Best Independent Garage For Lexus Service In London?

[Blake2000]

Hello,

We bought a six-year old Lexus IS300 sportcross last summer which is just about to come up to its 60,000 mile service (which will involve replacing the cam belt).

Lexus Woodford has quoted us nearly £1,000 to do the service.

Since the car is over six years old, I don't think there's much benefit to its value to have an expensive service at a Lexus garage.

Can anyone recommend an independent garage in London (preferably North) that specialises in servicing Lexus cars?

Many thanks.

[janey]

Don't know of any in N.London but the one below in S.E.London comes highly recommended by a few of the guys :D

Albin B Motors Ltd,

Unit 2b, Maybrey Works,

2, Worsley Bridge Road,

London

SE26 5AZ

[atce4]

I have taken my car to JEM for the past two services, one of which was the 60k service.

They are in NW London (Colindale) and I cannot fault their workmanship. The major 60k service including cambelt, tensioner and idler replacement came to around £900 but this also included a few extras such as an MOT, brake fluid replacement and aircon service. I supplied both engine oil and spark plugs, which are available on eBay.

They are not the cheapest around but they do fit genuine Lexus parts which for me is reassuring and as I say I would recommend them.

[Blake2000]

Thanks for these tips. Much appreciated.

The car has only done 52,000 miles, so I'm not sure whether we actually need to get the cam belt replaced this time round. Obviously, the Lexus garage is advising that we do (ker-ching!). Do you think we could leave the cam belt service for another year and just get a normal service for now. Car is 6 years old.

[scudney]

Thanks for these tips. Much appreciated.

The car has only done 52,000 miles, so I'm not sure whether we actually need to get the cam belt replaced this time round. Obviously, the Lexus garage is advising that we do (ker-ching!). Do you think we could leave the cam belt service for another year and just get a normal service for now. Car is 6 years old.

If the cambelt is due a change after 6 years which its is on the IS 200,I would have it done irregardless of milage,had mine done at 55000mls,the last thing you want is a snapped cambelt better to be safe than sorry.

[atce4]

Thanks for these tips. Much appreciated.

The car has only done 52,000 miles, so I'm not sure whether we actually need to get the cam belt replaced this time round. Obviously, the Lexus garage is advising that we do (ker-ching!). Do you think we could leave the cam belt service for another year and just get a normal service for now. Car is 6 years old.

If the cambelt is due a change after 6 years which its is on the IS 200,I would have it done irregardless of milage,had mine done at 55000mls,the last thing you want is a snapped cambelt better to be safe than sorry.

Totally agree with scudney, mine had only done 50k but it was 6 years old so had the belt changed. The original Lexus spec was 6 yrs/100k miles, whichever occurred first, but was changed to 6yrs/60k a few years ago. Better to be safe than sorry.

[tonyr5500]

i to have an is300 which due a service at the end of this month,

put a post up a week or so ago about best places to get the parts ect was told to check toyota as they use the same parts as lexus but cheaper,

there one in romford essex (rm3) may be abit far for you try google for toyota garages near you may/may not work out cheaper

for you !!

worth a try tho.

[Blake2000]

Thanks for the sound advice, scudney and atce4. Will get the cam belt sorted.

And thanks for the Romford tip, tonyr500. I'm going to do a ring-round for quotes tommorrow, so I'll let you know who's cheapest.

[Blake2000]

Just a quick note to let everyone know that the cheapest price I got was at JEM in Colindale.

£497 (inc. VAT and labour) for cam belt replacement, intermediate service, air-con service and new Battery. They also collect the car and bring it back for free.

Thanks for all your help. Saved me £500!

[atce4]

Just a quick note to let everyone know that the cheapest price I got was at JEM in Colindale.

£497 (inc. VAT and labour) for cam belt replacement, intermediate service, air-con service and new battery. They also collect the car and bring it back for free.

Thanks for all your help. Saved me £500!

That's a good price, glad we could help. If you mention you are a LOC member you should get 10% knocked off the price too :winky:

[tonyr5500]

Just a quick note to let everyone know that the cheapest price I got was at JEM in Colindale.

£497 (inc. VAT and labour) for cam belt replacement, intermediate service, air-con service and new battery. They also collect the car and bring it back for free.

Thanks for all your help. Saved me £500!

have you got there contact detail please ?

as could'nt seem to find them by googling it

also how far from them are you even if i have to drive an hour to get to them it may cost 10% of the saving in petrol

well worth it even with out the loc discount !!

thnaks

[Ishaq]

Albin B Motors Ltd,

Unit 2b, Maybrey Works,

2, Worsley Bridge Road,

London

SE26 5AZ

Lexus IS250

Oil Service with Filter:.....£176.00

Full Service (plugs,filters etc):........£550.00 Please note spark plugs

changed every 60,ooo miles price includes plugs

Replacing Front Brake Pads:....£157.90

Replacing Rear Brake Pads:.....£130.04

Are these prices good for an independent garage?

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

I understand you live in London and everything is expensive down there but the price for brake pads... WOW!! Insane...

