SH20

I'm guessing the dealer will be able to clarify this question when I collect the LS tomorrow but I like to sense check against members knowledge as often they know more than dealers. Does the air suspension fitted to this car require to be put into a jacking mode before lifting any corner of the car or when all 4 wheels are lifted off the ground on a 2 post lift when the wheels hang down unsupported. I ask because one of my previous vehicles had to be put into Jack Mode before it was lifted into the air. If you didn't the ECU's controlling the suspension would fail to recognise the change the air struts were in and when it was lowered on the floor the ride hide went bonkers and the struts would no longer do their job. In fact the suspension went rock hard. I will check the handbook if I get a vague answer from the dealer but maybe someone has an opinion. I also did a little research on the run flat tyres the car has and imagined it was some sort of lubricant that was released when the tyre went flat, a bit like the old Denovo tyres that existed decades ago. I was pleased to see that run flat tyres today rely on a very strong reinforced sidewall which will support the weight of the car when flat or losing pressure. This then allows for a conventional vulcanised puncture repair but the car can run for up to 50 miles at approx 50 mph. I have taken out a 3 year tyre insurance policy with the dealer for £275 which allows for unlimited puncture repairs and 5 new tyres if a tyre can't be repaired but with a £300 limit per tyre. Seems like a reasonably priced option to me.

Given it is almost impossible to prevent the theft of any car which thieves are determined to take it must make a second theft drive an owner to think why bother having a Lexus when Lexus do nothing to make it very hard to steal. It's my understanding that an i pod Air Tag hidden in the car will work to locate a car as it works off blue tooth and it's signal cannot be blocked. It is my guess DrShockr could not find the car by using the My Lexus App because the car's GPS locator was blocked from transmitting it's position. I've heard that thieves use a device which plugs directly into the auxiliary socket. It has a pair of antennas and blocks the car's own GPS locator, any Tracker fitted or Black Box which Insurance Companies offer policyholders to lower premiums, the black box uses vehicle telematics to record driving habits, excess speed, harsh braking, young driver types. Don't ask me how the device in the aux socket does what it does or how it works because I don't know but the Air Tag is immune from having it's signal blocked. Just like you might use an air tag to track anything or anyone from your phone it has to be worth considering. I'm about to trade my ES in for a LS500h and have ordered an Air Tag rather than rely on the so called security devices Lexus think are so vital to their cars. Devices which clearly do not do a good enough job. The air tag won't prevent a car's theft but will locate it.

I'm trying to not think too deeply about the security of the LS and don't know for sure if the Can buss is something the LS is a known target vehicle. All Lexus approved vehicles are overpriced in my opinion and are regularly £3K+ above the retail industry valuation guides such as Black Cap and Glasses Guide. Equally all Lexus dealers want your car for Average or Good Condition prices and never ever do they offer retail even though they sell well above retail after they take your car in if it's age is young enough to warranty putting on their forecourt. I finally received £3K more over the original first offer for my car but it was hard work. They will have amended their asking price rather than have my car go though their books at above retail. The LS has done 32K miles over 6 years and was registered 1.12.17 albeit it was the 2018 model car. It has the standard 20 inch polished wheel rims and need special repair to outside suppliers if they get damaged unlike ordinary painted alloy wheels. I'm taking tyre cover out as the LS has run flat tyres and for £275 for a 3 year policy you get unlimited punctures and 5 new tyres if they can't be repaired. However, with a £300 max limit to a new tyre and the tyre must have over 2mm of tread otherwise it is classed as in need of a new one anyway. I do use a wheel clamp, even on my drive, but that is only a visual thing because if it's targeted they will get it somehow. For the second time though I find myself with a space saver spare wheel and the replacement Lexus tool tray that is needed if you have a space saver. I'm not leaving these in the ES as I would prefer to try and sell them to an ES owner. I did that last time and a member bought them. I have the genuine Lexus boot liner which only came back out as an accessory a few months ago and although it won't be a direct fit in a LS I'm sure it will suffice. Looking forward to owning it but not the weeks work it will take to machine polish the paintwork. The paint is fine on the LS but I will detail the car and correct the paint because that's what I do on any car, new or used.

