £4.50

- washer fluid £1.66 (includes 10% discount)

- brake fluid £8.03 (includes 10% discount)

- timing belt £26.97 (includes 10% discount)

- element, air ref £17.41 (includes 10% discount)

- gskt, drain plug £0.79 (includes 10% discount)

- oil filter £8.88 (includes 10% discount)

- spark plug x 6 £54.16 (includes 10% discount)

- brake cleaner £2.69 (includes 10% discount)

- chain tensioner £50.39 (includes 10% discount)

Would be interested to know how much you'll be paying for the above and more importantly WHERE!

It's my first Lexus but I do see myself owning this car for a very long time so extremely useful to know! :)

Thanks and hope the list above helps someone - nightmare typing that out!!! :)

[AshIS2000]

at 60,000 your cambelt needs doing anyway,the bypass hose costs about £12 and gets changed while theyre in there

shocks - pair excel g front shocks approx £130 from buypartsdirect

[AshIS2000]

Hi Lexynik!

Im not sure that the cambelt was changed - it did not feature on my bill - should this part of a full service?

Please could you tell me where to get a hose from for £12?

Shocks - Thanks so much - knew the Lexus premium was a tad too much to palate! :)

Thank you!!

[lexynik]

cambelt is listed in your breakdown as timing belt - from the look of ot they only changed one tensioner which is odd but they must have considered the other one servicable !! they must also have considered your bypass hose servicable which amazes me as its lexus themselves that charge £12 for them so usually they are changed as a precaution while the area is accessible - if the bypass hose is failing coming back from that work i think you have a very very strong argument as to why it wasnt replaced or why werent you notified when the cambelt was done - i would ask lexus to do the bypass hose for free labour wise as they should of done it with the cambelt , they know it should be done

[Parthiban]

The timing belt service is an expensive one, especially at Lexus and even at some indies based on what I've read on here. I had mine done at Woodford a few years ago and it cost £695, so £50 more seems reasonable. The actual retail (that some dealers charge) is around £1000 so it is quite well discounted.

You're unlucky that a few things need replacing, in some ways the reason I have most things done at Lexus is that barely anything ever goes wrong, so don't mind paying a tiny bit extra when something does need doing to get the extra peace of mind :winky:

[Mars]

Hello Mars,

Yes it was the major service and included the following:

- carried out full 60K/6year service £436.91

- visual report F.O.C (whatever that means!)

- engine oil £21

- gearbox oil 80w/90 £4.50

- washer fluid £1.66 (includes 10% discount)

- brake fluid £8.03 (includes 10% discount)

- timing belt £26.97 (includes 10% discount)

- element, air ref £17.41 (includes 10% discount)

- gskt, drain plug £0.79 (includes 10% discount)

- oil filter £8.88 (includes 10% discount)

- spark plug x 6 £54.16 (includes 10% discount)

- brake cleaner £2.69 (includes 10% discount)

- chain tensioner £50.39 (includes 10% discount)

Would be interested to know how much you'll be paying for the above and more importantly WHERE!

It's my first Lexus but I do see myself owning this car for a very long time so extremely useful to know! :)

Thanks and hope the list above helps someone - nightmare typing that out!!! :)

F.O.C = Free of charge

I had the same service for the same price as you from the dealership that Parthiban also uses in Woodford Green. Bought my car from Park Lane but used Woodford Green for my servicing needs and have never regretted it. Surprised at the bypass hose not being done as mine leaked twice in two years fortunately my car was under an extended warranty so it was changed FOC.

When I referred to having a major service done in the new year I meant a normal major service without the timing belt and tensioner charges.

As you I intend to keep my car for at least another 3yrs. It is currently 7.5yrs with 48k on the clock.

[Mars]

i paid £850 for 60,000 service plus cambelt,tensioners,waterpump and bypass hose after a very hard haggle - if hed had all that for 750 he did well but still lexus fault for not advising strongly enough to do the bypass hose at the same time -

Mars wasnt really after a lip as it looks like the 300 i was getting wont be available for a bit as been pranged and im not gonna buy a car on the vcar list however cheap - might get a set of 20s for the disco instead - how are you by the way ? long time no hear

I am fine. Dropped the sister-n-law to Gatwick this morning and was tempted to go to GW Bridges afterwards, unfortunately the wife and son were with me so I will leave that for another day.