LenT

Well as you can see Martin, I have one. But I’m not too sure what your question is. I doubt you’ll get a better analysis of the IS250 than Linus has just provided. Personally I prefer the look of the 3rd Gen and the V6 is a joy to use. I’m told the Mark Levinson system is outstanding - it’s certainly better than my hearing. Linus mentioned the satnav - which I would say is an embarrassment. I always use my Garmin. The sunroof was a £1K extra when new, but brightens up the interior enough to be worth looking out for. I’ve tried the paddle shift, but frankly the autobox is so good that it’s simply more relaxing to leave it to look after the changes. I think the paddles can be useful if you want to change down for steep hills. But we don’t have too many of them in Northamptonshire! There is a ‘Sport’ mode to switch to if you want to feel you’re going quicker, but I regard mine as being a comfortable, relaxing cruiser that can be driven in a brisk manner that feels very secure. The only significant changes I made were to upgrade the main headlight bulbs and the reversing light bulb, which I thought were all a bit inadequate. I don’t honestly know how much all this differs from the IS models you’re familiar with. If there’s anything specific that I can answer, don’t hesitate to ask. Ultimately, I guess your choice is going to be decided by your budget. If it’s any guide, the Lexus dealer keeps approaching me trying to interest me in a new Lexus, but there’s simply nothing in the range that I feel is better than the one I already have. So good luck with your search.

It certainly should. The main thing - in case you didn’t previously - is to avoid taking it through car washes if you want to keep it looking as splendid as it does now. That’s something I hadn’t really appreciated when I had mine done. So now it’s time spent with buckets and foam gun - which the car appreciates but my back doesn’t. 🙁

You don’t say how many years this battery has been uncharged, but I suspect that cutting your losses and getting a new one - as others have suggested - may save you problems in the future. The electrolyte level has probably dropped through evaporation, exposing the plates. Without constant recharging, lead plates are subject to sulfation and recovery - if even possible - is best done by a dedicated charging process if further plate damage is to be avoided. Treat the next battery with more consideration - get a good trickle charger, for example - and avoid the problem in the future.

That’s what we like to hear, Nic! 😊 Sounds like you’re just the kind of caring owner your Lexus deserves. Mind you, they’re not an easy read - at least mine aren’t. Two volumes and 1100 pages! No wonder owners prefer to ask the LOC for advice! All the best with it. 👍

The battery should be a standard CR2032. I hesitate to say it, but your Manual has full instructions for replacing it - if you have one. But basically, pull out the mechanical key from the holder by pulling it while pressing the release button on the side of the fob. Using a small-bladed screwdriver, insert the blade and gently lever the case open. Replace the battery, ensuring you’ve kept the correct polarity on top, and click the case back together. Finally, slot the mechanical key back in place. Lexus recommends that you wrap the screwdriver tip in tape to protect the case - but I doubt that anyone ever does! It’s one of the simpler DIY jobs on a Lexus - they get more challenging from then on. 😊

That’s no problem, Andy. It’s how most of us started! In fact, there are posters who don’t have a Lexus now and that doesn’t stop them making valuable contributions! That’s certainly the received wisdom, thanks to the longevity of Lexus engines and generally robust engineering. But personally I’d place more importance on regular Dealer servicing ie annually instead of just mileage based. Good luck with your search and I’m sure you’ll get plenty of helpful advice from RX owners.

You’re quite right, Kamil. The ID code has to be registered with the car’s TPMS. But it should be detectable once the ignition’s on. My Manual has a couple of pages on it! if you don’t want to use a Lexus dealer for this, then any good tyre retailer should be able to do it, I would have thought. Perhaps ring around locally to check one out? And of course, set the correct cold tyre pressures before registering the valve. You should check the other three at the same time. Apologies if you already know all this!

That’s interesting, Paul. I bought my Lexus from Lexus Milton Keynes - part of the same Group, in fact where they are actually based - and have had the same excellent experience over much the same period. If anything, I’m a disappointment to them. They keep trying to interest me In a new Lexus - but I’m very happy with the one I’ve got!

I take it that you are overall satisfied with the performance of your Dealer. I’m sure it will help other Members if you would name this Dealer. Sadly, while there’s no reticence among complainers to ‘name & shame’, good customer service perhaps doesn’t get the recognition it rightly deserves.

