LenT

He won’t be expecting that! No-one expects the Spanish Inquisition.

I think John accurately reflects the general opinion of the clunky Lexus satnav system. Why a company that can outsource its audio system to Mark Levinson, can’t go to the likes of, say, Garmin, for its satnav, is a puzzle. I’m sure you’ll find every other aspect of your Lexus very rewarding to own and use. But it may need an owner of a CT200h to answer your specific question - or Lexus dealer. One other thought if you haven’t yet tried it. If you go to lexus.co.uk and register with My Lexus, you can direct specific questions to Lexus direct. Sometimes, unfortunately, they just recommend that you consult a Dealer! But My Lexus can be a useful source in many cases.

Hard for me to comment on your specific car. As is so often the case, it does depend on the life it’s led.. But judging from the experience of owners such as Vladimir and Linas, a properly maintained Lexus just doesn’t know when to call it a day! The only software that I think is generally regarded as disappointing is the clunky SatNav! It is - literally- a waste of space. I use my Garmin; others use their smart phones. With regard to economy, I would describe my driving style as ‘brisk’ - economy is not a prime consideration. The Honda’s 2.2 v-tec diesel was a splendid unit that delivered me 660 miles on a tankful. The Lexus’s 2.5 v6 is a joy to use and promises 330 per tankful. I used to think maybe it had a smaller tank. But not so - they’re virtually identical. So if fuel economy had been a particular concern, the Honda was a clear winner.

I can only add that I got these very same OSRAM’S from the same supplier and both were excellent. The Xenarc’s.(D4S in my case) were a dramatic improvement on the original HiD bulbs - especially on the control of the dipped beam, which was particularly useful around our twisty unlit country lanes. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. The Manual was no help on replacing main bulbs, only saying it should be done by a Dealer. So I simply got them done within a normal service. It took about 10 minutes and I supplied the bulbs. But what really surprised me is that, according to the Dealer, both main and dip are the same bulb.with some form of electromechanical shutter switching the light. I got the impression that this may only - or mainly - apply to the HiD system on the Premier model of the IS 250. If right, it works extremely well. But I could be mistaken! ☹️

Well hopefully Sean, you did as we did - and walked away without a scratch! Which is always a good result. Being pushed sideways along the M25 at 50mph could have ended very differently. And the insurance money did buy me the Lexus. So not all bad! After all, I did go on to get the chance to make a few modest contributions here….

Some people seemed determined to take offence at the slightest opportunity. 😊

Yes, I expect there is. Common - own up! You know who you are.

Well on the one occasion that I had to do it, the Police did it for me after having viewed the video footage. But that was a driving incident rather than damage and driving away. In that circumstance I believe the DVLA will supply the registered owner details if you provide sufficient evidence - which I suggest that video footage of driving away after causing damage may well qualify. I believe it involves a Form V888 and the handing over of a modest sum. Alternatively, of course, if the damage is severe, I would expect your Insurers would do it all.

At this point I feel it appropriate to mount one of my personal hobbyhorses and mention the subject of dashcams! Suffice it to say that cameras back and front, operating in Parking Mode, and sensitive to motion and impact, will identify careless parkers. Imagine the impact when - some days later - a demand for restitution accompanied by video evidence, finally catches up with the transgressor!

It’s what I would have been driving now, Sean, were it not for a Romanian driving a Spanish HGV on the M25 who decided to pull out into the next lane without checking if someone was already in it! I would have replaced the resulting write-off with another Accord - except Honda had stopped selling it in the UK. So purely by chance I stumbled on the IS250 and pretty much bought it there and then. And barring accidents - literally- I intend to keep it. 😊

Having had the MR2, I was a Toyota fan and I recall looking round a GT86 in a showroom. It was certainly an attractive proposition. However, at the time I had what proved to be about the last version of the Honda Prelude and that lasted me for 12 years and 120K miles. This then led to a Honda Accord - so the opportunity was missed.

Well that’s obviously true. But I believe the saying is actually “A blind man would be grateful to see it.” Clearly this driver’s carelessness knows no boundaries! And I too find that cars have a tendency to grow wider with each new model, but parking bay sizes stay the same for years. One exception, I find, is Costco. Plenty of space there to facilitate easy loading.

Are you referring to the MR2? I had one for three years and 90K miles - and it was outstanding! Never needed anything but regular servicing. I see that there was talk in 2019 about resurrecting the model in a line-up of two seaters, but I don’t know how far that idea progressed. As far as I recall, I never once felt the need for a faster version! It was so good that when I got mine, I let my neighbour have a drive and an inspection. Well, that was all it took. A few weeks later he turned up with a new one of his own!