OOOh !!! Spooky Jonathan, when I was in the very first stage of discussions with Peter I sent an e mail to him and asked a few questions, one of which was if the rear screens could be removed, something that will get no use from me or the wife. As they are not touch screens in this model year and are just too intrusive and in your face. So fixed they are and not a lot I can do about it. I would have preferred the Premium Pack front seat backs with just the strip of wood veneer on show. There is a 2019 LS500h in Lexus Stockport for the same price with the lower Premium Pack which is still very high spec and I did make an enquiry about it but there was just something about that red leather dash board in the car I'm buying that pulled me right in. Like all dealers they often want to steal your car when trading in a vehicle. After a lot of offers and counter offers and rejection outright of their first offer Stoke manipulated the figs to suit their book keeping but I finally got £3000 more for my car but it was hard work getting a figure for mine that was only just acceptable. At one point I said I would need to withdraw and it wasn't a bluff but sensing a lost sale which they thought was in the bag they came back and agreed the figs I thought were much fairer all round. One good thing is the road tax reduction I will benefit from which was a eye watering £560 x 5 years on the ES and now is £212 because it's over 5 years old. The natural progression for me was originally going to be an ES300h Takumi in due course but the actual difference in price against a 6 year old LS wasn't that great albeit the ES would have been a younger car. I'm inclined now to buy the tyre cover at £270 for 3 years just to avoid the high cost of a single tyre should one need replacing plus unlimited puncture repairs. As an insurance premium it's expensive when you think what the whole car costs to insure but tyres are the most venerable part of a car I think.

Small World Jonathan, my impression of Lexus Stoke has been very positive so far much like my experiences with Leeds and Carlisle where I have bought cars. Unlike Cambridge, (just awful) where I bought my last ES300h which Peter is taking in against the LS. Cambridge staff need to spend a week at Stoke to see how it's done. Peter had the LS in the handover room when I arrived which set the standard in my eyes as to how to give a very professional impression. My first Lexus was the LS460 SE-L but as I had not developed any real knowledge of hybrids I was a bit wary of hybrid batteries as I really wanted the LS600h but only with the 4 seat option pack. Alas my courage let me down but still the 460 was glorious. Now of course any Lexus model is more than likely to be bullet proof. Take a look at the sample box I bought on E Bay for the LS 460/600. It contains the wood, leather and paint samples you could choose and Lexus Carlisle told me they used it when sales customers needed a home or business visit by a salesman !!!!!

Sure did Jonathan, Did you see it living in the Cheshire area? I was on holiday in Cheshire this week so slipped over to Stoke to see it in the flesh. Nice chap called Peter has looked after me, very helpful They are going through a few DVLA online processes right now but yes I saw it on both Autotrader and the main Lexus UK website. Not many for sale just now, around 8-9 I think. Grey metallic with Black and Red interior, around 33,000 miles. The run flat tyres were all replaced not that long ago but I am still considering the Lexus tyre cover as the only bolt on that might be worth the premium, around £270 for a 3 year cover period. Unlimited punctures and 5 tyres over the 3 years if unrepairable but with a £300 limit per tyre. Lord knows what a run flat tyre for a LS costs. No old style service book but I saw the digital print out for the services, however the salesman said he would obtain a service record book and because they did the servicing they would stamp up the book to reflect the work done. Looking forward to owning this car, my 5th Lexus since 2015.

Finally achieved my wish to own a LS500h but with no regrets at all with my 3 ES300's over recent years. There is a post in the LS Forum and a member has added the YouTube video of the actual car I have acquired if anyone is interested. Only realised it was the car I am collecting next week because of the conventional number plate which appears from time to time in the video.

Thanks Arne, this is what I love about the Lexus Forum Members who can sort out stuff for old Gimmers like me. The video shows a private plate on the car in certain shots but an age related plate for other segments of the video and it was only when I saw the normal plate did I realise it was the car I was purchasing.

There is a video (55 mins) on YouTube called Lexus LS500h 2018 - IN DEPTH - REVIEW by Car and Driving - Car Reviews (Unable to copy and Paste due to Copyright) I did try but not possible. The car being reviewed, a AWD 2018 model year LS500h Premier Spec, is the actual car I am to collect next week. 1st registered 1st December 2017 to Lexus UK as their Press car and then 6 years with the second owner. I will be the third owner next week. In 2015 I bought my 2007 LS460 SE- L and it was a sublime masterpiece of Engineering. I wanted to move across to hybrids so a GS450h followed and then three ES300h's in succession. My goal was always the LS500h but their high residual prices prevented it. Now the opportunity has arrived and with Lexus Stoke taking care of all the last 6 years servicing and with the Lexus Relax Scheme taking care of all warranty till 2027 it makes such a purchase less of a risk. The Premier spec now known as Takumi of late is a masterclass in craftmanship.

