Is A Lexus RX 350 Expensive To Maintain? (Explained!)
If you’re looking for a new crossover SUV, maintenance costs are a concern. Luxury brands like Lexus make great vehicles, however, is a Lexus RX 350 expensive to maintain?
Luxury cars typically have a reputation for being expensive to maintain, and if there is a sudden repair that needs to be done, a luxury vehicle owner can expect to pay quite a bit for parts and labor.
Is A Lexus RX 350 Expensive To Maintain?
Compared to other similar luxury SUV models, the Lexus RX 350 is less expensive to maintain through the first 10-years of ownership. Also, the probability that a major repair, a repair of $500 or more, will need to be done in the first 10-years is less than that of similar luxury SUV models.
So, when it comes to the Lexus RX 350, what kind of regular maintenance should a new owner expect to have to perform on their vehicle? How does the age of the vehicle affect this?
What about mileage? Is there regular maintenance that needs to be done at specific mileage milestones?
Let us take a closer look at the above-stated questions and concerns about the Lexus RX 350 and the costs of maintaining one.
To obtain all the information needed to assess whether or not maintaining a Lexus RX 350 was expensive, the information must be gathered from sources that are not directly linked to auto dealers.
There are many sources out there that have ulterior motives when it comes to providing information to potential buyers, and therefore, the information and recommendations may be biased to promote sales.
For this reason, we have only tapped customer-centric sources that are focused on helping consumers make informed choices about their buying decisions rather than dealer-centric sources that are mainly sales and profit-driven.
What is the annual maintenance cost for a Lexus RX 350?
The longer you own your Lexus RX 350, the more the annual cost of maintenance will increase over time.
This is not only true for the Lexus RX350, but it is also true for any vehicle you own whether it is a luxury model or an economy model.
Vehicles simply put, do not make good investments.
Vehicles depreciate over time, and at the same time, the cost of maintenance and the probability that something will happen that will require a major repair increases.
This is just the nature of what it means to own a vehicle, and for many people, it is an absolute necessity.
Unless you live in an urban environment with an extensive mass transit system, like New York City or Chicago, owning or leasing a vehicle becomes a necessary liability.
In most places in the United States, a vehicle is absolutely necessary to commute to and from work, for shopping, or for driving children to and from school or extra-curricular activities.
So, if you are looking to purchase a Lexus RX 350, how much can you expect to pay each year in annual maintenance costs?
Lexus RX 350 Maintenance Costs
It is estimated that a Lexus RX 350 will cost approximately $7,398 for annual repair costs and maintenance during the first 10-years of ownership. Here is a breakdown by year.
| Years of ownership | Estimated annual cost of maintenance and repair |
| 1st | $291 |
| 2nd | $331 |
| 3rd | $395 |
| 4th | $496 |
| 5th | $580 |
| 6th | $713 |
| 7th | $981 |
| 8th | $1,088 |
| 9th | $1,188 |
| 10th | $1,335 |
As you can see, the cost to maintain a Lexus RX 350 increases each year as the vehicle ages.
Although this is normal for any vehicle, it is estimated that the industry average cost of maintaining a luxury model SUV over 10-years is actually $8,062.
That means, since the estimated annual cost of maintenance on a Lexus RX 350 over the first 10-years is only $7,398, it is approximately 9% less expensive to maintain a Lexus RX 350 versus the average luxury SUV model.
What constitutes routine maintenance on a Lexus RX 350?
If you own a Lexus RX 350, you may be wondering what type of maintenance needs to be conducted on your vehicle and when should it be done.
The easiest way to create a maintenance schedule is to break it down by mileage milestones.
When you reach a mileage milestone, you may want to have a prepared list of recommended vehicle upkeep that should be done once that milestone is reached.
The most common types of routine maintenance that need to be done on a Lexus RX 350 include oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, spark plug replacements, brake system flushes, and cooling system flushes.
It is recommended that at every 10,000 miles, one or some of these routine maintenance procedures be performed.
Oil and air filter changes
Not every procedure needs to be done every 10,000 miles, however, the main exceptions to this are oil and air filter changes.
When it comes to oil changes, Lexus recommends that you change your oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles if you are using conventional oil, and if you use synthetic oil, then Lexus recommends that you change your oil every 7,500 to 10,000 miles.
The most important reason that you should change your oil on the recommended schedule is that having a sufficient amount of clean oil in your vehicle at all times will preserve the life of your engine.
An engine is a collection of moving parts that move at high speeds.
Pistons, valves, and other moving components are all working in sync to keep your vehicle moving, and if they are not properly lubricated, these parts can overheat and create incredible wear and tear on the engine.
Another benefit of consistently changing your oil when recommended is that an oil change helps to remove engine wear particles and sludge that can cause corrosion and greatly reduce the life of the engine.
Also, having proper engine lubrication at all times ensures you are maximizing the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.
