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  1. GMB

    GMB

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  2. steve2006

    steve2006

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  3. CT200NI

    CT200NI

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  4. Malc1

    Malc1

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Showing content with the highest reputation since 04/20/2024 in all areas

  1. Whilst I align with your sentiments regarding MG I don't agree that Hyundai/Kia are "AWFUL". Ten years ago that may have been the case but the range of cars that they produce today are at the cutting edge in terms of design and recognised as such by the car buying public who are seeking above all, reliability and value for money. I have driven various Kia models from the Picanto to the EV6 and have been impressed by the quality. Indeed I came close to purchasing a EV6 to replace my Lexus NX300h two years ago but range issues eventually overtook my enthusiasm for what I considered to be a superb car that was almost on par with Lexus in terms of build quality.
    7 points
  2. I’ve never been able to insure my car with LV as they only insure green cars, my last one was silver and the present one blue.
    6 points
  3. Worst decision I ever made: buying an RZ. Best decision I ever made: Buying on a 2 year PCP so they can have the overpriced piece of junk back next May
    6 points
  4. Spectacular piece of coincidence. The misfire was down to coil plug being adrift on coil 3. I am saying three - left bank 3 in facing the windscreen. Car was serviced about two months ago. So no ECU worries. 🙂 Interestingly now the radio is working the error for the AVC/LAN bus has gone. So without research I can only guess it has something to do with the Mark Levinson system bus. It has a Pionner headunit installed that I fitted about 2 years ago, but that uses a Lexus data converter so the Levinson system works as it should including the steering wheel buttons. Had a A/C DTC, that was logged as Historic but didnt show last scan. Also had two DTC for the oleft and right Solar sensors. Hardly surprising with the car in agarage 8 months of the year. Just taken it for the final test drive before handover and the Solar Sensor DTC has gone and taken the AC fault with it, so happy days. Will let owner use it for a week then plug in again and see if anything has occured. More info on the fault finding later. Thank you to everyone.
    5 points
  5. The car is now running. It does however have a misfire and one AVC/LAN bus is down. All systems are up, except the radio. I will do a more comprehensive report soon. Apart from the new battery and the 140A fuse, there were nine other fuses and arc damage to one the ECU plugs. One pin to be precises must have been hit with a fair bit of current. When I took the ECU out I could smell it. I am going to scope the coil triggers to see if the misfire is a FET issue or loom/coil coincidence. I do not believe the monster reverse surge would have gone through the ECU to a coil without killing the ECU forst. On inspection it looks fine inside. Anyway I have been documenting my finds so I will publish soon.
    5 points
  6. I believe this engineer explains exactly why the noise happens at exactly 15:00 minutes in his video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GWKBbEMCC4
    5 points
  7. We passed a tipping point a few years ago - the majority of the UK population now get more from the government in public expenditure and tax credits / benefits than they put in. A smaller and smaller top slice of the population are paying for nearly everything. The top 10% of earners pay more than 50% of all income tax. The top 1% pay 28%. And 40p? Top rate of tax is 45p plus 2p national insurance - meaning 47% of every £1 earned disappears. And if you’re lucky / unlucky enough to earn between £100k and £125k, your marginal tax rate is *60%*. It’s a small miracle anyone still works hard and pays taxes. I am however very grateful for anyone who buys a new car - as without those purchases, there’d never be any used cars for everyone else to benefit from…
    5 points
  8. Hello everyone. Became an LBX driver at the end of March. Fortunate enough to have a Dealer prepared to sell a showroom car which exactly met spec and colour we were looking for and therefore avoided the 3 month wait of a factory order. Early days yet and haven’t driven many miles but so far delighted with the car.
