The last documented service on the Lexus was in January 2023, mileage unknown but probably about 5k miles ago. As usual for me, I want to get a few things done on the car to get it up to my standards* - so since its been a nice couple of days I set to with some general fixing.

First thing was an oil and filters change. I got 10L of Mannol 5w30 FS oil, and a set of Ashika filters for under £60 delivered on ebay which seems good enough for the time being. The air filter and cabin filter were a bit dusty - not outright filthy so its definitely been cared for, but probably not changed for a year or two so they were duly slung on. Then it came to the oil change. I had the car up on the lift and was able to easily access the oil filter housing through the little trap door in the undertray (thanks Lexus!); I'd bought myself the Toyota oil filter tool and so got stuck in. However, this is where I came a bit unstuck. The oil filter housing is underneath the engine and looks like this:

You use a 14-fluted cup thing with cutout 'teeth' to unwind the leftmost bit so you can replace the element filter

I got a semi-decent ally removal tool with a 3/8" drive socket, it should be done up to 18lb/ft or 'about hand tight' in old money. So I started with my stubby 3/8" ratchet, no dice, it wasn't moving. So I stepped it up to the 3/8 > 1/2" adapter and a 1/2" ratchet, still no dice. I triple checked that I was definitely undoing it, pulling towards the front of the car - yep, correct. So then I went to DEFCON 4 and used my big 1/2" bar, heaved with all my might to undo the thing and shattered the square drive socket into 4 pieces and sheared two of the 4 teeth off the cup tool - so thats that ruined! The housing of the oil filter remained undamaged, but very much still attached.

Obviously I had already undone the sump plug and drained the sump of old oil by this point, so I was a bit miffed. I duly replaced the sump plug and put a new crush washer in, and then refilled with fresh oil, but using the old filter which I wasn't super pleased about. Are there any grown ups among the assembled brethren who have encountered this before? I am given to understand this is a common oil filter housing for lots of Lexus and Toyotas, is there a knack to it? There isn't room to get an impact gun on it with the undertrays fitted, though they could be removed I suppose? I could buy another cup tool, but I suspect I'll get the same result if I heave on it again and it'll just shatter. My current thinking is that I can ask the garage to do an oil and filter change on it when I take it for its MOT in about 3 months time and ask them nicely if they can get the housing to undo, then please only do it back up to 18lb/ft so I can do future changes.

The next task was to have a look at the fogged-up front foglight, after a lot of fiddly disassembly (I know how to do it now) I got the foglight unit out to find some ape had been at that too, and it had been modified* with a new ventillation hole in the side where the retaining bolt hadn't been undone and someone (not me!) had snapped it getting it out. It seems to be a fairly common theme, because there is this one on ebay right now which has been vandalised in the same way

I removed as much of the water from it as I could, and put it in the oven for 40 minutes at 60c to try and get the steam out - its better, but still a bit steamed up. On refitting I made a special* bandage from gaffer tape to cover the hole which should prevent more water getting in, but also prevents the remaining water from getting out. I think it'll need replacing with a 2nd hand unit TBH, this one is wrecked basically.

I checked the tyres and topped up the front nearside which was noticeably lower than it should be. I'll need to keep an eye on this.

The next job is to remove and grease the rear brake caliper sliders, its a common issue on these apparently so I want to get them apart and greased ASAP to prevent them seizing. I know the passenger side one moves like it should so I'll start there because it should* come apart easily, the drivers side seemed a bit less willing to move under hand pressure, but since I was up against a wall and with the jack in the way it might just have been a bad angle or something. Anyway, the recommendation from the forum beards is to have the rear wheels off and grease the sliders at least annually and they'll be fine. I have a brake slider and rubber grommet kit for both sides as a precaution. Assuming I can get them apart I'll clean it all up and refit.

Otherwise i'm really happy with it. As others have said I'm seeing a real-world 34mpg round the doors and 39mpg on a 350-mile run to see family which isn't bad at all from a petrol 2.5V6 IMHO.