DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

As most of you guys know, the 98-00 GS's do not have the chrome bezel around the shifter. Lexus does not sell the bezel as a single piece any longer. As you know that part is coveted by many of us, and goes for 100 bucks a pop. Has anyone attempted to paint their existing plastic bezel with chrome spray paint to emulate the look of the chrome bezel? I know it may be cheesy to some, but I am just curious. Pics if any..

LEXUS_KID

iTrader: (4)

Why don't you give it a try if it comes out bad you can always go back to black

DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

It was done before by a fellow member with pics https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=65473 But it is not a DIY. He had it sent out to a company.

GWELEX

Instead of paint, isn't there some kind of peel and stick thin chrome piece available? The problem would be getting the 2 ends to match nicely.

svt5150

This has been discussed alot in the past but not lately. Some have painted it, others have sent it out to companies to get covered. They used to sell it at the dealership. I went about a year ago and asked for a 03 shift bezel ring and they said ok... $6.xx. I was happy until I got it and it was black like the stock one. Figured for that price I could mess around with it. I have chrome spray paint and was thinking of that plus clear over it but thought it would look cheesy. Also, others that have had it plastic chrome covered experienced chipping and cracking when they tried to put it back on. I looked at a ton of plastic chrome companies and mone wanted to do it. I know bluelex has his done in black granite and maybe that guy that did his has the chrome option now, or even a brushed aluminum/silver look to match the silver rings on the gauge cluster. It is just hard because of the way it snaps in. Hopefully this helps and you can figure someting out for us.

chuckb

so what parts do they make you order? how much $ ? Did you check with Sewell Lexus/Darrel Diller?

DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

I figure we must purchase the plastic piece and have it coated since the dealers don't sell the chrome bezel by itself anymore. They only sell the entire console with the bezel in place.

chuckb

they make you buy the whole console? how much is that, $1000!? so if something happened to the chrome bezel on my 430, I'd be sh#t out of luck....

DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

Yes Chuck..You better keep it bubble wrapped in the car.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

imho chrome paint won't work. i still have yet to see a chrome paint that actually create the kind of deep wet look of real chrome look. i think the best bet is just to get the ring kinda dark chromed.

another problem with the ring is that the black ring, it's very soft and flexible, and the oem chrome ring is a lot more solid. so i wonder if you do paint or chrome the old ring, whether it will crack easily or not

DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

You are right. There are some off the shelf paints on the market that will give the chrome look finish. I am just curious about the durability of those paints, and wheter it was ever done by anyone on the board I know the musclecar guys send plastic pieces out for chroming. Here is a company used by some of those guys http://www.autoinstruments.com/chrome.htm. VVT-i's thread was another example of chroming the existing plastic ring. It came out pretty good

svt5150

No Chuck, you can buy the OEM ring and cupholder area from the factory for $150-200, just depending which dealer you go to. Not $1000. The black shifter ring by itself is only $6. I have one still in plastic wrappers that I have been thinking of sending to a plastic chromer. Just hard to find a good one and most wont do it.

RMMGS4

iTrader: (5)

1. Tried all types of "claimed " chrome paint. None came close to chrome.

2. Tried having the OEM plastic chromed. They said the material is too flexible.

In either the chrome or the paint situations, you will need to flex the part quite a bit in order to install it back.

I tried installing when I tested the paint method and the paint cracked on the corners.

This same issue will hold true if you chrome the plastic.

The chrome piece that is offered by the factory IS NOT just the exact same piece as the non-chrome version.

It is stiffer material and it has notches cut out on it in order to allow you to install it without flexing.

So you see there are a lot of things going against a successful chroming of the OEM black piece.

In the end I broke down and bought a used OEM chrome piece for a whopping $100 !

If you find a shop willing to chrome the "too flexible" OEM part and then you notch out the bottom so that you won't flex it during installation, you might have a chance OR you might crack it anyway.

Chroming just one small part like this is not going to be cheap either. It's a lot less to chrome it along with a bunch of other parts. Either way it's going to cost roughly $50+ to do chroming and they won't guarantee against cracking.

For all these reasons I gave up since the risk and time I already put in is not worth it to me.

I probably already spent $100 of my time just to research, order special paint, go to chrome shops, etc. just to find out what I have told you already.

Tranman

iTrader: (1)

What sucks is that my OEM chrome bezel started to bubble up quite awhile ago...the dealer wouldn't cover it

chuckb

that should be covered by bumper to bumper warranty for sure. I'd try again.