Judging by the report in this article in Fleet News, it would appear that the Lexus RX450 is the first Lexus to enter Tracker’s Top Ten list. So that might well account for it being regarded as now presenting an additional risk. https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/fleet-industry-news/2023/02/27/first-ever-hybrid-car-makes-tracker-s-top-ten-most-stolen-and-recovered This data from the DVLA probably didn’t help your case either. It shows that the Lexus RX 450 F Sport CVT was the most stolen plug-in last year, with 160 recorded thefts in 2022, compared to 70 in 2021 - an increase of 129 percent.

I think Mark has already explained that. While it may well be the case that if your car’s stolen and stripped out for parts, then you may well be better off settling the insurance claim than getting a damaged car back. But Mark has already invested a great deal of time, money and anticipation in this specific model and clearly believes that the problem of finding - and waiting - for a replacement is not acceptable. So I quite understand that a comparatively small sum spent to expedite its possible recovery is preferable. After all, the Tracker companies have many case studies in which cars have been traced before the thieves have even had time to work on them.

I think the first thing I’d do - especially with a convertible - is go for the simpler, visible deterrent and fit a steering wheel lock. Apart from the well proven Disklock, these alternatives seem interesting. Turn the wheels hard into the kerb before fitting, and even towing the car away becomes a problem! https://geartekk.com/product/steerlock-steering-wheel-lock/?_gl=1*1pflxxn*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE2ODMzNzI0OTIuRUFJYUlRb2JDaE1JbTllcWo4dmdfZ0lWR2VydENoMG5XZ2d3RUFBWUFpQUFFZ0pjMV9EX0J3RQ..&_ga=2.33153662.1705044825.1683372492-785321425.1683372492&_gac=1.141240710.1683372492.EAIaIQobChMIm9eqj8vg_gIVGertCh0nWggwEAAYAiAAEgJc1_D_BwE I like the concept of the Ghost system. A car that appears to turn over but doesn’t fire up - or mysteriously stops after a few seconds - is not something a thief wants to be caught in and may well attract attention to them. Unless they know all about it, it will probably prompt a rapid abandonment! Ultimately - and given enough time - the best way to remove the car is to try to get it on to a low loader without triggering a motion alarm. This invariably means the car is a targeted theft and is when a Tracker system proves its worth. If chummy suspects a Tracker - and can’t immediately disable it - the usual action is to park it and see if it’s collected. Finally, basic elements of home security should not be ignored. But then I suspect you’ve already considered these! Considering the cost and rarity of the model and the time you’ve waited just to have it, I would have thought that the cost of all these measures represents a relatively small investment. But then it’s very easy to spend someone else’s money! At least you’ll know you’ve done everything practicable and can concentrate on just enjoying the car.

Welcome Paul. Did you get the Lexus from MK? Hopefully, you may find that it will actually help you overcome your agoraphobia. When I got mine, I found I was inventing shopping trips simply to experience the pleasure of driving it around. And I’ve been driving for sixty years! As has been said, there’s really nothing about Lexus cars that can’t be answered here. Although it does help to have a Manual to consult first. 😊

Yes, the settlement seems pretty fair. I’m not aware of any motor policy that will offer ‘replacement as new’. If it did, no doubt the premiums would reflect the risk! Depreciation is a fact of car ownership, in most cases. On the other hand, my Household Insurance does offer that. When the Laurel & Hardy of Appliances Direct install a new dishwasher and scratched the 15-year old laminated kitchen floor, my Insurers paid for a like-for-like new replacement. But they are taking action to reclaim the payout from Appliances Direct. So no cost to me.

Why would you guess that? Japan drives on the left, like the UK. Their cars are built as RHD.

Well I didn't for one. Linus. Not having any need for credit, I always regarded my credit score as irrelevant to me. But now that the subject has been raised, I can see why it would be useful data for all Insurers - including Motor Insurers. In fact, they might even be remiss if they ignored it. For most people it will give some indication as to their financial stability and reliability - in much the same way as, for example, residing at the same address for many years. Looking at the LexisNexis site, I see that they have a range of potentially interesting White Papers. (But you have to register to access them and I hesitate to do that in case it affects my score.) However, in 2013 they commissioned an Independent survey into 'UK Consumer Attitudes on Motor Insurance.' The headline results showed that: 1. 40% think Premiums are too high - well, who would've thought! 2. 29% admitted naming someone else as main driver to reduce the Premium. 3. 15% think it's acceptable to misrepresent their NCD to get a better Premium. 4. 13% would lie about their address to get a better deal. 5. 49% think claims should be paid even if inaccurate information is given. 6. 67% think Motor Insurers are parasites that exploit the motorists' legal obligation to have insurance, take every dubiously moral opportunity to avoid paying legitimate claims and thus deserve to be treated with contempt. (To be fair, I may have made this last figure up.) But from the Insurers' POV, the survey highlights the risk factors they face and helps to justify the acquisition of personal data that gives further insights into their customers. That a significant percentage of those customers are prepared to deceive them is surely a factor that they have to consider. And if your surmise that 'poor people' are less likely to maintain their vehicles, replace worn tyres and so on, is correct then they are an enhanced risk. The drivers who really don't care tend not to bother with Insurance at all! And they increase your Premiums when they hit a driver who has to make a claim! Let's not overlook the fact that Motor Insurance is primarily to compensate other people for your mistakes. However, the main problem with this credit-influenced approach is that the rating can be wrong if it is based on incorrect information. It is in my case! My feeling now is that Insurers may well have a responsibility to conduct any legal check that will help them refine the risk a driver presents. Equally, they should make it very clear that these checks are being made. That in itself should deter the devious applicant and thus help to keep Premiums down.

