SH20

The space saver spare differs between brands but only in the height of the tyre wall. My Toyota CHR had no spare from ordering it so I bought the official Toyota 18 inch space saver which transferred to my current ES without issue. Same 5 hole spacing and the diameter of the black steel rim was identical to a previous space saver I had, on a Lexus GS450h. The difference between the tyre wall height is what you want to get right in order to get near the rolling diameter of your normal road wheels.

I was told once by a Lexus Carlisle that Lexus were obsessive about customer feedback and full a audit would be carried out if a dealer dropped below 9.5 out of 10. Pity then that they pay no attention to a long standing forum like this one which covers all their product range and when dealers are quoted by members for not giving a damn they seem to turn a blind eye. I doubt that they don't read forum members opinions. Having said that it's been a while since Lexus sent out a customer service feedback survey after any dealings with a dealer. Don't they bother anymore? Bear in mind Lexus removed their Customer Relations contact address relying on the Toyota version of Customer Relations but letting them know of my dealings with one of their Lexus Ambassadors (Cambridge) resulted in an automated e mail response and then no follow up. No doubt Covid and the war in Ukraine are to blame for Companies failing their customer base. There are dealerships that take care of their customers welfare in all areas of service for sure, I experience this at Lexus Hull whose approach is so helpful the moment you walk in the door and who always smile and within 60 seconds are offering you a coffee and biscuits while you sit in reception awaiting the person you want to discuss something with. They follow up on quotes they undertake when doing health checks, e.g. after one visit to Hull for a software recall they noticed the scuffing to the front lower lip of my front bar caused by the previous owner. They asked if I wanted a smart repair quote so out of interest I said yes. They printed it out and I took it away. I did the repair myself which I intended to do from the start but a few days later got a call asking if the quote they gave me was something I wanted to take up. Very polite and genuine enquiry on their part, no hard sell and were just fine when I said I was doing it myself. At least this dealer thought about it, I know it was an opportunity to sell a service, but they didn't forget about it.

Periodically use a clay bar to lift all fine debris off the top coat that no polish or wax will remove. Even ceramic coatings are not immune to fall out and benefit from a clay bar periodically. You can feel micro fine debris with the palm of your hand even after polish and/or wax have been used. No professional detailer polishes a car by hand or machine without first using a bar.

Can you take a photo of the display where you are stuck/greyed out, can't picture which area you are in.

Although I have hazel coloured leather against the Mesa Red exterior colour I have never understood why Lexus didn't produce a tan coloured trim that was more Tan like in colour, the way Saddle or New Market Tan is generally recognised as a pure tan colour in motoring circles. Purists might say it's Lexus's own colour but can't help thinking they wanted to create a full bodied tan finish but somehow didn't quite get it right. In the US it's called Palamino, aren't they horses?.

I owned two different steering wheel bars which relied on a key/tumbler arrangement to lock it. The steel which they were made from was extremely thick and too thick to cut through them. Both were thrown on to the back seat after both lock barrels were picked/damaged to unlock the device. It's the weakest link in all steering wheel security bars and thieves know it.

It must be new car orders where Lexus Cambridge treat you right. Not my experience when buying a pre owned Lexus from Lexus Cambridge. The worst experience ever compared to Lexus Carlisle and Leeds who do treat customers like they are worth something to their business. Mr Steven Eagell couldn't be bothered answering my written concerns about my experience on the day I collected the car and totally ignored my correspondence. I imagine his waste paper bin is full.

No loss of any settings since recall done.

My local dealer confirmed genuine Lexus ES boot liners which went obsolete for a period of time due to supplier issues are now listed again. They were removed form the accessory listings but are back on the accessory options list. The only thing that stands in the way of my dealer confirming a delivery date is down to the supplier who is now making them. I bought a cheaper, non genuine liner made of very hard plastic which was the right shape etc but everything slides around on it. My dealer has ordered the latest genuine liner which costs £77 incl vat. I'll just wait and see when it might arrive.

