LenT

How old are your tyres, Paul? It’s not generally appreciated that after about six years - depending on usage and exposure to UV light - tyres start to deteriorate . You should have a 4-digit code on the sidewall. The first two digits indicate the week of manufacture , the second two the year.

My Dealer experience is much the same as Vladimir’s. My Lexus is much the same age as yours, Martin. I get regular emails from my Lexus Dealer acknowledging that I’m very happy with my IS250 but wanting to keep in touch and looking forward to the next service. I don’t really see that it’s to your advantage to dismiss the possibility of ever buying another Lexus - if that’s how you’re feeling - because of your problem with one Dealer. After all, it’s not the car that you’re dissatisfied with. And you may well have helped other LOC members make their own judgement about the merits of dealing with this particular company. If there’s no convenient Dealer alternative then maybe look for a good local Indy to provide servicing.

I see the problem, Simon. You might want to consider a NOCO battery booster then, which will at least get you started. I’ve had occasion to use mine and they’re very effective. https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/583DA99D-B3DA-456D-9F41-0D20496488E7?maas=maas_adg_85FCF8C390B7891AE170567A800B7847_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzsPY7c7d-wIVD4BQBh1EzA02EAAYASAAEgJcrPD_BwE

Yes, I’ve had the same warning on very cold mornings. Usually disappears once the tyre warms up. On one occasion it led to my having the tyre valve sheered off and having to have a new TPMS fitted! But that’s another story…. But I don’t think pressing the reset button is the answer. The warning light is telling you that one - or more - of the tyres is under inflated. The reset button simply resets the pressure limit to whatever the tyre is recording. So you’re now driving around with under inflated tyres! The only answer is to get to an air supply, check the tyre pressures and re-inflate to the correct levels. If it keeps happening, check the tyre and valve for leaks. And maybe buy your own inflator?

Just curious, Simon. Do you have a trickle charger?

As has been suggested, this may simply refer to a basic protective film applied to provide some protection during shipping. It’s not to be confused with the kind of Paint Protection Film (PPF) which is invariably applied by specialist Detailers and is a very different proposition. This is typical of the product. https://www.huntsmiths.co.uk/

This may be something you’ve already done, of course, but have you considered having it professionally detailed with a high quality ceramic finish applied? It won’t stop it getting dirty, of course, but it’s dramatically easier to get clean - and you end up with a superior and longer lasting finish than the factory produced.

My IS250 certainly came with a SpaceSaver - and the moulded tray! I’ve even had occasion to use it after a helpful passerby sheared the valve trying to get the dust cap off. Which would have rendered the compressor and injectable gloop totally useless!

Very good advice! Invest in a NOCO Boost - and if you can, a CTEK trickle charger - and you should never be caught out. But you ask about the battery. Is it the original? If so, then it’s already done very well at nine years old. You should think about replacing it, especially as winter’s coming and it’ll be under extra load.

Apologies if you’ve already tried this - or I’ve completely misunderstood you - but you should be able to remove the mechanical key from the electronic case and use it to unlock the boot lid. You don’t say which 300h it is, but the key lock should be located under the lip of the boot lid. Just wondering how you got into the car if there was no power to open the boot (trunk)? Incidentally, it may be worth changing the key battery if it’s not been done before. I hope this helps!

My Elan had metalastik drive donuts off a Hillman Imp and wheel trims from a Morris Oxford. Colin Chapman was renowned for raiding the parts boxes of other manufacturers. The only difference was that you paid twice as much if you got them from Lotus!

They are the Ultimate visual deterrent- possibly second only to a Doberman in the passenger seat. I had the wheel covering version on a soft-top Elan and to my knowledge no-one ever tried to tackle it. But it was a faff to slip on and then unlock every time. And it did live on the floor behind the passenger seat. The other slight negative is that it did leave an impression on the steering wheel. On the other hand, it’s probably the cheapest and easiest security device to kick off with! You could have it working today. One point about the Ghost and similar systems: for chummy to tackle them directly, they first have to know they’re there. As for CANbus attacks, as I mentioned earlier, there are mechanical and electronic products that will isolate it.

It could be just a matter of physics. With every drop of 10C in ambient temperature, the tyre pressure will reduce by up to 2 bar. So that could be enough to trigger the system. It has certainly happened to me in the past. Using the reset button apparently just resets the system to accept the pressures in the tyres at that moment. Best answer is to reset all the tyre pressures to the correct level when cold. Steve’s point about the battery life is also very relevant. If you have the original valves then they are eight years old and - depending on mileage - may well becoming to the end of their life!

