Barry14UK

That's worth noting Herbie. I have used a mixture of ATF and acetone on seized nuts and bolts with some success since reading about it on an American forum some years ago. Interesting it came second to liquid wrench in this test and watched a lot of videoed tests this quick talking no bull guy has done. As he showed, heat is usually best but not always practical to use. Maybe ice would help but not tested.

That's interesting. I think Lexus just noted my driving licence but definitely said charge was for Insurance as was not covered by mine for another vehicle at the time. It's a long way from Devon to Cheltenham but I did not mind the journey as I could visit my sister at Stroud on the way home. However, my service does not necessarily coincide with when it is convenient to meet my sister who with her husband travel abroad quite a lot. So I may get my next service at Lexus Exeter which is 'only' a round trip of 100 miles or so. This ends the 2 year extended warranty I took out. Of course it makes sense to get Lexus to check the traction battery annually but for a 2015 car the service charge, with Relax is high and the cover is not very comprehensive with lots of 'get outs'. Furthermore, Lexus Cheltenham, and I believe other franchises, no longer do the 'Essential Service' for older cars. I may in future use recommended Toyotec in Redhill, Surrey, which is reasonably near my daughter and family with whom I stay a few days 2 or 3 times a year. I might take out a policy to cover major items, something to consider next year after the Relax cover ends.

My car is the previous generation RX being one of the last 3 generation. I find it suits me well and although I contemplated going to the 4th Generation, I find this unnecessarily large. I have driven the sort of NX you would be looking at which is not as comfortable as the RX, has only a 4 cylinder engine but is more manoeuvrable and economical but made my RX feel a bit barge like. Last night I was looking at a road test of the new NX about to be unleashed and that was judged to be a great improvement over the model you are cosidering and there could be quite a wait for it. Also, it is likely it would be more than your budget. In your shoes, I would test drive the models you listed but also the slightly smaller RX450h 3rd Generation. If you can find a good one like I did, you would have a bit of spare cash for servicing etc. Let us know what you go for.

Care to say why? My experience was that they were very helpful, prompt and gave a discount. On the other hand a Birmingham Lexus dealer I was referred to at the time didn't even return my calls.

It largely depends on how old 12v battery is and whether and state of charge before taking out of use. Herbie has given reasoning and a smart charger has been referenced by another member. I use the same model charger although there are others. If your battery is an AGM one, the smart charger should be set to that mode. Buy one that does not charge at a rate of more than 5amps. It will do this as required and then reduce amperage as battery becomes more charged. It will then trickle as necessary to keep battery charged - smart isn't it? Good idea to have the traction battery well charged when it should last several months without use. If this does happen it can need a Lexus dealer to fix.

EBC green are not racing pads they are just replacement pads for standard. Yellow and red are for more hard use. They are OK and I had them on my two BMW's. Manufacturers tend to use more than one make of pads to help diversify risk for one or more reasons. If availability ceased for a time from one, there are other options. I bought manufacturers recommended spark plugs for my BMW several years ago and these were identical to the ones BMW sell as originals except the boxes were different and lacked the Propeller logo for which you pay handsomely. Similarly, in the part I bought replacement headlight bulbs for my first Mercedes from Mercedes. They came in nice Mercedes boxes with logo. I later found that I could get the same bulbs from the same manufacturer without the Merc box for half the price. I am sure that if tyres came in boxes car manufacturers would be happy to uplift the cost to have their logo on the box. However, if you do go to an official dealer, you should expect brake pads or whatever to be supplied in a manufacturer's box. This at least obviates the possibility of cheaper ones being fake, even though you are paying more than you might for genuine ones from another seller. I have ordered items from from Parts Direct who are a Lexus main dealer at Swindon. Some months back they reduced discount to members as I believe there were complaints from other Lexus franchises and others that we were getting items priced too cheaply.

Agree. The lightweight ones incorporating usually some aluminum foil like material tend to fall apart after a time. I have my fobs in this well made German manufactured aluminium box (one box for each of my two RX standard sized fobs) as only one fob can be accomodated in a box. Had them for several years now and paid more at the time. This is a good price here but I think there may be a later more curved model avaiable now. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alpha-Shield-Premium-Keyless-Aluminium-Schwarz/dp/B077JCQFXQ Not sure if you got complete reg of other car but if so you could use free Gov/Dvla info sheet and if suspicious have a quick word with local Police.

