Barry14UK

All new cars or those in the showroom awaiting sale have to be fully compliant. The European block wanted it and I suppose it was hard for UK to opt out of what was seen as a safety measure. I read that you can override the system but that you have to do this for every journey.

Heat shields are usually aluminium with some having a thin layer of insulating material sandwiched between the aluminium As on many cars fitted with them the area of aluminium through which the steel fixing is made tends to suffer through catalytic interaction resulting in the heatshield breaking free and rattling. You can often effect a cure that works for quite a time by using large washers to refix. (I have done this on my old 5 Series BMW). However, sometimes, and I have experienced this, the heat shields can become heavily corroded (may be due to heavily salted roads) and almost disintegrate, so a new or reasonably good used one is required. I also feel that it would be good practise to replace any heat shields that are missing or are beyond repair.

Yes get a 'smart' battery charger.. There are of course many charges on the market but like me most mentioned here have the CETK (Model 5. in my case). The beauty of this is that is doesn't matter if you forget it 'cos it will drop charge right down (although it's not a fast charger anyway and can be left in place. It has modes for free flow lead acid and AGM batteries; (reconditioning to a degree) and even for motor cycles

I carried out an experiment and bought one new and complete Denso(OEM) replacement wiper from ECP and fitted this at the same time as replacement rubber only for my existing but split Denso rubber blade. These have been on the car for about 6 months now and both are OK. The rubber was appropriately made for my model and I thought for six squid it was worth a punt, notwithstanding the fact that the seller had a reputation for slow delivery etc. Indeed, delivery took about a month. So I think I will splash out and order both left and right this time so I will have spares. I think the shorter one was only priced at a fiver at that time These figurers included postage from Eastern Europe but I am pretty sure it was not Russia! If anymore is interested I will hopefully find the transaction.

I had this happen and sprayed inside well for as long as I could hold my breath before making my escape. I must admit I couldn't drive the car for a couple of days afterwards, the smell was so bad, but it stopped the alarm going off! You would think that what must have been a small insect would not so easily trigger the alarm as this must have happened to quite a number of people.

Lexus have fitted several types of key fob over various models and years. It is important that you use the appropriate method to avoid damage. My 2015 third Gen RX450h has the same type as shown in the featured video, whereby the shell slides apart and you then need to remove 4 tiny screws that secure the battery compartment cover in order to change the battery. Here I will repeat a tip I think I once posted previously. I keep a spare battery, along with a very small screwdriver in a little see through ready seal plastic bag in my glove box, so I will never again get caught out trying to find a battery when the dreaded 'key not detected' light comes on and there's nowhere to get a replacement.

In this video they start with the spaceframe (but in another Ferrari/Toyota build they show construction of the spaceframe without jigs and crudely formed and finished parts are made.) This video with a lot of adverts, majors on the body and associated parts plus fitting the engine and mechanicals in what looks like a back yard! Although speeded up it's still a long video so I scrolled through a bit. Something rather fascinating and somewhat like a more basic version of those programmes on specialist American Custom Shops. Anyway, for anyone interested makes a change from the few Lexus problems we see here.

The RZ was late to the party and not as good in several respects as some already there. When models come forth with new battery technology giving much better range and faster charging, it is likely to cause a great drop in the value of the current crop of EVs so not a good time to buy new now I think. I see an extended life for hybrids, whatever governments may say at present and note that Toyota are currently developing a new hybrid engine/drivetrain and the Chinese have already done this. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/byd-new-hybrid-cars-ultra-long-2-000-km-range-for-under-14-000/vi-BB1nfKhT?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=57b2f5c915504f74ac30acf24dff6cab&ei=15

If this account is accurate it will transform hybrid technology and although models are not planned to come to the UK (yet?), you can bet your bottom dollar that the Japanese, American and Japanese will want to take models apart to see how it's done. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/the-cure-for-range-anxiety-byd-says-its-new-hybrid-cars-can-go-for-1-200-miles-without-needing-gas-or-recharging/ar-BB1nlW4d?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=9825cc68d67c48f7a4e2ee8bc6f3310a&ei=11

That looks like the battery Varta suggest for the model although it is not an AGM one but is a type a number of people have fitted apparently without problem. One advantage of an AGM type is that the acid is contained in the glass mat and not loose, so in the event of a crash there is less risk of occupants being affected by the acid. However, this risk is very small and indeed Lexus have not fitted this to some other models. There has been some debate on how much better the system works with AGM type where originally fitted but owners have not reported any significant difference when replaced with a free flow type..

Designed without maintenance in mind or to be a nce earner for Dealer - take you pick?