    5 points
  9. Speaking solely for myself, I'm 28 and have just been given a fairly high spec new 'Vauxhall Grandland' crossover thing as a courtesy car. This only reaffirms to me that unless it's a proper, stable, large 4x4 like car - I don't want it. I drove a relatives old Vauxhall Zafira and later, Peugeot 2008 (before they got ultra stylish) and this is every bit the same car underneath, a big, empty space, van with more stylishly rounded edges, and it handles that way too. I have no interested in these 'crossovers', they are just modernised people carriers to me. Perhaps Lexus and some of the more premium / more expensive brands drive better? (Scored out more expensive, because this Vauxhall monstrosity cost the same as a Lexus UX!) Toyota going for the 'crossover styling' makes sense to me even with the Aygo 'X' and the Yaris 'Cross' / Lexus LBX. The closer they can keep it to a hatchback / lower and better handling, the happier I'll be. Cars can be 'normal cars' and still easy to get into, look at city cars with tall profiles like the Fiat Panda etc, those are very easy to get into and favoured by older people. Equally (more so in mainland Europe) young people don't see the stigma of them being old people cars as much, they're used / appreciated as flexible young family cars too on a shoestring budget. All of this SUV styling and 'crossover' stuff other than for the Motability scheme buyers who probably genuinely do appreciate the space and the ride height, I think is more the mainstream car makers forcing it on us all, because there's simply no other way to hide the batteries in the EV powertrain configurations elegantly. Now that the CT is gone and not being replaced, the LBX is probably the next model for me to graduate to down the line. If it's closer to a hatchback than a crossover / MPV, I'm happy with that. I hope it sells. Although I know a couple of people I know who drove and loved various regular Yaris models over the last 20 years test drove the Yaris Cross, only to go for a Corolla in the end up as it drove noticeably better / more refined. I wonder if the Lexus refinement solves that (albeit, at a cost)
    5 points
  10. Collected my Honda E:Ny1 yesterday, nice drive home and still some battery left. Sad to leave the nx at the Honda dealer but that’s life. To rank my previous cars I would say the LS400 was best, LS430 next, then NX followed by GS300, IS300 then IS200. The most exciting was the Lexus Club events in the mid 1990’s. The Honda is superb, dealership not so good so far. Paperwork took a little time to match the deal we had agreed! Told me I could match the MyHonda+ app with my car at home, then find it needs a Honda mechanic with access to Telematics the first time. Then find the flat tyre compressor is missing from the boot. To be fair they have dealt with these issue very quickly. Likes over the nx. Really huge infomation screen. Touch screen instead of that crazy Lexus touch pad. Wireless Apple CarPlay, Apple Maps full screen top, Apple Music in the middle and dedicated air conditioning below. Genius. NO ENGINE NOISE during acceleration, just a quiet whoosh. Lights come on with fast wipers automatically. Doors close as quietly at the nx. Look and feel quality 99% of the nx. No visits to petrol pumps. Free servicing. Yearly safety inspections. Transmission checks at 100,000 miles, battery and control checks at 150,000 miles. Dislikes. Not a Lexus, I’ll miss the coffee at Lexus Milton Keynes. I know I’ll miss the attention to detail during servicing. Lexus Sheffield and Milton Keynes were exceptional. The around 200 mile range of the Honda won’t be an issue with our current needs. The RZ ev was too big and just too expensive. The UX ev too small and too expensive. Leaving mainly because our driving distances have reduced but the risk of theft has been a factor. If it doesn’t work out I’ll be back.
    5 points
  11. Collected my son-in-law from a vasectomy op this morning. I think we may have a new Pothole detector! All we need is to get all the Councillors and Highways Officers to have the snip then drive them around the area. Start with the lowest paid and by the time the turn of the 'Leader' comes around the roads will be like glass!
    4 points
  12. AVIVA are now quoting for the LBX all variants, Reasonable prices.
    4 points
  13. I found a good solution for carrying muddy bikes inside the car… use the wife’s car 😆
    4 points
  14. The answer for you GMB may well be to not spend £ 70k on a ‘silly thing like a car’ and drive a 12 year old car, but if I can afford it - which I can and did, then who are you to sit in judgement. The point of the post was about EV values
    4 points
  15. I was given a VW Polo once when my LS400 was accident damaged. Once I got the LS back I put the Polo in the boot, took it to the local recycling centre and put it in the scrap metal skip.
