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Oh..that would be a bumbar problem then.

Definitely a more usable space in the 450h compared with my previous 300h. That said I much preferred the parcel shelf in the old car rather than the flimsy folding frame you get now!

Was it your wallet in your back pocket Taffie 😉

I see Lexus provided you with a handy little jack for rotating the tyres! I, myself, am still waiting for Lexus to fill the hole with a jack and wheel brace 😉

Feedback post summer holidays. Over 2500 km done (and one speeding ticket 😇 a few miles from home). Here are a few trivia facts : - Car handled great on twisty and steep road of the Vosges mountain (Mode S was especially handy on the downhill parts) - Mpg was very low in HEV mode on these B roads especially in the Rhine valley (5.0L / 100 km with 4 to 5 people on board) - Managed to keep the MPG below 6l/100 km on the return trip avoiding highways (Toll that I did not pay will finance the fine 😉 ) - Tire swap done at 6 000 km (I managed to remember where the antitheft bolt adapter was stashed) - Trunk space is good enough to carry a small lawmower without lowering the rear bench and definitely big enough for 4 to 5 adults (managing you do not travel with your groceries)

I've always had found, hangover driven memories of watching Kevin McCloud quiz home owners why they have 'risked it all' in the name of design back in the 2000s, its the one ture 'bucket list' item I always thought I would never be able to do, build and live in something truly unquie. But life is a funny thing, after decades of saving, COVID made a impact on how I viewed things. Life is short, really short, so why waste it dreaming? So in 2019 we 'engaged' an architect who came up with a vision of changing our house we had only bought a few years earlier in a way we just couldn't say no to.... Fast foward many unforseen issues, planning visits, life etc etc we are now 6 months into the build and hopefully with the scariest bit (post demolition phase) done. The rebuild is now properly underway and some of the interior space is now taking shape as the steels (35tons worth) as getting installed. Plenty more work to be done, but the dream is starting to appear. Who would have thought hangover recovery TV back in the 2000s would end up have such a profound impact of on me, thanks Kevin and Channel 4 (I think) :).

And it just keeps getting better......, Tonight's charge showing a predicted 56/54.3. Mileage now at 14400 after 17 months of ownership. Only been to a petrol station 16 times!

I did. It’s marginally bigger in the 450 in my experience but specs will show exactly. That’s got to be good. And I like the compartments under the floor too.

NX450+ boot is 521 litres and the NX300h boot is 475 litres. Hope that helps.

Because I have a back injury (severe enough to get me medically retired from my job) I purposely stayed away from F-Sport models because of the sportier seats. I'm on my 3rd RX now and never felt anything like that and I'm about 18 stone.

MOT comes up next month for my year 2000 LS400. one of the advisories was for surface rust around rear chassis mountings. The tester recommended an application of something like Kurust and that would suffice. A rear chassis bar crosses just behind the diff so that’s where I placed the jack and a 2ton axle stand. I’ve managed to mislay my wire brush drill attachments so hand held wire brush in hand… I have to report that the underside is very clean with surface rust in places and more on the rear suspension components than anywhere. So I feel the advisory was over reported and did not warrant it. The Mounting bolts and area were in fine condition…not worthy of a wire brush. Anyway, I applied the Kurust to the subframe and various joins and hangers that I could reach. Also did the same to the rear springs that had a few blemish areas. That is more than required and will do the job. However, I’ve some hammerite type paint spray I’ll apply next session.

The Texaco product is nothing to do with Redex, of course, which is now owned by Holts. The original ‘one-shot’ forecourt product from the brand launched in 1922 was an Upper Cylinder Lubricant useful when oil technology was nothing like as advanced as it is today. The problem was that the oil film deposited on the cylinder walls would break down and drain off, reducing the degree of protection available on start up. So the most significant period of engine wear was the metal-to-metal contact during cold starts. The aim of the Redex shot was to reduce the rate at which this oil film exposed the metal. In fact, even more effective is NOT to do what many drivers do - namely, give the throttle a last parting blip as they switch off! This merely injects neat fuel into the cylinders which washes the oil film off the cylinder walls! The correct procedure when switching off is to allow the engine to tick over for a few seconds first, thus allowing a protective film of oil to form. Fot the curious, this is the current Redex range… https://www.holtsauto.com/redex/

What an infuriating and unnecessary incident! After the relief that you appear to have escaped unscathed, like Andrew my next thought was that it could have ended very badly for the pedestrian. If the other driver was guilty of distraction by phone, that’s unforgivable! The Police can check the other driver’s phone log and prosecute if it was brought to their attention. Better still, a good rear view dashcam would provide irrefutable evidence. I hope any necessary repairs are carried out without further drama.

