LenT

Possibly not. But if it persuades a thief to pick the car next to it, then it will have paid for the modest cost of application. And as for your insurance premium, you can but ask. But you do raise the question of whether security marking is as effective a deterrent as sometimes claimed. That may depend on if anyone notices that you have it. I once took delivery of a new BMW Convertible from a dealer in Leicester. During the handover he pointed out that as a valuable complimentary extra they had etched all the glass with the registration number. I told him that while I was most appreciative of this gesture, I wondered why it wasn’t the same as the number plates? I pointed out that this was only a security feature because someone is supposed to notice that the two numbers were different - something they themselves had actually failed to notice! After negotiating a sum to compensate for all the future occasions I was going to have to explain this discrepancy, I took delivery. In the three years of ownership no-one in or out of authority raised the matter - even when it was serviced by another dealer. So was this glass etching worth having? Well as they ended up having to pay me for it, probably yes. And its mere presence on all the glass may have deterred some ‘professional’ thieves. But as a highly visible tool for identifying a possible stolen vehicle, not so much!

And who might that be?

Well I thought I had Run Flats. I based that on the statement on the Goodyear website that Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5s were Run Flat. Or as they brand them - RunOnFlat. So I went and looked for the special RoF logo. Instead I found XL - which stands for eXtra Load - which is good, but different. But it does mean using the SpaceSaver and not running the tyre when flat. I contacted Goodyear and discovered that not all types of Goodyear tyres classified as Run Flat are actually available as such. It depends on the specific tyre size. I don't know if other manufacturers operate a similar system, but if you specifically want Run Flat it's as well to be aware. As it happens, my tyre dealer is not a fan. He feels that the extra thickness increases the tyre's weight, affecting performance, and the stiffer side walls make for a less comfortable ride.

And probably would have done so, John, had I not been distracted by nearly twenty years of Prelude / Accord - what I now think of as my Wasted Years. So clearly that WAS a subtle nuance that had eluded me! I’m just relieved it hadn’t degenerated into a reference to Moby D***’s D***. I appreciate that Phil was quoting someone else, but a less generous person than yourself (me, for example) might have pointed out that going after MD in a rowing boat was exactly what they did do. And since whales are aquatic mammals, tartare sauce would be wholly inappropriate. Mustard or horseradish would surely be the hunting condiment of a gentleman. 🙂

I may be missing some subtle nuance here, but if you chaps are referring to the novel by Herman Melville than neither is correct. The correct name in the title is Moby-D***. More precisely, the full title is ‘Moby-D*** or, The Whale’. Note the hyphen! The hyphen is only absent in the text. As a further aside, those familiar with the film version may recall the sad end of the whale and the fate of Ahab who, bound to the side of the dying whale, waves forlornly as they both plunge to their doom. This was a model built by my Wife’s Father and filmed in the water tank at Elstree Studios. 🐳

I’m sure you’ll be very satisfied with them, Wayne. And I’m relieved that you were able to go for the full set. Out of curiosity - and because I’ve never gone for a home fitting service - does that include wheel balancing by means of van-based equipment?

Just come across this comment, John. I’m very sorry to hear about your problem and I do hope that it’s resolved soon and you can get back to entertaining us with your tales of driving. Glad to know, however, that it hasn’t effected your excellent sense of humour. 🙂

I must confess, John, to a momentary pang of guilt at taking advantage of David obviously falling foul of the dreaded autocorrect just for the sake of a cheap laugh. But it soon passed.

Aided, presumably, by razor-sharp reflexes? 🙂

I don’t have a hybrid so I comment merely out of curiosity - and ignorance. If you’re saying, Mark, that you are leaving your Lexus on a public road with no one in control of it - albeit with a passenger - but in a condition in which the ice will fire up to protect the battery…is this legal? In a non-hybrid this can result - in some circumstances- in an offence that will attract a fine, but not points. I wonder if this has ever been tested in a Court?

I replaced the original Yokos with Goodyear Asymmetric 5s, which have proved to be an excellent choice - especially in the wet, which is one of my main considerations. They not only provided more reassuring road holding and handling, they were also noticeably smoother riding and quieter. However, they weren’t my first choice at the time. Originally I was going for Michelin CCs, but my Lexus demands two different tyre sixes, only one of which Michelin do. We have them on another car and they too are an excellent all-round choice. Only, on balance, I now think the Goodyears just shade it. Incidentally, if you can shop at Costco, they often have offers on Michelin. As for mixing tyres, I would never do it. Putting different tread patterns and, probably, tyre compounds, on different axles could result in varying and unpredictable handling characteristics. To me the risk is not worth whatever saving it might produce.

