blide1

Hey guys....

Well the time has come for me to get of my a$$ and get my car back in shape. I bought this car new in 1998 with 11 miles on it and it now has 158,000! I have to say Lexus makes a quality engine because this ride has never let me down. I had some maintenance done by JP Importz in Dallas about 2yrs ago (new seals all the way around) and changed my oil regularly and that's it.

This past month I have had new car fever bad and I was trying to fight it, so I decided to get this thing back in shape.

Current Issues:
1. Tires are worn bad (car shakes like crazy)
2. Needs new wipers
3. Chrome rims leak and one of them is bent
4. Headlights are extremely dim
5. K&N filter is done.. and I mean done...
6. Dirty - Inside and Out (hasn't been washed in over 2 months)

I will be getting new rims and tires tomorrow, so here are some before pics:

The car...


The nasty headlights...

Matador

New rims, some springs/coils, and some newer 2000+ style tails and a good detail and she'll be lookin better than new

Leets

true story

the great thing about these cars is that even when they start to show their age it only takes a weekend in the garage to get them running as good, if not better, than new.

Good luck with the revitalization. I'm sure she'll give you another enjoyable 150k miles.

MoreMGD32

iTrader: (1)

no doubt man. lex. is the shiznit.

here is some solutions to your issues match these solutions against the # of your problems
1) Get new tires obviously(stating the obvious), get your rims and new tires balanced, get a wheel alignement. any local shop can do it

2)Advanced has what ya need just tellem the make model and trim of your car- ive had good experience with bosch

3)Dont really have an inexpensive solution for this other than get a new rim or have it repaired..with chrome its easier to replace it than repair it.

4)Your headlights are dim b/c the light is shining through what seems to be a black piece of plastic(aka your headlight assebly cover. This happens in the older lexes with them using cheap plastic to manufacture the assembly. There are two process i would take #1 go to an auto store and pick up some compound rub and Polish. use the rough compound rub to clean off all that nasty **** on your housing then use the polish to takeout any minor scratches left behind. then put a fat layer of wax on to protect it in the future. OR option #2 buy 3 different tiers of sandpaper and wet sand the light to perfection(recommending removal of the light) use 1000 grit, 1500 grit, and 2000grit. after sanding (using the most abrasive first then reducing) polish then put a fat layer of wax on and your done.

5)I dont know much about the K&N but most members on this group swear that K&N vs stock airfilter does absolutely no difference and that you should just buy a reg air filter for 8 bucks vs K&N for 50. its all a marketing gimmick for K&N

6) Clean it b****, shes been good to you! you should treat her like your baby!
Suggest using the P21S brand cleaning kit on your car. its the leading brand cleaning supplies on the market. gives you that show room finish. its regularly expensive but you can find the kit on ebay for like 50bucks including all new cleaning pads, soap, cleanser, rim cleaner, and wax. just search for P21s on ebay.

Hope this helps ya out man!

stevies30

Regarding your headlights, spend $3.00 and go to an auto parts store and buy some Maguires Plastix. It's quick, easy and it works great.

3rdelement

iTrader: (1)

if that doesnt cut it use turtle rubbing comp....the turtle polish compound....then plastix.

blide1

Problem 1 and 3 taken care of now! It's amazing what $1000 can do to make your ride look better and ride smooth again. Plus no more having to stop all the time and air up the tires!

I did lots of debating on getting 18's, but I really enjoy having a little more tread and I think it turned out pretty good.

Tires - BFGoodrich 225/45/ZR17
Rims - Enkei DM5 17

blide1

#4 - No more dim headlights! I did some searching on the forum last week and everyone recommend Maquire's PlastX and wow that stuff is great! I can actually see at night and it makes my ride look a lot better from the front.

Before:


After: (I cleaned them multiple times and it paid off)

blide1

Knocked out 2, 5, & 6 today... I went ahead and bought a new K&N filter ($40) instead getting the recharge kit for my old one because it just looked that bad! After changing filters I can really tell a difference in my acceleration and the car seems to idle a little more quiet than before. I guess it was sufficating due to lack of air intake?

blide1

And here is the final shot..... Hope you guys like it!

Total Makeover Cost - $1,160 (Little over budget but cheaper than adding a new car payment!)

bumfighter

very nice ...........im glad you didnt give up on her ...she looks great

blide1

Does anyone know where to get new Headlight bulbs for a 98 ES300? If so which one's do you recommend?

Thanks..

Leets

awesome job on the car... looks like she's brand new again.

As for the headlights, I'd recommend PIAA bulbs. They're a little pricier than most, but they're about the best quality for the price you'll find in an aftermarket bulb.

Edit: And what are the specs on the wheels? Looks like you've got a fair amount of lip there, so I'm guessing they're not +45.

chrispy

iTrader: (21)

wow it looks awesome now! mine needs a makeover as well. it's been in the shop for a week for transmission rebuilding.

3rdelement

iTrader: (1)

thats the dm5 ekei. looks like 17's?
here is the 18x7.5 +38(or +32 offset i forget)