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  1. I remember one occasion when I found the dress code at my place of work particularly vexing. The year was 1970 and I had just been posted to the London HQ of a major advertising agency. In preparation for the move I had renewed my wardrobe to accord with what I figured up-and-coming young West End executives (as distinct from the quainter rolled-up umbrella City type) were wearing. So, I showed up on my first day in a grey flannel suit whose elegant sobriety was nicely complemented, I thought, by a dark blue-and-white striped shirt purchased at not inconsiderable expense from Messrs Turnbull & Asser, outfitters to the gentry, in nearby Jermyn Street. By mid-morning I was beginning to feel at home in my new surroundings and confident enough, on attending my first meeting, to take off my jacket like everybody else. Just as I was doing so it dawned on me, alas too late, that mine was the only shirt in the room that was not white or pale blue and unpatterned. Pointing a bony finger at me from across the table the Head of Personnel enquired for all to hear if I was aware of the difference between an advertising agency and a butcher's shop. I was fortunately not slow to understand that the absence of laughter in the room meant that his words were not intended as the joke I might initially have thought them to be. I later learned that only a couple of years previously it had actually been the practice not to take your jacket off anywhere in the building except your own office (and presumably the toilets). Which meant, veterans informed me, that I was lucky to have joined at a much more relaxed time.
    3 points
  2. I have a Takumi NX 450h+ with Lexus towbar fitted. It's only used with a very small trailer to take stuff down to the tip. We also have a bike rack for x2 electric bikes and it's perfect. Lexus cars in general seem not to be viable tow cars and I wouldn't have bought one if I owned a caravan. The nose weight limit is tiny compared to my old Audi Q5.
    2 points
  3. I have been in hyper cars, IMHO I am not a fan of the noise when you really put the foot down. So no Ferrari for me and as i do not have a pooch, I have no use for the back seats. But I will say a lovely looking design, nicer than the SC430 (probably not as reliable though)
    2 points
  4. Valves becoming transistors - I was there. I can recall a couple of stories from the mid 70's when I was a mere 17 years old. First - my best mate his mother told me about watching Marconi flying his kites etc, and doing some weird stuff over Poole Harbour (turned out to be inventing radio) Second - At Uni a mate of mine his father worked on the first ever computers (based on valves) and to check that it was working before the got it do some serious work, they would get it to evaluate PI. if it gave a wrong answer they would wiggle the valves until it gave the right answer then once done get it to work on the real problem. As Monty Pythons would say in a Yorkshire accent, 'You try telling that to the youth of today no one would believe you'. I also assume in years to come no one will believe we used to put hoses in cars and squirt a flammable liquid into the darned thing.
    2 points
  5. Trust you to put a Twist on it...boom boom
    2 points
  6. That was the expectation, anyway 🙂
    2 points
  7. Ot they can do what the likes of BMW/Mercedes/Audi do, which is to offer lower spec cars within the range. The German manufacturers have long since learned that people willl buy a lower spec car with a luxury badge on it, over a better equipped one from the likes of Ford, Mazda, Toyota etc.
    2 points
  8. Looking at Stephen's short link to AI above I do wonder if we should be believing any, or none, of the people putting themselves forward knowing about AI and whatever it might be heading towards us like a stampeding herd of trucks ........ doubtless we'll all cope rather well with whatever it is that's seemingly heading our way It might be the best option is just not to take too much, or indeed any interest in the subjects proffered . after all, those poor souls that get terribly wound-up about Facebook and Instagram. Linked-in and all those other amazing modern links that seem to affect so many in so many ways , good and bad .......... maybe best to be like me ...... just ignore it all and let it waft over me ............. Aldi forever together with the NHS is just about all I want .... well apart from E5 petrol and a pair of Ls400s 🤣 Malc
    2 points
  9. Don't worry, I'm not offended at all. We're all petrol heads who own 'F's. If I was bothered by others opinions I wouldn't have posted it here. This is the opposite of the cares we own. I can however give an unvarnished unfiltered perspective of having one and using it in anger. I'm genuinely impressed by the performance of the thing. Performance brakes however are a lie. They would need upgrading if you wanted to do anything near a track. Also the seats despite being comfy offer nothing in the way of holding you in place. Being used to 250 miles out of a tank, the battery range is on a par, so I'm not hyper mileing it. The insurance premiums may turn out to be a blessing, because I can see a lot of these being picked up cheaply and punted into a hedge, due to the power on tap.
