LenT

May I also offer for consideration the word ‘unique’. So many people fail to grasp that the word ‘unique’ is, well...unique. It stands magnificently alone, requiring neither explanation, qualification or adornment. Things are not ‘very’, ‘pretty’ or ‘almost’ unique. They are either unique or they are not unique. Unless, of course, they are uniquely unique!

I’m with you there, Malcolm. I used to do a lot of clay shooting and would often meet a lovely Scottish couple. We would often be on the same squad and so spend most of the day together. But you have identified the problem. While I had no problem with his wife’s accent, I struggled to understand him. But this didn’t discourage him from having long - and rather one-sided - conversations with me. Ultimately I had to judge from his expression whether a chuckle or a concerned frown was the correct response. That we always parted on friendly terms suggests I mainly got it right.

You’re right there Andy. Or should it be ‘your’? Even respected dictionaries are now conceding that while ‘bored of’ is grammatically wrong, common usage- such as even in the Daily Telegraph, no less - will eventually elevate it to the norm. But language develops all the time. It’s an organic process, powered by such factors as new technology, influenced by peer pressure and initiated by poor diction, sloppy writing and careless education. Whether this will result in a more homogeneous society or a more disparate one, is debatable. There may be an increasing divergence between written formal, legal and business language, and spoken social, ‘tribal’ dialogue. The usual rationale is that it doesn’t matter as long as the meaning is clear. After all, Bill Shakespeare was slightly inconsistent about how he spelt his own name, not to mention many of the more common words. And as for communication, well when he couldn’t think of an appropriate word, he invented a new one - about 200 of them! The downside of that is will the audience you’re addressing understand a word you’ve just invented? What we are witnessing is the development of the ‘meme’ - a word invented by Richard Dawkins to describe ideas and behaviour that spread by means of imitation within a culture. In reality it has always been with us.

Sound advice, Chao. But I think suction cups are doomed to fail eventually. So why do you want to use a suction cup in the first place? If it’s because you want to be able to remove the camera frequently for security, then doing that is likely to reduce its effectiveness. Also, being plastic, sunlight will gradually harden it, reduce its flexibility and. again, increase its tendency to drop off. Did it not come with a double sided adhesive pad? Applied to clean glass these are more effective. But you also say you’d like to fit a dual camera system. I have a BlackVue example and I can certainly confirm that the extra cost is a worthwhile investment. But you would soon tire of removing both cameras if they were fixed by suction cups! Incidentally, I have on a few occasions observed cars doing risky overtakes in order to get up to my back bumper - but instead of doing a similar manoeuvre to get past, they drop back! My guess is that the drivers have got close enough to spot the rear camera. But that’s already too late!

But surely that’s only valid if you regard Helen as a myth. Was she not actually a mythrs?

I hope you were clear, Linus, that I was supporting you in this instance. As I suggested, the problem was probably down to Predictive Text rather than not knowing the difference. Oh, and no time to proof read! In fact I suffered a PT event in my own post, but let it through as it amused me. For clarification, the homonyms in the last line were a joke! Sadly, the people who really don’t know the difference between, for example, it’s, its, they’re, their and there, are legion. But as you say, as long as the meaning is clear, it’s only going to irritate a passing pedant. And who cares about them? But in a transparent attempt to bring this back to the subject of Insurance (!), a cynic might argue that it is a field in which the art of precise ambiguity is practiced at a very high level. So definitions are precise enough to constrain the Insured, but flexible enough to be reinterpreted by the Insurer.

You certainly seem to have considered most eventualities - and rightly so. But would I be right In thinking that while a spacesaver may not be illegal on a French motorway, they discourage its use because the maximum speed (50mph/ 80km) could present a hazard? Also wondered about the spare wheel in the back of the car between the seats. Do you tie it down in any way? Dread to think of the havoc it could cause in the event of an impact!

Sounds like it’s the ideal way to confuse.witnesses. 🙂

A couple of years ago, after a helpful lad had snapped the valve clean off the tyre, I need a replacement there and then. The nearest source was a large tyre retailer about half a mile away. I'd taken the wheel off and they were able to immediately supply and fit a matching TPMS valve for the sum of £65 plus £13 VAT - including refitting the wheel. I've no idea what brand it was but I've had no problems at all with it. So I would imagine that if you go to an established tyre shop, you'll be fine. After all, there's a good chance that what ever 'brand' they use is quite possibly the same Company that makes for Toyota! It also occurs to me that if ALL four valves are leaking around the seals, then you may have to bite the bullet and accept that this may be age-related. In any case, if these are the original TPMS valves, then the batteries are reaching the end of their effective life. If you're planning to keep the car much longer, than it may be more cost effective to replace them all in one hit and possibly negotiate a discount, rather than wait for them to expire one by one!

