LenT

1 hour ago, Spacewagon52 said:

Once the software/hardware is eventually sorted, I think autonomous vehicles will be safer than drivers. 

If the link below works, this is an example of a safe, successful journey by an autonomous vehicle.  But of course the more that occur, the greater the chances that one will not be so uneventful.

https://inews.co.uk/news/environment/nissan-driverless-car-autonomous-vehicles-travel-milton-keynes-sunderland-394389

And of course driverless pods have been trundling around Milton Keynes for some years now. 

1 hour ago, Spacewagon52 said:

It might be an age thing, but I find the standard of driving in my town seems to be getting worse now the lockdown is easing.

It may well be an age thing as I thought that years before COVID-19 was invented.  So it’s probably just a factor of more drivers returning to driving!

10 hours ago, Spacewagon52 said:

This may be of interest,

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56854417

 

 

Ah!  But are you suggesting that a Tesla without a driver would have worse road manners than a Tesla WITH a driver?

On 4/21/2021 at 12:32 PM, Robertdt said:

I came to my Lexus from a boring old reliable Honda Accord and Honda had already jumped ship and stopped selling new ones in the UK or I would have bought another.

Me too!

I had an Accord for six years - and a Prelude for 15 before that - and would have ordered another the day after it was written off, except Honda had stopped selling it in the UK.

As it happens, I’d had an MR2 for three years before the Prelude but knew nothing about Lexus.  It just happened that the Lexus dealer was the first one I passed when I set aside a day to tour the usual suspects.

And the one I bought proved to be the only one I tried!

Turned out alright in the end, though. 🙂

Hello Ken.  Fascinating to be taken through your car buying journey.  No surprise to some of us that you decide to keep your Lexus and change your wife's car. 🙂

As it happens, the Suzuki is an excellent choice.  Some years ago my wife had an early Vitara 4x4 which coincided with a very snowy winter and proved an outstanding performer during business trips around the North of England.  On retiring she decided she would have the same again.  But on visiting a Suzuki dealer she discovered that the latest version had grown substantially - and she doesn't like big cars.  Fortunately standing next to it was a  smaller offering called the SX4.  As the memorably named Suzuki SX4 SZ5, it has served her reliably for the last 12 years and she has resisted all suggestions to change it for the latest version.

These days I think this is a marque that deserves wider recognition.  Mind you, much depends on the dealer network.  The dealer we bought it from turned out to be rubbish at servicing it.  And the dealer we found that has been providing excellent service for the last 11 years...closed down last year - a victim of slow Covid-19 sales!

1 hour ago, Alex S. Driver said:

Thanks guys. I didn't read your replies until after I'd done the deed but I must admit when I used the blade I was thinking - "Now, I've got to be ultra careful here". It's an interesting issue. I'm unsure but I think that anything fabric has got more potential to capture and drag grit that a clean silicon blade - Dunno! 🤔. I used a very light sweeping motion and tried to avoid using any real pressure - just skimmed it over the surface. It was very effective at removing the water I must say, and the drying towel did the rest in one go.

Any my god, those wheels are deep. I can see why your detailing guy takes them off and cleans them from the back side, Chris.

Well that’s an outstanding result, Graeme.  Worth the effort and almost certainly increased the property values around you.

PS. My apologies, Graeme, for calling you Chris in my previous post.  And further apologies for possibly confusing Chris!

3 hours ago, wendle said:

I don't know about the others on this site but personally that silicon drying blade is giving my the gitters, sorry but i would never use one of these, even the slightest bit of muck under the blade will scratch the paintwork, a drying towel is much better as it will lift the muck away from the surface. other than that you are ready to go.

I’m inclined to agree re drying blade.  I noticed it when Chris mentioned it, but you know after going through the shampooing- possibly twice, one with the mitt - then the rinsing, there shouldn’t really be any grit left.  Certainly the drying towel is the way to go, but even they are at their best when pulled across the paint surface.

I hesitate to say this, but there is a possibility of getting a bit anal about the washing of a car!  Of course if Chris goes the ceramic coating  route then then that will provide a much more resilient surface than the original paint.

Yes, weather looks good - just avoid bright sunshine if applying polishes.  I’m sure you’ll be delighted with the results, Chris.

