sorcerer

You could keep your eyes open for my RX300 SE that I traded in to Lexus Teeside two weeks ago yesterday (reg No. GY05 HVK). It has the satnav and reverse camera, power tailgate and the adaptive front headlights with standard coil suspension. I had the cambelt/idlers/tensioners/water pump done and new coolant at 80k miles; new spark plugs done at 81k miles, along with new engine oil, oil filter and transmission pan dropped, new filter installed and 10 litres (or close) of new transmission fluid. There's also been another service done since then but I think it'll almost be due one now. Best of all, it's converted to LPG. Conversion was done at approximately 81,500 miles and the car had about 99,500 miles on when we traded it in. It's a great car, excellent runner, and the only reason we traded was that a newer car was our joint 60th birthday present to ourselves to set us up properly as we come to retirement.

Sadly, those readings mean nothing if the engine was running because you're only seeing the voltage that the alternator is outputting, not the battery standing voltage. Check the battery standing voltage and compare to this chart: EDIT: just re-read your post and I think you meant 11.8V standing voltage. When I saw the word "idle" I just assumed that the engine was idling, but then you qualified it by saying 13.8 with engine running - my day can only get better from here

If the battery warning light is staying on when the car is switched off then it's a bad rectifier pack in the alternator.

Yep, if I remember correctly 12.7 or above indicates a full charge. When the engine is running and the alternator is producing output the voltage should be something like 13.7 to 14.7.

Fingers (and toes!) crossed for you Nigel, really hope this sorts it out.

Ah right, fair enough then.

Not the case now - I have it working on 64-bit Windows 10 Pro.

You'll need a miniVCI cable from eBay (about £15 to £25) to connect the laptop to the car and these almost always come with a copy of Techstream but, as Mr B above points out, this will be a pirated copy, so it's down to your own morals as to whether you use it or not.

This guy on eBay will supply a new key and also cut it for you, all for less than £15 including delivery. I got one done for our old RX300 and it works brilliantly.

When I passed my test back in June 1975, my dad had an almost brand new (three months old) Morris Marina 1.8 Estate. When he came home from work he asked if I'd passed and when I said yes, he handed me the keys and said, "You know I don't use it much so consider it yours and I'll tell you when I want it." It was only many years later that I found out that my mum had put him up to it. Apparently, he'd borrowed a chunk of money from her mum and dad to buy it, so she forced him to let me use it (families - don't ask!). He knew that I enjoyed working on his previous car with him so his original idea was to buy me an old banger and a full set of tools so that I'd be able to do my own work on it when needed, and I have to say, I probably would have appreciated that more - but driving around in an almost brand new car did earn me lots of kudos points with my mates

We bought our RX450h 10 days ago and its existing MOT was current until November this year, having last been done on 22/11/2017, but they put a new MOT on it without even asking for it so we're covered until 02/02/2019 (this was Lexus Teeside).

Fully qualified, time-served electrician by trade but spent most of my working life as a telephone engineer (cable jointer) on PO/BT. Now, after being medically retired due to a back injury, I'm a self-employed computer technician.

Cheers Ray, I'll bear it in mind for next year.

Direct Line were £666.40 for us on the 63-plate RX450h Advance that we bought on Friday. Fully comp, myself and wife only to drive, both on more than 10 years NCB each, with business use for both of us. Ended up using A-Plan brokers who got us a policy with Allianz for £630. Hopefully we'll have more time to shop around and get it cheaper next year.

Ah right, fair enough, didn't know that so cheers (again).

I've seen people mention this a few times but surely the high voltage will only be present when the lights are switched on won't it? While you're at the front of the car actually changing the bulbs they'll be switched off and it's only when you're in the cabin or leaning through the window to operate the switch that any voltage will be supplied to the bulbs.

Well, we've just got back home after a brilliant day out! Bimbled back home on the A-roads, just enjoying the pure luxury and extravagance of our new motor. It's obviously dark outside now and the car is already dirty from the winter salty roads, so for now I may as well just put up the promo shots, but I promise some 'real' photos soon.

Nah, it wasn't there - but we're extremely chuffed with what we have come away with - see the post below

Insurance companies really do make my blood boil

Very nice that Ratty I'll give Adrian Flux a go as well as Les's suggestion of the RAC, but I'll be very surprised if I can get it anywhere near yours, let alone the miniscule amount that Les is paying.

Cheers Les, good point. My wife and I both need business cover on it so that bumps it up a bit but then again, we all know that there's no rhyme or reason to how insurance premiums are calculated - just a necessary evil in my book.

Made arrangements to go and see a 63-plated RX450h Advance at Lexus Teeside tomorrow and I have to say that if it drives as good as it looks in the photos, there's a very good chance that we'll go for it. Rang my insurance to let them know (Ageas through A-Plan Brokers) and was shocked to be told that if we get it, it'll be an extra £330 to cover it until my renewal at the end of June! Cheapest quote I've got so far to cancel my existing policy and start with a new one tomorrow is Direct Line at £666.40. I think I paid £420 for my RX300 insurance so I suppose I shouldn't be too shocked as the 300 is now 12 years old and worth less than £5k, whereas the 450h is on sale for a few quid under £25k. What was a surprise though is that other 450hs I've been looking at are Insurance Group 41E, whereas this Advance is Insurance Group 50. Ah well, it's a joint 60th birthday present to ourselves so who cares

No problems as far as I know, except that the phone battery probably won't get enough charge at all and eventually go flat. People who use their phones for navigation sometimes find that because the screen is on all the time, the USB socket can't provide enough power to keep the navigation going as well as charging the battery - that's why I specifically went for a USB socket that provides up to 2.1A from each socket, rather than the more common 1.0A.

Have a look here on eBay

No, it does nothing at all to the tyre. The problem is, and always has been, that some tyre fitters don't like cleaning it off, but it does clean off - if they can be bothered.