I had one for a while and you’re absolutely right, Barry. I don’t think there was room for a trolley jack in the lowered position. But while the action was certainly majestic, it wasn’t quite instant! This Citroen was not a good choice if you needed a fast getaway, for some reason. In fact I do recall that from starting the engine to driving off, there was plenty of time to catch the surprised attention of passers-by. Of course, the system also gave you the ‘ploughed field’ position and eliminated the need for a jack if removing a wheel. It was - and still is - an astonishing car in many respects and why it’s still not in production in a some updated form is a mystery to me.

Slight digression here, Rowley, but this error/typo seems to crop up a lot on this site. I would point out that Linas does get it right for the penultimate word of his last post. But I have noticed it occurring even in the titles for posts, with someone asking for advice about their ‘breaks’. Now as someone who made a career out of writing, I am always irritated by the common errors prevalent when people try to write the way they talk, but...the chance that a car enthusiast doesn’t know the difference between ‘brake’ and ‘break’ seems vanishingly small to me. So in such instances I’m inclined to blame the dictatorial hand of the Predictive Test Monster - a shadowy figure lurking in the background and waiting to pounce on a barely completed word, determined to change sense into nonsense. I know I’ve nearly fallen victim and this site does seem to employ a particularly vindictive predictive! So all I can suggest is that before posting, everyone checks, cheques and Czechs again.

Well, on my IS the button is about inline with the steering column and tucked away under the dash. I usually found it easiest to locate by crawling into the footwell with a torch! But it may be somewhere more sensible on an ES. It was reset by having the ignition on and pressing the button until the indicator light flashed. You then leave the ignition on for some minutes while the sensors stabilise. Again, that’s how it worked on my IS. Hope this helps.

I’ve always regarded ‘run flat’ as a bit misleading. The idea is that for a slight weight penalty per tyre occasioned by the thicker side walls, you can continue to drive on a punctured tyre. But the extra weight was offset by the claim that you didn’t need to carry a spare wheel. However, it’s not that simple. Firstly the speed and range of the failed tyre is severely restricted. Basically just enough to get the tyre to where it can be changed. There’s also, apparently, the very real risk of damaging the wheel rim. And if the tyre damage is in the sidewall itself, then the tyre could lose its integrity and collapse, so it would be undrivable, unsalvageable and again lead to wheel damage. So the question, Mike, is what we’re you planning to do in the event of a tyre failure if you didn’t have a spare? It might depend where it happened, of course. If it was a slow leak on a motorway then limping to the next service station might be an option. If it was an offside wheel that was undrivable, then I’d wait (ideally safely away from the car!) and call for the professionals - because even they sometimes get killed changing those! Of course it maybe that for some reason you’re not in a position to change a wheel for yourself, even if you had one. Clearly there are many scenarios one can create. But on balance I would have thought that you ARE better off having a spare than not. Mine came with a Spacesaver - which I preferred to use when a Goodyear that is, apparently, classed as a run-flat, suffered a broken valve. Ultimately it’s far better to have one and not need it, than need it and not have one!

That’s a good idea. 👍

It’s an interesting point you make, David. And one that had never occurred to me. The regular servicing of my last few cars had invariably culminated in the ‘complementary’ car wash. And to be fair, I never had any problem with that. But then I recently had the car ‘detailed’ and a ceramic coating applied. Now, in my twilight years, I find I’m supposed to be hand washing my cars again in order to avoid the dreaded swirls imparted by car washes and lads with sponges. Ironic, really, as I invested in order to make my life easier. Now, as you point out, I must ensure that the Lexus dealer doesn’t treat me to the ‘complementary’ car wash. Mind you, I don’t particularly blame the car wash lads. I doubt that they are given the time - or incentive - to practice the standard of expertise that we would find acceptable.

Yes John. They can.