When it comes to your air filters, Lexus recommends that you change out your old filters for a new one every 10,000 miles. Dirty or damaged air filters can greatly reduce the performance of your vehicle’s engine.
Having a fresh air filter that is undamaged and unclogged helps to increase fuel efficiency and improve acceleration.
A dirty air filter can limit the amount of air flowing to the engine making the engine work harder and use more fuel.
Additionally, a dirty air filter may not be able to do its job effectively and could allow dirt and debris to get through and enter the engine.
Debris that enters the engine and comes in contact with internal engine parts can cause great damage that may result in high repair costs.
Tire rotations
Another component of regular maintenance on a Lexus RX 350 includes tire rotations.
Lexus recommends that the tires on a Lexus RX 350 be rotated every 10,000-miles.
Over time, tires tend to wear unevenly.
For example, front tires tend to wear more on the edges due to turning and taking corners while the back tires wear more broadly because they simply follow the front tires.
By rotating the front and rear tires, you can prolong the life of all the tires by reducing the rate at which the tread wears.
Also, tire rotations make for a smoother ride and help to increase handling and control of the vehicle.
Spark plug replacements
Spark plugs are an essential component of a vehicle’s engine, especially when it comes to starting and running the engine.
This is why Lexus recommends that you replace your spark plugs, coils packs, and/or spark plug wires every 60,000 miles.
Having worn or failed spark plugs can make it more difficult to start your engine, it can make your engine consume more fuel, decreases acceleration, and it can make your vehicle idle roughly.
Brake system and cooling system flush
The last two vital maintenance procedures that need to be regularly performed on a Lexus RX 350 are flushes of both the brake and cooling system.
Flushing the brake system uses fresh brake fluid to flush out old fluid to help prevent corrosion of the different brake components of the vehicle.
This is extremely important if the vehicle has an anti-lock brake system (ABS) or other traction control systems.
When it comes to flushing or bleeding the cooling system, it is essential to bleed the air out of the cooling system to remove air pockets and/or hot spots.
Air pockets or hot spots have the potential to cause the engine to overheat, or more seriously yet, crack or warp the engine.
All of which can be extremely expensive to repair.
Lexus recommends that the cooling system be flushed after the first 100,000 miles and then every 50,000 after the initial flush.
For the brake system, Lexus recommends that it be flushed after the first 60,000 miles and then every 30,000 miles after the initial flush.
It is vital that you do not skip the regular maintenance recommended at these different mileage milestones.
The main reason is that the better you take care of your Lexus RX 350, the better the resale value will be when you are ready to sell or trade in your vehicle.
In terms of resale value, a properly cared for Lexus RX 350 is one of the best mid-size luxury SUVs to own.
Out of all the luxury mid-size SUV models available for purchase in the United States, the Lexus RX series retains the most value over time.
How do you know if my Lexus IS AWD or RWD?
Having an all-wheel-drive versus a rear-wheel-drive Lexus RX 350 can affect maintenance costs in various ways.
In general, owning an AWD Lexus RX 350 is more expensive because it simply contains more components.
If you are unsure of whether your Lexus is AWD or RWD, there are two easy ways to find the answer.
First, you may want to simply check the owner’s manual.
The owner’s manual should contain all pertinent information about your vehicle and its features.
If nothing is mentioned about all-wheel drive, then most likely you own either an RWD or FWD vehicle.
Second, turn off your vehicle and take a look underneath.
Take a look at the axle shaft of the front wheels, do you see an additional axle shaft connecting the front axle to the rear axle? If so, then you are driving an AWD vehicle.
How do I know if I have AWD or FWD?
Again, owning an AWD vehicle is going to be more expensive to maintain when compared to either an FWD or RWD Lexus simply because it has more components and moving parts.
The easiest way to tell if your vehicle is AWD, FWD, or RWD is to check the owner’s manual.
However, if for some reason you do not have your owner’s manual anymore, you can figure out what type of vehicle you have by taking a quick look underneath.
If you happen to see an additional axle that connects the front axle to the rear axle, then you have an AWD Lexus 350 RX.
When it comes to making the distinction between an FWD and RWD vehicle, again take a look underneath.
On an FWD system, the gearbox is attached to a differential with no driveshaft and auxiliary gearbox.
On an RWD, all components are separate and the differential is located between the two rear tires of the vehicle and connected to a drive shaft that extends from the transmission located in the front of the vehicle.
How do I know if my 2010 Lexus RX 350 is AWD?
If you own a 2010 Lexus RX 350 and you are unsure if it is AWD or not, you can find out several ways.
First, simply check the owner’s manual for information pertaining to the features of the vehicle.
There should be a clear indication in the manual that lets you know whether you have an AWD, RWD, or FWD Lexus RX 350.
Second, you can take a look under the vehicle.
When looking under the vehicle, check to see if there is an additional axle connecting the front and rear axles. If so, you have AWD.
Last, next time you take your Lexus in for an oil change or to get the tires rotated, simply ask the mechanic attending to your vehicle.