What did you do to your Lexus today.

[BigBoomer]

11 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

New battery fitted to LS400 today. Actually the second in the space of a year, I made the mistake of letting the last one go flat when I wasn't using it much before/just after Christmas and it wouldn't then take a charge.

Must make sure I start using it more regularly, at least until the MoT is due in March, then we'll see what the tester says......

Since about 4 months into the Pandemic my LS430 has been connected to a Battery maintainer. I bought a 6Amp one from amazon for about £25. It is plugged in inside my garage and I extended the 12v side wiring to where the car is parked. I ran + and - cables from the Battery to an insulated plug in front of the radiator (cable tied into place) so to plug it in I just have to lift the bonnet. It also has a "weak point" connector in the wire outside the bonnet in case I forget to unplug and just drive off.
Others have had luck with a solar panel laid across the parcel shelf and wired into the car, but that will be much less effective in the winter months.

[Spottedlaurel]

10 hours ago, BigBoomer said:

Since about 4 months into the Pandemic my LS430 has been connected to a battery maintainer. I bought a 6Amp one from Amazon for about £25. It is plugged in inside my garage and I extended the 12v side wiring to where the car is parked. I ran + and - cables from the battery to an insulated plug in front of the radiator (cable tied into place) so to plug it in I just have to lift the bonnet. It also has a "weak point" connector in the wire outside the bonnet in case I forget to unplug and just drive off.
Others have had luck with a solar panel laid across the parcel shelf and wired into the car, but that will be much less effective in the winter months.

What one did you get please George?

I drive to work every day, but of course I'm not using my older cars so much/at all in the depths of winter when a solar charger would be least effective. When I remember I disconnect the Battery, that's usually OK for the one that's in the garage but it's a pain with the LS400 on the driveway.

[BigBoomer]

13 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

What one did you get please George?

I drive to work every day, but of course I'm not using my older cars so much/at all in the depths of winter when a solar charger would be least effective. When I remember I disconnect the battery, that's usually OK for the one that's in the garage but it's a pain with the LS400 on the driveway.

Hi Nigel,

The one I bought is no longer available via amazon, but just about any 6Amp smart charger should be fine.
Something similar to this will be fine.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Battery-Automotive-Portable-Maintainer-Motorcycle-Yellow/dp/B09DG1SFWC
I used some mains 3 core flat cable to extend the 12v side out to where the car is parked but that was because it is what I had. I buried the cable under gravel and at the far end attached it to the fence where I park with cable clips. When it's not in use the cable just dangles from the fence.
I used connectors like this to connect the charger to the extension, and the extension to the car.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/YETOR-Waterproof-Electrical-Connectors-Connections/dp/B07S7J6SRQ
Make sure that you solder each connection and insulate with heat shrink tubing.
Make certain that you fit a 10A inline fuse between the Battery +ve terminal and the connector.

[Vlady]

Just received today mine Driver Mirror Indicator, interior LEDs and a set of mudflaps, all from China.

Now I need to wait for the car to come back from the garage where it is now being rectified after the accident repairs.

[Shahpor]

That was quick!  What's the quality like?

[Vlady]

10 minutes ago, Shahpor said:

That was quick!  What's the quality like?

It was about 3 weeks @Shahpor.

Quality? Hard to say, the indicator looks identical to the one I removed from my Lexus, will it fit? I hope so!
LEDs no idea on quality and if they will fit the car. 

Mudflaps I expected to be a little more rubberised i.e softer, I hope they will fit rear bumper and front wings spot on, will let you know later, with photos of course! 🙂

[Vlady]

Fitted Indicator into my outside mirror, as the old one was smashed by oncoming traffic.

The indicator is from China but fitted car pretty well.

[Vlady]

I also started swapping some of the interior lights, so far changed the light in the boot, now it is much brighter and does not flicker like an old one did. Another one I swapped was above driver sun visor, it is brighter and whiter colour now. Still got a few more to change.

Plus tried on mudflaps, also from China, they are not exactly my model specific, rear ones fit ok actually but the front ones might need to be fiddled with a little during installation. Will do this job when it is not as windy as it was last week.

[Malc]

5 minutes ago, Vlady said:

so far changed the light in the boot,

so you often go look inside your boot in the dark ?

