First_Lexus

@taffie999 Sensible questions. I’m afraid the ‘Canbus’ theft issue is a real concern. Lexus are now trialling a solution in London and the South-East which will hopefully help matters once rolled out (assuming it is) but for now I don’t think I can provide any reassurance other than the fact that ‘most’ of the thefts seem to be in and around Greater London (although bound to spread if they haven’t already). On the service costs, all I’d say is that a 2021/22 RX is an expensive car to purchase and that comes with related expenses, of which servicing is just one. I found Lexus to be relatively expensive (compared with Honda) even on my previous NX. Premium pricing for a premium product I assume! If you haven’t already check insurance as mine DOUBLED year on year, without any obvious reason other than the increased risk of theft noted above. Believe some other members have seen similar rises. Road tax also attracts the £500 ‘luxury levy’ for the first three years (could be five years, can’t remember). Having said all that, I do love my RX. It is an impressively quiet and refined cruiser, and beautifully built too. It is pretty wide though, not one for narrow lanes if you value your paintwork, and there is one 6’3” width restrictor near me which is just a bit too tight for comfort!

China seems likely to be as South Korea was twenty years ago in terms of automotive development and dominance. The political situation may muddy those waters though, especially regarding Taiwan. India could be the one to watch. They have so much potential in terms of domestic growth, and that often translates to international growth as seen in China since the 1990s. I spent time in China in the late 90s/early 2000s and recently came back from India. I can see similarities, but the democratic process in India makes it far more palatable to the West, and Modi knows that. He’s already distanced himself from Putin for reasons beyond not supporting his actions in Ukraine…with more to come at full G20 in India later this year I’ll wager. Tata is going big on EVs, and the UK is likely to be a big player in that through JLR, albeit fairly minor in global terms. Based on what I read neither China nor India are really backing hydrogen, and if that continues I can’t see it taking off anywhere, least of all in a niche market such as the UK. Anyway - and I don’t think I’m alone here - all I want as a motorist is the ability in Winter temperatures to drive for a 300 mile round trip at motorway speeds without having to recharge or refuel. Once an EV can give me that I’ll switch. Having discussed with most of the major EV manufacturers over the last 12 months none can guarantee that at the moment apart from Tesla, and their horrid ‘new money’ image combined with terrible build quality (and if you don’t believe me just look at some used models with mileage on them) means I won’t consider them. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/uk-set-win-battle-host-tata-electric-car-battery-plant-bbc-2023-05-24/

Interesting that the ‘mood music’ (nothing definite or committed) coming out of Labour is that the ‘…failure of the current Government…’ to provide a consistent nationwide EV charging network may cause a future Labour Government to delay the ban on sales of new petrol and hybrid (but not diesel) vehicles. It’s no surprise that Labour know that the current policy is unpopular with many potential middle class Labour voters who may switch to them from the Conservatives. Pushing it back by (say) five years and blaming the current Government does seem feasible - and they’re already starting to lay the tentative story to allow that to happen. The reality is probably that EVs will continue to evolve, hydrogen may or may not become either an alternative or a companion in the long term, and petrol will continue to be available for many years yet. There will need to be a range of options to suit different needs, including the commercial freight sector. However, as a solution to the climate emergency none of these options are really palatable especially to the developing world. We in the West / First World simply need to drive, fly and transport less while striving towards localism rather than globalism (which obviously won’t happen because of the ‘need’ for continued economic growth, but there you go!). We’re all doooooomed!

Apart from having the aftermarket immobiliser/tracker fitted, are BMW less vulnerable to these thefts? I’m equally disappointed by the Lexus response and, although I’m not looking to change right now, I’d be interested in manufacturers who aren’t vulnerable (assuming there are any!). As an aside, a few months ago near where I live, two Mercedes and a BMW were taken on the same night although I’m not sure which method was used to steal them. I did hear through the grapevine that Ring doorbells mysteriously went off-line at least at one of the addresses so there was no footage of the theft.

Ignore the title of this video - he does note that a £2500 LS430 is probably best avoided and that £6-7 is more realistic for a good one on Autotrader - but as a sales / buying aid it does tell you most of what you’ll need to know if you’re considering one of these…enjoy.

Totally agree. The infrastructure is getting there now - and improving - for EVs. The infrastructure for petrol and diesel remains. There is no infrastructure for hydrogen yet, and will likely take a few years assuming it arrives at all. As I have done, people will make a choice. I’m sticking with petrol/hybrid as EV doesn’t work for me at the moment. Others will move to EVs. If hydrogen arrives, there will be early adopters as there were for electric a few years ago and the combustion engine itself at the beginning of the twentieth century. Sorry to be a misery, but I’m not sure what the purpose is for threads like these now. I don’t see people changing opinions, I simply see entrenched views on all sides. They’ve become nothing but echo chambers.

