Mouser

Parts are readily available on eBay & eurocarparts, you can even buy parts from Lexus Birmingham on Ebay.

Oil and oil filter & o-ring / gasket are easy to change yourself for ~ £50

Intake & especially the pollen filter are very easy to change for £25.

Brake fluid full flush in half an hour if you have a mate for £15. Plenty of videos on Youtube about this.

Differential fluid I've not done, but it's not hard so long as you have the kit to get under the car safely. Topping up the transmission fluid is similar.

Checking Battery fluid level (if applicable), start time, tire wear, coolant level, lights on the dash and working exterior lights is very easy.

Checking the brake disk wear can be done without taking the wheels off, same for pad wear. Replacing these is easy so long as you have axle stands / a big block of wood. Parts as above.

Check the brake pedal height from the carpet (16.4-17.4 cm) and that the brake position when pressed is well clear of the carpet. The parking brake needs 10 cm from the carpet when applied with normal force.

Tyre pressure you should be checking anyway, and check for damage.

When doing the above, have a good look around for anything else that looks worn or overheated. Wheels shouldn't wobble or rattle, steering should be firm and responsive, tyre wear should be even, exhaust hangers shouldn't be rusty, shocks shouldn't be leaking oil, the oil you drain shouldn't be gritty / foamy / pale.

DPF / EGR I can't advise you on as I don't have a diesel, but it's discussed on here a lot. If you're seeing good mpg then you should be okay.

As for the 'usual checks', Tunbridge Wells is a long and unpleasant drive for me, so I used a local high end specialist who have a much longer checklist as well as lower costs.

60K service includes spark plugs, this is the where most of the cost is. The spark plugs alone are £17 (£102 for six) and the whole upper intake has to be taken off to remove the three plugs from the right side of the "V" engine. Make sure you also change the three gaskets under the intake (part number 17176-31050). It took me about 4 hours to do them, I'm not a mechanic but I like working on cars. I bought the plugs from Lexus Birmingham for £78 on eBay so I saved quite some cash in the end. The spark plug reference is Denso FK20HBR11 (part number is 90919-01249). Do not buy anything else, they are awkward plugs (triple electrode iridium with long body) and all other plugs are incompatible.There's a full spark plug service guide on ClubLexus.com with very detailed instructions and good pictures.

Lexus Birmingham on Ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/lexusbirm/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=100&_trksid=p3686

ClubLexus link: http://www.clublexus.com/forums/performance/586459-diy-guide-is250-spark-plug-change.html

Did you get the gaskets from Birmingham Lexus as well? Were any special tools required / useful?

filled mine earlier... my filler is the same as yours... hole plus two smaller ones either side ?

( just run from glasgow to london on cruise... 70mph...ish... all the way...6hrs 15 min. refilled with 36 litres... 397 miles = 51mpg ? ish ? i'm happy.)

51 is much more like what I'd expect from the 220d, I get better mpg than BigMick from my 250, especially when doing mainly motorway travelling.

Lexus Brighton has closed. I have just had my 2006 RX300 serviced at Motorline, an independent engineering company based just off the A27 near Lewes. I found them very professional, helpful and friendly. I was supplied with a complete list of all they did, broken down by price. My car runs extremely well and, from my experience, I can recommend Motorline to Lexus owners looking for a good service at below Lexus cost. Their phone number is 01273 858999, ask for Andy.

I used the same guys today, and found them to be very reasonable. I'd already changed the oil & filter, and had an intake air filter which they were happy to fit. As far as the other cars there I saw a TVR, Jag E-Type and an AMG Mercedes. They're not the cheapest in the area, but they work with you a lot better than others I've been to, so I'd recommend them as well. Total cost of a service was £135, vs. £179 from Lexus, which wouldn't include the cost of a temporary car and the miles of extra travel to get there and back.

Thanks for the keen eyed spot - they'd put the 245 on the front on one side! Will get that swapped over.

The cost was £75 per wheel as I chose to have them dipped to address the corrosion and also the paint I chose was quite pricey. The finish is excellent and the guy I used said he put a few extra layers of lacker on as the colour was so sparkley!

They better last!!!!

So you have 245 on one side and 225 on the other? We should be calling you a haggis :D

I've been quoted 65 to refurb plus 10 to strip, refit and balance, plus P&P, plus VAT... was the £75 inc/exc those? If so I'd give them a go.

Those are 245s on the front? Chosen so you can rotate them I guess?

The new colour looks very nice, how much did they set you back and how good is the finish on them? The OEM finish may as well be peanut butter for its ability to last.

Become a Gold Member and you get discount from most Lexus dealers

Are you saying I can get parts from most dealers? It would certainly be easier. I fancy doing a brake fluid change, but I'm aware that they've done a recall due to the effects of some none-OEM dot3 fluids, so I'd rather goe OE. Also the tray above the spare wheel in the boot, and the sound deadened plastic over the engine bay could do with replacing.

...

OP - regarding your first question about mpg - drive it long distances and avoid braking by looking ahead and letting it slow naturally. I get the same numbers as Carl 27-29 around town / short journeys, up to 43.3 today on a Brighton to Heathrow and back run at 65-70 . The odd overtaking maneuver won't drop it down much.

You can get a copy of the workshop manual, but you'll need some knowledge to use it properly:

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/69259-lexus-workshop-manual/

For most jobs, just search with Google and you'll find a walkthrough with pictures aplenty.

Eurocarparts / eBay for most, but some bits I can't source except from the US unfortunately. Depends on whether you want to be replacing oil filters or suspensions assemblies.