    2 points
  10. I don't have much of an issue with dress codes, although identifying who's who takes some getting used to, as often I find that the most senior/successful guy in the room is the one in jeans and t shirt. Workwise, I think the biggest change I've seen is that when I left school, the route to success was generally considered to be the professions, such as medicine, law and accounting. Whllst still true to some extent today, at least for now, the tech industry has appeared and grown from being the geeks who were hidden away, to the ones who call the shots. I think we're lucky though, not only in seeing such a substantial amount of change and progress in our lifetimes, but in being too old to be negatively affected by the even bigger changes on the horizon. There's no doubt that the growth in AI and quantum computing has the potential to change the world for good in the longer term, but the speed at which it's moving is likely to cause a significant amount of social upheaval in the short term.
    2 points
  11. I think that summarises the outcome... the second mechanic addressed large part of the issue and now you likely have burned off whatever remains... if it would have got worse then I would be concerned! But as yo said, it got better, so I think it would be safe to assume the smell will be gone soon.
    2 points
  12. Not wishing to rain on your parade but I believe that it's more appropriate for an earlier generation to be labelled with this banner, those born in the 10-20-30's for they've seen much more so can add ... Many lived through 11 different decades! Two World Wars! A separate telephone and handset, to a party line! BBC not yet on radio! What is this word "video"? The horse drawn milk cart! Gas street lighting! They were the ones who "saw it all". RIP Mum 1916-2019. ❤️
    2 points
  13. Thanks all for the replies. I had a long conversation with the dealer and the usual same narration that the website is not accurate etc. In future, for me the lesson learnt is that I need to take the specs printed out when I order the car and then compare it with what I receive. But for now all good. Can't complain with what I have and its all good.
    2 points
  14. Overnight charge showing a predicted 54.6/50.7. Temperatures here hovering just above 0 degrees. A short largely motorway dash yesterday resulted in a poor 33.1 against a predicted 51.8. Temperatures certainly impacting!
    2 points
  15. Well, from your account it does appear that it is going away. I would hope that the second mechanic would have removed as much of the melted deposit as possible before applying the heat resistant paint. But as your third photo shows, there doesn’t appear to be any exposed material left that might pose a fire risk. At the car’s next MOT, you could ask the mechanic to check the entire exhaust system for any remaining material while it’s up on a hoist. But if you can’t smell it in the engine bay then it was obviously confined to the area under the car. In any case, after four hours of driving, exhaust systems generally get hot enough to emit distinctive smells any way. Which is possibly what you can now detect when you open the door!
    2 points
  16. Metoo. i was sent home for not wearing a tie, The Nerve!! By the way yes we have seen all the new technologies as stated in this thread but what about my grandparents. Born in 1890, seen the first plane, car, telephone. Lived through two ( 2 ) worldwars and died in the eighties. Born in 1961 i think what makes my generation special is that we never experienced a war. Sounds stupid but you only have to look into history to see that is really special.
    2 points
  17. Live every day as if it is your last… …one day, you will be right.
    2 points
  18. My guess after little bit of experience - they will be very rusty, but on the positive note they are MASSIVE bolts, so they are unlikely to brake and it becomes just a matter of getting long enough cheater bar. As well they are cheap - last time I check it was like £11-18 per bolt from Japan. So I would say just order new bolts, it can't hurt to replace them: https://www.amayama.com/en/part/toyota/5228530021 https://www.amayama.com/en/part/toyota/5228630010
    2 points
  19. A clean bill of health from the yearly MOT test on my 2007 350 SE-L here in the UK, I bought this in January to use as one of my dailys and have put nearly 10k miles on it and it now has 73400 miles on it. When I bought it I had a full service to include plugs, all filters, rear brake discs (rotors) and pads plus the slider pin kits and since then it's been a joy to drive, this week I had front discs (rotors), pads with slider pin kit and both front suspension drop links replaced and next week 2 rear tyres go on. I also went through all of the known water leak areas and sorted all of those plus cleaned the headlights with one of those kits from an automotive store. It's been a total joy to own and even though it's 16 years old, it's well spec'd and very confortable and i intend to keep it for a while now, it shares the drive with 2 other far more expensive cars but I always choose this to jump into as it's just so easy in every way... Cheers Greg
    1 point
  20. I take my car to Minters car wash and valeting centre stannes Fy81SQ 01253 788008 They do a proper snowfoam, 2 bucket technique, professional car valeting..It takes about 30 mins to wash the car but no risk of scratches. Highly recommended for all lexus cars
    1 point
  21. I will be picking up my NX 450h+ (MY24) this weekend and when chatting to the dealer last week he said they have taken steps to prevent the wheel arch related attacks.
