Negotiations and the Lexus Extended Warranty (1 Viewer)

[Bic Jet]

Those prices are great, they are much lower than what 2 dealers out here in Arizona estimated I asked them last year (they didn't yet have pricing set up for all of these services).

I had my oil changed at my free 10k service, then I had the oil changed again at my 15k service. I paid $181.85 out of pocket for just the oil portion of the 15k service. I don't know what the rest of the service would have cost because I have the prepaid maintenance plan. I'll ask them at my next service which is coming up very soon at 20k. The extra services at 15k included lube prop shafts, smart key battery, rotate tires, plus full inspection.

For my upcoming 20k service, I'll obviously be doing an oil change and I'll be talking to them about when I should be changing fluid in the differentials, transfer case, and transmission. They checked my differential fluid at 15k and it still looked new.

I am on the service plan for "driving off-road, on dirt roads or on dusty roads" and although I don't tow, I do frequently carry heavy loads so I am conscious of those special service items as well. For the "towing a trailer, using a car-top carrier or heavy vehicle loading" the first recommended differential oil change is at 15k. For the off-road service schedule, the first recommended transfer case oil change is at 30k.

I'm looking through the service schedule and the only mention of transmission that I see is "inspect transmission fluid cooler hoses and connections and transmission for signs of leakage" at 30k and then the first "replace transmission fluid" is at 60k on the towing/heavy vehicle loading schedule (then again at 120k). I don't see any recommendation to change the transmission fluid unless you're observing the towing/heavy vehicle loading schedule!

I suggest the following but I am an over achiever…..plus, fluids are way cheaper than repairs. Oil every 3,000, diffs, trans, radiator, brake every 30,000. This is a lot more affordable if you do it yourself, or find a non-dealer mechanic out there that you trust to do these things. None of it is hard, just getting rid of the old fluids is the PITA. In Texas, autoparts stores and repair shops are required by law to accept used oil and fluids from anyone provided there is no gasoline in it.

 

[leopard print]

correct - pre-paid maintenance only covers the manufacturer's recommended interval which is 10k miles. I want 5k oil changes.

I asked my dealership if they would do the complimentary oil change early at 5k miles and they said yes. I plan to do oil changes every 5k. Food for thought for all of you.

 

[Bic Jet]

I plan to complete my first oil change at 500 (DIY) check the filter for any overly abundant metal shavings and then do it again at 3,000. After that I will got to every 5,000 and start at the dealership. I didi find out that my dealership does not offer pre-paid maintenance plans, so I am going to have a buddy call in and find out iof they honor them from another dealership. If so, I will most likely but the PPM and also the glass one.

When I purchased my Grenadier, they didn’t have the glass plan set up yet, and of course now I have a busted windshield. I have to out of pocket the new one then I can buy their plan. It s a good plan, unlimited erplacements with calibration for 5 years at $2500. A new windshield costs $3,000.

 

[RetiredSteelWorker]

I asked my dealership if they would do the complimentary oil change early at 5k miles and they said yes. I plan to do oil changes every 5k. Food for thought for all of you.

I'm not clear what the benefit in this is?

All you're doing is moving one oil change that is already paid for (rolled into the purchase price of the vehicle) from 10k miles/12 months to 5k miles/six months. Won't you just end up paying out-of-pocket for the change at 10k (12 month) service?

If one is going to do oil changes at 5k mile/six month intervals, then you'll either DIY it or pay to have it done at 5k, 15k, 25k, .... This is assuming you'll 'follow the base case' and have a Lexus dealer do the full services on the 10s/12 months which includes oil changes, i.e., 10k miles/12 months, 20k miles/24 mos, 30k miles/36 months.

 

[Bic Jet]

You are totally correct, sir! Yes, I will honor the suggested oil changes, but I will also pay out of pocket at 500 miles, again at 3,000 miles, 5,000 miles, and every other 5,000 mile interval going forward. I am “Old-School” and thus choose to change the oil at every 5,000 miles to be safe. I think the oil change is cheap insurance, keeps the lifeblood of the motor healthy, and should extend the life of it as well or at least help. I think previously, in another thread, I might have suggested every 3,000 miles, but I believe 5,000 is a more appropriate interval.

 

[leopard print]

I'm not clear what the benefit in this is?