It's been over a week since I wrote to Mr Eagell via his PA whose e mail address was supplied to me after a friend had cause to write to Mr Eagell himself. Suffice to say not even an email to even acknowledge my complaint about their sales department at Cambridge. Same old story once they have your money you're on your own. Lexus Carlisle for me is still the benchmark for customer service and sales. Bought 2 cars there and had both serviced there even though I lived 130 miles away. It's a pity Lexus Cambridge staff can't be made to spend a week there so they see how it's done.

There have been a lot of comments about space savers or lack of them but Audi have developed a space saver for their large SUV type hybrid cars which has a conventional space saver steel wheel rim with a collapsible tyre. It inflates like a conventional tyre and expands to twice it's size so the tyre wall depth doubles in height and when you have used it you let the air out and the tyre shrinks back to the original size which then fits back under the dummy floor. A full size space saver for this Audi would not fit under the dummy floor but the shrinkable tyre makes it possible to have one. The video is on YouTube

Colour scheme Kevin?

Good advice Phil, unlikely the car will let me down but the boy racers out there driving Audi's scare the bejeezus out of me.

So today Lexus Operations (AA) sent me an email with sufficient information to suggest the problem is fixed. An AA screen shot of my correct reg number, correct chassis number, correct registration date, correct vehicle and model, correct colour and correct AA policy end date. The screen shot was accompanied by a statement saying all I have to quote is my reg number and no need to quote the chassis number. At last I thought Lexus Operations got a grip of this and although there still was no sign of the complimentary 12 months cover the dealer said would apply the screen shot I received stated very clearly the correct policy end date of 18.3.25 to tie up with the vehicle registration date of 18.3.22. Let's check I thought so rang General Enquiries and they asked for my reg number. Yes we have a ES300h in red, my name and address. Steady now I thought as I asked for the policy end date. Yes we have a policy end date of 7.1.25 !!!!!!!!! They saw what I expected them to see, the details of the car I owned between 7.122 and June 2022. Data still corrupted. I have decided to draw a line under this and just live with the fact I will receive assistance up to 7.1.25 for certain, the wrong car of course but what the hell.

Technically if I ring for Assistance and start with my reg number and they take me through security, name, address, post code etc the ES300 I took delivery of on the 7.1.22 will come up as it's identical, even the colour is the same as the car I have now. If they wanted my chassis number however, highly unlikely then it would fall down because my current car's chassis number wouldn't match the ES registered 7.1.2022. So I'm guessing I would be OK till 7.1.25 whereas my current car's original policy would have an end date 18.3.25 having been registered new 18.3.2022. I also think the person who now drives the ES I no longer own on a conventional age related number plate or his/her own private plate will have no idea his/her car's assistance policy is still tied to me. There can't be two policies for the same car as the chassis number forms part of the dealer's information they use to pass to Lexus Operations who now have responsibility to set policies up. Dealers no longer set policies up, they just pass the info to Lexus Operations (AA) so you can see why policies get so messed up, as Mincey says.

Thanks Phil, the cr@lexus.co.uk is an address I have used in the past and resulted in direct dialogue with customer services based staff, always helpful. That route no longer exists so the cr@Toyota.co.uk is the only route into the higher levels of the Toyota Group. You can still not access any details of who the CEO is of Toyota UK the parent company of Lexus UK so I can only hope someone decides to get involved with my issue. I know exactly why I am in this position. It's because initial contact with Lexus Roadside Assist starts with a Reg number. If you have had other Lexus cars over the years with the same private plate the system can and does pick up on different cars. Only this week a conversation which started with my Reg number immediately picked up my Toyota CHR owned between Aug 2022 and July 2023 and that's because the Roadside Assist looks after all Toyota Roadside Assist policyholders. This is corrupted data in my case. Another conversation 24 hours earlier immediately picked up the last ES300h I owned between Jan 2022 and June 2022 and was in my name and my address but was clearly a car I don't own any longer. I have had direct dialogue too with Lexus Operations (AA) who no longer answer me when I ask for updates. They originally said a data stream conflict was identified but a solution? No there has been no remedy to date. None of this nonsense ever occurred when hard copy documentation was issued, Covering letter, hard copy booklet, small credit card sized membership card with an account number, registration number, phone numbers and expiry date etc. The dealer the car was purchased from have washed their hands of it, they too ignore any requests for updates. So I wrote to Steven Eagell of the Steven Eagell Group via his PA who I hope will put this issue under his nose but not holding my breath. £32,000 for a car not showing on the Assistance system. Top Tip : ring up Lexus Roadside Assist General Enquiries and make sure your car matches what you know about your car including the VIN Private plate owners be wary.

