Lexus Maintenance: Costs And Schedule
With a yearly average of $551, Lexus maintenance costs are affordable compared to other luxury brands.
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Motor1 Reviews Team Take:
- Since Lexus is a luxury vehicle, owners can anticipate an average yearly maintenance and repair cost of around $551 per year.
- New Lexus vehicles come with Lexus Care, which covers the first and second scheduled maintenance services at an approved Lexus dealership or facility.
- While Lexus maintenance costs are typically higher than some non-luxury auto brands, Lexus vehicles are still more affordable to own and maintain than many European luxury vehicles.
As the luxury division of Toyota, Lexus maintenance costs are cheap, relatively speaking. RepairPal ranked Lexus in sixth place overall for its low ownership costs. Lexus owners spend about $551 per year on maintenance and repairs, though costs grow as vehicles age.
Still, there are several plans to help you manage Lexus maintenance costs, and extending your warranty can be a good idea to avoid expensive repair costs. Lexus has its own program, but there are also plenty of third-party options on the market that can be more affordable.
We’ve reviewed a number of the most popular providers and picked a few that stood out from the rest. Our recommendations for third-party extended car warranty all performed well in customer service, industry reputation, perks, and plan options.
An extended warranty can help lower your out-of-pocket ownership costs. Click the links below to compare extended warranty options for your Lexus.
Lexus Maintenance Schedule Program
The Lexus maintenance schedule requires oil changes at least every 6 months or 5,000 miles. In addition to that, vehicles require different services at different intervals. Below is an example Lexus service schedule for up to 90,000 miles. You can get customized maintenance recommendations for your Lexus on the manufacturer’s website.
| Service Interval | Service |
|---|---|
| Every 5,000 miles or 6 months | Replace engine oil and oil filter, rotate tires, inspect brake pads and rotors |
| 15,000 miles or 18 months | Inspect nuts and bolts on chassis |
| 30,000 miles or 36 months | Measure brake pad thickness and rotor runout, replace air conditioner filter, inspect nuts and bolts on chassis, replace brake fluid, replace engine air filter |
| 45,000 miles or 54 months | Inspect engine air filter, inspect nuts and bolts on chassis, visually inspect brake pads and rotors |
| 60,000 miles or 72 months | Measure brake pad thickness and rotor runout, replace brake fluid, replace engine air filter, replace transmission fluid, inspect nuts and bolts on chassis, replace air conditioner filter |
| 75,000 miles or 90 months | Inspect engine air filter, inspect nuts and bolts on chassis, visually inspect brake pads and rotors |
| 90,000 miles or 108 months | Measure brake pad thickness and rotor runout, replace air conditioner filter, inspect nuts and bolts on chassis, replace brake fluid, replace engine air filter, replace timing belt |
Lexus Free Maintenance
New Lexus models come with Lexus Care, which includes two free maintenance appointments at 6 months/5,000 miles and 12 months/10,000 miles. Depending on your car, this will include at least one oil change – synthetic oil vehicles go 10,000 miles between oil changes, while conventional vehicles go 5,000 miles between oil changes.
This is a nice perk of being a new car owner, but it’s definitely not the longest free maintenance program out there.
General Lexus Maintenance Costs
To get the most out of your car, you have to take care of it. While regular maintenance can feel like a drag, it would be a lot worse to skip out on services. Doing so can lead to even higher maintenance costs down the road.
Remember, warranties don’t cover scheduled maintenance or wear items. New car owners have the option to get a Lexus prepaid maintenance plan that lasts between 2 years/20,000 miles and 5 years/90,000 miles. This plan covers oil changes, tire rotations, inspections, filters, and scheduled service recommendations up to the mileage amount you choose.
If you don’t go with a prepaid plan, here are some maintenance prices you can expect to see:
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Oil change | $130 to $200 |
| New tires | $800 to $1,000 |
| 10,000-mile scheduled maintenance | $300+ |
| Spark plug replacement | $200 to $500 |
| Brake pads | $130 to $300 |
Common Lexus Repair Costs
Now let’s talk a little bit about repairs. Many people think of repairs and maintenance as the same thing. They both contribute to the cost of owning a vehicle, but there are some differences between them. Maintenance is what you do to keep your car in good health, like preventative medicine. You stick to the schedule to minimize your chances of a breakdown.
Repairs happen when your car has broken down or a part has failed. Repair costs are more unpredictable between vehicles – you and your neighbor may drive the exact same car, but one of you may spend thousands more on repairs than the other.
