LenT

I’ve always had BlackVue cameras. In the event of an impact, the camera automatically saves a few seconds prior to the impact. The total length of the recoding can be set by the user. There is no limit to the number of recordings that can be made in such circumstances. So in a busy car park you do get quite a few videos of shoppers parking! Still, if one decided to take exception to your nice Lexus you’d know who to look for! In standby mode the activation can be by impact or by movement detected by infrared sensors eg someone walking in front or behind the car. In some cars I’ve returned to find that an impact has been recorded only to find, on examination, that it was me shutting the door on leaving the car!

Wise decision! Your car is just as likely to be attacked or damaged when it’s parked - if not more so! As a general rule, I think this is the kind of equipment best installed by a busy auto electrician - who may be doing it on a regular basis - than a dealer’s mechanic who does it occasionally. And if this Dealer keeps offering outdated cameras, then they won’t be selling many of them.

What intrigues me, Steve, is that I suspect that the services these ‘posters’ are offering is….how can I put this?…illegal! I appreciate that they are probably non-UK, but are they forwarded to some appropriate investigative agency so that they can be tracked down and a mild clubbing administered?

Look up Alloygators. They’re rim protectors and I think, from practical experience, that they’re the best thing that can happen to alloy wheels! 😊

My suspicions were aroused when I noticed that ‘wizzy millions’ apparently owned a 2025 Lexus. Is that even possible? If so, I expect he paid cash. 🤔

Well, it’s not me. I hope that helps to narrow it down. 😊

I’ve only just caught up with this thread, Stuart, but wanted to express my sympathy that you have been the victim of such mindless vandalism. I regret that I cannot offer anything practical in the form of replacement screens, but agree with Malcolm - and others - that the culprits should be exposed. I suspect that the Police may have a good idea who’s responsible for this and other instances of local criminal damage. Without clear video evidence it’s a matter of catching them in the act. I wondered if you had considered calling the local paper or TV and revealing how much this moronic activity is affecting your Life and the challenging circumstances that you are already dealing with? Of course, you may feel that that might make you even more of a target. But the culprit is almost certainly well known locally and some well directed publicity might well shame others into developing a social conscience. After all, it’s your car today - but it’ll be theirs tomorrow unless it’s stopped.

Well, I don’t have an NX350h but I have had dual cameras on cars for many years. I’ve never noticed DAB interference- and quite how a hardwired camera would interfere I’m not sure - unless the aerial connections in the rear screen were damaged during installation? I’ve never found the rear camera a distraction, despite mine having a white led to indicate that it’s powered up - because I’m focusing through the screen and beyond the camera. But most importantly, the minor temporary inconvenience of wiring one in is irrelevant compared to the additional protection it affords. When I had an HGV undertake on a motorway before pulling out and writing off my car, it was the rear camera that recorded the manoeuvre and ensured a no-quibble payout by the Insurers.. That incident alone paid for its installation many times over. So what ever the temporary problems you think there may be, I would suggest they are nothing compared to the long term benefits.

Exactly so! And it has the advantage that it doesn’t affect any of the other electrical settings. Better still, the engine will turn over - but it won’t fire up! Which means Chummy has to sit there wondering what the problem is? Short of calling out the AA, they’ll walk away rather than be caught in the car., Here’s a link to a good installation which also demonstrates a neat place to locate the switch.

Well, I do have a suggestion, Sean, but it depends on how much you want to spend on a 14 year-old car. Look for a good local Detailer and have a ceramic finish applied. I did it on my 2015 IS250 over three years ago. It turned out to be a three day process but the results were excellent and road dirt, bird lime and such like are easy to remove. In fact, a heavy rainfall does the washing for me! You can see the initial results on my LOC page.

Any decent tyre retailer should be able to do this. I’d be inclined to ring around and check out the local suppliers. Battery life can be anything from 5 to 10 years, depending on how the car’s been used. So you’re probably right about the batteries failing. Unless you were planning to fit them yourself, you might also consider getting a new set of tyres at the same time so that you do both jobs together. That way you may also be able to negotiate a discount on the total.

Why, James? If by that you mean that it is only active when the ignition’s on, then you might want to reconsider that. I’ve always wired my dashcams so that they are in standby mode when the ignition is off. After all, your car is just as likely to be attacked - if not more so - when it’s parked and unattended. I have a BlackVue and their website is full of clips catching cars damaged in car parks and attempted break-ins.

If you’re convinced it’s the Ghost, then maybe contact Autowatch directly? They don’t do installations themselves but may be aware of this problem. They’ll also confirm Model compatibility. Taking up Jon’s point about a healthy battery, it may also be worthwhile checking the battery condition. Did it drain easily before you had the Ghost and Tracker installed? If it’s the original battery it may well be approaching the end of its working life, depending on usage and maintenance.

A noteworthy achievement, Malcolm. What are your plans for commemorating the magical mileage moment of attaining the 100K mark?? Unfortunately, I see I have a prior engagement, but will be with you both in spirit.

So sorry to hear of your loss, Alan. I can understand how the diversion of a new car could be a welcome distraction at such a difficult time. 🙁

And I was just about to expose my ignorance by asking what ‘runlets’ were… Fortunately, Alan’s reply clears that up!

Now that’s another joke, isn’t it Alan, you wag! 😄 And I don’t know about your neighbours, but its certainly impressed me! 👍 I do recall that when I had to work for a living, our accountants would recommend changing cars every three years as being the most efficient way of running them. I always preferred to buy them outright - or buy them once the particular lease arrangement had expired. But I hope that the new one will give you at least as much pleasure as the current one.

The general rule of thumb is that cars depreciate by 15 - 35% in their first year - and up to 50% in the third year. But that’s in a normal market. So I wondered if you were getting a newer NX450h, or one the same age, or getting a big discount for the part exchange - or taking a hit on the depreciation? Or something else? Was it really all about a change of colour?

Mmmm… 😀 And I’m betting she doesn’t read your contributions to this website, Steve! 😡👊

A more satisfying headline might be: Lexus driver cleared by Dashcam evidence. If you don’t have one fitted, why not?

These microdot marking systems are very effective and impossible to remove without obviously damaging the surface on which they have been applied. I have them on clocks and expensive electronic equipment - and even if a car was being stolen for parts, the fact that just one microdot detected would identify the source vehicle is yet another worry for both thief and receiver. A good additional deterrent for very little effort!

In which case it will probably benefit from a weekly drive out into the country to get the engine, exhaust system and transmission up to an efficient working temperature once a week. And speaking as a north London lad myself, I always looked forward to getting away at weekends. And what country pub car park wouldn’t be enhanced by the arrival of a nice Lexus?

This clip from what I believe was a documentary, demonstrates the very effective use of a ghost immobiliser.

Well….I do Stephen! I never let my tyres get below 3mm. Apparently that’s the point at which performance deteriorates rapidly. On the other hand, my annual mileage is so low that the problem of new tyres may not be my problem!

An excellent suggestion. If location and budget permit, I think these are a very effective deterrent. When properly installed, I suspect that even ramming them might be ineffective and attract more attention than would be desirable. Apart from which, it would possibly so damage the attacking vehicle that the whole action would prove uneconomical.