I had to write to CustomerRelations@Toyota.co.uk which is the only route to get to address a complaint. Lexus closed down their CustomerRelations@Lexus.co.uk for reasons known only to them. I tried that first but the email wouldn't send. I have no option but to battle on and get this car of mine recognised on the AA's system. No amount of pleading with a call centre operator telling him/her my car is within the 3 years standard assist cover will help me. If it's not in the database you don't exist.

Moreover you have the situation whereby a vehicle goes off road, crashes, driver triggers the assist button in the headlining for those cars that are equipped and assistance is activated. Equally if the driver is incapacitated and the vehicle doesn't move or there is no request for help the assistance is auto triggered. Someone on a lonely country road at 1am in the morning who drives off the road and rings for assistance would be assisted for sure. No Recovery Company would be able to stand the backlash if it turned out assistance was refused because there was no other vehicle involved and the owner was left to make the best of it.

No, anything that renders a Lexus or Toyota from moving under it's own power can have roadside assist. I admit if the Police attend first they will often initiate a recovery truck.

Four weeks after my purchase of a 16 month old Lexus Approved Car my car's specific details, make, model, colour, number plate, chassis number cannot be seen by Lexus Roadside Assist Call Handlers despite the car still being within the 3 year standard Assistance period. Moreover the so called Complimentary 12 month Roadside Assist Cover each pre owned Lexus Approved Car receives never materialised i.e no written confirmation, no booklet in the post after collection, nothing whatsoever and Lexus Roadside Assist Call Handlers have no record of one after it was supposed to have been set up between the dealer and Lexus Operations who issue the policy and get the car on the system. A previous ES300h in Red with my private plate does come up in my name but I only owned that car between 1st registration date of 7th January 2022 and June 2022. My latest ES300h in Red with my private plate on it is nowhere to be found. I have been told that I don't have an active policy for the car sitting on my drive whether we are talking about the original 3 year cover period which ends 18.3.2025 or any 12 month complimentary policy. The conflict of information has rendered me without any official cover. Everybody and his dog, the dealer, the salesperson, the sales manager, Lexus Operations (The AA effectively) the Call Centre all tell me it should get sorted but once a Computer System Says No it refuses to say Yes no matter who thinks they know best. You can't make this stuff up and nobody wants to own this issue. I have now written to the CEO of the Dealer Group I purchased the car from and I am searching on the Internet for the CEO of Lexus UK to bend his or her ear. That alone is hidden behind layers of brick walls and obstacles because which CEO would want to get involved with a legitimate customer's complaint. As Lexus only use the AA as their preferred choice of Roadside Assistance I may end up taking a policy out with the AA and pay the basic £10 a month for a temporary solution. It's more about having someone to assist me in a road accident as Lexus cars tend not to breakdown.

Are there any images of this device Dave, can't say I have heard of it.

To be honest Len I never was in the market for a new ES with Premium Pack because at £48K it is a ridiculous price despite it's great specification. Having had a Premium Pack, number 1 car brand new, it's hard to accept the spec of a Premium Edition, number 2 car brand new, so a used 16 month old car, number 3 car was always my target vehicle. Can you believe 2019 a ES300h in velvet black with P/Pack was £38,500. Now it's £48K only 4 years later. Premium Edition in Mesa Red with the Tan Taraha synthetic leather was bought in order to stay below £40K avoiding the £500 tax band on Excise duty. Now look at me in a used car and paying £500 road tax anyway. Should of bought car number 2 with the P/Pack as it's what I've just bought, only used. Ideally in 2 years I will be looking a Takumi in Mesa Red or Sunlight Green with Tan leather another combination that will be hard to find I'm sure. Anyway bumper finished and back on car. All the scuffing now rectified. Four hours incl remove and refit the bumper. 1. High Build Yellow Filler Primer 2. Red Primer 3. Colour Coat 4. Lacquered and Complete

