Spock66

There are also Split Gaiter Kits that can be fitted without removing the drive shaft which accounts for the high labour cost. No personal experience of these but could be a low cost fix to keep your car on the road for a few more years.

Check the fuse and if you have a multimeter whether voltage is present.

I do think things have changed in a number of different ways: Changes in working practice esp post covid mean that reps travelling up and down the motorway all day long is now much less prevalent, MS Teams and emails has become the working norm Changes in company car tax mean the company car is no longer the perk it used to be If people want a 'decent' car (whatever that means) they just lease it so it's not the status symbol it used to be Very few people wear suits and ties to work these days Workforce is slowly becoming more diverse

Any warning lights showing? I would expect the MIL light to be on which means there will be associated fault codes.

You would like to think that the systems in place with DVLA would make it very difficult to clone and sell a car in the UK through legitimate channels. Hence most stolen cars are broken up for parts or exported to countries less diligent on the provenance of a vehicle.

Why not take it to Lexus for a health check? I think my main concern would be the rubber components esp in the suspension, CV boots etc, but that's to be expected in any car of this age if they have not been replaced.

Yes age related plate can be older than the car, but can't put on a plate that is newer than the car. For example to stop your neighbour trying to sell his 2016 car as a 2020 car (or maybe just impress the neighbours 🙂)

I would guess different software for the US version.

There is no user option to change this. There are some additional options that can be changed by the dealer via Techstream using the OBD port, don't know if this is one of them.

Surely the VIN would be an instant give away there is a problem with the car and it's on just about every panel so very hard to change I would have thought? How would there be a V5 for it, if you were to apply for one without the new keeper green slip I believe DVLA will check with the previous registered keeper before issuing a new one?

There is certainly a much wider choice of tyres in this size.

Maybe registration is genuine but car for sale has been cloned.

There is one on Lexus Parts Direct (but I have no personal experience with how it fits). https://lexuspartsdirect.co.uk/product/lexus-rx-phase-4-detachable-towing-hitch/

I think it would also depend if it's actually a fault or just user error (no offence intended as these are complex beasts) and the dealer is just providing advice rather than fixing a fault.

The Gov MOT website will also state if there are outstanding recalls. https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

Personally I would reject the car, what's the point of offering different interior trim options if you can't have the one you ordered. Can you live with the black or will it bug you every time you open the door?

Actually 2017 🙂

I remember there being quite a few Renault 4's still on the road last time I went.

I'd suggest looking for an independent car upholster. This part is commonly referred to as the door card.

Letting the battery fully discharge is not a good option as it may not recover, so either disconnect or ensure there is a charging source. Also ensure the Hybrid battery is at maximum charge.

Yes that used to be the case, but the pricing structure changed about a year or so ago with a simplified structure of either Intermediate / Full and there are no options for any additional services other than MoT and Hybrid check (which is included anyway). Spark Plug change is explicity listed on what is covered in my next service at 6-years.

That may be true, but the current Lexus pricing model is for either an Intermediate or a Full service, so with a Full service you may or may not get new spark plugs depending on years / mileage, but there is no difference in price so I would see no point in declining the spark plug change. For example my next service due is 60k miles / 6-years but I will only be at around 25k miles, so unless I downgrade from a Full to an Intermediate service (which would probably negate Relax) there would be no point in declining a Spark Plug change (unless there is some specific option not listed in the pricing). At 8-years I will pay the same price for a Full service but won't get new plugs.

I am thinking if E10 is bad for a car then by definition E5 must be half as bad, or take twice as long for the problems to manifest.

Yes a 5-minute job, unless you forgot which leads went where....

So Lexus should have changed them at 6-years / 60k as part of the service, the online records are poor in my experience. For example I have had tracking and aircon services done which are shown on the invoice but not the online service records.