First_Lexus

Totally agree. The infrastructure is getting there now - and improving - for EVs. The infrastructure for petrol and diesel remains. There is no infrastructure for hydrogen yet, and will likely take a few years assuming it arrives at all. As I have done, people will make a choice. I’m sticking with petrol/hybrid as EV doesn’t work for me at the moment. Others will move to EVs. If hydrogen arrives, there will be early adopters as there were for electric a few years ago and the combustion engine itself at the beginning of the twentieth century. Sorry to be a misery, but I’m not sure what the purpose is for threads like these now. I don’t see people changing opinions, I simply see entrenched views on all sides. They’ve become nothing but echo chambers.

I don’t see why that isn’t more widely adopted. After all, Citroen introduced it for the oft stolen Saxo in the 1990s! It never caught on though…

I do understand your point, but brands have always done this sort of thing. Putting tyres to one side for a moment, ‘less desirable’ brands have always loaded their models with more equipment at a lower price in order to try and tempt people away from ‘prestige’ or ‘more desirable’ brands. When I was young in the 1970s the family firm made a conscious decision to move away from Mercedes company cars and go to Vauxhall/Opel for exactly this reason. The absolute quality wasn’t there, but the owner/drivers loved that their new cars were stuffed full of electric windows, cassette decks, tinted glass and the like - all of which were optional extras on the previous and much dearer Mercedes. The point about Nissan above - to me - fits that same premise all these years later. Returning to tyres, I don’t think we can say Lexus is fitting ‘shoddy’ tyres. Yokohama, Dunlop, Bridgestone all are good brands. The reality is that most people don’t really notice or care. On a car forum the representative sample of views is likely to be quite different to the public at large imho. That aside, I do think Lexus is penny pinching in some areas considering the cost of the product. The bonnet strut on a UX is a small but good example. They must reason that the extra ‘perception of quality’ a gas strut would provide isn’t a deal breaker for almost anybody - and they’re probably correct - but in terms of long term satisfaction it’s that sort of thing that gets into the subconscious. I think they used to be called ‘surprise and delight’ features. I’d say the plastic door trims on the UX are far more important, and personally I think the quality there really does let the side down in an important area.

I replaced the Yokohama standard fit with Avon and they were excellent, with softer ride and less road noise. Plenty of threads on this subject and plenty of different opinions though… For me, based on experience, I’d go with Avon or Falken. Personally I’ve not had good experience with Michelin (think a couple of other members have posted similar) although accept reviews of the ‘Cross Climate’ are excellent. https://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/138996-another-new-tyre-thread/#comment-1278821

Only yesterday afternoon, returning home in the late afternoon, I came across a bicycle being ridden on a narrow (ish) B-Road. I came up behind it just before a series of bends, so couldn’t see whether there traffic coming towards me that would make the pass safe. I waited. It took perhaps 15 or 20 seconds for me to be able to see and pass safely… In that time the panel van behind me almost went crazy. Remember, this was only for 15 or 20 seconds. He honked his horn, waved out of his window and was clearly agitated. I noted when he passed the cyclist he did NOT leave a safe distance either. I hope there is karma coming his way at some time. It wouldn’t matter if he was in an electric van, a hydrogen van or a diesel. He’d be a moron in any of them and based on that single experience he has no business having a driving licence.

A somewhat pointless ‘survey’ from an organisation I’ve never heard of and without any context (who was asked, how were they asked, how many were asked, were they asked or did they volunteer etc.) The article was published in the Daily Mail…enough said! I’m just a bit surprised that they’re not claiming Meghan Markle drives a BMW and that’s why they’re so rude… ”Andy Moody, founder and managing director of GoShorty, said: ‘Sadly, our powers cannot make the UK's rudest drivers more considerate on the road, but we can help save you money with more efficient insurance options.’ ^^ Translation - “We are desperate for publicity and free advertising, so we made up a survey and paid the Daily Mail to publish it in order to try and grow our business.” Cynical? Moi? 😁

My disability makes riding a bicycle impossible, but I’d love a Renault Twizy (or similar) for local travel to the shops etc. The only thing stopping me - apart from cost as I’ve already got two cars - is wondering how other road users would ‘treat’ a Twizy. It’s more like a car than a bicycle, but I’d still bet some people would be impatient with the 35-40mpg realistic top speed…

It was a great recommendation @RONNIE W HODGEKINSON I insured with Chris Knott today, good service and a very competitive price matched to my lowest comparison site quote (actually they beat it). Many thanks, much appreciated!

