LenT

I make no apologies for repeating this, but when an HGV wrote off my Accord on the M25 by pulling out into the lane I happened to be in, his Insurers (Aviva) were proving less than helpful. But then I was able to provide my Dashcam footage to my Insurers (The AA) and Aviva settled in full without further delay. So I would say the best insurance policy is fitting the car with front & rear cameras! When it comes to choosing an Insurer, it’s entirely possible that I could spend time shopping around and maybe shave a few ££s off the AA premium on the Lexus - and possibly the 3-year Fixed Price deal for our other car with Saga when the time comes. (Although I do find that for the effort of making one phone call, both Companies do then make a small discount.) But on the rare occasions that I’ve had to call on either Company, the efficiency with which they have always dealt with potential claims, is more valuable to me than any apparent saving offered by an untested rival. Personally, when Insurers start offering very low premiums, I wonder where those savings are being made.

And I received an Invitation too. So not that ‘Select’ then! What surprised me about the profiling is that it didn’t appear to be compulsory to actually own a Lexus. I was tempted to see if my opinion would still be so eagerly sought if I only admitted to a Reliant Robin? Reminded me of Groucho Mark’s observation that he ‘wouldn’t want to join a Club that had me as a Member.’ Still, I look forward to being offered a free Lexus to test….any day now, I expect.

My apologies…that hadn’t occurred to me! And my thanks to Marianne for doing what I was still working out how to do!

Precisely so, Paul. I have these CTEK cables permanently connected to the battery posts of both our cars. It means that the connection to the trickle charger is a simple plug that’s distant from the battery. As Herbie has patiently explained on several occasions, this enables the battery to be charged without the risk of causing a spark near the battery itself. I also have a NOCO Power Pack - having once seen an AA guy use one very effectively. They come with their own spark prevention procedure clearly explained.

It seems that not everyone welcomes a new Lexus in Bournemouth. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/30/watch-pensioner-keyed-neighbours-60000-lexus-fall/

It’s your choice of course, Stephen. But personal experience tells me that dissing the dash because you blame it for your flat battery, is the wrong priority. The potential benefits of the camera far outweigh the inconvenience of sorting out the battery problem Leaving aside the point that it’s a bit surprising that you were unaware of the camera, do you know how it’s currently powered? If you’re running it off the accessory socket, then it will be switched off with the ignition. It can then only use any current if it’s operating in standby mode. This is a very small current and only increases temporarily if the camera is activated by detecting motion. If the camera has been connected to a permanently live power supply, then it should have been through a controller that monitors the voltage level to ensure that it doesn’t drop below a preset level. You don’t say what camera you have, but the one I have for my BlackVue camera is called a Power Magic Pro. I suggest you consult a competent auto electrician to fit it - and to check if there’s some other fault draining the battery. And maybe invest in a CTEK trickle charger

I think this is very sound advice, John. Of course, some owners may not be comfortable with lump sum prepayments, but they offer the benefits you describe. And your point about developing relationships - which I’ve mentioned myself - requires a degree of commitment by all parties involved. Sadly, it would appear that this particular Dealership is now beyond redemption. But I personally would not let that overly influence my opinion of the car itself. I would also hazard a guess that the majority of Lexus owners are satisfied with the service they get. Highlighting the rare Dealership that lets the customer down is a valuable service that sites such as LOC provide. I would only ask that Members are as quick to ‘Name & Praise’ when appropriate.

I discovered that my IS250 was scheduled for this recall while checking my car with the DVLA. The Dealer confirmed it but apparently there was a problem getting the part. Which is why I hadn’t had an advisory letter. It seems that this is regarded as a very low risk failure. Anyway, it was booked in for its annual MOT and Service this month. So rather than continue to wait for the part, they replaced the tank - so they assured me! They have provided written confirmation and it’s now recorded in the car’s Lexus history.

I doubt they would have much effect! When it comes to the crunch, it appears to be a brand of cracker, made by a company called Romania which is based in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

You should check with the local authority to discover if that pothole has been reported. If so, then the fact that it is still unrepaired could mean that they become liable for the damage that pothole has caused. The guy who did the Detailing on my car had two wheels on his Porsche badly damaged by hitting two unreported potholes on separate occasions- and the LA had to reimburse the cost of the damage.

Lexus recommendation for SC430 appears to be 33 all round- and that’s set cold, of course. I would have thought that 38 would be far too high and would give quite a harsh ride. Were the tyres still warm when you arrived home and checked them? That would explain a higher figure due to expansion.

The quoted price is the one that's current at the time. Unfortunately if you take it up seven months later, then that still applies! The benefit of the Service Plan is that whatever increases happen in the next three years, they don't affect you. As it happens, I have just renewed my Three Year Plan with Lexus MK. So I now get two Intermediate and one Full Service plus three MOTs at a discount of £10 off each, for £1337. I regard that as not just a hedge against inflation but also one less thing to remember and organise as Lexus does it all for me - including Collection & Delivery for an extra £12. Incidentally, it is refundable if you sell the car.

Excellent post, David. And I’m sure greatly appreciated by Hardeep and the Dealership. Taking the time and trouble to express recognition of good service is not nearly as common behaviour as it should be. Establishing a good customer/dealer relationship is a two-way process. All too often good service is taken for granted and customers only spring into action when they have something to complain about! I trust that you, the NX and Lexus Canterbury will all be very happy together! 😊

You don’t say in what capacity you worked for the AA, but I believe they sell a couple of solar panel chargers. As a conventional trickle charger is not practical, is it possible that one of these - or some other brand - might produce enough to keep the small capacity battery charged?