It certainly can’t be described as a lean wa, James. Is it even gluten free, I wonder? BTW - is Betsy protected by a ceramic coating?

When you say ‘wrap’ I wonder if you’re referring to an extreme colour or design - as opposed to a Paint Protection Film? To clarify, I attach the web page of the local company that detailed my car. They do a lot of PPF (although not on mine!) and it does offer a lot of benefits over the.normal paint finish. Whether it might be available in specific colours I don’t know. Its prime function is to provide a self-healing layer over the paint that gives a high gloss - or matt - finish that’s particularly resistant to the kind of minor chip impact or staining that will affect a paint finish. Removal is actually easier than application. It just peels off. In fact this should ensure that reselling the car shouldn’t be a problem. What ever the colour or design, the wrap can be peeled off to reveal the original paint finish in the same condition as when the wrap was applied. https://www.huntsmiths.co.uk/xpel-paint-protection-film/ https://www.xpel.com/products/paint-protection-film/ultimate-plus

That’s a very good point. Apparently the correct way to negotiate the type of ‘sleeping policemen’ that are like small cushions on the road, is to place one wheel on the top and the other on the road. That way the full width of all the treads is flat on the road surface. If you try to straddle the cushion you can get the sidewall rubbing on the edge of the ‘cushion’.

The short answer is surely…yes. The scheduled service periods are either on a mileage basis - or annually. I have mine serviced annually because I’m not doing the mileage. Has it been garaged or parked outside? The risk is that seals will deteriorate and metal parts will corrode - and how old are the tyres? They may have plenty of tread left but tyre compounds also deteriorate with age and exposure - and may need replacing. Presumably, though, it has had an annual MoT to keep it on the road. You can check the MoT history for any failures or advisories. And while you say that it’s had loads spent on it in the past - which may head off any potential problems - that all stopped five years ago. On the other hand, it is a fifteen year-old car! Would the Owner be willing to let you have it inspected by a Lexus dealer or, for example, the AA? What is the asking price? Can you find similar examples in, say, Autotrader, with which to compare it? I’m sure owners of that specific model will be able to suggest particular areas of concern. But whatever you pay for it now, you should surely factor in the cost of a full service once you’ve bought it. Personally, I would go the pre-purchase inspection route, just to head off any nasty immediate surprises. But if it’s a really low price, the current owner may not be very co-operative. Ultimately, it all comes down to how much you want it - and the chances of a better one coming along! So I’m not sure how much help all this has been!

Look for the special celebratory dance…. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=catch the pigeon gif&tbm=isch&hl=en-gb&tbs=rimg:CXY-s3W5oBcBYUjkLDMNzx7psgIOCgIIABAAOgQIARAAQAHAAgA&client=safari&cs=1&prmd=ivsn&sa=X&ved=0CCwQuIIBahcKEwiw57-n6Mj-AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQLg&biw=768&bih=895#imgrc=joQD_K51HYc_iM&lnspr=W10=

It would have to be exceptionally tall. They can’t fly!

Firstly, well done for spotting it! Was any diagnosis offered? There certainly seemed to be a scuff mark running from the bulging area and signs of the bead shifting away from the rim. But any signs of damage to the inner plies or the rim? A report by the tyre retailer confirming damage and the need to fit a replacement, will support your claim. And if you can keep the tyre, so much the better.

Remember, David, that it’s a limit, not a target! 😊

Clearly it’s not normal. Obviously excessive camber. Getting an alignment check is good advice as it’s not going to get better by itself. You want to look around for someone using Hunter Hawkeye equipment. Probably that’ll be a good tyre retailer. In fact I see that a Google search for ‘ Hunter wheel alignment Kent’ brings up quite a few operators.