Just bought a 100. Recommended shop/mechanic in Durham area? (1 Viewer)

[Pyrenees]

Hey everyone, I just picked up a 2001 LX 470 and need to catch up on some deferred maintenance. I can do some basic oil/trans fluid changes and stuff like that myself, but I will need a reputable shop or indy mechanic to replace the Timing belt/WP and probably the AHC fluid too.

I'm in South Durham and Johnson Lexus is right around the corner, but I'd prefer to only use them in an emergency, haha. It would be good to get to know a local shop close by, since this is a 17 year old car and I'll probably be going there a lot.

I read up on some of the old threads but there isn't much recent activity. Does anyone have a recommendation of a shop to try out (or even one to avoid) in Durham/Chapel Hill? Or Raleigh/Cary if that's all there is.

Thanks!

 

[jfz80]

Renaissance auto in cary is good people

 

[Pyrenees]

Renaissance auto in cary is good people

You have a particular guy you work with, just out of curiosity?

 

[jfz80]

Jay i believe. He used to take care of my brother in the rdu area.

@uzj100 isnt that right?

 

[uzj100]

I highly recommend Jay, tell him Andrew and Olde North State recommended. He has been crazy busy and short staffed.

@jfz80 is dead on target!!

 

[JToobe]

If I can successfully change the AHC fluid in my LX470, anyone can! I am probably one of the least mechanically inclined folks in ONSC & UC!

Study the threads in the 100 series forums and print out the directions.....

 

[Pyrenees]

If I can successfully change the AHC fluid in my LX470, anyone can!

Yeah, good point. I already read the DIY. I guess I just need to figure out where to buy the legit fluid. I have a toyota dealer 10 mins away but I don't know if there's a cheaper way to do it.

 

[lt1fire]

Yeah, good point. I already read the DIY. I guess I just need to figure out where to buy the legit fluid. I have a toyota dealer 10 mins away but I don't know if there's a cheaper way to do it.

ONSC members get discounts at a few dealers around the state.

 

[Pyrenees]

ONSC members get discounts at a few dealers around the state.

Mark Jacobson by chance? They are the one 10 mins from me.

 

[lt1fire]

No closest to Durham would be Fred Anderson

 

[uzj100]

Fred Anderson Parts online prices are crazy low. You have to pick up in store.

 

[NC LX]

Get your hands on the AHC fluid now. I’ve heard it’s getting harder to get. It took me some time to find some to flush mine.

Your limited to going through Toyota for it. They are the only ones who make it.

 

[roadstr6]

I bought some on Amazon a few weeks ago. As I understand it the big containers (3 liter?) are hard to find but you can easily find the singles. You just have to buy more of them.

 

[lumbee1]

I stop by Hendrick in Apex for parts. They are on the way home from work and they give me the same discount Fred Anderson does.

 

[Pyrenees]

Amazon doesn't have it. Looks like Fred Anderson has AHC fluid. Ok, time to gather up all of the part numbers for the differential/transfer case/oil and the AHC fluid. Guess I'll drive 20 mins down to Raleigh and have a beer with one of my buddies. He wanted to see the car anyway.

Do you guys think this stuff goes bad on the shelf? I'm debating buying 6 quarts of it and then flushing it again like 50k miles later, but in my life that's a solid 5 years from now. Or maybe 5 years from now I'll do an OME swap and sell the last three quarts of AHC fluid remaining in the universe for $100 each

 

[S4Cruiser]

Mark Jacobson by chance? They are the one 10 mins from me.

No. Like @lt1fire mentioned. Fat.parts is where I buy all my Toyota stuff that's still available.

I can't help with any local Toyota Indy shops but if there is something you want to try and tackle yourself and need some help, hit me up.

 

[Pyrenees]

No. Like @lt1fire mentioned. Fat.parts is where I buy all my Toyota stuff that's still available.

I can't help with any local Toyota Indy shops but if there is something you want to try and tackle yourself and need some help, hit me up.

Thanks. A lot of the deferred maintenance is going to be done by yours truly, but there are some things, like the timing belt that I'll pay someone else to do. And I've done a timing belt before, so I know I don't want to do that

 

[tacoduck]

I bought my AHC fluid from marc jacobson in the 1 liter bottles. It was 50% cheaper than johnson lexus. Ive had good luck with their parts department.

 

[Pyrenees]

I called and talked to Jay at Renaissance, got a good vibe. They are about 20-30 mins from here. I think I'm going to bring it there for the timing belt job sometime in the next couple weeks. I've got a decent tire shop around the corner, no idea if they know the land cruisers or not though, so it would be superb if I could find a land cruiser guy around my neighborhood somewhere. Probably unrealistic

 

[Dwight S]

Be sure to get the crush washers for the differentials and transfer case drain plugs.

Also be sure you start with the FILL bolts. You'd hate to dump the diffs or xfer oil and can't get the fill bolts out so you can refill.