Thieving Gits

[Andrew888]

Something dawned on me today whilst moving the car.. Someone has nicked 2 of the aluminium valve/dust caps.. Probably little sh*ts with their bikes. I'm not sure whether to replace them with factory OEM OR just get black rubber ones..

This bothers me as my car is ' not' complete :( (OCD)

[malcolmw]

I also had two of my valve caps stolen on my 4RX. I replaced all of them with very cheap black plastic caps. The scrotes don't want these.

[Rabbers]

I have a love-hate relationship with valve-caps.   Years back when such items were a quite expensive novelty I bought a set with the BMW

logo and had them stolen after a few days.   My next set with a logo, this time consisting of theft-proof ones for my first Lexus - an IS200 -

could only be unscrewed with a hex-key and were so fiddly that I went back to using normal ones.  Then Pirelli came out with a good-looking

design incorporating a colour-change pressure warning that required a special tool as well as a certain amount of manual dexterity for

removal.  The suspicion of attempts to steal them regardless and doubts about their reliability finally LED me to get rid of them and I have

used normal caps, usually the OEM ones, ever since.   And although I have occasionally fallen into the temptation of buying nicely-machined

aluminium or alloy ones, these have the tendency in my experience to become so difficult to unscrew even after greasing (which is essential)

as to require pincers and/or risk damaging the valve-stems, so I have usually ended up giving them away.

 

[steveledzep]

I use Lexus branded aluminium dustcaps too.  I always smear a bit of oil when I've had them off to check pressures.  I only ever do them up to very light finger tight, they're only dustcaps, not stopping the air from escaping. 

[Chunky1234]

Try these, 

Richbrook Spinning Car Anti-Theft Silver Alloy Wheel Valve Dust Caps - Set Of 4

1. 

They come in different colours and you will have hours of fun watching the little sh1ts trying to unscrew them...... 😂😂😂😂

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rayaans]

Yep all 4 of my previous RX ones got nicked.  

I went to my mate in kwik fit who dished out some new metal ones which never seized after 3 years.

I agree with Steve in finger pressure. No point over tightening them. Don't see the point in anti theft ones either. 

[Ben1001]

Same here - I bought 4 black plastic ones from Amazon for £1 and use those now.

[wendle]

i finger tighten mine then give them a another quarter of a turn with something similar to this. mine is a lot smaller, around 5" long

it stops the kids from being able to undo them.

i normally just loosen them when the car goes in for a service other wise they think the valves caps have welded themselves to the valve stem.

i keep it in the centre arm rest so its handy if i need it. 

[Mr Vlad]

Yeah it's a bummer when scroats knick nice valve caps. Just replace with the same. Hopefully those scroats won't appear again. 

[steveledzep]

Nine years ago I had my valve caps nicked from my Saab 95 Aero.  It was at my brother's funeral.  I can't prove anything, but his work colleagues all drove company Saabs.

I then purchased some with an allen key operated grub screw for locking.....what a pain in the arrus !!

Had my Lexus ones a few years now......fingers crossed. 

[Andrew888]

I've ordered another batch online in Japan via my good friend. 20 quid for 20 of them posted.. This should keep me going :) I do have a few standard black rubber ones so just put them on for the time being.

[rayaans]

16 hours ago, S88HON said:

I've ordered another batch online in Japan via my good friend. 20 quid for 20 of them posted.. This should keep me going :) I do have a few standard black rubber ones so just put them on for the time being.

The OEM ones are silver plastic and available for £5-8 for 10 on eBay via Lexus UK.

[PhilWebster]

17 hours ago, rayaans said:

The OEM ones are silver plastic and available for £5-8 for 10 on ebay via Lexus UK.

Please Take Note, I ordered what I thought was a set of 10 silver plastic OEM dust caps from the Lexus eBay shop last month for £6.35(£3.36 for the dust caps and £2.99 P&P)however when I received my order it only had 1 dust cap in the pack and the invoice was for £3.36 for 1!!! 

 

[rayaans]

22 minutes ago, PhilWebster said:

Please Take Note, I ordered what I thought was a set of 10 silver plastic OEM dust caps from the Lexus eBay shop last month for £6.35(£3.36 for the dust caps and £2.99 P&P)however when I received my order it only had 1 dust cap in the pack and the invoice was for £3.36 for 1!!! 