    4 points
  16. I did mine in carbon black there is a knack to it to be honest as well as the challenge getting the panels off.
    3 points
  17. First time I have driven the SC and XK on back to back days. If I had to sum up the comparison with just one word to describe each car they would be; SC Silky XK Brutish I like both for the clear difference in driving experience.
    3 points
  18. "Had the new screen fitted yesterday, a date chosen to coincide with my latest hospital visit." Sound planning ! Be where they can resuscitate you in case the bill is bigger than expected.
    3 points
  19. Sounds fair... Except I have an SE-L so there's not a lot I can do about that. 🤣 That's the thing with old barges, once you have got yours up to snuff it's generally ill-advised to trade for another as you'll be inheriting an unknown quantity. I'll probably just end up doing what I can within the confines of the spare wheel well. I replaced the access hatch for the rear a/C filter as one of the clips had broken and it made me ponder if I could use it for other stuff. Whilst it's not useful for everyone, I've found the SE-L is a great family roadtrip machine though, I love sitting in the back with my daughter whilst Mrs D chauffeurs. The coolbox is decent enough for keeping cold beverages at hand too. A/C powered coolboxes are never as good as a proper fridge but I'd say this one is better than the ones I've had in the front of various cars, presumably because of the rear a/c unit. Only problem is fitting all the luggage in around your legs, sort of tempers the luxury vibe somewhat 😋
    3 points
  20. Not adding much to the discussion, but I've always felt its a bit miserly and penny pinching working out tyre cost, miles per gallon and "I can change my own oil", after all you're buying at £40k+ luxury branded car! Fill up when needed, replace tyres when they reach the legal limit, service as required. Enjoy your premium purchase and relax. If I wanted to worry about all those trivial things I'm have bought a JAAAG, and an AA rescue subscription 😂
    3 points
  21. Changed my car to LBX on my policy with Dial Direct and paid £442.82 including RAC and Motor Legal Protection. As I was lucky to get my car within a couple of days of making the deal, I didn't bother getting any other quotes.
    3 points
  22. Mate we can't get them as far as Rwanda so Mars is a none starter. We should be talking to the Danes about using the Faroe islands ,much more accessable, but as Scott says' "the sun ain't going to shine anymore" for them. Better still use the Falkland islands then let Argentina have them back in a few years time! We've done it again EV values to ?
    3 points
  23. I thought i'd start a thread based around the CANbus fix through Lexus. Personally, i'm very disappointed in Lexus. I know they are not the only manufacture to be troubled by this, however, over the years, I have avoided getting an RX due to CAT thefts, and this is something else which is just tainting the brand. I fully acknowledge that they cannot contact every owner as DVSA do not consider it to be a safety issue, however, they could easily have sent a letter to anyone who has had their vehicle serviced in the last few years with them. Annoyingly, this fix is going to be chargeable. If anyone has had it, could they state how much it has cost them? My nearest dealership is an hour away, which means that if this fix is completed, it will take most of the day to complete. My concern is, however, that this is still going to have an impact on these cars. Once this fix is put in place, how will an opportunist know it's not worth their time without dismantling your bumper as a fix has been completed? Maybe a window sticker is needed 😉
    3 points
  24. Thanks SB Appreciate your kindness. I agree anyone can do what they like with their hard earned money. It's just that different people have different priorities and that's fine. It's a free world -- Hang on... or is it☺️. Anyway best wishes to everyone no matter what your car preference is. It would be interesting to see what other people would spend £70K on - put it in the bank? World cruise? Second hand Morgan and a cheaper runabout. If only......
    3 points
  25. Dichotomy? I had that in a restaurant in Paris with pommes frites many years ago. My wife preferred the Andouillettes. Now they are a really horrible thing. A bit like the Tories but smellier..