I’ve just moved to Chris Knott following a recommendation on here as my existing insurer (Aviva) doubled my renewal premium! Chris Knott seem good, very efficient and a good price matched to my lowest comparison quote (like for like). They’ve insured me through LV at a price less than half that which LV quoted direct! Weird…

Full disclosure - I like my SUV. The RX is a brilliant thing. I also NEED the height an SUV offers now due to my (deteriorating) mobility. Only in 2012 I bought a Honda Accord - which I loved - but now I simply wouldn’t be able to easily get in and out of such a low vehicle…but I digress… What I don’t understand is why Lexus are ignoring model type diversity. As others have noted, they already have plenty of SUV models across all sizes. Surely the CT replacement should be a Golf/Focus competitor? It makes little sense to me, but one assumes the predicted sales numbers stack up otherwise they wouldn’t be doing it. Would they?

Indeed, mine has more than DOUBLED year over year with Aviva from £350 to £750 a year with no claims or changes. Comparison sites have reduced that down to £535 but even so…😬 All I will say is that I’m in the middle of a 400 mile round trip. Having spent almost four hours in the RX this morning, I’m content to pay albeit through gritted teeth “…because I’m worth it.” 😆

Out of interest, how long did it take to achieve a full charge from a domestic socket? Looking online the Model 3 takes 24-36 hours to fully charge from empty from a UK domestic socket? For a weekend trip that seems like an awful lot of inconvenience? Is that what you meant, as I’m in the middle of a 400 mile round trip in my RX and will only have to fill it up once at the start and again at the end. What’s the range of your Tesla? Just curious really to fully understand… Charging time for a Tesla Model 3 Charging method Typically found at Charging time* Empty to full 3-pin plug Home 24 - 36 h 3.6kW Home / Work 15 - 22 h 7kW Home / Work / Public Locations 8 - 12 h

Indeed, my 2021 has Dunlop Sport Maxx which seem fine to me. I’ve only ever seen other similar RX running Bridgestone Dueller or the Dunlops. Having had Yokohama BluEarth on my NX I wasn’t that impressed as they seemed noisy when compared with my Winter tyres (Falken). A change to Avon for Summer tyres made a big difference with a more compliant ride and lower noise levels in the cabin. Based on a few experiences my ‘go to’ tyre brands tend to be Falken and Avon for the balance of performance vs price.

I notice that the door mirrors are folded, indicating the car was (almost certainly) locked. How do they do that without a key, i.e. if it was stolen using CANBUS theft? Is it a case of once they’re ‘in’ so to speak they can do pretty much as they wish?

Coming from two NX followed by my current RX, I’ve considered an EV and now have two relatives who own them - one with a company Tesla Model Y and one a Kia Niro. My personal choice, having experienced a test drive, would be the Hyundai IONIC5. From my perspective it strikes an acceptable balance between practicality, price, range, and build quality. The Volvo range is solid (surprise!) but limited range tends to be an issue based on my needs. As I’ve said on other threads on this subject, for me the EV limitation of motorway speeds and colder Winter weather makes my 250 mile weekly round trip to my office just slightly too far without a recharge along the way. That’s an inconvenience I’m not prepared to live with yet as I simply don’t need to. I wouldn’t consider a Tesla, partly because I find the tech baffling, partly because the build quality is so poor, and partly because of the ‘new money’ image they seem to attract. That’s a personal choice, understanding that the range of the Tesla would be acceptable for my needs - it’s just that the rest of the experience isn’t.

^^ Why avoid Churchill out of interest? I’ve never been with them, but they’re the cheapest quote for me this year, £250 cheaper than Aviva (who I’ve been with 3 years) for equivalent cover and over £100 cheaper than anybody else on the comparison websites. I’ve submitted a quote request to Chris Knott this afternoon based on the recommendation given @RONNIE W HODGEKINSON Will be interested to see how they compare as tbh I’ve never heard of them!