Saw a video clip on Youtube from the US where a thief on a motorcycle held up a couple in their car . The scum bag parked his bike behind the car but in the opposite direction the car was facing. After he robbed the couple he got back on the bike and as he pulled away the car driver reversed his car at speed and rammed the bike and thief into a parked car crushing him dead. He was then arrested and charged. One less thief but at what cost.

This is what really hacks me off when a loyal customer who, like me has driven Lexus and Toyota cars for years has to consider changing brands because Lexus couldn't give a monkey's if they do and all because of the failure of Lexus to provide adequate anti theft measures to their product range. Not withstanding useless Insurers/Repair shops who don't fulfill their obligations in a reasonable time frame. Lexus cars world wide are one of the most likely to be stolen because they are pitifully easy to steal. Owning a car eventually will just become too much of a headache in addition to the stealth taxes they are subject to by every Government since Adam was a lad. The motorist is a cash cow, from fuel duty, road tax, insurance and UK new car prices all of which are going only in one direction - UP

There will be more expensive anti theft devices out there, in particularly electronic devices but they are hidden somewhere in the vehicle and while very sophisticated, it's the damage to the car in an attempt to steal it, e.g. damage to front bumpers, trims and of course the collision damage which may occur in the hands of thieves leading to an expensive insurance claim. I want a visible barrier to get past first before the vehicle's CAN bus is accessed. Like other comments I think it is a disgrace that Lexus do nothing about the ease by which their product can be stolen. Shame on them.

Carl, my understanding of the scrolling key code is that it does change frequently but all a scanning tool needs is sufficient time to record one new code in order to activate the car and once the car is open the stolen code tricks the car into starting. The original method of accessing this code was to stand outside your house and offer up the scanner in order to pick up the key code when the owner simply leaves the keys on a hall way dresser or in a bedroom etc. Once people started to put their keys into an isolation pouch to block the key signal that just made the thieves consider accessing the car's CAN bus via the wiring of the headlamp usually the near side headlamp. Youtube is stuffed with videos of Lexus Cars having their front bumper forced back on one side giving access to the back of the headlamp. They then pull the wiring off the back of the headlamp and connect their CAN bus interface device to the headlamp wiring. Because their is no encryption to the car's security/immobiliser it tales only seconds to activate the car's starting procedure and the car is gone. I have just purchased a wheel clamp not because I believe they are infallible but to slow down a potential thief when confronted with a mechanical device which would take more time to overcome. A Blink camera pointing at the car and a Ring doorbell camera at my home may also make a thief move on. However in reality thieves don't give a monkey's what you have in security to protect your property. Thieves know we are society that pat's them on the head if caught and wants to understand their problems that make them steal. Does anyone know how car thieves are dealt with in Saudi Arabia or don't they have any I wonder? (The Controller Area Network (CAN bus) is a message-based protocol designed to allow the Electronic Control Units (ECUs) found in today's cars, to communicate with each other in a reliable, priority-driven fashion).

Carl this probable criminal who was eyeballing your car was probably trying to scan your code with a hand held scanning tool. Had the car been parked amongst other cars close by he wouldn't have looked so out of place and could have just waited around till you key activated the code. The fact your car was isolated made his close proximity to it highly suspect.

Just to let you know, Lexus and Toyota cannot supply files or confirmation of any past locations of your car, only real time location via the My Lexus App. Pretty obvious really when I really think about it, millions of data files of every Lexus or Toyota's location just in case someone asks where was my car at a given time and day/date should his/her car be the subject of a fraudulent parking or speeding ticket etc.

I guess it depends if you want to see the actual video clips while driving simply to know that the cameras are operating. The Nextbase 512GW and the 522GW both visually show the actual 1, 2 3 minute clip running at all times. The dealership Nextbase install that they recommend has no screen just a red light to show it's on. My experience of my first 512GW was loss of the video clip running and a frozen image thereby telling me it had stopped running/recording. I would not have known otherwise as I very rarely plug either camera (512GW in my wife's Yaris and 522GW in my ES) into my computer and review video files. I just format the disc every now and then. Both set ups have a rear camera as well, simply to capture any idiot that wants to have bumper s*x from behind. Also with a screen it shows the icons such as the satellite signal is active and the charging icon tells you it's connected to the car etc. Today I spotted the satellite icon was not lit up on the wife's dash cam so I need to explore if this is a temporary issue or a problem to fix because the camera red recording indicator is flashing normally implying it is recording normally but maybe not with the satellite positioning locator working. I think dash cams that have no screen require the owner to have blind faith the cameras are running.