Malc

[Vlady]

6 minutes ago, Malc said:

so you often go look inside your boot in the dark ?

Malc

Now, for the last couple of months it is always dark in Scotland! 🙂

It fixed the flickering light as well, so I am happy with that too. 😉

[Vlady]

If any one is interested in difference in lightening intensity/colour after changing sunvisor lights to a different LED.

The one on the right is the new LED from China.

[Malc]

oh my ...  tooooooo bright for me, might wake me up 

Malc

[Moleman]

17 minutes ago, Malc said:

oh my ...  tooooooo bright for me, might wake me up 

Malc

Or in my case the fear when I see my reflection in the mirror. 😅

[LenT]

On 2/3/2022 at 10:05 AM, Moleman said:

Or in my case the fear when I see my reflection in the mirror. 😅

I suggest the time to get worried is when you DON’T see a reflection in a mirror!

[Spacewagon52]

Passed MOT - yes lots of surface rust on underbody components but nothing to worry about I am told by the tester. The old girl is 24 in March! Through the past year I have not used my cars much but it is always a relief when it passes. Apart from wear and tear items, I can't recall a specific "repair" - though my memory is sometimes clouded by wonderful Australian 19 Crimes wine!

[Malc]

is yours a mMk4  ?................ just out of interest !

Malc

[deltapapa]

Software update, by the dealer, relating to the recall.

Enjoyed looking at shiny cars in the showroom.

[Las Palmas]

New Battery to remote key.

[Las Palmas]

On 2/3/2022 at 9:06 AM, Vlady said:

If any one is interested in difference in lightening intensity/colour after changing sunvisor lights to a different LED.

The one on the right is the new LED from China.

Installed the brighter LED in and was told to remove the cold light. Not friendly, nice or warm.

So back to OEM.

[Vlady]

2 hours ago, Las Palmas said:

Installed the brighter LED in and was told to remove the cold light. Not friendly, nice or warm.

So back to OEM.

I am keeping OEM lights too, just in case my better half decides at some point it is too bright.😁

[Las Palmas]

40 minutes ago, Vlady said:

I am keeping OEM lights too, just in case my better half decides at some point it is too bright.😁

We all know who is in command.

[BMCWP]

Oil and filter change, and new coolant - mostly as I also (finally) had the radiator changed. So that is all the preventative bits that I know of more or less done now 😁 next on the agenda (still!) is somehow get the drivers seat base refoamed so its actually comfortable (still not found anyone here in NI that will do it - or even answer an email!) then the other little cosmetic touches that need done (scratch removal, slight bit of paint loss on the bumper etc) and then maybe upgrade the original speakers to new ones as the old ones are now starting to show their age a little (odd rattle) 

[LenT]

Finally got around to replacing the reversing bulb - which I found as useful as a means of guidance as the legendary Toc H lamp - with an LED equivalent.

Another one of those “should-have-done-it-long-ago” moments.  Having just the one on the nearside is never going to be ideal in the first place.  And often I had to augment the feeble glow of the original with judicious use of the appropriate turn signal and a head out of the driver’s window.

But now there’s enough light to have confidence in the reversing camera.  No great problem fitting the LED, although the wedge base is nearly three times the original and did require some care with the contacts to get it fitting firmly.

Now looking forward to spending more time going backwards.  😊

[Malc]

18 hours ago, LenT said:

Having just the one on the nearside is never going to be ideal in the first place.  

do I remember reading somewhere some time past that it's actually an MOT fail to have two reversing lamps !

probably my mind playing tricks again .  but thought I should mention it

Malc

[LenT]

8 minutes ago, Malc said:

do I remember reading somewhere some time past that it's actually an MOT fail to have two reversing lamps !

probably my mind playing tricks again .  but thought I should mention it

Malc

Well it may be pre-MOT but I think I recall cars having two reversing lamps, but of course in those days they didn’t form part of the light cluster.  Generally they were separate lamps slightly inboard on the boot lid.

Mind you, even then I didn’t spend much time going backwards!

Nowadays I suspect it’s done for stylistic and manufacturing economy reasons.  The matching offside bulb being red and the fog lamp.  Mind you, I can get a red LED replacement for that.  Now if that helps to prevent someone barrelling into the rear one foggy day, that’ll be money well spent!