    1 point
  22. Then why both selling it. Sounds like there's no real need to so why bother! As is the way with the RCF, its probably lost most of the value its going to so its not actually 'costing' you much more to hold on to it. That's how I justify it......coincidently I'm considering my options too for the RCF, though not straying too far! Marcus
    1 point
  23. Yes, here you go:https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-4th-gen-2007-2017/457586-diy-info-thread-for-ls460-ls460l-ls600hl-2.html#post7657067
    1 point
  24. Through the wheel well I think. I know the headlamps are different between the LS460 and LD600, but if you search YouTube for “LS460 headlamp bulb replacement” you’ll find a couple of useful videos which might get you started. One with the wheel on and another with the wheel removed.
    1 point
  25. They can and to be fair I believe they do that as well, the so called "luxury" trim on IS/RC/CT/NX was really basic and on IS there were even lower trims with everything possible stripped out for pure poverty experience. But I think Lexus kind of missed the trick - poverty spec. should look "sexy" from outside, that is why you have E220d AMG-Line or BMW 420d M-Sport, so it looks like fast car but it is slow. So Lexus need RC300h F-Sport looking car, but with appointments inside from Luxury and sell it for £4000 less. Well I guess knowing my opinion of 300h/200t - one could argue they already do this, but BMW just manages to do it better, whereas Lexus has this rigid trim constrains - so to get F-Sport you must pay extra for all other things as well. Whereas AMG-pack and M-Sport badge is £1200 stand alone pack and you can have you 140hp 2L diesel looking like M4... from 200m away... I think what Lexus refused to compromise on was quality (and I praise them for that), so they are not in complete race to the bottom as other 2 brands. That said when comparing the models towards the upper end of the range I believe likes of BMW still offers better product which will last "long enough" and for first 3 years offers better value/performance. That said Audi and MB recently were horrible with quality, to the point where I would argue it doesn't even last 5 years 60k... and that is the problem regardless of how one looks at it. BMW is slightly different thought - they are firmly in top 10 (6-8 places in last few years) for quality and generally last as long as most owners want. Sure buying 10 years 100k miles BMW is still only recommended for brave or stupid, but there is clearly distinction between BMW and other two. I think recently Lexus kind of stepped up and lifted the the bottom cars since introduction of LSS+ and 10 year warranty, but that is not enough to sway the most... as again - what is the benefit of 10 years warranty if one replaces the car after 2 or 3 years?
    1 point
  26. And THEN wait till you get your next years Premium...Its essential You have a Bottle of Brandy at Hand....
    1 point
  27. I gave up with my AA wireless and NX450+ after numerous resets, advice from the manufacturer and looking for solutions on various forums. No pattern in its connection issues - sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.
    1 point
  28. Sadly we just need to admit that for new car on the road today with the perspective of 3 years ownership BMW just offers good deal. Are they as long term reliable as Lexus... obviously NOT! But majority of people do no own the cars long term, 3 years is norm, 5 years and 60k miles is absolute top for (I am guessing here) 80%? maybe more? So yes - Lexus objectively makes better cars, but only if you keep them for 10 years/100k miles... almost nobody keeps the cars for as long and BMW offers more competitive financing, more competitive pricing and better performance for first 3-5 years of the ownership. Now sure, one can buy 5 years old 60k miles Lexus with complete confidence, that is where I aim to buy my cars (3-5 years old, below 60k miles) and that is why I stay for a long time with Lexus, but the truth again is that only new car buyers matters. What used car owners care about doesn't matter for manufacturer, they get no direct benefit from second hand market. In conclusion - the culture has to change, the desire to own new car every 3 years has to end, only then Lexus can compete like for like with BMW which offer better short term car. Basically a fast fashion of cars vs. good quality and classic clothing...