PS - Love the buckets!

On 4/18/2021 at 6:12 PM, Mike Compton said:

It didn't come with a spare tyre - is it worth getting a run flat one - any idea of cost.

A run-flat would be a full size tyre/wheel so it would have to match the others to be used as a spare, because you can’t run different full size tyres on the same axle.  So that presumes that the other three are also run-flats.

I sure you’re probably well aware, ‘run-flat’ only means that the tyre can withstand short mileage at low speeds in order to get the tyre replaced or repaired.  There’s still the possibility of damaging the rim.  They tend to give a firmer ride due to the less flexible sidewalls.

My apologies if you already knew all that!

What you need, as already mentioned probably, is a spacesaver.  They can be run on either axle irrespective of what the other tyre is.

I’ve had occasion to use mine and it solved the immediate problem.  

26 minutes ago, Las Palmas said:

Putting the valve stem back again after the sealant is in of course before adding air in the tyre (with Quadboss). I see no reason to have the valve in while putting liquid into the tyre.

As I say, I haven’t used a tyre inflation kit and have no plans to do so.  But perhaps this video will make things clearer.

It features Richard Seymour, no less, who is - or possibly was - Product & Technical Specialist, Lexus UK.

He is demonstrating the use of the tyre inflation kit.  It clarifies the point that the tyre inflator is run off the power socket and injects the sealant through the valve.  
 

1 hour ago, Las Palmas said:

Enthusiast: No, just lazy and do not want to do something not necessary.

Gets my vote. 🙂

1 hour ago, Las Palmas said:

My original question was what kind of sealant Lexus is using. After you told me that it is latex based, I just thought that it is stupid to use something that clogs up the whole system and is almost impossible to clean.

Precisely why I’ve not accepted one when it came with the car.  

1 hour ago, Las Palmas said:

1 hour ago, Las Palmas said:

 

Looked it up and found  TPMS Sensor Valve Stem Service Kit for Toyota

 

      

 

Looks to me like all the other valve stems I have seen.

 

But sadly nothing like the one I had to replace.  Six dollars!  I wish!  The whole of the visible portion of the valve was snapped off and the replacement with an equivalent unit was £75.

1 hour ago, Las Palmas said:

Looked it up and found  TPMS Sensor Valve Stem Service Kit for Toyota

Is it not needed to take out the valve stem before using the inflation kit that is in the CT? Latex will definitely clog up the valve stem and make it less valuable after use meaning a new need to be put in if latex has been pressed through it.

 

Taking out the valve stem would make it impossible to inflate the tyre and keep it inflated while injecting the repair solution.  

In fact my manual (Page 434) also warns that using liquid sealants may make the TPMS unit inoperable!

So why do they provide one instead of a tyre, I hear you ask!?

1 hour ago, Las Palmas said:

 

Another question: How often are batteries for TPMS system to be changed? Suppose they do not last forever or are being charged by the rotation of the wheels? That would be smart.

It’s stated that these batteries may last between 5 and 10 years - which is quite a broad range.   Changing the batteries would involve removing and breaking down the TPMS unit and that would not interest the average owner - like myself!

 As for your charging idea, well that sounds a bit like my self-winding watch movement.  If it can be shown to be cheaper than occasionally replacing the whole unit...you may have a money spinner there.

1 hour ago, Las Palmas said:

You have a bigger car and room for a spare wheel. A CT200h does not.

The sealant is to be put in the wheels before, but it does a good job after a puncture too. Remove the valve stem, use the tube (that come with the sealant) it fit over the valve and pour in the half litre. Put the valve stem back in place and if you know where the hole is, turn the wheel till the hole points down. If you do not know where the hole is it probably is not that big. Inflate the tyre, drive a couple of kilometres and control if tyre pressure is still ok, if needed add some pressure. It is meant to last a race in desert with thorns and sharp stones so probably will be able to get the car to a place where a new tyre can be put on.

