JeffL

Another crazy, tunnel vision decision by LV insurance. My wife has a 19 year old Honda Jazz that she's insured with LV for as long as we can remember. Its value is so low, what's the likelihood of it being stolen? She received an email today as follows.       Thank you for choosing to insure your HONDA JAZZ SE AUTO with LV= over the past year. We’re writing to you to let you know that, unfortunately, we’ve had to make some changes to our underwriting approach for your vehicle type. Over the past year, there’s been a rise in thefts of the HONDA JAZZ SE AUTO. As a result, we’ve seen a large increase in the number and cost of claims we’ve received for these types of vehicles and have made the difficult decision to stop insuring them. This means at your next renewal date on 11 June 2024, we won’t be able to offer you a renewal price. We will send a letter confirming this again in advance of your renewal date, the letter will explain that this is due to a change in our underwriting criteria. Please rest assured this won’t class as your insurance being declined, cancelled or voided, and you won’t need to declare it to other insurers. We never want to leave our customers in the difficult situation of having to find cover. However, we feel that continuing to cover certain vehicles would create a greater overall detriment to our customers by increasing pricing overall. 

Thanks for the replies Malc1 and steve2006. I getting the vibe from you two that it's probably best left alone but inspected maybe once a year? Correct me if I'm wrong. 🙂

Just had my car MOT'd by the independent garage I've used for the last 25 years or so and it passed with no advisories (GS300 2007 with 97,000 miles on the clock).  I had a look at the underneath while it was up on the ramp and asked the guy if all looked ok and he said all okay but there is some surface rust on the sills (this is looking at the sills from underneath the car). I asked what were the implications of that and he said it's unknown how long it will be before it's a real problem, they can look ok for a long time and then all of a sudden can start to disintegrate. I asked what can be done and he said they could underseal and I asked for a ballpark price and he said probably about £120 using such and such or about £220 using something else. Prices + VAT and I can't remember the names of the two products he mentioned. The dearer job is a better product and requires two coats and would look better. I wasn't very quick off the mark and I'm not sure if he's talking about underseal of the whole car or just the sills. Probably just the sills do you think? It was Saturday morning and the regular office staff weren't in so I'll speak to them next week, but before I do that I thought I'd ask on here for any advice and guidance on how to proceed. Thanks in advance.

28 minutes ago, Ken R said:

All the revised NX range (350h/450h) were equipped with the new security measures I am told so they were all produced from October 21.

Thanks Ken. So it's from the new current model of 350h/450h, not the 300h. Good to know. Let's hope the thieves also know it's not worth their while attempting CAN Bus theft!

On 3/21/2024 at 12:48 AM, LadyToeBeans said:

My NX was stolen from Basildon last week on 13th March 2024 by CANbus. I'm so angry at Lexus, they have known about this since 2019 but left us all in the dark until it was aired on BBC Watchdog last week - ironically the same day mine was stolen.

https://www.reportcanbus.com/

Did your NX leave the factory before October 2021? According to Lexus, NX cars from October 2021 have a new security platform which they say means they can't be stolen via the CAN Bus method.

On 3/21/2024 at 11:48 AM, Al D-Much said:

https://mag.lexus.co.uk/lexus-uk-statement-on-vehicle-theft?utm_source=LexusOwnersClubUK&utm_medium=ForumLinks&utm_source=LexusOwnersClubUK&utm_medium=ForumLinks&utm_source=LexusOwnersClubUK&utm_medium=ForumLinks

From the above link: "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." This appears to be saying that any NX leaving the factory from October 2021 cannot be stolen via the CAN bus. If true, how would a potential buyer of a used NX know for certain that it had the new NG NX security platform? 

Not CAN bus this time.........                         https://www.theguardian.com/money/2024/feb/24/smart-keys-car-crime-thieves-hi-tech-arms-race?utm_term=65dae5752f6f52a9e36b5b480d3fa79c&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUK&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTUK_email

14 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

IS250 has CANBUS indeed, but it can't be stolen via CANBUS easily.

Basically, the reason why new Lexus after 2016 can be so easily stolen is that Lexus (Toyota really) started using "smart" headlight ECU. For whatever reason (which is really beyond me) they decided to connect that ECU via CANBUS. So the reason why new Lexus are so easy to steal is not because they have CANBUS (all cars since like 1994 maybe have CANBUS), but because CANBUS line runs in easily accessible place (e.g. just under the front bumper) and can be accessed from outside of the car.