Thanks Bob - it was hard work. I finished with 2 coats of semi-matt colourlock sealer. it is supposed to protect the colour and make the leather easier to clean? Then reapply every 6/12 months. Some say that the leather conditioner can not actually be absorbed into the plastic water based leather dye/paint and you end up with a glossy finish which attracts dirt and grime,. I know that's a classic used leather look but I think new car leather seats look more matt than glossy? However the sealant does come in "gloss" (slippy) as well as semi-matt and matt. I used semi-matt.

Golf looks like a write off! Some justice in the world!

Thanks Kevin. I find the boot capacity in litres, not particularly helpful. I compared the boot liner of an RX400h with an NX 300h. The NX was slightly smaller but in reality it is not as practical for certain items I carry. The seats have to be upright to allow enough space. I was quite surprised that it made so much difference. Doing the comparison with the load liners does not give the full picture. I can live with it but it is just an observation. We all have to compromise on something with the cars we choose.

Stop showing off 😀😅

Hi the back ones where fine, and I was told like I said that I had zero chance of getting anything, so I had to buy tyres and send off the old ones.

A very mundane post, but anyone servicing independently, maybe worth keeping an eye on these, just got picked up in my last dealership service. Seems they eventually break up and are worth replacing, so whichever mechanic is bleeding the breaks in future does not have to deal with corroded or ceased up bleed nipples. I can imagine worst case it gets sheared off, would be a right job to machine the thread back out.

Just noticed my use of "break" instead of "brake" 🫣 It was defo these that were rotted, come in at just under £2.50 each. Apologies should have drawn a smaller circle, can see now I caught the slider pin in the circle also. In my haste to grab a snip from the commentary video Lexus provided.

Should find something useful here: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fitting+reversing+camera+to+lexus+ct200h

Sorry to hear you have had this AGAIN!

...... I just have my cars properly serviced ( fingers xd ) , try to drive with as light a right foot as reasonable in the circumstances, drive her always in PWR mode ..... and pray that gives me the best that can be achieved on my two old bangers 🤩 Then I check out which is the best value E5 petrol station to fill up from .. not out of my way, just on the way to somewhere or back, then empty my wallet as appropriate 😅 Malc

If you can weld, fabricate and happy to chop, cut and modify your rear valance I would say yes. If you’re looking at plug and play no. I remember years ago a local guy nicknamed Cooter would make you an exhaust system from the scrap he collected from exhaust fitting centres, they were aptly named “Cooter exhausts” 😀

I am a complete novice so forgive me if I am going down the wrong street with this, but I thought I read somewhere that after changing the battery you might need to reset the code for the windows switch. Apologies if I am on another planet with this.

It's a much more simple,cost effective and profitable way to end up with a quality property.You don't have to work around outdated and in some cases substandard structures.Just flatten the existing and start afresh with no compromises.Just make sure the location will "carry" the projected end value. Oh and I wouldn't rely much on Mr Mcloud's advice.I seem to remember he came somewhat unstuck..

Did you try adjusting the lumbar support?

Was lucky enough to get the lock bolt with the car (but not the second key). Rotation done in a specialized shop as crossing RR to FL and RL to FR implies balancing the new front tires Resetting TPMS by myself worked as a charm (a mere 5 minutes following the manual instruction)

Nigel, Your article was perfectly timed, as I was wondering how to improve my Ecru interior and now I know how it can be achieved. The comprehensive description of the work you undertook and also the detailed list of materials and sources, is an invaluable resource. Very many thanks

That's tough pooh Rayaans what happened to you. I'm gobsmacked at how little damage your RX suffered. Let's hope the boot floor hasn't warped in any way. It's the floor in my now defunct is250 that got damaged and deemed the car a write off after hitting backwards the Z posts on the motorway at about 40 mph.