Very interesting, Alan. So often on this site I read a post in which a driver is going to change two worn tyres for a differ brand. And will sometimes also put the new tyres on the wrong axle ie the front. I - and others - jump in to urge buying four new tyres in order to have the same on both axles and so avoid potential performance problems. It can be difficult because the decision is usually based on economic necessity. So it’s interesting to have your experience vindicating that advice.

I would echo Vladimir’s comment and say that I too have had a BBC account for many years and have never found it of any concern. I originally got it so that I could contribute to the many blogs that the BBC used to operate. The science, religious and conspiracy based areas seemed to attract a particularly entertaining worldwide audience! Eventually, these became too expensive to moderate and sadly fell victim to budget cuts. But I maintained my account as I could think of no reason not too. So I’m intrigued to know what your concern might be? Maybe I’m missing something?

Just curious,Paul…what were the original tyres that you replaced? Yokohamas?

I saw it too. Not sure about the value of it being road registered. I’d hate to think of the stuff it would suck up off our potholed lanes!

Another excellent point to add to the equation.

A question beyond my pay grade, unfortunately. Yes, you’re quite right that new paint does go through a hardening process. Maybe that’s why wrapping is not offered. But then again maybe a dealer could do so, as you suggest.

I’m sure that getting comparable estimates would be interesting. I imagine that much of the prep work would be the same - apart from not needing to mask for a wrap. But surely after a respray what you end up with is a fresh coat of paint which is still as vulnerable to bird droppings, tree lime, stone chipping and so on, as it was before - but without the degree of self-healing that a wrap can provide. Perhaps an interesting question is if any manufacturer is ever going to offer a wrap fresh off the production line, as an optional extra?

Like many folk, Pete, I have no problem spending other people’s money! When we were suffering ‘lockdown’ I invested what we would have otherwise spent on driving out for good lunches in fine country pubs and restaurants, on four days of ‘Detailing’. That was my rationalisation. In fact I’d only just discovered detailing. I only discovered wrapping afterwards. But at my age my driving years are limited, so as an investment it may not be so attractive. I suspect that the car may outlast me anyway. On the other hand…. 🤔

If this is a UK car, I do wonder what description goes on the V5C registration?

I didn’t mention pigeons specifically, but you’re absolutely right about the extra protection that a wrap gives. We’re in the country too and even provide housing for nesting wood pigeons. But apparently they’re aware of the injunction not to do it on your own doorstep, so our cars are rarely so gifted. Even then, the ceramic coatings are an effective barrier. But it’s certainly best removed as soon as it’s spotted. Are you too late? Definitely not. The benefits start from the moment it’s applied. In fact it doesn’t help to delay because the paintwork may require more preparation. We’ve had discussions here involving new car buyers who have taken their recently delivered asset straight round to a Detailer for - at least - ceramic coating. I think the cost is best regarded as a percentage of the purchase price. So the newer the car, the better value it seems. But also consider how long you plan to keep the car - and the impact on its potential resale value. And finally, is there some thing else you’d rather spend the money on?

No Vladimir, I didn’t really know about Wayne Rainey - but thanks to you I do now. And I’m grateful to you for that! I found this article which explains a little about his Goodwood ride. https://www.justbikes.com.au/news-and-reviews/rainey-to-ride-yzr500-again/930040%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3F3Zjpq2QBOvIqJ3En7Pl8c3Yj3BpxyS8UlHWdRo0ifhsT4L6tpCzYrPo He is yet another inspiring example of the human ability to overcome the most crippling of injuries and live on to enjoy a different - but fulfilling - quality of life. It is certain that in so doing he has helped others in similar predicaments and transformed their lives too. It is ironic that he broke his spine on a track feature designed to make car racing safer. But when I watch bike racing on TV, and see how a bike cranked over round a corner is depending on a few centimetres of tyre wall to stay on the track, it seems to defy normal laws of physics - especially in the wet! Clearly, people who do that for a living have a different attitude to risk than most of us. Every time they get on a bike, they seem to accept that they’re on their way to their next accident. I did once have the pleasure of meeting Barry Sheene while I was writing ads for Castrol. A really charming and thoughtful guy, he detailed the many bones he had broken and all the metalwork that was holding them together. No wonder he was keen to get into car racing - which he finally did. Although of course it was heavy smoking that eventually led to the cancer that killed him at 52.

I have always had it serviced by Lexus MK, from whom I bought it. I paid for a three year service plan at the same time and have kept that going. But I did that knowing that Lexus has a good reputation for the quality of servicing - and I have had no cause for complaint so far. I had the same arrangement with my previous Honda, for the same reason. Of course the decision is made easier because I don’t actually know any Independents - good or otherwise!