I don’t see why that isn’t more widely adopted. After all, Citroen introduced it for the oft stolen Saxo in the 1990s! It never caught on though…

I do understand your point, but brands have always done this sort of thing. Putting tyres to one side for a moment, ‘less desirable’ brands have always loaded their models with more equipment at a lower price in order to try and tempt people away from ‘prestige’ or ‘more desirable’ brands. When I was young in the 1970s the family firm made a conscious decision to move away from Mercedes company cars and go to Vauxhall/Opel for exactly this reason. The absolute quality wasn’t there, but the owner/drivers loved that their new cars were stuffed full of electric windows, cassette decks, tinted glass and the like - all of which were optional extras on the previous and much dearer Mercedes. The point about Nissan above - to me - fits that same premise all these years later. Returning to tyres, I don’t think we can say Lexus is fitting ‘shoddy’ tyres. Yokohama, Dunlop, Bridgestone all are good brands. The reality is that most people don’t really notice or care. On a car forum the representative sample of views is likely to be quite different to the public at large imho. That aside, I do think Lexus is penny pinching in some areas considering the cost of the product. The bonnet strut on a UX is a small but good example. They must reason that the extra ‘perception of quality’ a gas strut would provide isn’t a deal breaker for almost anybody - and they’re probably correct - but in terms of long term satisfaction it’s that sort of thing that gets into the subconscious. I think they used to be called ‘surprise and delight’ features. I’d say the plastic door trims on the UX are far more important, and personally I think the quality there really does let the side down in an important area.

I replaced the Yokohama standard fit with Avon and they were excellent, with softer ride and less road noise. Plenty of threads on this subject and plenty of different opinions though… For me, based on experience, I’d go with Avon or Falken. Personally I’ve not had good experience with Michelin (think a couple of other members have posted similar) although accept reviews of the ‘Cross Climate’ are excellent. https://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/138996-another-new-tyre-thread/#comment-1278821

Only yesterday afternoon, returning home in the late afternoon, I came across a bicycle being ridden on a narrow (ish) B-Road. I came up behind it just before a series of bends, so couldn’t see whether there traffic coming towards me that would make the pass safe. I waited. It took perhaps 15 or 20 seconds for me to be able to see and pass safely… In that time the panel van behind me almost went crazy. Remember, this was only for 15 or 20 seconds. He honked his horn, waved out of his window and was clearly agitated. I noted when he passed the cyclist he did NOT leave a safe distance either. I hope there is karma coming his way at some time. It wouldn’t matter if he was in an electric van, a hydrogen van or a diesel. He’d be a moron in any of them and based on that single experience he has no business having a driving licence.

A somewhat pointless ‘survey’ from an organisation I’ve never heard of and without any context (who was asked, how were they asked, how many were asked, were they asked or did they volunteer etc.) The article was published in the Daily Mail…enough said! I’m just a bit surprised that they’re not claiming Meghan Markle drives a BMW and that’s why they’re so rude… ”Andy Moody, founder and managing director of GoShorty, said: ‘Sadly, our powers cannot make the UK's rudest drivers more considerate on the road, but we can help save you money with more efficient insurance options.’ ^^ Translation - “We are desperate for publicity and free advertising, so we made up a survey and paid the Daily Mail to publish it in order to try and grow our business.” Cynical? Moi? 😁

My disability makes riding a bicycle impossible, but I’d love a Renault Twizy (or similar) for local travel to the shops etc. The only thing stopping me - apart from cost as I’ve already got two cars - is wondering how other road users would ‘treat’ a Twizy. It’s more like a car than a bicycle, but I’d still bet some people would be impatient with the 35-40mpg realistic top speed…

It was a great recommendation @RONNIE W HODGEKINSON I insured with Chris Knott today, good service and a very competitive price matched to my lowest comparison site quote (actually they beat it). Many thanks, much appreciated!

I’ve just moved to Chris Knott following a recommendation on here as my existing insurer (Aviva) doubled my renewal premium! Chris Knott seem good, very efficient and a good price matched to my lowest comparison quote (like for like). They’ve insured me through LV at a price less than half that which LV quoted direct! Weird…

Full disclosure - I like my SUV. The RX is a brilliant thing. I also NEED the height an SUV offers now due to my (deteriorating) mobility. Only in 2012 I bought a Honda Accord - which I loved - but now I simply wouldn’t be able to easily get in and out of such a low vehicle…but I digress… What I don’t understand is why Lexus are ignoring model type diversity. As others have noted, they already have plenty of SUV models across all sizes. Surely the CT replacement should be a Golf/Focus competitor? It makes little sense to me, but one assumes the predicted sales numbers stack up otherwise they wouldn’t be doing it. Would they?

