First_Lexus

https://www.ey.com/en_uk/news/2022/06/tipping-point-reached-as-more-nearly-half-of-uk-car-buyers-seek-electric-vehicle

This was from the Summer. No great surprises here from my perspective. Interesting all the same the main reasons why people are considering the switch.

I’ve looked at the MG electric options, and they are pretty good from what I’ve seen, especially given the price. I know somebody who had an MG5 estate electric for three months (short term lease while waiting for their own new car) and they were mightily impressed - to the point they wondered why they were spending almost three times as much on their ACTUAL new car…😆

43 minutes ago, larryadler said:

Hello Ed,

it’s the drivers door, as soon as it’s opened the bing bing starts, and won’t go off until I close it. So vacuuming the car door open, bing bong, bing bong, you really are missing out , Not !

Pete

Interesting - cleaned the inside of the car just this afternoon, and…no ‘bing-bong.’ I don’t seem to have it.

I’ll chalk this one up as a win!

1 hour ago, larryadler said:

Hi Keith, thanks for that mate, and I did have a Nextbase cam fitted, but I can put up with that.

But the ruddy door bing bong drives me bonkers, can’t do anything with the drivers door open, without reaching for the Valium 😂🤣.

I think my frustration stem from the fact that, I know the bloody door is open because I opened it, at least the dash came only makes it’s noise when switched on and off, the door however, is bonkers, never ending, Chinese water torture, okay okay I’ll talk, just stop the bing bongs 💉💊😬

Regards

Pete 

In what circumstances do you get the ‘bing bong?’ (This is starting to sound rather like a Goons radio sketch!)

I’ve owned my 2021 RX for almost a year and can’t remember hearing anything other than the ‘beep’ when closing the electric boot. I must be doing something wrong (or right, depending on how you look at it). Unless my ‘bing-bong’ was disabled from new?

On 9/10/2022 at 5:28 PM, wharfhouse said:

That's interesting - might renew my Costco membership if they do! 

I can confirm they are indeed building a filling station next to the existing store in Reading - they’re using the front part of the car park.

Went to the store this morning. Plenty of building work underway with a sign noting that they’re constructing said filling station. Good news!

Petrol is down to £1.61 in Reading (Calcot). I’m told Costco will be opening a filling station at their Reading store, which should put some pressure on the bandits around here…

31 minutes ago, Boxbrownie said:

Entirely?

So not just for cost then?   Another two major factors there.

 

Were they business owners?

No, all private owners - the business owner is the one who will switch in Q1 next year.

To be clear, their reason for change was cost. Other factors were secondary.

I certainly wouldn’t describe any of them - having changed - as ‘evangelists’ for EVs. Perhaps that’s the difference?

8 hours ago, Boxbrownie said:

Although this is assuming people buy their EV for the cheaper running, I have found most* buy them because they like the way an EV drives as the primary reason for purchase.

Interesting. I know four people who own EVs (and one who will own one Q1 next year) as well as one who switched and has since switched back due to range and charging inconvenience (although that was with a Jaguar iPace which most websites say is rubbish!).

I can say with certainty that all of them switched entirely because of cost…and the fact they were due to change and wanted to ‘future proof’ their vehicle for travel into cities/large towns.

Not one of them has ever mentioned either environmental concerns or the driving experience. I would add that none of them are what I’d call ‘petrol heads’ or even people who like driving. They just want to get from point a to point b as painlessly as possible (as most of us do).

Personally I found the EV driving experience fun at first - the acceleration is hilarious - but then pretty much the same as any other.

What really irritates me, is that when the energy ‘price cap’ was first announced the idea was for it to balance protection for consumers with protection for energy companies.

As far as I can see it isn’t balancing anything any more - the only consideration is protecting energy companies. Given the number that went out of business over the last 12-18 months, I do (sort of) understand that…but then again, it’s less of a ‘cap’ now and feels like more of a ‘target.’

I found this quite interesting. A bit of a shame he drifted into ‘evangelical’ language towards the end, but even so. 

Having driven an EV in the past week (Hyundai IONIC5) I’m not sure I agree that I prefer it. It’s different, it made me smile when pulling away, but I was glad to get back into my RX. Whether that was down to the quality, the size or the fuel used I really don’t know!