Neither would be its first encounter with one of our local Sleeping Policemen. Reminds me of the cunning device to frustrate the Darlek’s plans for World domination - a step.

Is it just my iPad or has this data just been stolen? Oh, the irony!

So what was the Premium? 🙂

I can’t help wondering, Richard, how’s your hearing? I said….HOW’S YOUR HEA….? Oh, never mind!

I fitted the newer Asymmetric 5 and they have proved to be excellent performers - particularly on wet roads. They rate highly in the various tyre test mags. Personally, I would avoid mixing tyres and replace all four at the same time. I appreciate it’s an expensive choice but if you’re sufficiently conscious of tyre performance to consider various options, then putting tyres with different treads -and possibly different compounds - on different axles could result in compromised and unpredictable handling.

It often takes a flat battery to prompt the thought! Ironically, that’s been the subject of another thread over the last couple of days. Alternatively keep it ready for when she returns until, when appropriate, she finally returns to find you’ve p/x’d it for something altogether newer as a graduation gift! Just a thought…

At the risk of stating the obvious, there are certain precautions to be taken if laying up a car for some weeks. I thought this article by the AA might be useful. https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/laying-up And if you don’t already have one, then investing in a good trickle charger (eg a CTEK) which can be left permanently connected without risk of overcharging, will protect the battery.

Would these be Alloygators? I kerbed two wheels in the first week. Mind you, they were hidden by snow at the time - and my local ChipsAway guy did a splendid repair on them. But even that cost more than a set of Alloygators. Now the rim protectors mean that if I kiss a kerb, a slight scuff - which is removable - just reminds me how much they’ve just saved me! A sound investment, I think.

So….you now have a new battery, a new trickle charger to keep it in good condition, a lesson in the complexities of car electrics, a new thread that produced some interesting information about hybrid electronics - and the discovery that sometimes the obvious answer is the answer! Not a bad day’s work. 🙂

I don’t know anything about this make, although I do see that lower down the page it does state, under ‘Warning’, that it ‘Can not activate a dead battery.’ Still, it’s worth a try - and a good trickle charger is always worth having. Good luck with it. But as I say, if it’s the original 2014 battery it’s done pretty well!

CTEK makes a charger connection lead which is wired directly to the battery posts and has a traffic light led indicator on the end that connects with the charger. I have them fitted to our cars, which means I just lift the bonnet and can immediately tell the state of charge from which colour led is flashing. https://www.ctek.com/uk/battery-chargers-12v-24v/car-charger/ctx-indicator-eyelet-m8 Another version plugs into the accessory power socket inside the car.

I’m not too clear if you’re trying to charge the battery ie using a battery charger, or trying to jump start it from a donor battery? If the battery is totally flat then trying to use a donor battery probably won’t work - unless it’s a power pack. You might have more success using a good trickle charger overnight eg a CTEK. They’re useful to have anyway. But in any case a new battery sounds like a worthwhile investment if the present one is the original!

I have a sunroof on my current Lexus and had them on most of my previous cars. And they were rarely opened. But that doesn’t mean they were a waste of money. They brightened up the interior and in particular made it feel more spacious and airy - even perhaps surprisingly at night! If you get the chance, test drive one with a sunroof and draw the sunblind shut - and see if what you lose is worth the extra cost to you. Personally I always felt it was, plus by keeping the roof shut you improved the efficiency of the Climate Control - and you might eventually save enough on fuel costs to pay for the roof. Admittedly that might take quite a long time! 🙂

Yes, you may be right there Colin. But I described them as an all-weather tyre. In our part of Northamptonshire that really ranges from very dry to very wet. And these Goodyears apparently perform very well in both. They were my compromise choice because Michelins were not available to me. We rarely now experience extremes of cold and even snow is becoming rarer. But then that’s what we have a four by four for. As far as my personal tyre requirements go, the priority has always been wet road performance. All tyres are a compromise anyway. And as far as I’m aware, all compounds become harder as the ambient temperature drops, and so lose a degree of grip. As Peter pointed out in the first response, an all-season option may not be available to the OP. So as you pointed out, unless the OP is going to invest in a separate set of winter wheels and tyres, he might like to consider such as the Goodyears as a high performing compromise. Of course he could opt for the Michelins as an all-season option if he can change the wheel size to suit the tyre range. No doubt you can advise on whether that’s possible or even desirable.