The thing with smart repairs is that they were developed by Insurance Companies who backed them in order to reduce repair costs. There isn't a great deal of time in this bumper rework, so far I have spent 1.5 hours on it including taking it off. Yes you can get brown paper on a 3 foot roll and with masking tape already fitted down one side of the paper but that's what you see in body shops. It even sits on a frame so you just roll a length off and a sharp edge cuts whatever length off you need. This is a home repair so newspaper works. A local smart repair company called Bumps and Scrapes in Scarborough, a Franchised Operation gave me a quote for doing it on my drive at £160 but couldn't do it for 2 weeks such is the demand for his work. I had no problem with the £150 reduction off the car price because I knew it reflected the going rate. There was no possibility of the dealer getting it sorted themselves on the day as it was a one stop round trip. Had I lived close to them I would have expected them to do it but I am 170 miles from them. The dealerships in Yorkshire are all first class and are near me are in Hull, Leeds, Sheffield, I've used them all in the past. Carlisle in the North West are simply outstanding in my experience. I bought this car in Cambridge because that's where the spec I wanted was. Like I said I don't believe the dealer even knew about the scuffing till I pointed it out to them but the car was coming back to Yorkshire with me with what I considered to be a minor rework. My actual job was an Insurance Assessor inspecting damaged cars for a big Insurance Company and in and out of body shops every day. My apprenticeship was in body and paint repairs so not surprising then a bumper scuff remedied at home suited me. As a side issue insurance premiums are rocketing and it's due to profitering by repairers. My wife hit a low barrier at 5 mph in a car park inflicting damage to a rear bumper corner, rear wing and inner wheel arch and 2 doors. No parts needed, just repairing and painting. The figure on the estimate just for paint materials alone was £755 !! and £1200 labour, £75 for a Government subsidy for energy costs (for every repair they do) a £10 Covid allowance, EPA charge at £5. When I challenged the paint material costs the estimator just smiled and said the Insurers will pay it. Supplier chains are blamed, Covid, the war in Ukraine. It's profitering that's what it is. What's that saying "We're all going to Hell in a hand cart"

I drove 170 miles to collect this car. This Premium Pack ES was the only one in the entire Lexus Network in Mesa Red and tan leather interior when I saw it. Like hen's teeth in this spec. It arrived at the dealer who said this colour combo/spec won't hang around long. Sales talk maybe but there was some truth to it as I just couldn't pin one down. What I am getting to is this car was coming home with me unless there was some significant reason why I wouldn't want it. I've had a Premium Edition ES but the spec is well below a Premium Pack and my very first ES in 2019 was a premium pack so I knew my third ES had to be a premium pack The scuffed bumper is something I don't even think they knew anything about even when they did the second year service before I went down. My life was spent in body shops so the actual damage was an easy fix for me but I take the point that a Lexus approved car shouldn't be sold with this sort of paint defect. I agreed £150 reduction on the price as it was agreed the damage came under the heading of a Smart Repair or localised paint repair. I intend to take the bumper off again in a years time and have the bumper fully painted to bring it back to new condition but this localised repair will do till then. I'm at the stage now where I need to use some stopper paste or body putty as some people call it. It's very fine grade of filler and is good for very fine micro scratches prior to priming. Not sure the parking sensors will need to be re calibrated. I removed both bumpers on a Lexus LS460 for repainting once and the sensors worked fine when reconnected.

So after 3 weeks I'm just getting round to repairing the damage I discovered on the day I collected the car. This was damage I was told would need to be accepted as it was a used car after all. You couldn't make this up. If the same type of damage was visible on a roof, door, wing or bonnet would it have to be acceptable. Just because it's good old fashioned kerb scuffing and out of sight I was expected to just accept it and pay £32K for the privilege. After a suitable figure was deducted from the sale price I'm ready to repair it. The bumper on an ES is held in place by 22 fixings and 3 wiring connectors and one screen wash pipe. About 20 mins to get it off. Nothing too serious and the plastic filler primers, normal primer and top coat and lacquer I'm using at home will improve things considerably as it's low down, mainly on the bottom lip and out of eye line.