** Takes a deep breath **

- Inflation

- Energy prices

- the Government

- the Opposition

- all other political parties and politicians 

- Nicola Sturgeon

- Wasps

- Hosepipe bans

- France

- Moles (the little beggars who dig up my garden)

- customer service (or the lack of it these days)

That’ll do for now. I’ve turned into a grumpy old man…

6 hours ago, javadude said:

I had to google APC! https://www.detailingwiki.org/detailing-miscellaneous/purpose-cleaner-apc/?quad_cc Sounds like you'd need to wax afterwards?

Properly diluted it will be fine - my car has a professionally applied ceramic coat, so a weak APC spray should act to loosen dirt, that was my thinking.

6 hours ago, Malc said:

I'm thinking a commercial car wash business might be Exempt should you be prepared to pay during this temporary ( hopes ) hiccup

Malc

^^ I was wondering about a garage with a jet wash, but can’t find one nearby. Bit of a pain!

4 hours ago, Herbie said:

You can still use the pressure washer, just put the water in a bucket and then dip the inlet hose of the pressure washer into it.

They actually use surprisingly little water but because of the pressure it comes out at, we tend to think they're using gallons.

Plenty YouTube videos here.

^^ That I did not know, will investigate! 

Thanks all. I do only wash the car about once a month, but it seems so big to rinse with a watering can at both ends of the process. Ho hum. At least it’ll keep me fit I suppose!

I live in the Thames Water area, with a hosepipe ban in force from today. The prospect of washing a car as big as the RX without use of my pressure washer isn’t something I’m looking forward to!

I’m thinking the best option may be to use an APC as a first stage, rinsed off with a watering can, then washed as normal after that. Does anybody have any other ideas?

4 hours ago, wivenhoe said:

I bought 3 PHEV’s as company cars in my own Limited company. They were treated the same as EV’s for Corporation Tax - the whole purchase cost was offset against Corp Tax in the first year. Currently say £72k x 19% = £ 14k.

The personal tax for a PHEV is more than than a EV - also dependant on the electric range. A £ 72k EV is a taxable amount of £ 1,400 a PHEV with 60 miles range (say BMW 545e) is £ 5.7k and with a 33 mile range (Range Rover Velar P400e) £8.6k. Worse case is say £ 7k x 40% = £2.8k a year. 

Thanks. I don’t understand the tax implications - fortunately I don’t need to - but he only wants an EV. They’ll have another new hybrid as well as a couple of other cars to use, so an EV makes sense all round.

1 hour ago, Kevin Williams said:

Ed, has your family member not thought of a hybrid ? Whilst waiting for my RZ. I have bought my local dealer’s Demo Range Rover Evoque P300e. I had an Evoque in 2012. It’s a great car… I have a home charger and will probably not have to fill it with petrol very often… If your family member does frequent long trips perhaps a Hybrid isn’t what he wants… I see on the net that there are 76 P300e's for sale. Which surprised me…!

He runs his own business. From a tax perspective only an EV will deliver what is needed.

Thanks @Shahpor

I think he’d looked at the EV6 and wasn’t that impressed, which is why he chose to drive the Hyundai instead. Personally I much prefer the design of the Hyundai.

TBH the cancellation of the RZ is a pain, but he’s decided to get something on a two year lease and will plan to come back to it (hopefully). With a budget that could go to £100k the Korean offerings were always going to be the value option - and we were mightily  impressed with the car for the price.

Ultimately he’ll need to decide what he can live with for a period as well as what he can actually get for March when his current lease ends. That’s why he’s willing to look at lots of quite different options.

I said in an earlier post that the delay to the RZ meant my family member was having to cancel and buy something else, as September is just too late. A proper look and test drives of the Korean offerings today was very revealing.

They’re very nice cars. Nice but not great. The lack of a rear wiper on the Hyundai IONIC5 is ridiculous, but the drive is very good. But here’s the thing. We’re spoiled by owning a Lexus - or in my relative’s case, a Range Rover.

The dealers today were laughable. Chaotic, with booked test drives unavailable (although they did make it happen) but my favourite was being referred to a ‘finance manager’ who couldn’t have been less interested; “…I can’t help you, you just need to get a quote online” because she was too busy speaking to a friend while eating Pringles! In a dealership, with members of the public around. Really! I’m pretty sure Hyundai UK would have been mortified…well, you’d hope so. 