    3 points
  26. Personally for the most part, I’d say as far as world governments go, we’ve got a pretty good / reliable / charitable one (in fact, maybe being too charitable at the wrong times is part of one of its major flaws!). Not a perfect government at all, but objectively one of the “best”. That’s not excusing their ***** ups! look at Venezuela… Russia … China. The electric car stuff, sadly, is bowing to pressure from eco activist groups and an idiotic (my) generation and below making outrageous demands, crying about this horrible world they’ve forcibly been born into, blaming the old generation for climate change, and then making stupid statements like ‘just stop oil’ and expecting that if we all are forced to drive EVs, the problem will go away. I fear it’s governments trying to appeal to said groups and ideas that leads to these silly laws and rules, not just here but in the EU as well since we’re fairly in sync with the whole .. 2050..2035..2030..2035 dates on it 😞 At least we’ve realised it this far before any of those dates have come, that’s a positive at least. as for voting day, I dare say the long spell of Tories probably comes down to someone with the initials of ‘JC’ being so god awful, that even their mishaps are a drop in the ocean compared to what that jack@ss would have done…. Getting his photo taken with terrorists and promising to decommission our deterrents…. Can you really blame any one for voting Tory?! 🤣 (I hope you get my point, not defending their mistakes but just trying to poke some fun at the other choice we had). I wish we had more credible choices at the polling stations. still, if you ever feel bad about the Labour vs Tory situation, have a Quick Look over at Northern Ireland, we’ve got a real **** show going on here with politics 🤦‍♂️
    3 points
  27. Since the Israel/Iran fracas looked like kicking off there was a spike in Crude Oil prices. The profiteering b@stards at all of the petrol refineries and stations IMMEDIATELY raised their prices, even though it takes weeks for the oil itself to filter through the system. Then the "crisis" evaporated fairly quickly but of course the profiteering b@stards have yet to reduce the prices at the pump. Since we have an ineffective, spineless, pro-profiteering government I don't see any of that changing any time soon either.
    3 points
  28. Right. I just simply compared it with UX model 2020. The main reason I upgraded to NX was that I wanted something bigger and more spacious specially the boot and rear seats.
    3 points
  29. Tel,Thank you quite strange after asking you the question. I just took a call from the Lexus dealer who had given me a date of 10th May, he informed me my car has just arrived on a transporter today 21st of April into the dealer. I asked him to confirm it was indeed my car….he said yes…..strange but true. ( Premium Design Plus )
    3 points
  30. Make no mistake the elitist powers to be will enforce EV market through by a gradual though quite quick penalising of ICE ownership. One way or another. The EV market may look f***** now but these manipulators will not be giving up even if it means blatantly lying about CO2 or failing to mention the devastation to the environment of EV production (eg lithium mining, ridiculously incapable grid charging capacity)
    3 points
  31. European ports are completely full with Chinese EVs. Hamburg, Zeebrugge, Antwerp, Rotterdam and so on. Previously cars were unloaded and then disappeared to the end customers mostly through dealers. The Chinese have a different approach they just use those ports as storage area. Some cars have been there for 1.5 yrs. Chinese manufacturers get paid per car by the Chinese government so keep producing my friends happy days and who cares if nobody buys them ?! Demand for 2nd hand ones is very low out of consumer fear. What are you buying? what is the state of the battery? High electricity prices make EVs as expensive as petrolcars? In most countries you pay roadtax based on weight and that is much higher with a battery? How about value will they continue depreciating like crazy? From the model you are interested in for sure there will be newer versions withmore range faster charging so why buy this one? In short there are too many uncertainties for private buyers. Like before the market is driven by companycars only.
    3 points
  32. Having been Recommended This Vehicle Tracker BY Our Very Experienced Friend Herb.. I Too Can Thoroughly Recommend This Little Gadget...It Connects With Two Wires One red and one Black to The 12v Battery In All Of Five Minutes Download the app and your Ready to Go..The information you get is Incredible and worth it alone for the report And power in your 12v Battery .....Which i hasten to add was always of Concern As It Powers so many Systems on the car....At The moment if you purchase the Tracker from Amazon its priced at just £19.98 and you may even get a Fiver off that as i Did...Subscriptions are 12/24/36 Months and are very Reasonable .. Personnally i feel with all the Canbus Theft Problems This is a Remarkable Tool to keep tabs on your Vehicle Should it Suddenly Disappear Without your knowledge..Obviously if a professional steals your car he will in all probability Disarm it.. But keep in Mind the Majority of Car Thefts are Conducted by Opportunists.. So In My Humble opinion Give this Gadget some Thought...The Customer Service fom the Company is Really good and very Helpfull ....Coverage is the UK and Europe..Well Worth a look.. My Opinion Only Of Course..!!!
