Hi,
White steam was coming from under car hood. Engine was overheating (past halfway)
Took it to Kmart Auto for inspection and they quoted $650 for aftermarket replacement radiator and thermostat or $1900 for Lexus parts
Unable to DIY
I'm aware that the Lexus Radiator cost $170
So labour cost seem excessive..
Was the price offered reasonable?
OEM doesn't necessarily mean it's Lexus official parts, double check as could just be aftermarket ones.
Sorry that's my wording, they said they had lexus genuine parts
What did the Lexus dealer and a third independent garage quote? Then you'll know your answer.
I took it to the nearest repair shop which was the Kmart Auto.. too far from other places
Too late. Damage has been done. Prolly warped/blown head.
650 is very good for drain/remove old rad + new rad + install + new coolant.
Ok.
Try call Lexus ask for quote on radiator supply.
I would also be worried about 1. blown head.
Also could have other engine damage or gearbox (I'm assuming it's an auto as it's a Lexus).
How was it driving during the last half a minute before it was turned off?
How to tell if the heads been warped/blown? They mentioned about a test
I drove it again to the nearest mechanic (less than 5 mins). No smoke but the temperature reached halfway in about 3-4 minutes.
I'm not an expert, but as long as it drives as it used to and has no water in the oil or smoke/steam from exhaust it should be good.
If you could drive it again after it cooled down, it should for the most part be fine.
https://gobdp.com/blog/what-are-the-symptoms-of-a-blown-head…
1: How far above "half" was it and for how long? More than likely just the cooling system relief venting excess pressure.
2: Seems about right price to remove, replace, radiator and thermostat, fill, bleed cooling system. (if that includes parts and GST.)
3: Some cooling systems, this is a good thing that you don't DIY
4: That's minus shipping and minus labour. It wont find its way to your house and install itself.
Labour costs are excessive? Can you do it yourself? If not, let's break it down.
You don't know what parts they are using or where they buy them. They certainly are not going to charge you only $170 for the parts. But let's say they do. That leaves $480. Take GST off that, and we are left with about $436. I don't know what is involved in removing a radiator or thermostat on an RX Lexus, but lets say it takes 3 hours to remove, replace all the parts and then bleed and test the system. That's about $145/h. Out of this they have to cover wages/super/sick leave, overheads (power/water/etc), possible warranty, insurance, profit… you get where this is going.
More likely it's going to be about $300 in parts (they will add their margin on these) and $350 in labour. While it possibly isnt the best price, it isn't far off what I would quote to do a radiator on a Lexus. You get what you pay for. If you want to nickle and dime the repairs on your car, you will get exactly what you paid for.
Was the price offered reasonable?
Welcome to the world of owning luxury vehicles…
They wanted to do a ……. test on the gasket and engine for damage. It was pretty long, probably 20 mins just above halfway.
Seen on forums that many DIY but I'm not a handyman.
Definitely added margin. I was weighing the difference in buying the part myself and getting an independent mechanic to install it to save a few hundred like I've done with other parts.
Most of my lexus part replacements have been quite cheap because they share similar parts of the Toyota Highlander.
There are quite a few different Lexus models and engines around. $600 seems reasonable anyway. The cheapest parts alone are ~$400 - radiator, thermostat, coolant.
Just got a quote of $688 from other repairers for OEM parts.. looks like Kmart auto are sharks but my car is unfortunately left there