Sorry to say, but the quality just isn’t there. It’s not bad, but it really is a significant step down from Lexus or other premium brands. The dealer ambience was Aldi rather than Waitrose - and not in a positive way. It was a real eye opener. I personally couldn’t drop to a KIA or a Hyundai based on today, as the quality of finish and service would be too much of a compromise.

Onto Volvo and the C40 Recharge next. I’m pretty sure that will be the winner, with the Mercedes being too small in the rear seats and Tesla having  ‘image’ problems now, along with poor quality based on what we’ve seen. Look at a used example with 20-30k miles and it’s really not good…

I said a while ago that my family member had ordered an RZ with expected delivery before March 2023 ordered June 2022.

That’s going to be cancelled. Lexus have contacted today to say earliest availability for an RZ will now be September 2023!

Very odd. Seems like an own goal as potential owners are now being pushed to other brands. Madness. Not what you expect from a ‘premium’ brand. Very much behind the curve here as others have mentioned.

Likely we will buy a Huyndai / KIA / Volvo instead.

Blue Peter had the petrol cost issue sorted in the 1970s…😆

9 hours ago, Malc said:

reading somewhere these past days that Costco selling E10 at  151.9p  .....  I'm many many miles from my local store sadly

 

Malc

There’s a Costco in Reading where I’m a member…but it doesn’t have a fuel filling station…😕

Meanwhile, petrol in Calcot (Reading) is down to £1.66.9 at both BP and Sainsbury.

I can only agree with other posts. Bought new RX in Nov 2021 - my third new Lexus - and it’s been faultless.

3 hours ago, Boxbrownie said:

Where did I say 60 mph was "normal" Motorway Speed?  I said that's the speed we prefer to use on the Motorway as it doesn't eat into the range much and keeps us comfortably ready to overtake trucks if needed, we find it far more relaxing.

^^ Have to be honest, even in a non-EV I tend to set my cruise control on the motorway to 70mph (so about 65mph in reality) and do find it a far more relaxing experience than dashing about. That might be my age showing and the RX experience…mind you, I was never a fast driver at any age! If any members are ever behind a white RX that always observes the speed limit then that’ll be me!

Where there are groups of lorries I can then - as you say - go faster for a short period in order to get around them quickly and safely.

47 minutes ago, Boxbrownie said:

The Tesla LR models have been doing that range, if you want them to.

For considerably less money.

The Skoda Enyaq too, albeit the familiar issue for me with an EV is demonstrated by the Skoda range calculator. Fine in the Summer in city driving, but change that to Winter and what they call ‘highway’ (assume motorway) and you lose so much range…

With the RZ starting with less range in the first place, it could really struggle against the competition given the price. Feels like a niche choice for those who want luxury and exclusivity without having to drive longer distances.

34 minutes ago, larryadler said:

The p/x I was offered on my Audi Q5, made the deal a no brainier

Indeed, the other fairly unique factor (in my lifetime, anyway) are current part-ex prices. I lost ‘only’ £5k on my NX over four years from new based on the value Lexus Swindon gave me for it. When they retailed it, they were asking the same as it cost me when new (based on the discount I got then) and it sold quickly!! Crazy…

With the RX discount, the various loyalty bonuses and the part-ex, I ended up with a ‘deposit’ of well over 50% of the price of my new RX.

Even so, I’m aware that was quite a lot to borrow, but low interest rates and the flexibility to settle at any point made the decision easy for me to make. And I do love my RX…it’s a special thing. 

38 minutes ago, Apl said:

I am thinking of moving to an RX450h. There seems to be good discounts and finance rates on the outgoing model. I am unsure to go with brand new - close to 60k- or 1-2 year old from 45k+. The PCP rates on used ones seems very high compared to new one. Anyone gone through similar thoughts?

Went through exactly this about a year ago. The used ones are generally high priced and the PCP deal for used is nowhere near as attractive (think it was 6.9% vs 1.9% when I bought in November).

Add to that the deposit contribution which you get with new but not used (£2k when I bought last year) and the Lexus loyalty bonus (£1k) added to a five figure discount…if you can still get these types of deals and you’re comfortable with the PCP monthly amount and final payment then at the moment new seems to make a lot more sense to me.

Values of the previous generations give me comfort on depreciation levels too, with a new RX due shortly.