LenT

46 minutes ago, true blue said:

I bought a full size wheel put it in a nylon cover and have it in the back of the car between the seats ,chose this as it does not inconvenience us and the French do not approve the use of space savers on the motorway toll roads.

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!

1 hour ago, B1RMA said:

It goes from dark red to gold to dark bronze then greeny gold. As you move around it it changes colour in a very entertaining way, photo's can't replicate the movement.

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!

7 hours ago, Barry14UK said:

Perhaps the old Citroen air system should be introduced where on stopping the car dropped down very low then majestically rose in an instant on starting.  Somebody I knew had one on a DS and said it gave a wonderfully smooth ride.  Not much room to crawl under when car is left in low position.

 

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.

2 hours ago, Sundance said:

the need to take a break (brake?)...

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.

9 minutes ago, AndrewLast said:

Hi 

anyone knows how to reset the TPMS sensors on the 2019 ES300h??? 

i remember on my IS there was a button some place.

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!

48 minutes ago, madasahatter said:

I also have a sign about 18 inches i hang from interior mirror. Do not wash this Vehicle please

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.

1 hour ago, OldTrout said:

I wish I had known about these when I first got my car. I hardly ever touch the kerb now.

Can tyres be replaced with Alligators in place?

John

Yes John.  They can.

1 hour ago, Las Palmas said:

saw the video and it was glued on. The gator is hammered in and might be sitting longer time and standing a bit more abuse. Not that I need one now, as waiting for rim contact with curb before I let the wheel repair and paint in either colour of car or black. Both cases a black gator may be hammered in.

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!

6 minutes ago, Mincey said:

Thanks Len - I've not seen rim protectors before so I clearly put 2 and 2 together and got 7!

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

1 hour ago, Mincey said:

This has made me remember something. Many years ago I was driving down the A14 while it was being upgraded (40mph limits - such fun) and a disc, the size of a wheel and like one of those frisbees you'd throw for a dog (more hooplike than solid) was kicked up from the road by the van in front and bounced across my bonnet and up and over the windscreen. It left a fair few scratches on the bonnet and I've always wondered what it was. Could it have been one of these rim protectors?

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.

7 minutes ago, Rabbers said:

While waiting for an alignment check at a tyres/alloys shop in Denmark a few years ago, I learned from a chat with the owner that his sales

of AlloyGators, of which he was a stockist, were so good that he was negotiating for a bigger sales area.  His optimism regarding potential

sales was based on the fact that, contrary to his original expectations, the customers wanting to hide pre-existing damage to their rims were

more numerous than those looking to get protection from new, the latter being a smaller market.

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.

On 4/21/2021 at 1:03 PM, dutchie01 said:

a paper towel and Luke warm water work just as good. shows you that not every invention is an answer to a question?

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.

On 4/23/2021 at 7:45 AM, Jayw13702 said:

...one of the mechanics has dropped a trim tool and it fell under the hybrid battery, that’s what was rattling about 

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?

5 hours ago, Sundance said:

 AlloyGators seem more rugged, not so easy to fit (YouTube) and don't appear to look very subtle but then they may be more effective. 

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!

7 hours ago, true blue said:

Hi Len I have considered using a coating of some sort to combat the Gulls here in Morecambe ,but I am concerned about the preparation work becoming contaminated in the time before I could seal the coat as my garage is not big enough to work inside .

 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.

25 minutes ago, cruisermark said:

I don't check my car but I do make sure my nails dont hit the part behind the handle to prevent scratches and I never let my feet touch the sill protector plastics.

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

25 minutes ago, Spacewagon52 said:

In future, I will be taking a look at the tyres each day before driving the vehicle.

Many years ago (!) a friend with an old Land Rover used to park overnight in a north London side street, facing slightly downhill.  Over the course of some months he had three nails imbedded in the near side front tyre.  He just thought he was incredibly unlucky.

Until one early morning approaching the front of the car he saw something glinting in front of the tyre.  It was a nail carefully propped up against the tread.  From then on, regular checks became routine.

Fortunately he never discovered the culprit!

1 hour ago, ALAW said:

Wow lucky there Len. You've made me think now about a dashcam. There has been a few LHD lorries side swiping I'm always wary when having to pass these.

Apparently Brent it’s the most common cause of motorway accidents involving LHD trucks.  Obviously your dashcam isn’t going to stop them changing lanes, but if you survive it the aftermath becomes a lot easier - especially if the evidence shows you were blameless.  And of course if you’re a victim of such as the so-called ‘Cash for Crash’ scam, it not only exonerates you but also provides evidence for a prosecution.

Incidentally, if you look at the Accord you can see the rubber marks from the impact of his front offside wheel as it was turned to the right and hit the rear wheel arch,  spinning the car round! 

One word of caution, however.  You have to remember that the camera is not JUST recording what OTHER drivers are doing...!

15 hours ago, true blue said:

With regard to the roof ,I think you are right with the bird poo ,we have a problem here with gulls which can really make a mess of paint 

I’m not clear if you’ve already covered this point, but as you’re obviously getting tooled up to do your own ‘detailing’, I wonder if you’d considered applying a ceramic coating?  It would certainly provide better bird poo protection than you’re possibly getting right now.

On 4/2/2021 at 6:37 PM, rich1068 said:

Well I gave it a bit of a wash. I've a feeling someone had gone over it with some of that coloured polish 

Well the original shots looked pretty clean and it can only get better!  Like Lexus reds, the Accord really responded to deep, dramatic colours.

My Prelude was probably the same red and it always scrubbed up pretty well.

However, like most reds I suspect, it was rather vulnerable to sun-fade over the years. Which became a slight problem if any respraying was called for!

You should find that any good tyre retailer will be able to supply a replacement TPMS valve.  You don’t need to get them from Lexus.

Call a local company and all they need are the car details.  When I had to replace one - as a result of a passing motorist trying to help to release a sticking valve cap and snapping the valve off! - I simply drove to a nearby tyre centre who fitted a replacement for £75 and coded it in to the system.

I’d be inclined to try this route first.

Hope this helps.

As it hasn’t been mentioned, I take it that no-one was fortunate enough to have these incidents captured on a dashcam.

Having had them, front and rear, on my last two cars, I have found that they have more than paid for themselves.  These kinds of unattended and damaging  parking hits, where the culprit believes they’ve got away with it, I think are particularly satisfying when they discover they were caught in the act!

I would urge every motorist to protect themselves with these devices.  After all, they don’t only identify the guilty, they can also establish your innocence.  The so-called ‘Cash for Crash’ scams are just one example.