Airbag Repaired! And Ludicrous Shaken Estimate...

Well that was fast! Last weekend, took the car into the dealer, they gave me a new Prius to drive around for a while, went shopping, and then when I was done drove back to the dealer where they had the IS-F ready to go, new airbag module installed and the car washed and vacuumed!

Just like this one. Courtesy http://clicccar.com/2015/10/20/334187/

I actually had fun "driving" the Prius, it reminded me how quiet hybrids are, and how it feels like driving a washing machine.... but I digress.  The dealership itself WAS entertaining, however: As the bi-annual shaken is coming up in late September, they gave me an estimate for the work. I can see why these are money makers for dealerships (and why lots of people forgo paying this, and use the money on a new car).  What is required isn't so bad. It's what the dealership guilts/worries people into paying for, that is outrageous!

Here is what the estimate contained for my IS-F:

Fees Required by law (to be paid to the Japanese DMV)
Weight tax: 32,800 yen
Basic insurance: 27,840 yen
Revenue tax stamp: 1,100 yen
TOTAL: 61,740 yen.

What the dealer will charge for taking care of the above:
"24 month Periodic Inspection" - 32,616 yen
"Renewal Inspection" - 9,500 yen.
TOTAL: 42,116 yen.

So, at MINIMUM, I will end up paying: 61,740 + 42,116 = 103,856 yen.

Of course, the dealer is in business to make money. Thus, they recommend the "Lexus recommended periodic inspection parts replacement" which is the following.
1. Engine oil and filter exchange:
Labor: 7,236 yen
Oil filter: 1717 yen
Oil pan drain plug gasket: 86 yen
TOTAL: 9,039 yen (the oil is free as the car is a CPO car, still under warranty)

2. Brake line air removal;
Labor: 10,908 yen
Brake fluid replacement (1000 mL): 1814 yen
TOTAL: 12,722 yen

3. Front window wiper blade (R/L) exchange:
Labor: 1836 yen
RH wiper blade: 918 yen
LH wiper blade: 864 yen
TOTAL: 3618 yen

4. Interior Air filter exchange:
1836 yen (labor) + 2160 yen (new filter) = 3996 yen

5.  Engine key battery replacement - 864 yen (labor) plus 432 yen (battery) = 1296 yen

6. Engine steam cleaning: FREE!

Total for this "recommended" service is 30,671 yen.

The dealer also has provisions for "repairs pursuant to inspection results" - I am scared of this, I get the feeling I will end up paying for something here:
1. Brake cleaning: 1728 yen (part)
2. Headlight aiming 3672 yen (labor)
3. Parking brake adjustment: 12,744 yen (labor)
4. F/R side slip adjustment (wheel alignment): 5,670 yen (labor)
5. Engine coolant exchange:
Labor: 9,072 yen
Super Long Life Coolant: 2904 yen
Radiator drain washer: 205 yen
TOTAL: 35,995

The dealer also told me that it is a good idea to update the Navi software. Not sure why because the car seems to update the maps automatically, but maybe the software is better now? IF so this might be worth it.
Navigation software update: 16,200 yen (software) + 1620 yen (labor) = 17,820 yen

Of course, because this is a high performance engine, I should REALLY consider the following:

The NUTEC Engine Refresh Course (2501 cc and over): 4752 yen for two bottles of NUTEC's NC-901 plus 7668 yen labor (not sure why this is so expensive, probably some kind of engine flush - it's not sold commercially, you have to go to an authorized shop -so no DIY here...).

In addition, the NUTEC Sludge Remover and Fuel Boost - 2 bottles of NC-220 at 3500 yen (this is available commercially - maybe I'll try it myself one day)
TOTAL: 15,920 yen.

Finally, IF I go for the oil change, why not use a higher spec oil?
Engine oil - 9.3 liters for 34,652 yen.

All of this not legally required stuff, costs a TOTAL of 177,174 yen. Oh and plus another handling fee of 10,200 yen.  So a REAL TOTAL of 187,374 yen! (including tax!).

So, together with the legally mandated taxes of 61, 740 yen, I would end up paying a total amount of 249,114 yen!!!

RIDICULOUS!!

As I have a mod coming up that I am asking Ninomiya-san at BeAmbitious to take of, we took a look together and shared a laugh.  In the end, we  eliminated everything except for the legally required taxes and the Navigation software.

So I let the dealer know, and so I'll be back on the 18th to get the shaken done. Aoki-san said "no problem" but did ask for my understanding that, there might indeed be "repairs pursuant to inspection results."  Who knows what stuff they will say is "mandatory" and what extra I will end up paying. Oh well, it will be an experience.

Meanwhile, I dropped the car off at BeAmbitious in order to, once and for all, get rid of that stupid blank switch on the right side panel.

Does anyone else get as annoyed as me? Why Lexus did you leave a blank?

Takata Airbag Recall, Part 2!

So it turns out that, with respect to the latest Takata airbag problem, the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MILT) is taking matters into their own hands.

On May 27, MILT published this, which is basically the same information as I posted in my previous post regarding NHTSA and American Toyota's efforts on the Takata airbag recall (that the IS-F is subject to recall):

This is basically a schedule on how MILT will begin issuing recall notices for affected cars.

Then today I got an email from my dealer apologizing for basically not really understanding what I was upset about.  It turns out that today, Lexus Japan posted the following:
https://lexus.jp/recall/2016/recall_160601.html

Hello, yes there is a recall...

Listing all models of the IS sold in Japan subject to the airbag recall.

Interesting for me was, over 4 years they only sold 2638 IS-Fs in Japan??

Yep that airbag assembly thing

What is most interesting is that Lexus Japan says that replacement parts are likely to be available by mid-August. Perhaps it's the low number of cars affected, but that timing seems much faster than what is going on in the USA.

For me, I'm just not going to drive with passengers in the front seat for a while...

Takata Airbag Recall!

Great, just great. Even though I had done research on this issue before I bought the car, it turns out that the passenger side airbag inflator is made by Takata.

Just a couple of days ago in the US, Toyota Motor Sales, USA announced that it would be recalling several cars, including select Lexus models.
http://toyotanews.pressroom.toyota.com/releases/toyota-takata-expansion-may23.htm

    * 2009 - 2011MY Corolla, Matrix 

    * 2006 - 2011MY Yaris 

    * 2010 - 2011MY 4Runner 

    * 2011MY Sienna 

    * 2008 - 2011MY Scion xB 

    * 2007 - 2011MY Lexus ES 

    * 2010 – 2011MY Lexus GX 

    * 2006 – 2011MY Lexus IS 

Give that the interior of the IS-F is near identical to the IS, I suspected but had no confirmation that the IS-F would also be included.

However, just last night I stumbled upon this:

https://techinfo.toyota.com/techInfoPortal/staticcontent/en/techinfo/html/prelogin/docs/cp/g2gg2hlofaq.pdf

Which explains the 5 phase recall in detail, and the reasons why. Most importantly however was this graphic at the end:

which clearly shows the 2008-2011 IS-F as one of the affected models.  I've emailed my dealer and he is trying to get information, but for now, it's wait and see...