    1 point
  29. I find the lights too low on my car (not Fsport).
    1 point
  30. Motoring reviewers have long had a love affair with BMWs, and neither cosmetics nor comparitive reliability seem to dent that.
    1 point
  31. Absolutely Correct Mark..!! Information regarding any incident irrespective of fault is recorded with the Central insurance Claims Bureau...!!!
    1 point
  32. Sometimes a "reset" works. Just disconnect the battery, wait a few mins, then reconnect. Otherwise it sounds like there is a problem with the head unit or the wiring.
    1 point
  33. Depressing thread, this. I don’t need reminding of my age. I’m already pleased I can remember it.
    1 point
  34. Chance The NX media menus for the flash drive are IMO 'Clunky' Here are some screen shots from my display but I admit I cannot always find a away to navigate back to the File directory on the flash drive. Lexus in its wisdom seems to decide when IT wants tio display the flash drive contents or is taking a very long time to index the drive. Initially I was able to select the file I want to play, but could nopt always navigate back to the menu. I was able to rotate through the videos by using the Advance / Rewind Arrows either side of the pause button.
    1 point
  35. Of all those things mentioned of course nowhere is there a line about a day in 1966 when the impossible happened and a young lad hid his head under a pillow too frightened to see the dreaded Germans win. Then of course they didn't, and for awhile the world seemed a better place full of boys who wanted to be at least one of the Bobby twosome. So, 'Epitaph' indeed for a Great footballer and equally Great gentleman. RIP Sir Bobby Charlton and thanks for helping to create a seminal moment in this guys memories.
    1 point
  36. 1 point
  37. Nothing wrong with being 'old school' John but having to stop every few miles to read a map and/or find out/check where you are must be actually quite tedious, at least I would find it so. Now if you have your own human navigator sitting beside you then that's different 😄 . But then maps can't steer you around traffic congestion so to reflect on the OP I would have to say find a satnav system that works for you and that provides relatively faultless information. Everything's relative 😉 . Nothing in this world is perfect but I find that my iPhone maps are accurate and adequate for my needs and yes, perhaps they might occasionally go wrong but that's life ... although it hasn't happened to me yet! 🤞 Sticking with old technology, or indeed no technology at all, is still attractive to some and is most certainly heart warming, but it can be a timewaster in the modern world ... and even maps can go out of date and cannot always be relied upon. Happy travels everyone ... or do I mean travails? 😂
    1 point
  38. It was the steering lock! What a doughnut. More amateur requests this time next week.. At least I can travel first class to my meeting tomorrow now and not nick my wife's Golf for the journey..
    1 point
  39. Ah ok the website. I'd recommend looking at the brochure as that is clearer, and whilst both have been a source of mistakes in the past it is normally more accurate than the website. Having looked at the site, it just seems to be the way the website has grouped and displayed the differences - the total of 22 is probably automatically calculated rather than it being some conscious decision to try and deceive by placing all of the trim options within. Regarding the towing capacity, the website is correct. The base UX does not have any towing capacity, only with an options pack do you get the 750 kg capacity. There might not be any physical differences, or maybe it is missing the wiring harness, but either way the VIN plate on a base model will be stamped with a towing capacity of 0 kg and it would be illegal to tow anything on a public road.
    1 point
  40. In the 17 years I’ve been a LOC member I haven’t heard of any other cases. What did you say on collection? What did the dealer say? If it was the wrong colour floor mats that’s easy to rectify but the complete interior!!!
