SH20

Never seen a LS500h on the road yet myself even before I bought this one. The ES300h is 4.95 metres long and looks a little similar from a distance but the LS is 5.2 metres long and is very different from an ES when you get up close. Currently achieving 40.2 mpg combined. Flat 12v battery once due to insufficient use while on holiday but use a CTek battery conditioner regularly now and no further issues. My 6th Lexus hybrid but the best one by far.

Directing Paul to the Car Care Nut was merely to let him see how useful this Youtuber is in terms of knowledge about Lexus and Toyota engines. I bow to your knowledge of engine models. I have commented on some of his stuff and he always replies in the comments section.

Agree with Ken R ring the dealer principle not the sales manager and let him know his salesman was a waste of space.

Is your photo dripping oil between the engine and gearbox I wonder. (Where the engine and gearbox join together) If so it may be the rear crankcase oil seal. If it is that oil seal it's an engine out job. The leak doesn't look that heavy or are you topping up regularly? Also is your engine a V6 which are great engines but the engine has a common oil leak from the timing cover where two mating surfaces meet. This video deals with RX oil leaks, it might assist you. This guy is a Guru on Lexus and Toyota cars. Brilliant Tech guy. The engine is used in Toyota and Lexus models.

You will never find a retail dealer, Lexus or otherwise that will match the so called retail figure from any legitimate car valuation source such as examples on the internet, Parker's Guide, Glasses Guide or Black Book, the latter two being the main source of used car values the trade use. Why? Their policy is to take the maximum retail A1 condition value from recognised publications and then add anything they like as a buffer for them should the potential customer decide to negotiate. Not all customers research values at main dealerships, Lexus in your case. True the likes of Autotrader will list numerous examples from Independent outlets and may well quote lower prices but a Lexus dealer knows that Lexus buyers want the 10 year 100,000 miles warranty, they know they might have to replace a couple of tyres if the customer notices a pair of poor tyres, generally they will service the car if it is more than 3-6 months since it's last service and finally they have a fixed overhead that they must include which covers things like health checks, vehicle checks and cleaning costs. That is why in your case a £3000 premium is quoted over the average price of a similar car elsewhere. All branded dealerships do this so even if you went in to any franchised dealership for a used car and showed them a print out from Glasses guide or Black book on current Retail values, it won't make any difference as to what their sale price is. Even if you said I'm paying cash and consider that as a useful way to get a discount a salesman still has to include the overheads mentioned. Moreover he/she will want to try and get you into a PCP deal which is more cash for them in terms of Finance commissions. Good Luck though.

Anyone considering Ben's LC should watch The Car Care Nut's review on YouTube. This chap is all knowing on Lexus and Toyota cars and the review he does on a red LC500 coupe is worth a listen due to his prodigious knowledge of this car. The last local car show I went to in East Yorks saw the arrival of a red LC500 coupe with black interior and it was like everyone wanted to get close up to it, ignoring the Aston's, Bentley's, hot hatches, classics etc. All they wanted to know from the owner was his ownership experience. He was 75 years old too but felt like a 30 year old when he floored it.

8 billion people on the planet, I wonder just how many people there are, probably tens of millions who spend their entire lives trying to scam, steal, defraud, burglarise, kill, assault, traffic, attack, bully, discriminate and generally do not and never will contribute anything positive or good to this world. They will all answer for their actions and need some sun factor 10,000 where they are headed.

Question: why can't the Forum filter out scam e mails which quote a genuine thread title and are sent to members who either created the Post or contributed to the post thereby being included in the e mail going to members e mail addresses when clearly the content to the Post via the Lexus Forum is actually offering fake documents and fake currency for cash. I accept the internet is the conduit for scammers to gain access to members but of late this seems to be more and more common even though deletion is the obvious fix. Do Moderators and Forum Staff not see these scam e mails? I deleted 6 today all with different thread titles that were all originally a legitimate post and ones I contributed to at some point. Now I just delete all Forum e mails and sign in to read the latest posts.