Here are a few repairs you might encounter with a Lexus RX 350, courtesy of RepairPal:
| Repair | Cost |
|---|---|
| Water pump replacement | $911 to $1,067 |
| Cabin air filter replacement | $76 to $86 |
| Engine cover front gasket replacement | $2,025 to $2,513 |
| Air bag control module replacement | $650 to $681 |
And here are a few repairs associated with the Lexus ES 350:
| Repair | Cost |
|---|---|
| Radiator replacement | $911 to $1,047 |
| Windshield wiper arm replacement | $185 to $194 |
| Wheel hub replacement | $551 to $706 |
| Drive axle assembly leak inspection | $44 to $56 |
Overall, Lexus gets great reliability ratings. RepairPal estimates that 8 percent of Lexus repairs are for serious issues, compared to 12 percent for the industry.
Comparing Lexus Maintenance Costs Across Models
Brand-new Lexus models don’t require much in terms of repairs and maintenance. So, we’re going to look at 5-year maintenance costs for vehicles that are already 5 years old. At this point, the car is outside of the factory warranty period, there’s no free maintenance, and you’re on your own unless you bought an extended warranty.
| Vehicle Price | 5-Year Maintenance Costs | 5-Year Repair Costs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Lexus NX 200t | $24,463 | $6,544 | $3,681 |
| 2017 Lexus RX 350 | $29,428 | $7,143 | $3,059 |
| 2017 Lexus ES 350 | $24,781 | $6,722 | $3,059 |
| 2017 Lexus GS 350 | $27,050 | $11,574 | $3,059 |
(Note: Comparison data is from the True Cost To Own calculator from Edmunds.com.)
You’ll notice that the Lexus GS is the one with the highest 5-year maintenance cost. While it does have a higher sticker price, it’s also the only car in this comparison that requires premium fuel. Also, you might have to take your car into the shop a bit more often if it’s a turbo or sport model – depending on your driving habits, of course.
Lexus NX maintenance costs came out the cheapest in this comparison, but you might find different prices if you have a 300 or Hybrid 300h model. Overall, these costs are on the affordable side for luxury cars. It helps that Lexus is basically an upgraded version of Toyota. Some owners even go so far as to buy Toyota parts to put in their Lexus cars to save even more money. Now, we wouldn’t recommend doing that unless you know what you’re doing and your Lexus is outside of its factory warranty.
Comparing Lexus To Other Brands
Next, we’ll compare Lexus RX 350 maintenance costs to models from a few other brands. We’ll stick with the SUV theme of the RX, too.
| Vehicle Price | 5-Year Maintenance Costs | 5-Year Repair Costs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Lexus RX 350 | $29,428 | $7,143 | $3,059 |
| 2017 Toyota RAV4 | $21,109 | $5,032 | $2,403 |
| 2017 Infiniti QX60 | $20,229 | $8,337 | $2,994 |
| 2017 Audi Q5 2.0T | $20,657 | $8,999 | $10,364 |
| 2017 Mercedes GLA 250 | 19,109.0 | 7,589.0 | 9,023.0 |
| 2017 BMW X3 | $19,835 | 8752.0 | $8,423 |
Here you’ll notice that the Infiniti QX60 has ownership costs similar to the Lexus RX. That makes sense since Infiniti is the luxury division of Nissan – another reliable car company.
Compared to other brands, Lexus isn’t a high-maintenance car. We added the RAV4 into the mix to compare Lexus maintenance costs to Toyota. The maintenance and repair costs for both SUVs are pretty similar when you account for the difference in the sticker price.
You can also see that the European models by Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW cost considerably more to repair during the 5-year period. Looking at Mercedes and Lexus car maintenance, Lexus is a little bit cheaper. However, Lexus repair costs are much cheaper than Mercedes.
So, what brand costs the most to maintain? BMW’s maintenance cost is the highest out of any of these models. That’s especially true when you consider the sale price. BMW X3 owners will pay an extra $17,175 for maintenance and repairs on 2017 models, which is very close to the sticker price of the vehicle, $19,835.
We mentioned above that some Lexus models require services every 6 months or 5,000 miles. The RX 350 is one of them. The 2017 Lexus RX 350 maintenance schedule includes regular services every 6 months or 5,000 miles, whichever comes sooner. Most services will involve basic things like changing the oil, changing the filters, and inspecting the engine. Major services will happen at milestones like 60,000 and 90,000 miles. You can check out the full maintenance schedule here.
Finally, here’s how annual repair costs stack up across these brands (via RepairPal):
- Toyota: $441
- Lexus: $551
- Infiniti: $638
- Mercedes-Benz: $908
- BMW: $968
How Do Extended Warranties Help With Costs?
Thankfully, Lexus owners have fewer repairs to worry about than drivers of other luxury cars. Even so, breakdowns still happen. The next time you get stuck on the side of the road, who knows if you’ll need a $200 repair or a $2,000 repair? Extended warranties from dealers can help cover mechanical failures past the factory warranty period. Third-party warranties, called vehicle service contracts, can also cover the same parts – they are just backed by different companies.