    1 point
  41. Depends why you’d consider the change in the first place I guess. First of all, now I have a growing family I’m no longer “wealthy”, so newer Porsches, astons Ferraris and the like are out for me - can’t pay the monthly , nor even the 2-3k bills that Porsches throw up, never mind exotica. I’ve had 2 astons, a 911, 2 Boxsters and occasionally you need to find a lot of money if they are out of warranty. If they are IN warranty that means depreciation is monstrous. Staying in the uk the only boxes the LC doesn’t tick are space for 2 adults AND 2 small kids, and it’s not a convertible. Attractively styled sonorous 4 seat convertibles……RS4\5, Maserati gran cabrio (yikes £££), Mercedes E63/C63 cabriolet but none of these would give you the same sort of peace of mind. if I was to move to Australia I’d have to fork out 33% of what the car is worth in luxury car tax and I’m not paying that, so I’d need to find a car worth not much more than 70k AUD - so that would probably be a GSF or RCF.
    1 point
  42. I have considered this point and have come to the conclusion that I will just keep my LC. 😀 A lot of the apparent competitors have various issues (as per above) and massive pricing. At least in the LC you can actually use it to pop out without worrying about reliability.
    1 point
  43. As NX owners you *really* need to hassle Lexus Customer Services, your local dealer and Lexus via any social media means possible - you need a metal plate solution just as much as me (LC) and the remaining RX owners. I have a Tracker, Immobiliser, Smart water and other entertaining things on my car but the problem is the bumper would be ripped off before the thieves realised. Annoying!!
    1 point
  44. No, my car battery was dead as I have battery cutoff in place.
    1 point
  45. Totally agree with this, and it’s very sound advice. As long as the car is clean enough not to be dangerous - windows, lights, number plates - you can do far more harm washing quickly and badly than not washing at all. Admittedly my RX has a pro applied GTechniq ceramic coating, but having washed it today for the first time in four months (due to a combination of the now lifted hosepipe ban, COVID, and grotty weather) it really wasn’t too bad. After a couple of hours with snow foam, a good mitt wash and finally some Gyeon Wet Coat it really does look as good as new. Gyeon Wet Coat is a Winter wash essential imho. Brilliant stuff and so quick and easy.
    1 point
  46. Dirt doesn't harm the car. Cleaning it can ..
    1 point
  47. The actual application of the various ceramic products is relatively straightforward. In fact it’s probably the simplest part of the process! As has been mentioned, it’s the preparation that requires a skilled, practiced hand and, for example, the use of specialist equipment such as dual action rotary polishers. Most - if not all - ceramic products will also require the use of infrared heaters after application. The great advantage of the end result is that the final effect is much easier to maintain than a wax finish and will last considerably longer.
    1 point
  48. Yes it’s an interesting thought. But I suspect that the additional time and labour is the deterrent. Modern paint finishes do remain soft for some time after application. So any application would have to wait for the curing process to complete. And then the paint finish would have to be inspected with a view to correcting any manufacturing imperfections, rather than sealing them in. Which is a labour intensive process. But the principle is surely right. Namely, the car will never be in a better condition as when it first arrives.
    1 point
  49. They can be done at any time during the life of the car, as long as the paintwork is corrected and prepared properly first. The real benefit of having it done when new is that there (should be) less correction needed, and thus a lower price. The dealer preparation of my NX when new added in a lot of swirls and imperfections which needed to be corrected so it isn’t always the case! RX paintwork was far better - based on the previous experience I told the dealer to do the minimum as I was having the car coated. I don’t think anything you add to the paintwork will cause a detailer any issues as they strip everything off as part of the process. I guess the only exception would be another ceramic coating which I assume would be more difficult to remove. ^^ As long as you maintain it and don’t do anything daft, such as using something abrasive on the finish, it should be effective for at least five years. There are longer lasting options too, albeit they cost more. I think the GTechniq is a good compromise between price and performance, but the truth is different detailers are often ‘accredited’ to use one specific brand. Gyeon is another very good brand to consider.
    1 point
  50. Disconnect the 12v battery and remove the battery ground from the body and the gearbox. It is also advisable to disconnect all ground points of the car. When welding, keep the ground as close as possible to the point you are welding. Make sure you clean the ground point to a clean bare metal, this will ensure that the current will flow to the welding point directly. Remember the current always flows through the lowest Ohm resistance, hence the need for a zero ground resistance in the welding circuit, otherwise the current will flow through the car's ground wiring, causing catastrophic damage. A good practise is to remove the safety plug too. Chris.
    1 point
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