For the bugs, I’m afraid a proper wash is the best solution. If the paintwork is either relatively new or well protected (or both!) they should come off fairly easily with a mitt and good car shampoo, even better with snow foam first. There are also specialist bug remover sprays which can help, but should be used in conjunction with the full wash. I use this one: https://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/gyeon-bug-grime-remover The seagull mess needs to be removed quickly. The simplest method is to get a damp cloth or damp kitchen towel, and leave it over the affected area for 20-40 minutes. This softens the poo and should allow it to be removed without rubbing and thus risk of scratching. Good luck! I hate it when this happens…

My point was that it’s ridiculous that a car like the RX can’t do it with the standard navigation (but can with Apple CarPlay options such as Waze) - hence my reference in another related thread that previous (older and cheaper) Hondas managed to do it where the RX cannot. I wasn’t saying that needing to mute radios to hear navigation was ridiculous.

My RX insurance has more than doubled with Aviva this year, I assume for similar reasons. In contrast, the cost for my MINI Cooper (same driver, same address etc) has stayed the same.

Personally I’d go back to Honda having had a few, all of which were excellent. Lexus tempted me away, and I’ve been very happy with my NX and RX, but this specific issue and the seeming lack of urgency from Lexus is making me think twice about another one.

I’m really sorry to read this @Fatts. I absolutely love my RX, but the length of time this vulnerability has been known about with no tangible action taken to date by Lexus is unacceptable IMHO. One thing is for sure. If mine is stolen - ignoring the distress and inconvenience, especially considering my disability - it wouldn’t be replaced with another Lexus RX waiting to be a crime statistic! Probably a stupid question, but where do the stolen cars go? Surely in this day and age with all the websites like Car Vertical people don’t buy something worth this much without thorough checks? So where do they go and what is the point of the theft?

The problem here is that these things are very subjective. I’ve had my RX for eighteen months and find the seats amazingly comfortable. I have a disability which makes car seats very important to me and the RX simply delivers (as did my previous NX) in ways others do not. My specialist has noted - although he won’t recommend particular cars - that the most important measurements for me are the relationship between steering wheel, pedals and depth of seat base. Anything too long causes issues with my thighs and hips (step forward BMW for one that I can’t use because the base is too long in most cases). That said we’re all different. I’m nowhere near 13 stone (more like 10) so my experience is bound to be different in the same way that ‘backs’ are all different, preferred seating positions etc. I can’t find it now, but there was a similar post on the seat comfort from another member so you may not be completely alone, simply with a more niche view or experience. Based on some of your other posts - and the majority view on the forum - my personal view is that the ‘issues’ you are having problems with aren’t really problems for most people. Things such as the non-muting navigation when playing music (which is ridiculous tbh, but it does mute on Waze through Apple CarPlay) and the cruise control going downhill (believe caused by regeneration on a hybrid so not really a fault). If you’re feeling unhappy with the car on such minor points then my advice would be to trade it back in while prices are high and buy something else. The risk if you don’t is that these things will niggle away at you, like a car with a slight rattle or poor quality paint does for me. Like I said, we’re all different. Personally I wouldn’t suffer, I’d swallow hard and move on with another vehicle.

I used to own a 1974 998cc Mini Clubman that sounded a bit like that…but only when the exhaust needed replacement! 😆

I’ve experienced issues at low speeds in my hybrid when running only on electric power. It wasn’t duck murder in my case, but in car parks you have to be careful as people simply don’t hear you coming. On one occasion a jogger on the pavement (running in the same direction as I was travelling) simply ran across the road in front of me. I was only doing about 20-30mph and was aware of her. Fair to say it shocked her when she realised there was a huge RX behind her! I have become even more aware of these types of potential hazards, and as long as both drivers and pedestrians follow the accepted rules and take care we should all be ok. Wildlife on the other hand is a bit trickier…

Owning and driving an RX my insurance renewal has just come through - Aviva - and has risen from £374 last year to £780 this year!!! I’ve made no claims, same details etc. I have to wonder whether the theft figures on the RX (Canbus) is having an effect… LV wanted £1800 (lol) and Direct Line similar to Aviva renewal. Comparison sites have got the renewal ‘down’ to £535 with Axa, but there is clearly something going on. I live in a pretty low risk area (for the South East). This will be the most I’ve paid for insurance in 10 years. For comparison my other car - a MINI Cooper - has seen no such increase yoy. It was £90 last year, it is £92 this year (occasional SDP use only, classic policy).