I have been bringing my 2012 IS 250 for the past seven or eight years to ServiceLex. Until last year, I was very satisfied with Carlo's service.
I brought my car for a routine oil change last September (2023) and all went fine , but toward the end of the oil change Carlo and his assistant started telling me about carbon build up problems in GDI engines and how it is inevitable and how it could cost me over $3,000.
I was shocked and angry to hear this just then since I had been having Carlo service my IS 250 for 6 years and only then (2023), he tells me this. Before September 2023, Carlo had told me every time I brought my car to him that I could count on it lasting at least 200,000 miles (at minimal maintenance cost) as long as I did the scheduled maintenance, which I had been doing.
After he saw my frustration, he then said there would be another option that would cost about $600. I found this disturbing because he should have led with that option and not only mention it after he saw my annoyed reaction.
After CARLO told me this, I did extensive research into carbon buildup in GDI engines, and he has a point. But he was wrong in making me worry since there are symptoms of GDI carbon buildup including decreased fuel economy, misfires and knocking. My car runs great and has none of those symptoms, which I told Carlo during this most recent oil change.
Just last week, I brought my IS 250 to Carlo to have a routine oil change at just 3,250 miles since the last oil change. (As I said, I take care of my car.)
His assistant did the oil change while Carlo was on his computer, so I dealt with the assistant only, which I was not happy with.
His assistant told me that my left rear strut was leaking and may need to be replaced. I asked him to show me the leak and I didn't see anything!
I overheard him mention it to Carlo and Carlo didn't even address it with me while I was talking to Carlo when I went in to his office to pay the bill.
Either the assistant didn't know what he was talking about or he was trying to have me replace the strut. I don't know what his intentions were, but I found his behavior suspicious.
After I left ServiceLex II researched this so-called "strut leak" and based on Monroe shocks' website a small amount of "WEEPAGE" along a strut is normal and not a problem!
Hopefully, Carlo told his assistant that some leakage is normal and that's why Carlo didn't mention it to me. I would hope that the assistant was NOT deliberately trying to mislead me to spend unnecessary money on a new strut.
Nonetheless, based on my last two visits to Servicelex, I have concerns about their service.
I had thought I had found a reliable mechanic for my 2012 IS 250 but now feel forced to question him.
You may ask why I brought my car back to him again last week (Aug 2024). I brought my car back to him because I don't know of anyone else to bring my car to and all I needed was an oil change, and the car is running well so I wouldn't actually need him to do anything major.
If anyone out there knows of an honest and very capable Toyota/Lexus mechanic, please contact me. read more