The sealant has brought me home from tours where thorns (big ones we have here) are abundant and the lava rubble is often sharp as razorblades. Most bikers with tubes have needed new tubes or repairing the tubes. The only time I had to walk home with tubeless sealant was before I knew the Quadboss and I was using the latex that many still use. In a mountain bike latex often seal the hole, but in warm climate it dries out in a couple of months and new sealant is to be injected. If latex comes spraying to your clothes (hole in rear tyre) it cannot be washed out.

 

It can be washed away with water. No trace on the tyre, so probably no trace on the TPMS valve. Probably less damaging than the latex. Washed it off after having it in the wheel more than a year.

Should I get a leak I will use the Quadboss instead of the impossible to clean latex mixture. On top of that I have used Quadboss that was more than 5 years old on the bike and it was still functioning.        
 

I can see that you are an enthusiast, John, and speak from experience.   And there’s obviously no reason why you can’t use Quadboss if you want to.  But your original question was...why wasn’t Lexus using this or a similar product?

As I mentioned earlier, my car has a spacesaver which I used because a helpful lad had snapped the valve off the tyre.  Clearly no internal tyre solution would have solved that! 

Now as I understand it, you say that you can introduce Quadboss after you have discovered a puncture, so it’s a cure as well as a preventative.  But surely that would also require Lexus to provide a valve removal tool and a means of reinflating the tyre, such as a pump or compressed air cylinder.  

So isn’t that going to make the process more complicated for the ordinary Lexus driver, rather than cleaner and simpler?  It might be acceptable to the enthusiast but less so to the buyer of what’s marketed as a luxury brand.

The rationale for Lexus - and other car makers - for going the inflatable injection route and ditching the tyre is generally given as weight and space saving.  And I wouldn’t be surprised if cost came in somewhere.  But if Quadboss and similar products could be packaged and delivered in the same way as the current kits provided, then presumably they could be sold to Lexus.

26 minutes ago, Las Palmas said:

 Stupid that Lexus is using latex as there are more suitable sealants for sealing tyres. Quadboss is used for off road 4x4 buggies and trucks and it is washable with just water.

 

I had never heard of Quadboss but looking it up I see that it works in a very different way to the emergency injectable kits.  Unless I am mistaken (always a possibility) it appears to be a preventative measure injected into the tyre, after removing the valve, and then re-inflating the tyre.  So it coats the inside of the tyre ready to block any leak, being forced out of the hole by the tyre pressure.

The emergency inflatable kits are only introduced after the hole has happened.  They are claimed to both re-inflate the tyre and seal the leak.  So my surmise is that Lexus - and indeed any car maker - would say that that was a tyre makers' problem, not the car makers'.  Perhaps the ideal answer would be the introduction of the self-sealing tyre!

My personal preference, as I am still capable of changing a wheel, is to have some sort of spare wheel - full size or spacesaver, it doesn't matter - rather than rely on an emergency injectable.

It also occurs to me that if I was to use, say, Quadboss, would that affect the attitude of the tyre maker should there later be a fault with the tyre?

And if Quadboss works by coating and sealing the inside of the tyre, what affect does it have on the expensive TPMS valve?

45 minutes ago, Las Palmas said:

Anybody know if the injectable liquid is wahs away with water possible or does it contain latex making an awful mess out of everything?

I think the answer is...yes!

As I understand it, the injectable substance is a water-based latex foam.  So presuming that the leak/puncture is small enough to be blocked by the sealant, it could be repaired by a tyre specialist.

However it’s a messy and time consuming job to clean the latex out of the tyre, which is why many - if not most - won’t do it.  I imagine the valve might also have to be replaced, having had latex squirted through it.  Which is an additional cost if it involves a TPMS valve.

If the problem is any serious gash or rip - especially in the sidewall - then these inflation kits are useless.

I’m sure a spacesaver wheel is the best emergency option, but if there’s any chance that the driver was not able to change a wheel, then an inflation kit might be the only solution, so’s to speak.

3 hours ago, Gordon McLea said:

I have a 2018 NX Fsport with a spacesaver spare wheel. Should the spacesaver wheel have its own set of wheel nuts that are different length from the alloy wheel nuts, or does the one set of nuts fit both ??  

I have had occasion to use my spacesaver and it simply involved removing the damaged wheel and fitting the spacesaver on.  As it happened I had run-flats on but I preferred to use the emergency wheel.