Sounds like the best possible result, Herbs. And the six month follow up is standard procedure and by then you’ll be an old hand at it. All the best for the future.

Ultimately a targeted vehicle can always be towed away, in which case a concealed tracker system comes into its own. But car security seems to revolve around how much you are prepared to spend on it and how much inconvenience you are prepared to put up with. The best advice seems to be to invest in a ‘layered system’ of security. For example, you can fit mechanical or electronic systems that will isolate the CAN bus. So the thief has to spend time removing or locating them. The attraction of the Ghost system is that the car appears to be cooperating - until the moment that it isn’t! The thief is then presented with the dilemma of whether to persist in trying to start the car or - if recognising a Ghost system - trying to bypass it. Both involve spending more time in the car and risking detection. And finally a bright yellow steering lock covering the steering wheel, combined with turning the wheels into the kerb, can be quite an effective deterrent in the first place! And the only one that should advertise its presence.

Could be a reaction to any sedation or anaesthetic you may have had? Give it another day or so, rest and don’t exert yourself. Look out for the passing of any blood. Drink as much fluid as you can! I must say that harvesting 19 polyps sounds a reasonable haul - and better out than in! But you’ve come through it very well, Herbs, so all the best for the future. I would add that you should have been given literature covering all the pre and post op procedures. If they don’t reassure you then don’t hesitate to get back to the hospital. And don’t try to preempt the biopsy results!

I think the two previous replies are sound advice. You don’t mention mileage or general condition, but this is, after all, a 15 year old car. And you do appear to have already spent a reasonable sum on repair - including bodywork - and maintenance quite recently. You could consider if you’ve had any advisories after the MoT and check its secondhand or p/x value. And if you went down that route, what would you replace it with? As has already been mentioned, Lexus has a very good reputation for reliability. So it would seem that on balance - and considering the current value of the car - you can risk continuing your ownership and get the benefit of what you’ve already invested, even though it now requires a presumably smaller sum to deal with this latest problem.

And to correct my earlier typo, his character was actually Rab. C. Nesbitt. 👍

For younger members, the comb-over hero was Gregor Fisher who later achieved fame as Rab C Nesbit.

That was my thinking too, Renato. But you’ve expressed it rather better! While not wishing to denigrate the worthy Rabbi, could his statement not also be summarised as “happiness is being content with your lot”?

“But wanting all you have is not the same as having all you want.” LenT (2022)

Considering that your video so clearly confirms that this is the weak point in the car’s security, it’s hard to believe that Toyota can’t devise some method of screening it. It’s no consolation but steering wheel locks - especially the type that cover the wheel - are a good deterrent. There are also various forms of immobiliser and trackers that will make life even more difficult for these thieves. And of course with an open driveway like yours, security posts might have put them off completely. But these are all extras that apparently the customer is supposed to add to an already expensive product. All forms of security have their negatives and all are a balance between risk and reward. And considering the initial cost of your Lexus, buyers are surely entitled to expect more effective built-in security than your experience demonstrates.

I think you must be confusing me with someone else! I have never expressed any opinion about jogging. But to reassure any joggers, studies have shown that you’re 19 times more likely to contract Covid from aerosols emitted by infected nearby individuals indoors than if you are sensibly separated outdoors. No they didn’t say that. But I think we’ve already established Eric, that you don’t know how vaccines work!

You make a good point, Malcolm. This is what the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) has to say about the fuel levy: Fuel duties are levied on purchases of petrol, diesel and a variety of other fuels. They represent a significant source of revenue for government. In 2022-23, we expect fuel duties to raise £26.2 billion. That would represent 2.7 per cent of all receipts, and is equivalent to around £930 per household and 1.0 per cent of national income.

I think Linus has identified an important point….wheel size. I think these older IS250 may have been available on 16”, 17” and even 18” wheels. The bigger the wheel, the lower the tyre profile - which leads to a firmer ride. My IS250 came with 18” wheels although my preference would have been for 17”. The ride is certainly slightly less forgiving on our country lanes than other cars I’ve had. (A Citroen DS probably set an unbeatable standard,) But it’s not something that MrsT - my resident passenger - has ever complained about. And she would! Apart from which, check that the tyres are not overinflated.