Servicing costs you've quoted are more than Lexus main dealer charge on my IS300

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

£176 just for oil and filter.... Lexus are £90

[noby76]

Albin B Motors Ltd,

Unit 2b, Maybrey Works,

2, Worsley Bridge Road,

London

SE26 5AZ

Lexus IS250

Oil Service with Filter:.....£176.00

Full Service (plugs,filters etc):........£550.00 Please note spark plugs

changed every 60,ooo miles price includes plugs

Replacing Front Brake Pads:....£157.90

Replacing Rear Brake Pads:.....£130.04

Are these prices good for an independent garage?

£176 for oil change is just ridiculous.. I have used Albin before but not for servicing. mate if its just an oil change service you require. why don't you buy the oil and oil filter from Eurocarparts or even Lexus and take it to a local garage near you to drain and refill for you. for £176 oil service, Albin will not do anything special to the car it will be just a darin and refill and check suspension parts, barkes, tyres and lights maybe top up brake and transmission fluid if low. else nothing else is done to the car for an oil service. any local garage near you can drain and refill your oil for about £40 if you supply the parts but don't forget to stay there and watch them do the job though. they might not stamp your service book due to it not being a service but just a drain and refill but keep your receipts as proof if you come to sell the car. its an 8 year old car and wont fetch any more than going market rate with a stamped service booklet any buyer will even trust you and be happy to buy your car if you have evidence showing receipts of oil and parts purchased than a stamped service booklet as those can be forged easily by anyone who knows what they doing.

[Ishaq]

Thank John,

I did use a local garage to change my rear brake pads £20 labour - Pads £35

LOL....@ £130.04

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

OEM filter from Lexus is about a tenner. Oil about £40. How can they justify £176?? Disgusting!!

And the pads as well.... As you found out they are quite cheap even from Lexus and should take a mechanic 20-30 mins to change

[The Transporter]

Or you could learn to do these jobs yourself.

[asharb123]

Interesting reading the posts on this. I had a similar issue a few years ago with a different IS I owned which was due its 70k service and needed the timing belt changed. Lexus Woodford and other Lexus dealerships in London quoted me over £750 plus VAT which was the service and timing belt, not even the tensioner which was extra. I did a lot of ringing around and Lexus Manchester quoted £525 inc tensioner and VAT. Which worked out considerably cheaper even taking into consideration fuel to drive to Manchester and back. Its worth ringing around. Toyota Romford quoted the same as Lexus Woodford.

On the IS I have now, this was my uncles car from new from Lexus Woodford this is serviced by a Lexus mechanic from Lexus Woodford. I can give you his number if you PM me.

[Ishaq]

Hey guys, just to let everyone know I have now changed my stock air filter for K&N and I also managed to clean my MAF sensor with contact cleaner (£4) from Halfords.

Must say the car feels great and very responsive...I also reset the ECU so learning mode now.

I did all this buy myself...LOL...next on to changing the oil.

I already feel proud, but Ashar will PM you for the mechanics number thou as I am very close to Woodford and you never know but need him. Thanks

[jolam]

Hi Arshab123, pls can you pm me the mechanic no. from the Lexus woodford coz I need a full service for my IS. Thanks

[Oxo]

Asharb123, would love to have contact details of your Woodford mechanic.

[woodyk]

Guys - I would like to throw in my 2cents worth as well! But I think you will appreciate it! I needed Front N/S shock replaced due to a faulty seal. It took a few weeks to diagnose problem anyway in the end was fairly confident it was a shock. Got the parts from Hatfield Lexus (nice guys, £181 - it really pisses me off how you cant get a lot of the major parts from anywhere but Lexus for GS after 2005) and then took the car to Motor Masters on 508 Ilford High Rd (IG3) a little before the bend where Seven Kings train station is.

The place is run by 2 brothers, Hamal and Sandeep who have a background in rebuilding engines, both instantly and hugely likeable chaps - who are always busy and speak fluent Swahili - bizarre but I think they lived a while in Tanzania, anyway I digress. As I called the day before and that morning to confirm they were only too happy to sort me out as soon as I arrived (well they had to make some room for my car so may be 15min wait was involved).

They changed the shock absorber for £45-50.

Albin quoted £323,

JEM was over £400 mark but included alignment too

and the main dealer I believe was around the same as JEM.

I only got the faulty shock done - and omfg my car hasn't fallen apart! And neither has the effin world so rod off to all the gets who recommend getting both sides done. Its just a scam - although now that Ive probably jinxed myself will let you know if anything does happen to the other one.

Anyhow, from now on I will taking it to Motor Masters in Ilford. They were friendly, honest and helpful. I recall them saying a major service for a GS300 would be £225 but it was mentioned in passing so I would call to confirm.

That's it lads, rant over. Oh yeah Better Together on Sep 18, 2014!!! Go UK!

[asharb123]

Hi Woody,

Are they on the way to Ilford as in going from Goodmayes to Seven Kings or going from Ilford to Seven Kings.

Thanks

Ash

[woodyk]

Ashar, Yeah mate they are on the right as you head out of town towards Seven Kings from Ilford.