@rayaans Keep us posted how you get on Sorry for this 😞

The post facelift with the 6 speed does display the selected gear on the dash when in sequential mode, no paddle shift however just push and pull the selector lever for up/down shifts. The pre facelift models used the 5 speed from the previous LS400 model I believe.

Defo recommend NC500, done it in RCF and parts of it quite often (does help i live not to far away), also around Loch Ness way and Glen Coe… re the NC500 a car group that im affiliated with did this this weekend over 2 days with no problems everything from lambos n Porsches etc to the normal family car (over 40 cars in total).. no hassles

Yes, that was an interesting thread, Phil. Referring back to it, I see that I suggested that the Lexus product supplied by Texaco was probably a repackaged version of their Techron detergent cleaner. If Max is already using a Premium fuel (eg BP Ultimate etc) then he is already benefiting from an effective additive package. Adding one bottle of Lexus branded stuff to a full tank, say, is unlikely to produce any significant detergent improvements. Equally, unlikely to do any harm.

please let us know the results from the dealer. better let them use a spray thanks

Thanks Ronnie yeah I've thought of this in fact i was only looking at some today i have in the garage and i have WD40 and some silicone spray. Waiting now to see what the dealer says when in for service.

I think this has been a contentious area for some years. Rightly, you should be insured against being inconvenienced through the actions of another driver But there are many who argue that it has got out of hand and has spawned an escalation of the hire car business which in turn leads ultimately to higher insurance premiums. However, since a hire car when appropriate IS what you are paying for in your Premiums, why not take advantage of it?

TBH I didnt feel much of anything. It almost felt like the car had stalled and the associated jerk with it. Suppose at the end of the day it is basically a 2 tonne vehicle. I didn't look at the protection plate, my car literally went around the back of Lexus Leeds and 2 hours later came back out nice and clean! Ive informed insurers LV, theyve taken everything down and confirmed the car is insured. I just need to provide them with details of the garage I am taking it to for repairs and they will co-ordinate everything Was also offered a hire vehicle straight away which I dont need but it seemed like they were trying to push for me to take it

Hope you're OK, must have felt bad being thumped in the back at 40 mph. On a brighter note, how does the new protection plate look and do you get the feeling it will do the job it's intended to do?

Thanks Bob - it was hard work. I finished with 2 coats of semi-matt colourlock sealer. it is supposed to protect the colour and make the leather easier to clean? Then reapply every 6/12 months. Some say that the leather conditioner can not actually be absorbed into the plastic water based leather dye/paint and you end up with a glossy finish which attracts dirt and grime,. I know that's a classic used leather look but I think new car leather seats look more matt than glossy?

Job well done 👍🏻 I’ve done it to both my previous SC using the Rutland leather dye..only observation was it was very unslippy afterwards ..had to apply a conditioner to help .

(C) Method Used 1. Use leather cleaner and brush into a foam. Leave for a minute then clean off with a cloth rinsed in clean water – repeat if necessary. Wait until dry or speed up drying with hair dryer. 2. Degrease seats with cleaning/degreasing spirit. Dry with hair dryer 3. Lightly sand crease and cracked areas with the sanding pad – clean with spirit. 4. Fill in cracks and creases with the “filler”. Leave for 20 minutes to dry the sand with the sanding pad. Repeat this several times depending on how deep they are and/or between paint coats. (some old creases my be too big/deep to fill?) Many very fine creases will improve with just the paint layers. 5. Mask trims and covers. 6. Apply the colour dye/paint in a dabbing action with a black sponge. Use the hair dryer to dry the paint between coats (I found that a heat gun was to hot/powerful) Apply 4 to 5 coats to the front seats, centre armrest and door handles and inserts drying with the hair dryer between coats. You can also fill and try to improve cracks between coats. Apply 3 to 4 coats to the back seats. 7. You can easily remove the back seats for painting. The bottom seat just pulls out from the front and you remove the back ones by taking off the rear head rests then remove 4 seat bolts and slide out the seat sideways through the seatbelts. 8. Remove the armrest for painting (several screws) and centre console trim starting at the back of the heated seats switches (I found an alarm sensor right there!) including the gear selector trim to paint the leather. 7. I used the very small flat art paint brushes to paint in the tiny gap between the silver radio unit and control unit (mask silver edges) and other places. You will need to repeat this at least 4 times. 8. I removed the door electric window trims for painting behind. Also the door handle centre screw for loosening the handle trims and painting behind. 9. Paint the door inserts and handles with the sponge. Mask the wood trim edges and use the small flat paint brush to get paint under the wood trim and trim edges – repeat until you get the correct coverage. 10. Mask the front seat side bolster plastic trims. Push the leather bolster in with your fingers to get room to sponge and paint lower down. Hold open and dry with hair dryer between coats, push leather in again and move along and repeat. Touch up and repeat in places difficult to get at with the small flat paint brush. 11. Used the hole repair kit and filler to fix the rip in the drivers seat. Sanded painted several times. 12. Applied the mini leather sealant to all coloured surfaces with a black sponge. 2 coats to front seats, armrest and door handles.