In IS250 you can find CANBUS junction near the drivers and passengers footwells, meaning one would have to get inside of car first before being able to attack CANBUS. So that makes CANBUS attack meaningless on IS250, because by the time one is in the car presumably it is already stolen. If anyone would bother stealing IS250, then most likely they would try "keyless relay attack", not CANBUS.

Is it known if any other manufacturers uses the smart headlight ECU CANbus method? It would be helpful to know which cars/SUVs are not vulnerable to CANbus attack.

So the questions for me now are: Do the criminals know that the pre-facelift NX is not an easy target? and will the insurance companies fix their premiums accordingly? It would be interesting to hear from owners of pre-facelift NXs on this forum. 

Interesting that pre-facelift NXs might be more difficult to access the wiring. Why do you think that might be the case Colin? 

Does anyone on here know from which date NX and RX models were fitted with CanBus? Or do they all have it?

Just thinking of buying something pre-CanBus if possible. 

If a vehicle has CanBus does that automatically mean that it is vulnerable to theft, i.e. do all vehicles with CanBus have wiring easily accessible and if so is that always via the front wheel arch?

Also, I'm wondering how old does an NX or RX have to be for it not to be of interest to thieves?

According to a Google search the first car to have CanBus fitted was a Mercedes W140 in 1991.    In February 1986 Robert Bosch GmbH introduced the Controller Area Network (CAN) serial bus system at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) congress. It was the hour of birth for one of the most successful network protocols ever !!!!!!!!!!!

32 minutes ago, First_Lexus said:

I heard on BBC Radio news earlier that the boss of JLR has been defending the security of Range Rovers following reports of ‘soaring’ insurance costs. 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/jaguar-land-rover-stolen-insurance-cost-b2489922.html

Also similar article in The Guardian today about JLR stolen vehicles with additional information on electric vehicles and new Battery production in the UK            https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/feb/02/range-rover-helps-drive-jlr-highest-quarterly-profit-since-2017?utm_term=65bdf288cd242cbd514d43dbf1d50551&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUK&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTUK_email

26 minutes ago, Mr Vlad said:

It's the additive that adds a few more Ron to the petrol. Makes for a better burn. I recommend it to all petrol and diesel car users. I've been using it for decades and swear by it.

My car was a 62 plate by the way.

Which additive do you use?

16 minutes ago, JJW said:

I have a GS300 2005 Lexus that needs a set of tyre sensors, however I am having trouble locating  a store that will sell me compatible ones does anybody know of somewhere reliable that i can purchase the correct ones. thanks for your help.

This has been covered on several threads previously. Look up TPMS Tyre Pressure Monitoring System. I and some others on here just ignore the dashboard warnings as it's not necessary to have a working TPMS on a car registered in 2005 (in your case) 2007 in my case. Of course you might want to have it working from a safety warning point of view. Personal choice.

Great responses so far. Thank you everyone. I will report back on whatever deal we decide on in due course. 😀

1 hour ago, PaulWhitt20 said:

I would be interested to know what you decide. We have a landline that we don’t use and no one phones now my mother is not with us except the nice man from Amazon saying there is a problem with my account. 🙃

We have fiber to the house from BT for broadband. I am not sure if you need a land line and line rental for the broadband or if you can just have broadband on fiber and use mobiles for voice calls.  
 

If you did get rid of the land line, who would you have to tell?

Yes I will report back here when decided. Re who would I have tell? Good point, I had thought about that and would make a list.

I am considering the pros and cons of disconnection of our home landline telephone (3 cordless phones). We stopped using our landline phones for outgoing calls several months ago as an experiment and just use our mobiles, keeping the landline phones for incoming calls only (not many incoming landline calls these days though). We have unlimited calls on our mobiles and this saved us continuing to pay the monthly call plan of £8 per month for the landline call package.  Question: Have any of you had your landline phones disconnected and have you missed it? I know we have to adapt to change but being in our 70s and having had a landline and the same telephone number for the last 50 years feels a bit strange to give it up! Nothing stays the same and we have to adapt to change but not always that easy. 