All you're doing is moving one oil change that is already paid for (rolled into the purchase price of the vehicle) from 10k miles/12 months to 5k miles/six months. Won't you just end up paying out-of-pocket for the change at 10k (12 month) service?

If one is going to do oil changes at 5k mile/six month intervals, then you'll either DIY it or pay to have it done at 5k, 15k, 25k, .... This is assuming you'll 'follow the base case' and have a Lexus dealer do the full services on the 10s/12 months which includes oil changes, i.e., 10k miles/12 months, 20k miles/24 mos, 30k miles/36 months.

I’m aware of what you said. I want to be done with the dealership. My plan is to pay out of pocket for oil changes and any other maintenance at 10k moving forward at an independent shop or do it myself.

 

[Bluegill]

I'm also paying out of pocket for every-other 5k oil change.

 

[GoGetIt]

Oil changes, filters are easy enough, I prefer doing them myself so I know what went in/out. It’s the extended warranty I’ve been debating. 3-4 years past factory doesn’t feel very comfortable to me, but I’ve never owned a Lexus like this. Has anyone here ever had to use their extended warranty on any car?

 

[leopard print]

Oil changes, filters are easy enough, I prefer doing them myself so I know what went in/out. It’s the extended warranty I’ve been debating. 3-4 years past factory doesn’t feel very comfortable to me, but I’ve never owned a Lexus like this. Has anyone here ever had to use their extended warranty on any car?

Yes. Sometimes it has paid off and others not. It’s a crap shoot. Keep in mind that Lexus or any other car company won’t sell a product unless they think they’ll make money on it. So extended warranty in aggregate is a money loser for the consumer, but individually it can pay off.

 

[JG550]

Oil changes, filters are easy enough, I prefer doing them myself so I know what went in/out. It’s the extended warranty I’ve been debating. 3-4 years past factory doesn’t feel very comfortable to me, but I’ve never owned a Lexus like this. Has anyone here ever had to use their extended warranty on any car?

I had a 2019 Audi Q5. I leased it and the lease ended during the whole supply chain crisis in 2022. I bought it out off the lease and bought an extended warranty for 2 years beyond the manufacturer warranty.

There was some lawsuit about how they sold their extended warranties so my warranty ended up covering the car until 2029. Within 3 months of manufacturer warranty ending there was a leak in the AC system. Was in the shop for weeks and cost 7k in parts and labor to repair it. About 4 months after that we started getting random engine misfires. It would go in every few months they would said it was fixed and then same thing again. After the 3rd time I traded it in as the headache was too much. The total billing on all the repairs that the extended warranty covered was about 15k and I only paid 2k for it.

I’m going to wait out to determine whether I’ll be getting one for the GX.

 

[Bluegill]

These new "infotainment" systems in these cars are ridiculous. For some reason, the automakers have trained us all to think that pushing fake, non-mechanical (and non-tactile) buttons on a computer screen is some kind of improvement or evolution for climate control, stereo, etc.

How much do you think it will cost to repair or replace the giant screens in these GX550s when (not if, but when) they die? How many other computerized systems are in the truck? You'll have no choice but to pay up for the repairs if you're out of warranty. Try selling a used truck with a non-functioning infotainment system. It'll be worthless.

I had a top of the line 2013 Land Rover LR4 that cost the equivalent of $95k today. The much older and much less computerized infotainment system malfunctioned and LR wanted $5500 just to start trying to throw replacement parts at it. The malfunction completely ruined the entire experience of owning the truck. I couldn't listen to the top of the line Harmon Kardon stereo, kids couldn't watch DVDs in the headrest screens, couldn't use navigation, couldn't use the hands-free phone, couldn't even charge the phone, etc. Thankfully the climate control was a separate system. I threw about $3k at it in replacement parts that didn't fix it and I sold the truck in disgust (it had plenty of even more costly mechanical issues too because that's just part of the Land Rover experience).

The fact of the matter is that vehicles are no longer meant to be kept long-term. They're disposable now, just like everything else. The only viable way I can see keeping this truck long term (past warranty) is to extend the factory warranty.

 

[GoGetIt]

Thanks for the responses above to my question. Sounds like a roll of the dice and if I go for the extended I’ll treat it like insurance. At least I’ll have a couple years to think on it.