    2 points
  33. Sorry I’ve found over the years there is no loyalty with any insurance company there out there for one thing much money as possible
    2 points
  34. Thank you guys. Also that is a beautiful car superatticman. I see from the service history that the last owner (1 previous owner) did all services from Lexus with the last one being a 100k/10 year service (When the car was at the 70k miles). I assume this is a major service. My intention is to continue doing main dealer services. Do I just do 10 year / major services from now on out (next one at 80k?) or alternate between intermediate and major services at the main dealer every year / 10,000 miles? Fuel economy wise I live in the city and have not done a lot of highway miles yet but seems to average around 26-30mpg or thereabouts for mostly in town with some dual carriage way driving that I have done in the 1-2 weeks I’ve had it. I will do a proper run of it over the next few weeks and come back with an update. How much should I expect on average mileage wise? Overall seriously impressed with the refinement of this car and comfort. I have driven a Honda Civic in the past as well as a Ford Explorer (Dubai) so safe to say this is the first car of its kind in the UK and so far it feels so good to drive and handles impressively.
    2 points
  35. Always put a cap of £60 a night max, averaged out.
    2 points
  36. It almost as if LV want to get out of the insurance business! Amazing advert.
    2 points
  37. Having recently acquired a 2018 ct200 I have the impression there is very little out there to compare with it for the level of comfort it gives me, it is 20yrs since I last had a Car as comfortable as this and that was a Volvo, quite amazing to me for such a small Hatchback, being an old coffin dodger in my early 70's this is likely to be the last Car I will ever buy, them Meerkats found me a good price for my insurance, however I am fortunate to live in Scotland where there is less thieving Bar Stewards around. The majority of the Cars I have owned (not that many) in 50yrs of motoring I would buy them at 3 to 4yrs of age and keep them 10yrs or more, this being far cheaper for Car ownership than changing every few years, every time you change Cars this costs a lot of money. So I would say to you if you have had trouble free motoring for the 3yrs you have owned your CT, also if it has everything you need in a Car? KEEP IT, there is just so much unreliable rubbish out there, I had the chance of a Corolla one year younger at the same price same mileage, strange the insurance group 19e against the CT at 17e another strange thing a 2016 CT with the same spec was also 19e. There is not a lot of Ct's up here in them there hills and quite a few of my friends and neighbours have remarked on how smart it looks, in my own opinion both the front and rear of the car is smarter than any of the rest and the side view is not bad either, mind you it is not likely to appeal to someone that drives a C-HR but they must have a mental health issue?