You are all probably aware that by the end of 2025 the traditional copper wire (ADSL) telephone lines will be switched off. Therefore we will all switch to Full Fibre by that date. We are currently with Plusnet (part of BT group) and have been for many years with no problems. Our current contract ends 31st March this year so I am looking at options taking into consideration the withdrawal of the copper wire landline at the end of 2025. Until recently I had Fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) - the green metal cabinets you see on the street. These cabinets are gradually being withdrawn/decommissioned and that has happened in our street very recently. I now have Fibre to the public pavement and copper wire from the pavement to our home. The copper wire facilitates our landline telephone. Option 1: I can renew my existing deal with Plusnet, keep the copper wire and retain our landline phone and its number, but only to the end of 2025. Option 2: I can get a new deal with Plusnet where they will replace the copper wire with Fibre so the I have Fibre all the way to the home (FTTH). BUT I lose the landline phone as Plusnet don't offer Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP). VOIP would allow the use of our Panasonic cordless phones via the Fibre network. Plusnet don't offer that facility full stop! However BT, OneStream, Vodafone, Zen etc do offer VOIP at an additional cost per month of around £6.  Option 3: Change supplier, but before deciding on our options I really need to decide if we are going to relinquish the landline phone it will then make the choice of supplier, speed Mb/s and price comparisons a lot easier. Hope this wasn't too long winded!

22 hours ago, SH20 said:

A plug and play telescopic view camera achieves the same result for me.    

Steve, what make and model do you have for the above?

At what sort of mileage can an alternator be expected to fail?

Just seen this and thought it might be of interest to some of you?

Love the colour.

On 9/8/2023 at 12:50 PM, Baxiboy said:

I have had a warning light for 6 months now. The tyres are all newish and I do less than 3000 miles per annum. But the MOT is coming up and I've had to approach Lexus Poole. They want £216 just to tell me that the TPMS needed replacing. I told them that but they wanted £216 to diagnose the problem (when they know what it is) before they would start. I argued the point and they agreed to replace 3 sensors (one of the 4 is only 3 years old) without the £216 fee, and for the 3 they want nearly £900!!!!! £150 per hour for labour, which in itself is an assault on my intelligence. They want an hour to replace each one. Good lord, I'm 80 and I could replace a tyre valve in less than 30 minutes and even less with the right equipment. I wonder why Lexus, who make a great car, want to put me off buying another. If I'd paid the diagnosis fee I'd be looking at £1100, just to change 3 valves. It is without a doubt a stickup! I can do nothing but surrender with my hands up and pray they don't shoot me.

 

Mine's a 2007 GS300 and doesn't require the TPMS to be working to pass the MOT so I'm leaving mine with the warning light on. Haven't checked what the situation is with your 2009. Have you checked re MOT requirements?

30 minutes ago, rayaans said:

That's true. The pedestrian, youngish lady was directly in front of me at moment of impact so I suspect she would have gone flying.

I think he was going around 40mph, did look like he was on the phone tbh as it was in his hand on exiting his car and also had a cig in his mouth

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?

On 8/14/2023 at 6:18 PM, Anthony B said:

Well, I've taken the plunge and bought a 15-reg NX300h with an exceptionally high spec - head-up display, forward radar, sun roof, heated steering wheel, etc, etc; one careful lady owner (yes, really) and looked after by Lexus Swindon since new.  It's a real find, immaculate, and being an SUV it's much easier of access than the IS.  Lexus did apart-exchange deal for me, not a good as I'd naively hoped for but good enough.

I'd be interested to learn what typical MPG other NX300h get. It's a heavier vehicle, albeit with the same engine as the IS, but I'm not going to get 50+ on a long run - or am I? , What's the best I'm going to get in a mix of highway and truly rural motoring (we're in the middle of Wiltshire).

Congratulations on finding the car you want. How many miles has it done? We like photos on here. Please put some up when you get the time 🙂

On 4/14/2023 at 9:38 PM, ColinBarber said:

The vehicle I know of at the moment which is getting enhanced security is the NX, which from now on is, or soon to be, manufactured with Ultra Wideband keys which stops relay attacked. Not heard of this on other vehicles yet but I would expect that to happen at each refresh. UWB can't be retrofitted and probably means they won't produce sleeping keys for older vehicles if they intend on moving to UWB.

https://newsroom.lexus.eu/lexus-nx-elevated-by-new-on-board-luxury-features-and-latest-technology/

The only other Toyota/Lexus I know of that doesn't have this issue is the Toyota Supra - purely because the engine, ecu, alarm/immobiliser and keyless entry system is from BMW which has sleeping keys.

All well and good, but does this still leave the vehicle open to Canbus theft?