I've grown tired of looking at my battered beaten up wood trim on my 2000 ES 300. I assumed others on the forum have similar wear on their cars. The pictures do not do the final results justice, compared to what you see in person. You just have to trust me when I say.... I am very pleased.

This is the before. This is 20 years of wear and tear.

Start by LIGHTLY sanding with 3k grit sandpaper until it is cloudy as shown.

I used Mothers polish first, took a couple of polishing passes. Then finished with some of my favorite car wax.

Repeated the process all the way up!


I also did the same procedure on the gear selector plastic, as it was hazy and ugly. Also... does anyone know of a good place to get a new gear shift selector ****? mine has become quite an eye soar.

Hope this helps someone!

 

Interesting. Mine his rosewood (the reddish color option) and the top the the steering wheel is baked and faded ƒrom the Florida sun. As far ås I can tell, it can't be polished back to the color and has to be dyed.

 

It might just be oxidized. Why not try?

 

Hello,

That looks astonishingly well! I should really do that at some point, since my trim is so fainted it looks like someone just stroke a piece of plywood on my center console..

Also, here is a new shift **** for almost half the dealer's price (Part Number is 33542-33090-G0).. It is still kind of expensive, but that is what you get for dealing with 20 years old parts.. Other than that, junkyard will be your best bet, those are interchangeable with any 3rd gen ES300 and Toyota Avalon.

Hope this helps and best of luck!

 

Hey,
​​​​​​Thanks for that link! I have found a 2004 Avalon in my local junkyard, from which I have been pulling many engine parts. I thought that the shift **** looked similar, but I wasn't sure. The shift **** in that Avalon is the same light tan color of my seats. Wouldn't match the original, but I might just take that.

Anyways thanks for the info!