If you carefully check whether the item you are looking to import from the USA is the same as you want for your Japanese build model for the UK, your experience as well as that of some others shows that sometimes items can be imported at much cheaper costs. I did try this for my RX but without first carefully checking for differences. Superficially. I got very good front and rear Akosombo original quality brake pads at a bargain price for my RX450h. The only problem is these are a very different shape for the US and UK and not compatible. So they remain boxed in my garage as nobody wanted them and the cost of returning them would not have adequately covered the charged amount as reimbursement. (So this would mean that brake callipers, disks, and some other associated brake components would also differ). Hence why I mentioned checking,

A potential alternative to Lexus when it becomes available. https://www.google.com/search?q=mazda+cx+80+review&sca_esv=3fb7e59b00a0c080&sca_upv=1&sxsrf=ADLYWIJZNkYQqN9MQgtbMVr6nj0Q4acHrQ%3A1715390466179&source=hp&ei=Asg-Zq7XCKvlxc8P4MqsiAs&iflsig=AL9hbdgAAAAAZj7WElzJpSOOXBGPAmeQN95YYLq_zPxU&oq=mazdz+CX80&gs_lp=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&sclient=gws-wiz#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:888da8fb,vid:6iaRjqfEK0o,st:0.

I suppose if your car was away while you were on a long winter holiday and safely locked away, you could leave alarm off or disconnect battery accepting what that would entail or best of all leave on trickle charge if facility exists. The only other way I can think of would be to couple up to another battery temporarily. I am not sure it would need to be same type and could be smaller to boost capacity for an extended period. In summer you can fit a solar panel but probably not sufficient for winter. It may be that you could get a friend to charge the car from the hybrid battery using the prescribed Lexus procedure.

Many years ago there were a couple of devices that are no longer fitted. I refer to a gear lever lock and a fuel cut off. Appreciate this would not stop crims breaking into cars but would make it more difficult for them to drive away so more likely to give up.

NFU seem to have come top of the Insurers.in terms of satisfaction for several years. The only thing is they have an age ceiling which I am above unfortunately. I thing I tried all the comparison sites on the same, as quotes can vary from one day to another. I found Ageas either the cheapest or next so in almost all cases. I have used them in the past without problem and they are well know. For some reason that I am unaware of, quotes for using them varied considerably between the comparison sites.

One can only speculate as we don't know whether the culprit(s) was/were suspicious that there was a tracker and wanted to disable this before leading to where it was intended to break the car for parts or whatever. Maybe he/she/they was/were interrupted or decided they it was taking too long. Access was obtained to the car and it was driven to where found so I don't think it was an amateur job. Taking het Dash came was logical because of what it might have shown but I think it unlikely to have been an opportunist as other items of value were not taken. It's academic really because it doesn't change the situation. If this model is potentially affected using the Can bus attac, it would seem worthwhile getting Lexus to fit the protective plate. Would be interesting to learn the cost of repair if OP prepared to say.

Maybe the US being a much larger market with vehicles covering greater mileages, there is a bigger turn over of spares8. Regardless, whether it's cars, car parts or electronic items of various sorts, invariably item for item it's more expensive in the UK than for the same item in the US.

I have read this from several sources and I have just linked to one. It concerns an aspect that many would not think about, but perhaps they should.

I think a lot comes down to individual opinion of Technician. My car has always [assed MOT's without advisories. However, on the penultimate service at Lexus main Dealer, they said the rear disks and pads needed replacing and they offered a price for doing it. I actually bought replacements intending to put them on (as I did the fronts a year previously). but due to my wife needing much more help these were not fitted. I was therefore expecting this to be mentioned when they serviced my car last year but it wasn't, just that the trailing arm bushes needed replacing with an offer to do that @ circa £1500. I will take a look myself when it stops raining and becomes a little warmer. If they still seem reasonable and get through MOT, I will leave for another year. Be interesting to learn what Lexus say at next service!

Told at Lexus dealer service last year my bushes were going to need replacing and was given a price circa £1500 so will be looking for less expensive alternative. Have to establish whether my car having air suspension has same trailing arms as coil sprung models.

haven't tried Halfords for pens but ton the two occasions I tried their shake cans for two other makes they were well out and I returned them. I went to the official dealers and the match was much better and I got the appropriate lacquer with it. So I would pay a little more and possibly get a better match or get somebody like chips away to do the job if you don't want to pay for a good body shop to do it.

Spare parts for Lexus I have found to be expensive and provide a good return for Lexus. I think as long as there is sufficient demand these will remain available, at least for regularly replaced parts. Certainly there are much earlier RX cars still in use and with a need for parts and some suitable components can be brought in from other markets. I remember a long time ago now getting what I was told was the last available sump for my 2.5 v6 Camry. This was shipped in from abroad but in need I could have got one from a breakers. Other parts for that car were still available.

We all know or should do, that best the time to get a competitive quote is around 3 weeks before renewal is due. So this is what I did using a number of comparison sites among others on the same day. Most showed Ageas as lowest price or almost lowest for their Essential and then their Standard Policy for me. However, what I find surprising is the disparity between the prices quoted for this insurer by different comparison sites, some of them quite far apart. Do the comparison sites apply a different mark up or do the insurers give them differential rates according to how much business thay attract for the Insurer or is there some other reason I wonder?

You could fit a separate unit as here https://www.roadangelgroup.com/collections/road-angel-devices. Depends on how much info you want, if a lot, some people go for subscription package but basic may suffice. Because I find Sat Nav so poor on my third gen RX, I fitted a 6" TomTom that gives side by side road limit and Sat speed you are doing with free maps updates and free camera alerts. They also do a 5" that has the same features.