Sudershan, I refer back to my opinion in that the seat cover when fitted at the factory wasn't stretched enough when it was fastened to the frame. Look at any YouTube video which shows a factory built car in the leather/trim area of the factory and you will often see trimmers pulling the covers taught before they secure in place. The seat covers are all built to the same pattern/size so there would be no variation in size, i.e a smaller or larger seat cover. If the cover is not stretched enough then further down the line, a few months in your case the small amount of slack will allow the cover to move. If it can move then creases are the result. I agree with Boomer54, this is the dealer trying to fob you off with the cheapest alternative to what the seat really needs which is, either the complete dismantling of the seat base, re stretch the cover and secure it or if it were me I would demand a new seat cover. A professional trimmer would take this problem in his stride and fix it permanently. The photo is of my driver's seat which is 6.5 years old. It is a LS Premier model the equivalent today of what they now call Takumi level. It is semi analine leather like yours and has done 34,000 miles and there are no creases or issues with the leather. Send a contact form off to Lexus via their website and complain and tell them you feel you are being messed around by the dealer. Just how many more weeks does this dealer want to string this out?

While the issue of the 12v battery going flat due to lack of regular use (Time running not distance matters when getting a battery back to full charge) the problem exists for conventional petrol or diesel cars too. It's not just Lexus self charging hybrid vehicles but any car that has multiple electronic control units that require either a constant low amperage supply or more power when booting the car into life. All exotic models like Bentley, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Mercedes etc always recommend a CTek charger for conditioning the battery when not in use. CTek is recommended by all the British Manufacturers even to the point of the car's logo on the unit. First signs of low battery voltage in these expensive cars are multiple waring lights on the dash. I admit my current Lexus car is the only hybrid Lexus out of 6 that let me down with a flat 12v battery in the last 5 years. Never gave it a second thought that my car would not start when I press that button. The traction battery does all the charging of the 12v battery but it's the 12v battery that needs to initiate the starting process to get you in the READY mode to move off. There doesn't appear to be any options other than use the car regularly or get into the habit of using a CTek conditioner every 3rd or 4th day if you know the car won't be used for extended periods. I can't get my car into my garage so run a lead out from the garage to the boot of the car on the drive and connect the CTek. I lock the car up and just leave it till the CTek shows fully charged even if that takes 4 or 5 hours. I know then I will be able to move off without an issue.

Comforting to know the 10 year cover on Lexus cars will give peace of mind for owners if you just service it at your local Lexus dealer once a year. It's worth going on the Lexus UK website and find the section on their 10 year warranty and then print off the terms and conditions which drill down to the nitty gritty of the warranty. Comprehensive as it is there is a significant section on what's not covered over and above routine service items but let's face it Lexus cars have a great reliability reputation and when the principle high cost areas of the car like, engine, gearbox, differential, suspension, the ecu's etc are covered it gives you a sense of comfort and despite the hybrid battery not being mentioned directly it is covered under it's own warranty with an annual health check certificate extending it for 12 months. If I'm quoting correctly there is a 15 year cover period on the hybrid battery but not sure what happens after that as there doesn't appear to be any real evidence that Lexus replace these regularly due to failure. Here is what is referenced in the warranty document in regard to EV components and Hydrogen fuel cells. Hybrid Components (when above 5 years and 100,000 miles base warranty cover): Hybrid Battery Control Module; Hybrid Control Module; and Hybrid inverter with converter. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Components: Fuel Cell Air Compressor; Fuel Cell Boost Converter; Fuel Cell H2 Tanks; Fuel Cell PCU (Power Control Unit) and Fuel Cell Stack. EV Components: Drive motor and inverter with converter. Maybe Colin Barber (Staff) can comment on the hybrid battery itself and correct any incorrect assumptions. Still if you have a car without a Hybrid battery then there's nothing to go wrong.

While YouTube has more car restorer videos that you can shake a stick at you might just try ALCARLA TECHNOLOGY from Catalan in Spain. Father and Son outfit with workshops that look like operating theaters. Doesn't matter what car is being overhauled the same process follows if it is a full nut and bolt restoration. Moreover it takes in cars from all around the world. E.G a F1 racing driver from Monaco had his Ferrari F355 sent to them if you want a taste of how they restored the car. Equally they did the same thing to a Vespa Scooter to as new condition. An old Mercedes 450 SEL was also worth a look from the Far East Costs must be astronomical but the filming is first class and also the music they overlay on the videos.

How come a member posted a comment on buying fake currency in this thread but it doesn't appear in the post?

Potholes, you have no idea.

Specialist Car Covers of Shipley West Yorks, The best in the business. info@specialisedcovers.com You won't believe what they can do/supply.

