LenT

Enough of the vague hints, Malcolm. What do you REALLY think? 😊

They do claim to offer Members of Car Clubs a special rate. But they don’t appear to list the LOC in their extensive Car Club list. Might be worth checking if you’re going for a quote. https://www.chrisknott.co.uk/motor-insurance/owners-club-insurance/

It’s not an NX450, but it was a couple of hours driving on a damp A road that prompted me to fit a set of mudflaps. And I’d washed it only the day before! Plenty of aftermarket options available if you’ve missed a factory fit - although the Dealer could fit them prior to delivery.

I realise now that that is certainly the case. However, my reaction the first time it happened to me was consternation! I had just replaced my first car - an old Ford Anglia - with a Citroen DS. A few weeks in and I had a warning flash from another Citroen driving towards me. Thinking that the driver might have spotted something amiss with my Citroen, I pulled in and spent some moments examining the front.….counting the wheels and such like. But no…everything seemed in order. Gradually it dawned that it was a greeting, not a warning. Totally the reverse was the case with Ford Anglia drivers!

And if they didn’t wave, it was possibly to indicate that you were driving towards a Police speed trap! Or possibly you were driving so fast that the AA badge was just a blur. Anyway, they stopped doing it when it was realised that the motorbike patrols were spending far too much time focusing on the front bumpers of an increasing volume of traffic.

Were you tempted to wave at him, Martin?

If there’s one positive aspect to this dreadful experience, Lee, it’ll be that you’ll become the most effective advocate of these products they could possibly have. It’s a sad fact that products that make cars go faster outsell those that make them safer. But it’s experiences such as yours that make the most impact on the average motorist. I don’t mean this to sound over dramatic, but in the contribution it may have on the attitude of other drivers, I feel your post may be the most important one to appear on this site this year.

Vladimir makes a very important point here, Lee. Having celebrated the survival of the three of you, the hard-nosed reality of pursuing a full claim for compensation is the next priority. Despite the presence of mind you displayed in saving your daughters, I doubt you were able to search for witnesses. So you now rely on the Police to assemble a case against the other driver and it’s their Insurers from whom your Insurers - or Claims Company - will take action. If you’ve had previous claims you’ll no doubt be well aware of the process - and it does presume that the other driver was insured in the first place! Which brings me to my own particular hobby horse - did you have a dashcam recording the event? You don’t mention it, but in these circumstances retrieving and safeguarding such evidence becomes essential. At the very least, I hope that your dreadful experience will impress upon every driver here the importance of fitting a simple dashcam as their own independent witness.

Fortunately, mine came with a SpaceSaver. But this does seem to be a very comprehensive and good value piece of kit. The only reason I would use the injectable kit is if I was physically incapable of changing the wheel or the circumstances made it dangerous or impossible. I suppose the only remaining problem is fixing the SS securely in the boot..

What an appalling and traumatic experience for you all, Lee. Your actions in saving your daughters from a car on fire are surely nothing less than heroic. I can imagine that having survived such a violent encounter has served to reinforce your faith in Lexus build quality. But it takes time to come to terms with such a potentially life-changing event. I’m sure you’ll eventually be reassured to find yourself back in the familiar surroundings of another Lexus. All the best to you and your family.

Well as you can see Martin, I have one. But I’m not too sure what your question is. I doubt you’ll get a better analysis of the IS250 than Linus has just provided. Personally I prefer the look of the 3rd Gen and the V6 is a joy to use. I’m told the Mark Levinson system is outstanding - it’s certainly better than my hearing. Linus mentioned the satnav - which I would say is an embarrassment. I always use my Garmin. The sunroof was a £1K extra when new, but brightens up the interior enough to be worth looking out for. I’ve tried the paddle shift, but frankly the autobox is so good that it’s simply more relaxing to leave it to look after the changes. I think the paddles can be useful if you want to change down for steep hills. But we don’t have too many of them in Northamptonshire! There is a ‘Sport’ mode to switch to if you want to feel you’re going quicker, but I regard mine as being a comfortable, relaxing cruiser that can be driven in a brisk manner that feels very secure. The only significant changes I made were to upgrade the main headlight bulbs and the reversing light bulb, which I thought were all a bit inadequate. I don’t honestly know how much all this differs from the IS models you’re familiar with. If there’s anything specific that I can answer, don’t hesitate to ask. Ultimately, I guess your choice is going to be decided by your budget. If it’s any guide, the Lexus dealer keeps approaching me trying to interest me in a new Lexus, but there’s simply nothing in the range that I feel is better than the one I already have. So good luck with your search.

It certainly should. The main thing - in case you didn’t previously - is to avoid taking it through car washes if you want to keep it looking as splendid as it does now. That’s something I hadn’t really appreciated when I had mine done. So now it’s time spent with buckets and foam gun - which the car appreciates but my back doesn’t. 🙁

You don’t say how many years this battery has been uncharged, but I suspect that cutting your losses and getting a new one - as others have suggested - may save you problems in the future. The electrolyte level has probably dropped through evaporation, exposing the plates. Without constant recharging, lead plates are subject to sulfation and recovery - if even possible - is best done by a dedicated charging process if further plate damage is to be avoided. Treat the next battery with more consideration - get a good trickle charger, for example - and avoid the problem in the future.