Indeed, mine has more than DOUBLED year over year with Aviva from £350 to £750 a year with no claims or changes. Comparison sites have reduced that down to £535 but even so…😬 All I will say is that I’m in the middle of a 400 mile round trip. Having spent almost four hours in the RX this morning, I’m content to pay albeit through gritted teeth “…because I’m worth it.” 😆

Out of interest, how long did it take to achieve a full charge from a domestic socket? Looking online the Model 3 takes 24-36 hours to fully charge from empty from a UK domestic socket? For a weekend trip that seems like an awful lot of inconvenience? Is that what you meant, as I’m in the middle of a 400 mile round trip in my RX and will only have to fill it up once at the start and again at the end. What’s the range of your Tesla? Just curious really to fully understand… Charging time for a Tesla Model 3 Charging method Typically found at Charging time* Empty to full 3-pin plug Home 24 - 36 h 3.6kW Home / Work 15 - 22 h 7kW Home / Work / Public Locations 8 - 12 h

Indeed, my 2021 has Dunlop Sport Maxx which seem fine to me. I’ve only ever seen other similar RX running Bridgestone Dueller or the Dunlops. Having had Yokohama BluEarth on my NX I wasn’t that impressed as they seemed noisy when compared with my Winter tyres (Falken). A change to Avon for Summer tyres made a big difference with a more compliant ride and lower noise levels in the cabin. Based on a few experiences my ‘go to’ tyre brands tend to be Falken and Avon for the balance of performance vs price.

I notice that the door mirrors are folded, indicating the car was (almost certainly) locked. How do they do that without a key, i.e. if it was stolen using CANBUS theft? Is it a case of once they’re ‘in’ so to speak they can do pretty much as they wish?

Coming from two NX followed by my current RX, I’ve considered an EV and now have two relatives who own them - one with a company Tesla Model Y and one a Kia Niro. My personal choice, having experienced a test drive, would be the Hyundai IONIC5. From my perspective it strikes an acceptable balance between practicality, price, range, and build quality. The Volvo range is solid (surprise!) but limited range tends to be an issue based on my needs. As I’ve said on other threads on this subject, for me the EV limitation of motorway speeds and colder Winter weather makes my 250 mile weekly round trip to my office just slightly too far without a recharge along the way. That’s an inconvenience I’m not prepared to live with yet as I simply don’t need to. I wouldn’t consider a Tesla, partly because I find the tech baffling, partly because the build quality is so poor, and partly because of the ‘new money’ image they seem to attract. That’s a personal choice, understanding that the range of the Tesla would be acceptable for my needs - it’s just that the rest of the experience isn’t.

^^ Why avoid Churchill out of interest? I’ve never been with them, but they’re the cheapest quote for me this year, £250 cheaper than Aviva (who I’ve been with 3 years) for equivalent cover and over £100 cheaper than anybody else on the comparison websites. I’ve submitted a quote request to Chris Knott this afternoon based on the recommendation given @RONNIE W HODGEKINSON Will be interested to see how they compare as tbh I’ve never heard of them!

For the bugs, I’m afraid a proper wash is the best solution. If the paintwork is either relatively new or well protected (or both!) they should come off fairly easily with a mitt and good car shampoo, even better with snow foam first. There are also specialist bug remover sprays which can help, but should be used in conjunction with the full wash. I use this one: https://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/gyeon-bug-grime-remover The seagull mess needs to be removed quickly. The simplest method is to get a damp cloth or damp kitchen towel, and leave it over the affected area for 20-40 minutes. This softens the poo and should allow it to be removed without rubbing and thus risk of scratching. Good luck! I hate it when this happens…

My point was that it’s ridiculous that a car like the RX can’t do it with the standard navigation (but can with Apple CarPlay options such as Waze) - hence my reference in another related thread that previous (older and cheaper) Hondas managed to do it where the RX cannot. I wasn’t saying that needing to mute radios to hear navigation was ridiculous.

My RX insurance has more than doubled with Aviva this year, I assume for similar reasons. In contrast, the cost for my MINI Cooper (same driver, same address etc) has stayed the same.

Personally I’d go back to Honda having had a few, all of which were excellent. Lexus tempted me away, and I’ve been very happy with my NX and RX, but this specific issue and the seeming lack of urgency from Lexus is making me think twice about another one.