Robsmith 115 what quote did you get from LIS Jimmyfrom largs seems to have hit the spot at £524 which seems very good from NFU

Dealt with GAP Insurers during my working life with Direct Line. Notorious for telling their customers that their Insurance Company haven't offered enough for the car when they write it off. Why? E.G You are insured with a really good insurer who write your car off and they offer you top book settlement usually based on Glasses Guide or Black Cap Book. This is the maximum retail figure or if it's exceptional they offer you more than full retail. Full retail is the figure that the same car is supposed to be selling for at dealerships with no old standing damage, average or below average miles, full service history, at least 3-4mm of tyre tread on all 4 wheels. Dealers however ignore these rules despite them contributing to the data on which used car prices are calculated. Invariably their retail forecourt fig will be £500-£1000 above retail. You then contact your GAP policy holder as they are obliged to make up the shortfall between your offer from your motor insurer and the cost of a identical new car. At no time in my working life in Motor Insurance Claims did a Gap Insurer ever say Yes your motor insurer has offered you a great figure so we will pay the difference. Every single time they would say your insurer are not valuing the car correctly. Well why would they? They want to minimise their contribution so tell you to go back to your motor insurer and challenge their valuation. Some motor insurers do make ridiculous write off figures but this can be for numerous reasons like pre accident condition being poor, old standing damage not repaired, very high mileage etc etc. In principle GAP insurance sounds great because it's sold as a money stream for the dealer who gets a commission for every policy sold. The dealer has no involvement if you invoke a claim.

Might be worth waiting a few months Sandra to see how LBX premiums pan out if you have that £500 refund facility. Like I have said £1100 for a LS550h up from £675 seems an easier pill to swallow than be faced with a ridiculous figure for a LBX which only Lexus Insurance Services are offering. Interesting that John quoted "Insure the Box" who were able to quote. Never heard of this company so must be new. How come they can quote when no one else can I wonder. Making a claim with a company that has no track record can be very scary. Their mandatory Telemetic Box is a known technology but monitoring your every move while driving can significantly affect a renewal quote as the Company can analyse your use 24/7 365 days a year. It can determine not only exceeding speed limits but accelerations rates, severity of braking force, how long you drive in EV mode, normally a great indicator of sensible and careful driving, time of day the car is in use 24 hours a day.

Bad news then Colin for anyone wanting to approach the actual underwriter of Lexus Insurance to make a direct approach for a cheaper quote for a LBX. Unlikely a company, possibly based overseas, would even entertain individual enquiries. Once all Insurers who are familiar household names list the LBX then maybe LBX owners will have a bit of competition but in the meantime if only Lexus are quoting then it's a bit of a monopoly unless you count "Insure the Box" referenced by John. If I was looking for insurance cover I would at least seek out a quote for a high spec UX for comparison to see if the latest LBX technology is having a significant impact of ratings. I've driven the LBX, a Takumi but it didn't strike me as being excessively luxurious or it's equipment levels and technology were space age. The interface screen takes care of about 90% of all driver needs and it's voice activation system seemed very good. Fancy electric touch door opening and similar innovations can't be the reason for a £3600 quote for 12 months cover. Bear in mind also the compulsory Insurance excess will be high too is my guess.

The new LBX is proving difficult to insure as only Lexus Insurance Services can quote just now and at over £3000 for the smallest Lexus car new owners are in for a shock. No well known Comparison site or well know car insurer like Direct Line or Churchill for example are listing the LBX just now but Lexus Insurance Services have just started quoting. Lexus Insurance don't insure anything, they use an underwriter for their business but the chap who was quoted over £3000 was paying £400 for his previous car. Order books are full for the LBX but I'm guessing no one has asked about what it will cost to insure as a new launch model will always get in the way of mundane matters like how much will it cost to insure. Not sure why the LBX is so different as the UX is a car that has been around a while and there appears to be no horror stories about expensive insurance. Moreover my renewal for my LS500h has risen by 60% (Churchill) from £675 to £1100 with 15 years NCD, no penalty points or convictions and living in a small Yorkshire town. This is just the beginning of another stake in the heart of the motorist.

This is not a good start and almost forces you down the path of insuring your LBX without any real chance of using a comparison site like go compare etc. Moreover Lexus Car Insurance is known for outrageous quotes as is Toyota car insurance as both use the same underwriters for their policies. They take commission on all policies issued. Neither Lexus or Toyota carry the risk and act as a Broker really. This is the very reason I told the salesman at Lexus Hull that for us the cost of knowing how much insurance was likely to be was a priority before we considered an order. We won't be replacing a Yaris hybrid at the sort of premiums you are now facing. Never heard of Insure the Box, they must be a new start up company. You know you will need insurance cover immediately so to get the vehicle home why don't you ask them to initiate the 3 day drive home cover Lexus and Toyota dealers offer. That way you can try and secure cover in the short term while the car is garaged or on your drive. Also try and find out who underwrites Lexus Insurance, just ask them who carries their insurance and maybe approach them direct. Likelihood is that Lexus will put their business with a reputable insurer and maybe you can obtain a better quote directly. While the LBX has been a big hit, with significant orders already, I'm guessing these new owners are in for a shock at what their insurance will jump to. NB: I am with Churchill Car Insurance and my renewal for my LS500h has risen to £1100 from £675. That's a 60% increase for someone with 15+ years no claims discount, no penalty points or convictions and living in a small town in Yorkshire. Repair costs in relation to insurance claims have risen significantly in the last 3 years and massively for parts and paint materials and worse than that our wild west country has seen significant increases in theft claims across all makes but especially high end makes like Lexus. We don't stand a chance really.