That’s what we like to hear, Nic! 😊 Sounds like you’re just the kind of caring owner your Lexus deserves. Mind you, they’re not an easy read - at least mine aren’t. Two volumes and 1100 pages! No wonder owners prefer to ask the LOC for advice! All the best with it. 👍

The battery should be a standard CR2032. I hesitate to say it, but your Manual has full instructions for replacing it - if you have one. But basically, pull out the mechanical key from the holder by pulling it while pressing the release button on the side of the fob. Using a small-bladed screwdriver, insert the blade and gently lever the case open. Replace the battery, ensuring you’ve kept the correct polarity on top, and click the case back together. Finally, slot the mechanical key back in place. Lexus recommends that you wrap the screwdriver tip in tape to protect the case - but I doubt that anyone ever does! It’s one of the simpler DIY jobs on a Lexus - they get more challenging from then on. 😊

That’s no problem, Andy. It’s how most of us started! In fact, there are posters who don’t have a Lexus now and that doesn’t stop them making valuable contributions! That’s certainly the received wisdom, thanks to the longevity of Lexus engines and generally robust engineering. But personally I’d place more importance on regular Dealer servicing ie annually instead of just mileage based. Good luck with your search and I’m sure you’ll get plenty of helpful advice from RX owners.

You’re quite right, Kamil. The ID code has to be registered with the car’s TPMS. But it should be detectable once the ignition’s on. My Manual has a couple of pages on it! if you don’t want to use a Lexus dealer for this, then any good tyre retailer should be able to do it, I would have thought. Perhaps ring around locally to check one out? And of course, set the correct cold tyre pressures before registering the valve. You should check the other three at the same time. Apologies if you already know all this!

That’s interesting, Paul. I bought my Lexus from Lexus Milton Keynes - part of the same Group, in fact where they are actually based - and have had the same excellent experience over much the same period. If anything, I’m a disappointment to them. They keep trying to interest me In a new Lexus - but I’m very happy with the one I’ve got!

I take it that you are overall satisfied with the performance of your Dealer. I’m sure it will help other Members if you would name this Dealer. Sadly, while there’s no reticence among complainers to ‘name & shame’, good customer service perhaps doesn’t get the recognition it rightly deserves.

Judging by the report in this article in Fleet News, it would appear that the Lexus RX450 is the first Lexus to enter Tracker’s Top Ten list. So that might well account for it being regarded as now presenting an additional risk. https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/fleet-industry-news/2023/02/27/first-ever-hybrid-car-makes-tracker-s-top-ten-most-stolen-and-recovered This data from the DVLA probably didn’t help your case either. It shows that the Lexus RX 450 F Sport CVT was the most stolen plug-in last year, with 160 recorded thefts in 2022, compared to 70 in 2021 - an increase of 129 percent.

I think Mark has already explained that. While it may well be the case that if your car’s stolen and stripped out for parts, then you may well be better off settling the insurance claim than getting a damaged car back. But Mark has already invested a great deal of time, money and anticipation in this specific model and clearly believes that the problem of finding - and waiting - for a replacement is not acceptable. So I quite understand that a comparatively small sum spent to expedite its possible recovery is preferable. After all, the Tracker companies have many case studies in which cars have been traced before the thieves have even had time to work on them.

I think the first thing I’d do - especially with a convertible - is go for the simpler, visible deterrent and fit a steering wheel lock. Apart from the well proven Disklock, these alternatives seem interesting. Turn the wheels hard into the kerb before fitting, and even towing the car away becomes a problem! https://geartekk.com/product/steerlock-steering-wheel-lock/?_gl=1*1pflxxn*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE2ODMzNzI0OTIuRUFJYUlRb2JDaE1JbTllcWo4dmdfZ0lWR2VydENoMG5XZ2d3RUFBWUFpQUFFZ0pjMV9EX0J3RQ..&_ga=2.33153662.1705044825.1683372492-785321425.1683372492&_gac=1.141240710.1683372492.EAIaIQobChMIm9eqj8vg_gIVGertCh0nWggwEAAYAiAAEgJc1_D_BwE I like the concept of the Ghost system. A car that appears to turn over but doesn’t fire up - or mysteriously stops after a few seconds - is not something a thief wants to be caught in and may well attract attention to them. Unless they know all about it, it will probably prompt a rapid abandonment! Ultimately - and given enough time - the best way to remove the car is to try to get it on to a low loader without triggering a motion alarm. This invariably means the car is a targeted theft and is when a Tracker system proves its worth. If chummy suspects a Tracker - and can’t immediately disable it - the usual action is to park it and see if it’s collected. Finally, basic elements of home security should not be ignored. But then I suspect you’ve already considered these! Considering the cost and rarity of the model and the time you’ve waited just to have it, I would have thought that the cost of all these measures represents a relatively small investment. But then it’s very easy to spend someone else’s money! At least you’ll know you’ve done everything practicable and can concentrate on just enjoying the car.

Welcome Paul. Did you get the Lexus from MK? Hopefully, you may find that it will actually help you overcome your agoraphobia. When I got mine, I found I was inventing shopping trips simply to experience the pleasure of driving it around. And I’ve been driving for sixty years! As has been said, there’s really nothing about Lexus cars that can’t be answered here. Although it does help to have a Manual to consult first. 😊

Yes, the settlement seems pretty fair. I’m not aware of any motor policy that will offer ‘replacement as new’. If it did, no doubt the premiums would reflect the risk! Depreciation is a fact of car ownership, in most cases. On the other hand, my Household Insurance does offer that. When the Laurel & Hardy of Appliances Direct install a new dishwasher and scratched the 15-year old laminated kitchen floor, my Insurers paid for a like-for-like new replacement. But they are taking action to reclaim the payout from Appliances Direct. So no cost to me.

Why would you guess that? Japan drives on the left, like the UK. Their cars are built as RHD.