That’s exactly right, John. I chose Alloygators over Rimblades because I too thought that a system that relied on gluing was not going to be as easy to replace or rectify if a problem occurred. If you want to replace a Rimblade, then you surely have to remove all traces of the previous adhesive before you can fit a new one. That’s probably as popular as cleaning out a tyre after using the sealant kit!

You don’t work for the Inland Revenue, do you?

So that's where it went! But seriously....a dislodged Alloygator would not, I think, look anything like a frisbee. It's basically a very thin strip of plastic that's joined into a loop by another short plastic strip. Once the ends are joined I would think it's very difficult for the strip to come off the rim intact. This is because, as far as I can see, when the strip is malleted onto the rim and the ends joined, it is then shorter than the length required to completely remove it from the rim. Kerbing can certainly move the strip slightly away from the rim. But whether that could be enough to leave the rim completely, not so sure. Especially if the joining strip is intact. In any case, glancing at the wheels before driving off will always give an early warning of possible trouble. If the joint failed than possibly the strip could come off the rim, but as an obvious length of plastic.

An interesting observation. From my own experience, if the kerbing damage is indeed restricted to the rim, then fitted a set of Alloygators is significantly cheaper than having the alloys repaired. It might well be a useful option when selling the car.

Possibly. And a remedy I have resorted to when at home and near a convenient source of warm water. But as James can testify, avian toilet habits know no boundaries. They are just as likely to exercise their prerogatives over the wild expanse of a supermarket car park. Knowing that he has a proven solution that he can carry in his boot, ready for instant action, must make leaving home a more relaxing experience. I for one will be checking my boot to ensure that I will not be caught short on leaving home.

So...did you keep the trim tool, regarding it as a free gift from the garage and feeling that if the mechanic was still looking for it, then that was punishment enough for their carelessness and a reminder to pay attention next time? Or did you storm back to the garage and slowly and patiently explain the error of their ways? Or did you decide you would reveal to other concerned Lexus owners in the Devon area who perpetrated this waste of time so that they could have a good laugh at the mechanic's expense at their next visit?

When I got the Lexus it was my first experience of low profile tyres on alloys. It was winter and the kerbs were hidden by snow. Unfortunately not hidden from the rims, which found them in the first weeks. Our local ChipsAway guy did a splendid repair job, but at £90 (inc. VAT) a wheel it was going to prove an expensive hobby. With low kerbs, narrow country lanes and deep potholes to face, alloys live a tough life in these parts. The guy who did my detailing was already on his third claim against the local road authority for alloy damage by unreported potholes. So two years ago I had a set of black Alloygators fitted for £120 and they've definitely paid for themselves. Now I'm not really aware of any kerbing, as it would be silent anyway. But if I see a scuff on the Alloygator I just think of the rim repair that I've been saved! The plastic rim can in fact be smoothed down if any scuff is too obvious. Some people do refer to stories of Alloygators coming off and marking the bodywork, or collecting grime under the Alloygator, but that's not anything I've heard of or experienced myself. When I did bump a kerb and moved the Alloygator slightly off the rim, I just deflated the tyre and tapped it back with a soft-faced mallet. I did it on the car but it's probably easier if you take the wheel off and lay it flat. You can get all the bits from Alloygator - the rims, the joining pieces and the fixing glue - but it does require special clippers to cut to length and punch the fixing holes into the ends of the plastic. Hence I preferred to get them fitted! I chose black to blend in with the tyre, but the more fashion-conscious of you could opt for a contrasting colour and make a feature of them! I have seen that one fitter suggests that they should be replaced about every two years - well, they would, wouldn't they. But it is something I will probably get done. Alternatively, of course, you can always drive around and never go anywhere near a kerb or pothole. Good luck with that!

Sounds like a worryingly high level of avian incontinence you have there, Dave. What are you feeding them? 🙂 Clearly you’re already investing a substantial amount of time, effort and cash on your Lexus, so if the initial application of a ceramic coating is the problem, have you considered using a local detailer? I note that there are a few operating in Morecambe. I suppose it very much depends on the overall condition of the car, how long you plan to keep it and initial cost as opposed to what is currently involved in your ongoing battle of the Birds. Here in the Midlands our local birds can be similarly inconsiderate regarding their toilet activities. I keep my Lexus out of the garage for my convenience, not as theirs. So one reason for having it professionally detailed was to remove ‘poo panic’ - the fear of missing the latest deposit.

I can’t help thinking that passengers must be a constant source of concern. ☹️