Well, every factor which insurers consider when arriving at your premium must have been very favourable for you. Quotes for my RX ranged from just above the low six hundreds to over a thousand. I suspect I am being 'loaded' now as an older driver. However, a broker said they thought they could do better including getting a discount for being a member of a motoring club. The policy came out at around five twenty ish with AXA, with legal cover and protected NCB but without loan car. This is less than what AXA quoted on a comparison site. Sometimes it pays to get an assessment on a more personal basis than a computed basis.

Ha ha! Like it. I guess there is going to be a speed related performance race for battery operated vehicles but it is already beyond sensible in most places, certainly in the UK. However, many people have range anxiety, particularly as electrical top up places are not adequate at the moment with some not working and lack of universal cable link up. What has been shown is that it is possible to increase range and decrease charging time and this is a much more important aspect than shaving a few tenths of a second or so. This is where development needs to take place. I was reading an account of a guy with an E-tron Audi which he loved but was selling as range was reducing and though trying to maximise it. He was struggling to get !60 miles out of a fully charged battery. Perhaps a worse than average case but one why many selling.

Perhaps 1111bhp a bit OTT in UK but 500+ mile range would be welcome! Interesting video this with battery cars pushing the envelope. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxuB4H6uCq8 and more here.

I was in the same situation with my RX450h. I also got very similar answer when having my car serviced which had only done just over 40K miles and I didn't want sparkers changed until nearer 60K miles but Lexus said you can't pick and choose what to leave out of the prescribed service. Of course they have you over a barrel with this 'Relax Warranty' which ups the price. The next will be my last service with Lexus. I might take out some cover on major parts elsewhere and have the car serviced as I require at a good garage.

Seems like good advice from John. Suggest you take some pictures. Good luck.

Thanks to all that replied. It was in my mind that as we are both with the same insurers and they may want to settle on a 50/50 fault basis but I would certainly fight such an outcome.

I was promised a loan car by the claim management company suggested by Lexus Snows as they accepted on the basis of the photographs I provided that I was not at fault. They subsequently withdrew this offer because the the other party insisted he was not at fault and had found a witness. (The accident happened almost outside his house and let me put it this way, he has now found very supportive neighbours!) So I reverted to the Brokers who arranged my policy with AXA. The Brokers claim line puts one directly though to AUXILLIS, another claim management company. Notwithstanding, the other party disputing being at fault, AUXILLIS agreed to provide a car they considered I was not at fault. However, by that time it was too late to get the car for the planned journey from Devon to my daughter in Surrey on 11th May and onward to a funeral in Kent on 12th May. In the circumstances, as my car was still drivable I decided to use it. My wife sat in the back as the front passengers door gruched at it opened and would not open succulently to permit entry or egress. We had a pretty easy except for a loose tyre tread from somewhere making it's way towards me so I had to push harder on the loud peddle to avoid it. Also, the journey was uncomfortable because hot air rather than cold was being delivered through vents notwithstanding I dropped the temperature set on both sides, maximised fan settings, ensured the air settings were coldest with rotary controls and air was on in menu. I am wondering if the bang to my car could have caused a leak in the aircon system, something else to be investigated! The plan is to visit my brother and his wife tomorrow in Kent and then return to Devon on Sunday. Collection of my car and provision of a loan car will follow on Monday next. Picture of other parties car with broken headlight and damaged bumper. How he reckons I hit him with the impact on the extreme wing and leading edge of my front passenger door with no frontal damage to my car is a feeble 'try on'.

Point taken about having dashcam, one of a number of things not got round to doing for diverse reasons but will now prioritise. As regards scrap, when my car was hit previously and the exhaust severely damaged, I asked for the central cat which was OK, so I could have made available to somebody else but was told all replaced components had to be scrapped regardless of the fact they may have included serviceable parts, and that they were no longer mine. This seems a shame. Whether in reality this always happens is a matter of conjecture! I know a lot of lightly damaged body parts that at one time would have been brought back to shape and for example doors that were worse were sometimes reskinned externally. Done it myself years ago . Today, they generally just discard damaged components and replace these with new. Depending on the severity of damage and circumstances, it can work well buying as scrap, fixing yourself using good used parts from breakers where parts from scrapper were more severely damaged. Still have different types of welding equipment and tools to do this but lack the motivation and penury that drove this at the time. I know from a previous experience that some Insurance companies will only allow new parts to be fitted which drives up the cost to the extent that a few items can cause a car to be written off. My granddaughter was hit by another driver and was told that if she accepted pattern parts, they would repair her car but would not pay for genuine ones, so ended up with some poorly fitted panels to avoid it being written off. (It was a small car and she had to have an automatic and to acquire it we had gone a considerable distance, as automatic versions were pretty rare).