I don’t imagine that your model will be any different.  And it’s a whole lot better than using the injectable gunk system!

On 4/11/2021 at 2:35 PM, Phil xxkr said:

As part of a longer missive I opined thus, 

During my working career when asked what my ambitions were I often replied; To be a trainee eccentric. But it's only of late that I have come to realise that in fact what I was doing was chasing wisdom. In addition to Deming on that drive back my thoughts wandered to Greek mythology and the Lotus Eaters. Here they lived in eternal sunlit afternoons in a perfect state of mind and no concerns to disturb their contemplations and that's sort of like driving the RX. So it is Lexus in place of Lotus (apologies to Tennyson) from here on in and I anticipate wisdom insights any day now especially how to afford a series IV😎

And with a name like Nico I am sure he will "get this" 😂

Waiter!  I’ll have a pint of whatever he’s having.  😀

Hello Frank.  I applaud your choice but just wondered why you appear to be specific about a 2012 IS250?

Is it a budget based choice?  I ask because the third generation model was launched in Jan 2013 and was available with the highly regarded 2.5l V6 engine.

2 hours ago, Spacewagon52 said:

I admit to putting petrol in a diesel!

Me too!

Some years ago we were out in my wife’s company car and she asked me to pull into a petrol station and directed me to a petrol pump.  She went off to pay while I filled up.

As we drove out I had a sudden question: Isn’t this a diesel?  Fortunately there was an immediate downhill left turn which enabled me to coast into a retail car park.

The AA guy I called out turned out to be someone I knew in the village.  He said it happens all the time.  He called out a specialist to empty the tank and refill with enough diesel to get back to the fuel station.

He said “you’re the third call I’ve had for this this morning  - and I’ve even done it myself!”

Fortunately I think it’s supposed to be lot harder to do these days!

30 minutes ago, Phil xxkr said:

You do raise John the interesting psychology of perception and how long-lasting llusions can be as in the case of MB. By coincidence the German chap Nietzsche said"all things are subject to interpretation.”.

So you’re going back to Nietzsche now, are you?

2 hours ago, Alex S. Driver said:

😄 Yes, I never realized that washing a car had become such a hi-tech science. I have successfully risked the decision overload that is associated with viewing these seemingly mundane items on Amazon. Among the equipment purchased is a thing called a soft silicon drying blade. I might even get my Karcher out and give it break from washing the patio. I'm sure that will impress the neighbours.

I watched this wrapper doing odd things with film to his nice white LC 500 a few weeks back (and I think he has good claim to the the genre, being young, gifted and black). His enthusiasm is infectious and I'm intrigued to see what he does next. I wish I could have afforded an £80k car in my youf.

 

If you have a Karcher then you can use the dispensing bottle to apply the shampoo and get a snow foam covering. Using that instead of - or before -  a Wash Mitt I imagine is personal preference.  As for the Wrapper, well I’m sure you clocked the two buckets outside the garage!

I thought his Lexus looked very good.  I used to do a lot of wallpapering in my youth, but that’s a lot more forgiving than film wrap!  So not something I’d want to try myself.   But I think he tinted the windows too.  Traffic Police do carry tint test cards and I have seen windows being de-tinted as a result.

Incidentally, quite a few folk have wrapping on the front spoilers to help fend off road debris.  One reason why new car buyers have detailing done once the paint has really hardened.

1 hour ago, Mincey said:

I now feel robbed.

Sounds like you were!
Have you thought of moving?

37 minutes ago, Alex S. Driver said:

Mystery solved... thanks. I can see it's time for a change in my car wash methods & time to order some more stuff. I had to laugh that Auto Express held a best car wash mitt 

 

Well if you thought a ‘Wash Mitt’ beauty contest was a laughing matter, I fear for your safety when you learn about ‘Drying Towels’ and ‘Applicator Pads’!

Actually the laser-cut reference was my error.  These are films that Lexus applied to my IS250 in front of the rear wheels to help prevent road chip damage. They had slightly discoloured with age and the replacements actually produced by my chap came from mechanical cutters that were computer programmed.