That's more like it Kev, a bit of good old fashioned banter. Do you know I haven't heard the phrase axle tramp for decades and the Ford cars you quoted were all vehicles I worked on as an apprentice mechanic back in the early 70's. Managed to get a well worn 1600E MK2 Cortina when I was 21 in Gold paint so you can imagine what I did to that to get it back to showroom condition. Then a dream car for me was a MK1 Triumph Staaaag in white. These were great days for me back in Liverpool in the 70's. No pedal conversions though as I recall !!!! I have been searching for a traffic light air freshener though but they are collectors items now and like hen's teeth.

Over the years I'm always intrigued why certain posts offend/displease/upset or generally get right up someone's nose and not just my own posts or threads. Forums are a place for people who love cars and anything to do with them. I take no offence to posts that question what I do as most members see it for what it is. Accessorising a car unnecessarily can sometimes be an affront to good taste but if my pedal swap makes you sad then I guess you will feel even sadder when you look at this photo, the pedals in my first LS460 I owned. I'll guess I am significantly older (70) than the average member but welcome all opinions. My working life was entirely related to motor vehicles so maybe that influences my contributions to Forums. Our country and the world is going to hell in a hand cart so silly things like a pedal swap is just a bit of nonsense. I respect all purists who have no time for frivolous changes for changes sake. Good luck to you all in everything that is important to you.

Perfectly understandable about wanting to protect a brand new car from the start and climate plays it's part of course, hot dry countries no real rust issues ever, humid wet coastal areas, a very different effect on metals. Still believe that the current assembly methods, factory applied corrosion protection and lots of "Shielding" in critically wet areas will do their job very well in the UK. As Linus said some rust is a direct consequence of careless jacking the car up by garage staff or owners, stone chips left unattended leading to surface rust/blisters, any damage caused by scrapes, scratches that are left to fester will give the impression of a rusty car but excluding these examples of rust a modern Lexus will have a standard perforation warranty of the bodyshell. Highly unlikely you will ever experience rust eating it's way out from the inside, inconceivable really if we are being honest about how cars are built today. Once a car Manufacturer got a reputation of corrosion such as Lancia then they simply never recover. I once requested an owner pay towards a new scuttle panel (Below the front screen) as part of his insurance claim I was dealing with because the rot was so bad it could not be saved. Had the panel been rot free it would have repaired easily. He was so glad he could tell Lancia UK his insurer was asking him to contribute due to corrosion who had been turning down his many letters of complaint he made about corrosion to the bodywork before his accident. He now had proof that he had a case. The car in question, a 2 year old Lancia Fulvia. Should have been called a Lancia Lace Curtain. One thing that has taken off for older cars which totally transforms a car is dry ice cleaning (see Youtube videos). The point I am making about dry ice is that the car's all seem totally solid to begin with but the dry ice cleaning gives it that 95% new look when it was built. No matter what the dry ice touches it total restores how the part looked originally without destroying the more delicate bits such as painted parts, original corrosion finishes, sealers on joints, suspension parts, bolts in particular. It's usually something for people who want to restore a car. Some of the YouTube videos have to be seen to be believed. I've seen videos of cars that are only a few years old being treated and the owner wants that new look again. Engine bays look really good too. Conclusion: Enjoy your new car and clean it/wash it regularly and correctly using a pressure washer periodically under wheel arches etc. Attend to any defects immediately even if it's small enough for a touch up stick. If you are inclined get a decent set of car ramps which will allow you to raise either end of the car so you can have access to areas of the car that are difficult to reach if the coastal salt water is a concern.

My winter use Lexus mats do the job of protecting the high grade carpeting. My original Lexus carpet mats are then used in the dryer summer months which are similar in quality and too good to get damp/wet/stained given our very wet climate in winter. Each to his own.