    2 points
  38. I can't afford it, but if I was working 60 hour weeks and had the means, I'd definitely to it. I pass some outstanding houses on the way to work, and very rarely, see a supercar level Porsche or McLaren parked at the back of the car park. And frankly, no matter what I do, there is a 99% chance I'll never be able to afford it. But I admire the people who are living that lifestyle. In this world, it's very unlikely they're being given that money for nothing. My presumption is they're working (or have worked) extremely hard and that's simply the fruit of their labour. Today I sat around in between work typing on this forum, it's obvious to me that while I do work hard, I'm not doing anything to the extent that I deserve anybody's millions for what I do. Nor is what I do, something that anyone else can't spend a few months learning to be able to do the same or better It always annoys me when people get salty about people who are 'well off' or successful financially. I'm not talking about GMB in particular. More so my generation of mid / late 20s people who are just so salty and rather than working hard to get there, they sit around and blame systems and governments for 'keeping them down' despite the fact they've never even tried. More power to the people driving around in the fruits of their labour. And anyway, it's a small group of 'those 1% people' who pay for I think the bottom 20% of income earners NHS and other things, doesn't 40p of every £1 they earn get taken, just like that?! Personally, I think there's a case that that's unfair.. And anyway, I get an odd satisfaction just knowing that the Lexus LC500 exists, and that even though I've got a lower spec, older CT, which is a little touch of some 'luxury' for me, I like the aspirational link there. It's a little like having a poster of a bikini model on your wall, even if you know you don't have a chance with her, aren't you just a bit happier to know people like that exist, and that they're walking around as we all live life? No point getting angry and bitter if you don't 'have one' lol
    2 points
  39. What I don't understand is how we ( the trampled workers - 45 yrs full NI contributions "comrades"😁 ) all have less buying power and are generally quite a bit poorer ( think 14 yrs tory *incompetent* gov't, wars and badly managed disease control ) and yet restaurants seem busy and people buy stupidly priced cars that lose money in a titanic style. I just don't get it either. The answer for me is don't buy silly priced things like £70K+ new cars or go to rip-off restaurants or UK holidays. We have a lovely petrol burning Lexus that should last a long long time and intend to enjoy it. Might splash out on a week in Italy or Spain though😏??🤔 **I was being generous and polite by saying incompetent. I really meant crooked fit for nothing B********s. Phew that's better off my chest.
    2 points
  40. Unfortunately a lot of people actually do believe the gov't lies. The big issue is that we do nothing about it apart from wait until the gov't allow a general election and the next lot get in. Don't expect any favours from them either.
    2 points
  41. If you don’t mind a bit of DIY Jeff and have access to a rotary wire brush and drill it won’t hurt to clean it up and apply some of the stuff mentioned by Linas. As he suggests it will hopefully keep that structural and possibly terminal MOT failure off the sheet for a few more years.
    2 points
  42. It’s detailed in the T&Cs: https://www.lexus.co.uk/content/dam/lexus/nmsc/united-kingdom/cross-model/Lexus-Reserve-TandCs-2.pdf 3.1 You must book your Reserve Days by emailing lexusreserve@lexus.co.uk.
    2 points
  43. Should it not be the customers (?) As Stoke would be at the bottom & Snows of Exeter at the top from my experience.
    2 points
  44. I suppose 600 miles ain’t far but my self discipline would be at breaking point!
    2 points
  45. A few images from Japfest....
    2 points
  46. My recent experience of driving a Picanto GTLine S 1.0 Turbo was that I was hugely impressed! Having regularly driven a VW UP! over a number of years the Kia felt a more solid and quieter car which was far better equipped than the equivalent top model UP!. Personally think the only weakness in the Kia line-up is the Rio.
    2 points
  47. eCVT on RC/IS is less dealbreaker to be fair, yes it still drones at 4000RPM or so when you on middle of accelerator, but it revs up if you push it to the floor, or if you go in FSport+ mode fake "upshifts and downshifts" are both instantaneous and satisfying in the bends. I guess if I would improve anything on it, that would be that in Fsport+ manual mode I would make it to keep the "ratio" that you have chosen for longer, or even forever. Currently, it keeps the ratio I don't know... maybe for 30s or for 60s, so sometimes what happens is that by the time you go from one turn to another it goes back to D and drops the ratio. So for example you playing around with paddles on eCVT before the bend you change to "3rd", then "4th" in the bend and you already see another bend, so in such case if you would be in real manual car you stay in 4th, rev it to the limit and before next bend maybe change back to 3rd again... what happens on eCVT is that when you rev out the 4th and let's before the bend with intention with braking a little bit and changing to 3rd the gearbox simply goes to D and sets probably ratio equivalent to 6th, so now you start braking and instead of expected 1 click to go to third, you have to change ratio 3 times. I mean it works like poorly optimised automatic gearbox in this sense, but all that is software and when it works it actually mimics DTC quite well, the only problem is that short memory where after 30s it goes "WTF is going here - I am economy car and 4th gear at 60MPH is not economical, let me fix this". So really the fix would be simple software update where FSport+ and Manual would mean no auto upshifts and it would be in manual mode as long as you keep it there, not just for some arbitrary time. Well the second problem is what engine that eCTV is matched to. GS450h for example is still great car to drive despite eCVT, because drone from nice V6 is not so horrible, drone from pesky 4 cylinder in 300h is much more annoying. But apart of that eCVT in Lexus is one of the best systems where I would go as far as saying I almost like it. In summary - mate it to V6 and make manual mode real manual and the rest is good already.