They were part of a Wrapping Process - which is not a typo for a musical event.  In fact, if you change your mind about a ceramic finish, you can opt to have your entire vehicle film coated.  And that’s not a laughing matter, cost wise!

1 hour ago, Linas.P said:

Not sure I understand what you mean - you paid £75 for what? If that is for TPMS sensor then it is actually cheap

Well at least you've made me feel slightly better about it! 🙂

The strange part, Linus, is that the car was sold by a Lexus dealer and regularly serviced by them for the previous owner.  I bought it off the same dealer who then regularly serviced it.  So the puzzle is: when did someone replace (only!) three metal dust caps with plastic ones?  I did come across a comment that Lexus had replaced the metal caps with plastic for this very reason.

I do recall in the 'old days' that a smear of Vaseline round the valve was applied to prevent this very same problem.  So it did have other uses, then.

1 hour ago, Alex S. Driver said:

They did tell me on the phone they'd prefer to keep it overnight at their premises to be fully sure the coating had cured (is that the right term?) and I guess multiple coats would mean multiple days.

Well I can't really comment on what another Company might do.  So let me just detail what my guy did.

Here's an outline of the four day's work.

• Multiple stage wash removing potentially damaging material, using Aenso shampoos.
• Engine bay cleaned and degreased.
• Wheels removed, cleaned both sides.
• Wheel wells degreased and decontaminated.
• Chemical and claybar decontamination.
• Paintwork assessment.
• A 2-stage paintwork enhancement.
• Interior detailing.
• Glass cleaned and polished inside and out.
• Multiple HD photos of detailing work.

Also:

• Application of Modesta BC-04 & Modesta BC-05 Glass coatings to bodywork to give a coating life of 8-10 years.
• Application of baked-on ceramic protection for the wheels.
• Application of a hydrophobic coating to the glass.
• Removal and replacement of new laser-cut clear films on body panels.

1 hour ago, Alex S. Driver said:

What's your two bucket method, Len?

Fortunately, I resisted the temptation to just say that it involves two buckets! 🙂

The idea is that you have one bucket solely with the shampoo you're using.  And a second bucket solely for rinsing your 'wash mitt' (Oh yes, you have to have at least one of them!)  The reason is to isolate the water that comes off the car so that there is no possibility of any grit transferring back onto the paint surface.  Plenty of car detailers eager to demonstrate the process on YouTube!

I have to warn you, Graeme, that the price you pay for the undoubted benefits of ceramic coating is that the simple process of car washing now becomes a significant opportunity to spend more time with your car - and to buy more stuff!

On 4/12/2021 at 9:03 AM, Alex S. Driver said:

OK. Good to know. Thanks.

I'd appreciate any opinions on this summary: https://www.mkprovalet.co.uk/ceramic-paint-protection

To be fair he does say "from £350" so the top end is nearer your figure.

(BTW - My car is 1 year old - 5k miles.)

As  understand it, this Company also claims that they can do a full detailing at ‘your home or work’.  Presumably this is all in one day?

Don’t really understand how that happens, but it’s very Impressive.  My local detailer in Brackley took four days at his premises.  Whatever, I would recommend it if you can afford the investment.  My Lexus IS is white, so it looks really shiny - as opposed to the striking results that Chris has obtained.  Deep colours such as reds and blues definitely respond more dramatically to ceramic coating.

Nevertheless, my objective was to achieve a better protected, longer lasting and easier to maintain paint surface - which I have.  Only drawback, as I’ve mentioned elsewhere, is that I now have to hand wash at home with two buckets.

No more trips to the car wash!

I think that’s a bargain.  Replacing just one valve cap on my Lexus cost me £75.

To be fair, it did involve replacing the entire TPMS valve on one wheel where a helpful lad had snapped the valve off while trying to remove the metal dust cap that had corroded onto the valve stem!

Yes, not a problem I had ever encountered before, but apparently why the other Lexus branded dust caps were now plastic.

Probably something most of you already know.  But something worth checking if you don’t.

5 hours ago, RonsonSJohnson said:

yea, i am pretty sure the chrome on the doors at the bottom and also the rear boot / trunk reg plate light housing is plastic coated with chrome.. 

You should be able to remove all doubt - if indeed you have any - by checking with a magnet.