(B) Here is a list of the materials and tools I used (I already had the Leather Cleaner) total cost in the region of £165.00 delivered. You will also need a hair dryer, masking tape and a supply of rubber gloves. Geist. Easy Colour Restorer DIY Leather & Vinyl paint | www.leathercare.com Geist. Easy Filler to fill scratches and cracks on leather and vinyl | www.leathercare.com Geist. Double Sided Sanding & Finishing Pads | Pack of 2 | www.leathercare.com Colourlock Set of 3 Sponges 90 x 55 x 35 mm : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive COLOURLOCK Stainless Steel Spatula/Oil Painting Knife : Amazon.co.uk: Home & Kitchen COLOURLOCK Leather Cleaning Spirit for Cleaning and degreasing Leather Furniture Suite, Sofas, settees, car Seats, Alcantara interiors, Jacket Collars and Cuffs, etc (225 ml) : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive COLOURLOCK Leather Glue Crack Kit Solvent- (Glue 20g, Tension, 3 Mini Brushes) : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools Colourlock® mini leather sealant, 30 ml, seals leather against abrasion, wear and stain, for cars, furniture, leather jackets : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive Koogel Paintbrush Set-7 Filbert Art Nylon Artist Painting Flat Brush Natural Wood for Professional Oil Acrylic Watercolor Gouache Painting (White Tip) : Amazon.co.uk: Home & Kitchen PROUSKY 4 PCS Paint Brush Set, Wooden Handle Foam Brush for Arts and Crafts 4 Sizes Absorbent Foam Brushes for Oils Varnishes Stains Acrylics : Amazon.co.uk: Home & Kitchen Geist. Leather & Upholstery Cleaning Brush Medium | To clean car seats, leather sofas, and alcantara | For car interiors, furniture, boots, shoes, bags and more : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools Autoglym Gentle Leather Cleaner Kit **COMES WITH MICROFIBRE CLEANING TOWEL & APPLICATOR PAD** : Amazon.co.uk: Automotive

Hi Anthony, I kept the manky ones that came off. I will take some pics and post them over the next few days. It's such a blindingly obvious thing to do (post event obvs🙂) considering the amount of work they have to do and the twisting effect constantly on them. My car has just passed 76k and they look like the originals. I cannot emphasise enough the magic it has worked on the driving experience. Best regards. Nick

Excellent, I saw you (Black SC430) driving past two up with the roof down😃

Cleaning the exhaust tips on my car seems to be a constant job but I have a useful tip....use a 12 year old because they tend to stay much cleaner than sending them up chimneys! Anthony

Try the East Neuk of Fife . Coastal towns including Elie , St Monans , Pittenweem , Anstruther , Crail , St Andrews . Some decent scenic harbours , great beaches and plenty decent cafes . Definitely try the fish and chips in Anstruther .

Thanks! I have now been enjoying the car far more than before and I am taking it out a lot more these days. It drives so much better than before. Absolutely amazing!

All you are doing with your great boot light and tyre valves is costing me more even before I get my car. Carry on

poked thru the windscreen washer jets to make them flow better and checked all the ( mostly 24 year old original ) light bulbs work ok ......... MOT end of next week Malc