    2 points
  48. You know when you feel a dinosaur? When your five year old grandson can operate the satnav better and faster then yourself ( without any form of explanation whatsoever) !!!
    2 points
  49. We take the issue of Toyota and Lexus vehicle theft very seriously. We are continuously developing technical solutions to make our vehicles more secure, to help reduce the risk of theft. An enhanced security hardware system was introduced in October 2021 on the latest models targeted by criminals. Since which, we have seen a significant drop in thefts of those models. For older models, we endeavour to create solutions that can offer enhanced protection to our customers. Following significant investments by Toyota GB, in line with that of other vehicle manufacturers, newly developed official Toyota and Lexus security hardware components will very soon be available to fit to those targeted models registered before October 2021. Following communication from Lexus in the coming weeks, owners should contact their local dealer to arrange free of charge fitment. Customers can already speak to their local dealer about the fitment of a protective plate to block access to the vehicle’s electronics. This is a nationwide customer care offering. As a vehicle manufacturer, we can never completely eliminate the risk of vehicle theft. This is an industry-wide issue, concerning all vehicle manufacturers and affecting the most popular models first. In order to further reduce the theft risk, we regularly collaborate and share information with insurance associations, police and law enforcement authorities, theft prevention experts and other key stakeholders around the world. This enables us to understand new threats and techniques used by thieves and develop more secured systems. Alongside our efforts, we urge those authorities to focus on reducing the number of thefts. We would also like to see action taken that leads to the end to the online sale of devices used by criminals to steal cars without using the car keys, as these devices serve no purpose other than a criminal one. How do thieves manage to steal cars this way? The thieves disconnect part of the headlamp and use a malicious device to send signals to the control CAN bus (the communication ‘backbone’ within a car) that allow the doors to open and the car to start without the key or remote control. Thieves need to: Purchase a relatively expensive rogue device (third-party ‘emergency start’ device which costs around £2,500 – £4,000 each) Gain physical access to the vehicle’s CAN bus communication wires for an uninterrupted period. The third-party ‘emergency start’ device has the capability to initiate an exploit in the following manner: Once connected to the vehicle’s CAN bus communication wires, the third-party ‘emergency start’ device can send a prioritised series of CAN signals to bypass the vehicle’s security and immobiliser systems, which could allow a thief to unlock the doors and turn the vehicle’s ignition ON. The third-party ‘emergency start’ device is then disconnected. At this point a thief can enter the vehicle and start the car without the key What is Lexus doing to prevent these types of attacks? Lexus takes the issue of car theft very seriously. We are continuously developing technical solutions to make our vehicles more secure to help reduce the risk of theft. In the UK market, an enhanced security hardware was introduced in October 2021 on the latest versions of the models that had previously been targeted by criminals. Since then, we have seen a significant drop-off in terms of successful thefts of those models. For older models we endeavour to create solutions that can offer enhanced protection to our customers. We cannot divulge the precise nature of the imminent security enhancement; should we do so we risk offering information into the public domain that could be of interest to criminal parties. The intention is to make the security enhancement available to all vehicles where a countermeasure is available. In October 2021 (introduction of NG NX), a new security platform started to be rolled out. There are no reports of theft using the CAN bus injection method on any model with the new platform. What models are known to be targeted by this issue and are newer models affected? The model primarily targeted is the Lexus RX Gen 4. Other models have also been targeted. Which Lexus models can be fitted with the enhanced security feature? It can be fitted to previous generation RX, NX, plus ES, LC, LS, RC, GS, UX and UXe Which models are affected by year? Lexus models Affected years/months Lexus LC / LC-C 2017/03 – 2024/03 Lexus RC 2017/03 – 2024/03 Lexus RX / RX L 450h 2015/10 – 2022/10 Lexus ES 2018/10 – 2024/02 