The Lexus GS 350 F Sport is a true enthusiast’s sports sedan. It is also known for longevity and reasonable ownership costs. That is why one dealership’s estimate shocked even seasoned car owners. A Lexus dealer reportedly quoted a driver $32,000 in maintenance on a used sedan worth roughly $12,000.

The owner explained his situation online. “I drive a 2013 Lexus GS 350 F Sport (adaptive suspension), 168,000 miles.” He took the car in for a routine oil change. Instead, he encountered a new service advisor at a dealership that had recently changed ownership. That may have been an early warning sign.

The advisor presented a long list of recommended repairs, including several high-dollar items:

• $6,672 for timing cover gasket and rear main seal replacement
• $9,272 to replace the transmission and transfer case sub-assembly gasket
• $7,480 for rear shocks
• $1,789 for front shocks
• $728 for a CV axle boot
• $2,054 for lower control arms

Once spark plugs, alignments, and fluid services were added, the total estimate climbed to $32,000.

To be fair, this is a high-mileage sedan. Some 165,000-mile vehicles could require extensive work. Dealership rates make work more expensive. In rare cases, owners choose to spend more than a car’s market value to keep a beloved vehicle alive.

But those scenarios usually involve replacing an engine or transmission. They do not involve paying exotic-car maintenance prices to address leaks and regular wear items. To be blunt, this dealership proposed $32,000 in maintenance largely focused on seals and suspension components. Even if the work were technically justified, basic judgment should have intervened before sending this estimate.

When the owner posted the quote to Reddit’s “Ask a Mechanic” forum, commenters responded quickly. One of the top replies summed it up bluntly.

There’s a smarter way to invest in an older car

One commenter mocked the logic behind the repair list. “Let’s spend $728 to replace an axle boot to ‘try and save the axle’ that costs far less than $728,” they wrote. “I can get both for under $300.”

The point resonated. When investing real money into a 165,000-mile car, half-measures rarely make sense. If an axle needs attention, replace the axle. The same logic applies elsewhere on the estimate.

The proposed transmission and transfer case gasket replacement raised eyebrows. At that mileage, a full transmission service or rebuild would be more logical. Either option would cost little more than the $9,272 quoted just to replace gaskets. The same goes for the $6,672 timing cover gasket job. If the engine needs that level of teardown, a more comprehensive service would provide better value.

In short, the advisor appeared to forget the “advisor” part of the job.

Taking care of a high mileage Lexus sports sedan

The owner acknowledged the car’s age and condition. “It’s an old car with a lot of miles on it. I certainly don’t expect the undercarriage to be bone dry,” he wrote. “That said, it’s an incredible car and still feels new. I have no intentions of selling it anytime soon.”

He concluded that he will invest money into the Lexus, but on his own terms. “I’ll fix the CV axle boot and get another quote on the rear shocks. I’ll keep my eyes open for any leaks.”

The story serves as a textbook example of why second opinions matter. Especially when a dealership asks for $32,000 to maintain a $12,000 car. You can see the original video embedded below:

Quoted $32k of maintenance for a $12k car
byu/CinderellaManX inAskAMechanic