The description below is on Ebay and is something I am going to buy for overnight parking on my drive in a small Yorkshire town. The Can bus is the weak link but I would rather fit something that might cause a delay to a thief if an attempt to access the headlamps by pulling the bumper back is made. This entry point is well documented around the world now so why on earth Lexus don't fit some sort of security around the back of the headlamps or alter the security by encrypting the system in such a way that these thefts using the headlamps as a front door are eliminated. Or do they like the thought of all those extra spares that they will sell when Insurance Companies pick up the damage bill when it us found smashed up. It's too late to find the car using the My Lexus app if it's smashed up. Sorry the link wouldn't copy and paste for some reason. Car Motorhome Trailer Wheel Clamp Extendable Heavy Duty Anti Theft Protection 2

Good of you to respond Ron. I'm not the recipient of anything as unfortunate that you experienced but it did cross my mind how easy it would be to copy a number and then run around in the same make of car in a different part of the country. Lexus abandoned their customer relations access, preferring owners refer their questions to dealerships but I'm not so sure a dealer would be able to answer my original scenario. I sent an enquiry to Toyota Customer Relations who handle all Lexus and Toyota customer enquiries but other than an acknowledgement e mail they just don't follow up. After all it's quite a simple question, "Can Lexus and Toyota identify where a car is on any given day using the car's electronic GPS locator" I know a Toyota salesman well enough to ask him if a dealership have a back door access to the manufacturer if a technical question comes up they can't answer. I'll try that.

So for all you technical people, can you venture to give an opinion on this hypothetical scenario: Your car, any car, resides in the north of England and your vehicle registration number is cloned and passed to a crook in London who buys a pair of plates and fits them to his/her car. Ignore the ULEZ benefit as most modern Lexus cars will meet the ULEZ exemption charge. Consider this scenario as one to avoid road tax and insurance for an identical car and also to avoid any fines, parking, speeding etc. My question is this: Would Lexus be able to say where your car was on any given date/time using the car's GPS locator in a similar way you can locate your car via the My Lexus App on a phone. Am I right in thinking my 2 cars are transmitting a signal at all time or only when running. If the car is transmitting a signal do you believe Lexus would aid you in a defense against a fraudulent action.

Currently an entry model ES is from £40K and a Takumi starts at £56K I think. The £16K difference sounds a lot but I don't believe any other manufacturer would give you the extra fittings that comes with a Takumi. ML music system, all leather, ventilated and heated seats and steering wheel, seat memory both front seats, window blinds, wood trim, triple led headlights, reclining rear seats with control panel in rear arm rest, rear boot opening with foot but I'm sure the Takumi owners will tell me what I have not listed. The point is £16K wouldn't cover what Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar etc etc would want for the same stuff and still not give you the bullet proof reliability of an Lexus or Toyota. My next car will be a Takumi in sunlight green with Tan interior, used of course and probably hard to find. My Premium Pack is still a great buy with about 65% of the spec of a Takumi unlike the Premium Edition I owned which was not so well equipped.

Great to hear your handover was done properly with the car inside. My car is Mesa Red with Tan interior but I will be having the Sunlight Green with Tan interior next time and hopefully I can find a used Takumi in my budget.

Made in the US apparently. Part number attached

Boot liner did arrive today. Collected from Lexus Hull, it was £77.81 incl vat and is a very high quality product. A heavyweight liner and very thick. Nice pattern too. Much better than the very first genuine Lexus boot liner I had in my 2019 ES. Apparantly the reason boot liners were removed from the parts accessories list for ES was they were made in Ukraine. Now a different supplier is suppling these. Don't know the origin of where they are from.

I can see the appeal of an F Sport but I am a lover of leather interiors which, I have to say, take more looking after that synthetic leather which I also experienced in a previous Premium Edition ES I owned but the draw of a leather interior is something I cannot give up mainly based on past vehicle ownership, one of which was a beautiful LS460 SE-L , my very first Lexus, what a car which I regret selling but I had made my mind up to move over to Lexus self charging Hybrids.

Only two ways they took your car. Followed you and scanned your key code as you locked it meaning they were very close, maybe sitting in a car using their laptop before you had chance to put your key in your pouch inside your home or accessed the CAN bus network system on your car at night by pulling back your bumper on one side to access the headlamp and then entered the cars critical ecu's for starting the car and isolating the security system.