Just had the annual Service & MOT of my IS250 carried out by the excellent Lexus MK . It passed and this year it was supported by a video tour in order to remove any doubt! At the same time, they dealt with the Safety Recall. It seems that rather than wait for the replacement internal part to arrive from Japan, they simply fitted a new, upgraded tank! Obviously this fuel vent potential failure only seems to apply to specific Lexus models, but I though it might be of interest to publish the Recall letter that I would have eventually received that details the problem. XGG71_Customer Letter - re Tank Filler Vent recall.pdf

In case it’s any help - (and it may not be!)- this is the MoT regulation 4.1.2. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles/4-lamps-reflectors-and-electrical-equipment#section-4-1-2 But as Steve points out, it should not be possible to fit the bulbs incorrectly. I wondered if you were able to get back to the Testing Station and ask the Tester which bulb was in error. The chances are that if the headlamps passed previously then it is more likely that the new dipped bulbs are the culprits. You mention that these were aftermarket versions. It is the case that there are a lot of counterfeit branded bulbs sold on, for example, EBay. They tend to be poorly manufactured and pretty wayward in beam control. So they could be the cause if the new bulbs are correctly located. Incidentally, it’s a common error but the genuine brand name is Philips.

I agree that the manuals can be a bit daunting! My IS250 came with two totalling over 1100 pages - and could certainly have been better organised. I expect yours is even more extensive! No doubt the answers you want are tucked away somewhere and, hopefully, an NX owner can point you towards them. My guess is that the answers may be found by looking for an ‘Accessories’ section on the Nav Screen, where you can reset many of the car’s operations. The door unlocking problem may be as simple as putting the gear selector into ‘Park’ first! You may also find it useful to go to the lexus.co.uk site and register in ‘My Lexus’. Among many useful features, you can download a digital version of the Manual. All the best with your new Lexus.

Spot on, Norman! Indeed I’m a little surprised that other options are being considered. A CTEK trickle charger guards against overcharging, which is why it can be left connected. I also think Bill’s suggestion to leave the bonnet unlatched is a good idea. Another useful thing to do when leaving vehicles unattended for long periods is not to apply the brakes. It should be safe enough in a garage - but chock the wheels if your garage is on a hill!

If I have sinned by omission, John, I can only put it down to my blind spot caused by the A Pillar. 😊

This video is the Lexus view of how it should work! I have a SpaceSaver which I have had occasion to use - and in circumstances in which a sealant kit would have been useless. Of course there may be situations in which it could be dangerous to change a wheel (eg on a motorway), in which case it could be just as dangerous to get out to use an inflator. In such an eventuality, I would then walk away from the road and call on the motorway emergency services! As for your sealant failing to seal - how old was it? This product has a definite expiry date, after which it may well fail to distribute around the tyre. Or even fail to get past the valve in the first place. I don’t doubt that sealant kits can work for some people in some circumstances. But few owners are aware that the sealant - unlike a SpaceSaver - needs to be renewed even if it hasn’t been used.

All manufacturers reserve the right to amend a product specification - usually without notice. But as Colin states, if it’s a lesser spec than the product you have paid for then, as far as you are concerned, the Lexus dealer has not fulfilled their part of the Contract. Get your deposit back and walk away. But if you still want an F Sport, then you might consider how you can use this circumstance to leverage an Improved deal, either with this Dealer or by approaching a rival, and seek compensation for what we used to call the ‘buggeration’ factor. Of course, if the Dealer doesn’t know then the fault lies with Lexus and maybe a registered letter of complaint to the CEO of Lexus UK may produce a more acceptable response. Hopeful, you’ll be delivered the Lexus you want and all will end well!

Buy one of these to keep in the boot! https://www.amazon.co.uk/NOCO-GB20-UltraSafe-Lithium-Gasoline/dp/B015TKPT1A?ref_=ast_sto_dp I got my NOCO (not this specific model, but one from the range) when I had to call the AA to start up our other car which had discharged to the point that a jump start wouldn’t do the job - and my elderly Halfords booster had rotted away in the garage! The AA guy used a NOCO and starting was almost instantaneous! I’ve used my own NOCO on it on one occasion since then but now avoid a repetition of the problem with a CTEK trickle charger. Yes, it’s an additional expense - although you can also use it to charge up such as mobiles and laptops - and anyone else you come across with a flat battery will be very grateful!

I have also read that the weight saved by ditching the spare produces a significant benefit in improved mileage. I also suspect that the ‘it’s not our problem’ factor that you mention may also play a part. After all, it reflects the same thinking that has so far resulted in less than effective safeguards against cat theft and ‘relay’ car theft.

Somewhat to my embarrassment, I admit that I have! I managed to kerb a front tyre on the Lexus with sufficient force to peel open a flap of sidewall about the size of my thumbnail. 😡 Fortunately there was no air leakage…but it did mean a very gentle drive to the tyre shop to replace it! As for the Lexus branded dust caps…the car was only two years old when I bought it and - strangely - only one of the dust caps was metal. No idea how that happened.

My comments were actually prompted by the opening claims in the video you provided, John. This included the statement that the tyre sealant could repair holes “up to a quarter inch in the sidewall.” While this might be acceptable for a U S off-road quad bike, my point was that a sidewall repair would not be acceptable under UK law on UK roads. The valve damage to which I refer, which would have rendered a sealant impotent, happened while the car was stationary. I was at a BP station checking the tyre pressures and was having trouble removing a dust cap. A helpful young lad - seeing this old bloke struggling - went to his van and returned with the correct sized spanner which he applied to the dust cap. With one quick twist, he sheared the entire valve clear out of the tyre! Fortunately, I had the SpaceSaver which I was happy for him to fit - and which allowed me to limp up the road to a large tyre retailer who replaced the TPMS valve for £65. The moral of this story is to replace metal dust caps with plastic ones - or heavily grease them - because metal ones can corrode onto the valve stem!