I’m wondering if anyone of you have experience with this particular situation.
So, my 2018 Lexus IS AWD FSPORT needs back brake pads and rotors. Toyota is closest to me, whereas Lexus is an hour and so away. Toyota also charges less for labor.
Today I told Toyota to get the parts for my car and install them, which they made appointment for that. However, an independent mechanic around here advised that Toyota will use aftermarket parts on my Lexus as Toyota does not have the OEM parts for my car, nor any of their cars use the same parts number as the Lexus IS brake rotors.
I want to stick with OEM parts for the life of the car.
Does anyone know if Toyota uses aftermarket parts on cars that aren’t theirs ?
Apparently he isn’t aware that the Toyota dealership can order parts directly from the company’s Lexus division, or–more likely–he is ignoring that reality.
To me, it sounds like that indy mechanic is spinning tall tales in order to divert business to his shop. Is that really the type of person with whom you want to do business?
It would not be Toyota doing or not doing it; the question is whether that particular dealer does or doesn’t do it, or has or hasn’t done it, or will or won’t do it.
The dealer is not Toyota. Two different business entities.
I dunno but you don’t go into a ford dealership and have them install Gm parts. I remember needing a fuel pump relay for the kids Acura. The Honda dealer was on the way so I stopped there to pick up the part. Sorry bud but we don’t sell parts for Acura. You’ll have to go to the Acura dealer. Picked up the part at Acura, packaged with Honda labeling. Likely the brake pads are Toyota anyway made by an after market supplier. They are different entities. You bought a Lexus but want Toyota pricing.
I contacted Toyota just a few minutes ago per the suggestions from the CarTalk community and the guy who works there assured me that OEM parts will be used on the Lexus. So I feel relieved about this. Lexus charges too much for labor. This is why I shop around for lower labor prices.
If a shop refuses to wait for oem part delivery, owner can always obtain the oem parts themselves, from a Lexus dealership. and ask that those parts be installed. As long as parts were unused, in original boxes, and marked with the oem branding, I doubt a shop would complain. The shop may charge a fee though, to make up for the markup they usually book as a profit on parts. I think the profit from parts is considered a very important part of a shop’s revenue. Sort of like how restaurants make significant % of their profit by selling $3 sodas to the customers.
Haha, I rebuilt a Volvo diesel years a go that the bearings and rods and other parts had VW stamped on them, so it was a Volvo with a VW diesel engine in it… I6 (inline 6)
I do my own maintenance. When we had a Lexus is300 I would look at the part numbers in online OEM websites for Toyota and for Lexus. If they were the same I ordered the Toyota parts because they cost less. That was the case almost always. Not always, but almost.
I have not seen a disparity in Lexus and Toyota parts prices. I have a Highlander and my wife has a Lexus. Prices for the same part at the dealers are the same at Lexus dealer and Toyota dealer.