Basically, extended coverage plans let you pay for repairs ahead of time and on a monthly budget, instead of paying hundreds (or thousands) at one time. There’s always the chance that a plan can save you from a huge repair, like a $3,000 transmission replacement.
What Car Owners Think Of The Lexus Extended Warranty
In January 2024, our team surveyed consumers who purchased an extended warranty plan from their car’s manufacturer. Of the 12 Lexus owners we surveyed, most paid between $1,000 and $3,000 for coverage. Some paid less than $1,000 for coverage.
When asked about their satisfaction with the Lexus extended warranty, most of the respondents were very or at least somewhat satisfied with their coverage. Here are some of their thoughts:
- “I enjoy my extended warranty very much. It’s affordable and gives me peace of mind.”
- “I’m completely satisfied. I had an incident with one of my tires recently and it was repaired for free.”
- “[Filing a claim] was so easy and not confusing. The repair shop took care of all of the details.”
Extend Coverage With Third-Party Providers
Lexus does offer some extended warranty options called Lexus Service Agreements. But to purchase one of these, your car has to be within the factory warranty period of 4 years/50,000 miles. Plus, plans require a deductible unless you visit the dealership that sold you the plan.
In contrast, you can add a third-party vehicle service contract to your car at almost any point in time. Third-party contracts are typically cheaper than dealer warranties, and they offer more freedom as well. Here are a few more things you can expect from the best providers:
- You can choose any certified repair shop.
- The service contract provider can pay the shop directly.
- Coverage can extend past 200,000 miles for many vehicles.
- Extras include roadside assistance, travel benefits, rental car coverage, and more.
Lastly, Lexus owners have an advantage when shopping for extended coverage. That’s because Lexus is an easy-to-repair luxury vehicle. Some providers won’t cover other luxury brands, but Lexus owners should have no problem finding coverage.
Compare top Lexus extended warranty options below to help lower your out-of-pocket vehicle ownership costs.
Lexus Maintenance Cost: Bottom Line
Maintenance for Lexus vehicles costs around $551 per year on average, which is lower than many luxury vehicle brands. New Lexus models also come with Lexus Care, which takes care of the first two manufacturer-recommended scheduled maintenance visits. Beyond this initial benefit, Lexus offers a prepaid maintenance plan to cover oil changes, tire rotations, filter replacements, and scheduled maintenance services up to the plan’s mileage limits.
While Lexus vehicles are generally considered reliable, some repairs can become costly. To help keep maintenance and repair costs low, our team recommends exploring extended warranty coverage for your Lexus as it ages out of factory warranty coverage.
Compare top third-party Lexus extended warranty options below to help lower your out-of-pocket vehicle ownership costs.
Lexus Maintenance Cost: FAQ
Below are some frequently asked questions about Lexus maintenance costs:
Is a Lexus expensive to maintain?
On the whole, Lexus vehicles are some of the least expensive cars to maintain compared to other luxury brands. They can also be cheap compared to mass-market brands, too, because many Lexus models share parts with Toyota. However, it also depends on the model you have. High-performance engines and upper-tier models can require more care over time.
How much does it cost to get an oil change for a Lexus?
What a Lexus oil change costs depends on whether your engine requires synthetic or conventional oil, and whether you want to take it to a Lexus dealer or not. Dealership oil changes can cost between $130 and $200. If you go to a third-party shop, you might find prices between $60 and $120. Another option is to take your Lexus to a Toyota dealership to save a bit of money on the oil change. Finally, according to RepairPal, an ES 350 oil change can cost between $168 and $184.
How much does a Lexus service cost?
Drivers pay around $300 for scheduled maintenance every 10,000 miles, though some models need maintenance every 5,000. For new car owners, Lexus performs the first two services at 5,000 and 10,000 miles for free.
Methodology
In an effort to provide accurate and unbiased information to consumers, our expert review team collects data from dozens of extended auto warranty companies to formulate rankings of the best providers. Companies receive a score in each of the following categories, as well as an overall weighted score out of 5.0 stars.
- Industry Standing: Warranty providers with a history of strong business practices and endorsements from experts receive the highest scores in this category.
- Coverage: This rating is based on the types of extended warranty plans available, coverage terms, and added benefits like roadside assistance.
- Cost: Our research team reviews sample quotes for a variety of plans and vehicles. Companies with lower prices per year of coverage receive the best scores.
- Transparency: This score takes into account contract transparency and the availability of a money-back guarantee.
- Customer Service: We comb through customer reviews and perform our own shopper analysis to get a sense of the responsiveness and helpfulness of each warranty company.
*Data accurate at time of publication.
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