Lexus GS / GS-F 2015/11 – 2020/11 Lexus NX 2017/09 – 2021/10 Lexus LS 2017/10 – 2022/09 Lexus UX / UXe 2018/10 – 2023/12 When did Lexus first become aware of the vulnerability in the security system? It is not so much vulnerability of the security systems but more so the growing rise in criminal gangs targeting vehicles for ‘cannibalisation’ and / or complete theft. Instances appear to have been rising significantly from 2019-2020. There are many factors involved and at a global level. This includes parts of the world experiencing parts shortage which results in targeted thefts to supply vehicles and/or parts sent to countries experiencing trade restrictions. When is the enhanced security upgrade going to be available and will it be free of charge? Exact timings are still to be confirmed. We anticipate being able to advise the Lexus Centre network with full details before the end of April 2024. The required enhancement needs to be carried out at a Lexus Centre. Costs are under review and customers may incur a nominal charge. Are new models such as the LBX targeted by thieves? While no car can be considered 100% immune to criminal intent, more recent models are equipped with enhanced security systems aimed at deterring CAN bus type thefts. Given that the rise in this type or car theft has been known for several years in other countries and is growing in the UK why wasn’t I told about this? Lexus takes the issue of car crime very seriously. To protect customers’ vehicles our approach is not to disclose our vehicle theft analysis data. The sharing of information could enable thieves to find ways to circumvent anti–theft technologies or make some models particularly attractive to some thieves and unnecessarily vulnerable to attack. Why are Lexus owners not being invited to install protective plates to their vehicles and why were they only supplied to London Centres? Lexus offers a free of charge VPP (Vehicle Protection Plate) to any RX450h customer. Every Lexus Centre across the UK has access to this part. Parts were issued to London Centres in the first instance in line with where the demand has occurred, but all Centres can order the VPP. The strategy is however, to focus attention not to the roll-out of the VPP but to a sophisticated vehicle enhancement. What is the countermeasure and the plan moving forwards? We are continuously developing technical solutions to make our vehicles more secure and reduce the risk of theft. An enhanced security hardware was introduced in October 2021 on the latest versions of the models that had previously been targeted by criminals. Since then, we have seen a significant drop-off in terms of successful thefts of those models. Also we are able to supply and fit a VPP (Vehicle Protection Plate) to targeted RX models We endeavour to make available another solution that can offer enhanced protection. Details will follow in the coming weeks. This will be communicated to the Lexus Centre network, which will also be responsible for fitting the enhanced security solution. Why is there no recall for vehicles susceptible to the CAN bus attack? Recall announcements in the UK are guided by very specific guidelines as drawn up by Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). To qualify as a recall, the issue must relate to a safety or thermal type issue where there is potential for injury as a result of vehicle manufacture or component failure. Only in these such circumstances can a recall be announced. In recall circumstances, the DVSA will provide manufacturers access to ownership records for purpose of communication. Instances of theft do not trigger a recall. Will Lexus pay for damage caused by an attempted theft? No. This will need to be addressed by the customer and the vehicle insurers. While we understand theft or attempted theft can be highly upsetting and, in some cases, a costly experience, in such instances customers are first and foremost victims of crime. Lexus does not cover costs associated with criminal activity either under the terms of the warranty or as goodwill. What is the position with insuring affected models? As a manufacturer, we stay close to Lexus Insurance colleagues and indeed all motor insurers. We are aware that in many cases, insurance premiums might have increased as a direct result of vehicle crime. We need to refer you to your insurer for further comment. https://mag.lexus.co.uk/lexus-uk-statement-on-vehicle-theft
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  50. Thanks to Colin barber on here read a post he put on about us imports from rock auto. Didn’t realise shipping included duty, so bought both sides off there £195 all in. Should be here Friday.
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