Hi John, It's a good question because there are pros and cons for using a management company which the RAC state here. https://www.rac.co.uk/business/news-advice/accident-management-companies You and the management company need to be convinced on the basis of supporting photographic damage to vehicles and circumstances that you have a good case as they provide a car immediately and take steps to process claim without any upfront charge to claimant provided you use a reputable one. (I used the one recommended by Lexus Snows, being the one I used when previously rear ended and they had all my details from then). I need a car quicky as I plan to visit my daughter some 220 miles away next week and attend the funeral of my best friend while there. I am not sure I would have got a car so readily through AXA who are also the at fault's insurers. My policy did not include the provision of a loan car and there was less certainty that AXA would provide one, at least without delay, to facilitate the visit to my daughter. Although I don't think it will apply in this case, I think a Claim Management Company is in a stronger position to negotiate on a client's behalf if a car is written off or for other aspects. The fact that so many of these companies are flourishing, means that they are becoming more popular, although care needs to be taken to ensure you get a good one.

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Appreciate commiserations. So much hassle and a blot on ones driving record as some insurers consider you are an increased risk even though not the guilty party. I informed brokers and insurers as one is obliged to do, at least for information. I have contacted the Claim Management company recommended by Lexus Snows Repair Centre who are happy to work on the basis that I was not at fault, will collect my car and repair it to Lexus standard and then return it. Meanwhile they will provide a comparable car, although this might not be a Lexus, so it will be interesting to see what the loaner will be. Pics to follow.

Having previously been hit at the back and got over all the hassle that involved, a car came out of a side street early this evening and was driven into the side of me. I was on a main road. The other car, Audi as previously, was turning left and his offside front bumper and headlamp was badly damaged. The damage to my car was to the rear of my nearside front wing, the frame behind it and the leading edge of the passenger front door with some scraping down most of the remaining nearside. So it was clear that the Audi was driven into me as I was partially past it. My wife was in the front passenger seat and had to climb over to my side and exit by my door as hers wouldn't open without using considerable force and likely causing more damage. I was only doing about 15mph as I traversed some speed bumps about 25 yards before and there were some further on so. Ironically, had I been doing say 20mph I might have got passed before he hit me. Took some pics and expect to post tomorrow. Coincidentally, both cars are insured with AXA, so I hope they will play fair. Fortunately, nobody was hurt. Anybody know where I can buy a used Challenger 2--- oh maybe not, they are probably on route for NATO border with Russia. Perhaps a Humvee if they can be had with RHD!

Can't understand why somebody wouldn't get the exhaust box welded and lights refurbished or replaced with some better used ones. if all that was required or even advertising with these faults. But we don't know the reasoning behind this.

They're pretty good at Ping Pong in China John!

I generally keep my remote alarm/electronic door controller in the driver's pop out drink holder whilst in the car. There have been a couple of times when for some reason or another I have left it there and tried to lock the car using the little indent in the handle and here has been a warning beep at the same time being preventing the door being locked and the alarm set. This the correct way the system should work as it prevents you locking yourself out. However, yesterday I inadvertently left the key in this place, probably because I was carrying some items into my bungalow. It was bucketing down and forgetting the usual key was still in the car, I picked up the spare and used it to lock and set the alarm. It did this and there was not the usual warning beep. I unlocked it with the spare controller this morning and retrieved the one left in the car. The batteries in both controllers are fine and both operate the system as should now. The drink holder is made of plastic and was in the open position anyway, so not providing a faraday cage. It's things like this that make me concerned about relying so much on electronics. I remember Ford had problems with some of their cars cutting out unexpectedly, due I believe to fault in ECU. Don't know I would be happy with steer by wire as in new BZ4 and RZ even if systems used in air planes, but probably duplicated there.

But expect RZ will be heavy and certainly with a lot more power than the UXe. It has been conceded that it will have less range than the similar but lower powered Toyota BZ4 models. Agreed that if BIL and your sister find it does not meet their expectations, they should not find it difficult to sell as when available demand is likely to exceed early supply.

A brave decision, buying without trying or even seeing other than through eye of camera, especially for a model quite different to anything Lexus presently has sold to public. Wish your BIL good luck with it and we will be very interested to learn impressions in due course.

Yes John, Had a few close shaves, not all in vehicles but it's one reason why I prefer to have a larger heavy built car. As you grow older I think you become increasingly more conscious of the need for care and safety measures. I realize I got away with things I would no longer wish to do even on tracks but am still aware that others (or animals) can put one in dangerous situations, so wearing a seat belt is a no brainer on balance, in mitigating risk of serious injury.