 

That's odd as the packet is for 10. It's also clearly pictured so I would argue mis-selling 

[rich1068]

Agreed. If it's these then I'd be straight on the phone. You've had your leg pulled there Phil.

I used to have a thing for those rather nice 8 Ball dust caps on my VAG cars. They used to last about a week.

[rayaans]

1 hour ago, rich1068 said:

Agreed. If it's these then I'd be straight on the phone. You've had your leg pulled there Phil.

I used to have a thing for those rather nice 8 Ball dust caps on my VAG cars. They used to last about a week.

These grey ones would probably do the job as well. Dirt cheap

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-Grey-Plastic-Universal-Valve-Dust-Caps-Tyre-Wheel-Car-Bike-Schrader/132434266557?hash=item1ed5b289bd:g:X0cAAOSw5cNYVTxp

[PhilWebster]

1 hour ago, rayaans said:

That's odd as the packet is for 10. It's also clearly pictured so I would argue mis-selling 

Yep there the ones! even received it in the original Lexus packet with 10 on it with only 1 in it. Tbh I was gonna complain but couldn’t be arsed in the end.

[peachy]

2 hours ago, PhilWebster said:

Please Take Note, I ordered what I thought was a set of 10 silver plastic OEM dust caps from the Lexus eBay shop last month for £6.35(£3.36 for the dust caps and £2.99 P&P)however when I received my order it only had 1 dust cap in the pack and the invoice was for £3.36 for 1!!! 

 

You've been properly done there our kid. Seriously you've paid £6.35 for a dust cap.?

I'd be fuming 😠😠😠

 

[Blisteringblue]

One of mine disappeared too, but I found fake aluminium ones on fleabay for a few £ too, I think £1.99 for 4 delivered, I just ordered these, nowt a man on a galloping horse will notice 

[malcolmw]

It amazes me just how prevalent this activity seems to be (based on the large number of responses to this thread and the tiny sample of Lexus owners on here).

I just don't understand the mentality of people who steal items worth pennies. It's very annoying for a trivial item. Still, today the Met Police announced that they wold not pursue thefts for less than £50 value...  

[rayaans]

28 minutes ago, malcolmw said:

It amazes me just how prevalent this activity seems to be (based on the large number of responses to this thread and the tiny sample of Lexus owners on here).

I just don't understand the mentality of people who steal items worth pennies. It's very annoying for a trivial item. Still, today the Met Police announced that they wold not pursue thefts for less than £50 value...  

All 4 of mine got taken which means someone had the cheek to go around the car

Wish I'd caught them - would happily have carried out a citizens arrest  

[Martin F]

On 02/01/2018 at 11:02 AM, peachy said:

You've been properly done there our kid. Seriously you've paid £6.35 for a dust cap.?

I'd be fuming 😠😠😠

 

For anybody's reference, this auction on Ebay 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Lexus-IS250C-Tire-Valve-Cap-9094205037/263281580870?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Is for a single valve cap 

I asked before hitting the button.

[Andrew888]

26 minutes ago, Martin F said:

For anybody's reference, this auction on Ebay 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Lexus-IS250C-Tire-Valve-Cap-9094205037/263281580870?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Is for a single valve cap 

I asked before hitting the button.

Me too lol.. bit of a rip off if you ask me. My package from Japan arrived and have plenty to replace if any thieving scroats nick more :-)

[Rabbers]

Seeing the prices asked I'm surprised our caps aren't nicked even more often.....

[sorcerer]

On 02/01/2018 at 10:18 AM, PhilWebster said:

That's odd as the packet is for 10. It's also clearly pictured so I would argue mis-selling 

 

On 02/01/2018 at 10:18 AM, PhilWebster said:

Yep there the ones! even received it in the original Lexus packet with 10 on it with only 1 in it. Tbh I was gonna complain but couldn’t be arsed in the end.

 

On 02/01/2018 at 11:02 AM, peachy said:

You've been properly done there our kid. Seriously you've paid £6.35 for a dust cap.?

 

The picture may show a pack of 10 but I'd be inclined to think that the picture is there in error because the advert clearly states it's for one valve cap: