How satisfied are you with your modifications? (long)
07-13-02, 09:59 AM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
How satisfied are you with your modifications? (long)
With an end in sight, I thought it’s an appropriate time to take stock of what I’ve done to my ’99 GS4 and how satisfied I am with the individual mods installed. I hope that this can be educational to other members who may be contemplating changes. I invite others to rate their mods as well – it’ll be interesting to see which ones are “must haves” and which ones suck. [Edit: I was wrong - there's NO end in sight]
Remember that these are MY opinions, your results may vary. I’m rating on a 1 – 5 basis. 1 = save your bucks for forced induction, 5 = worth every dime, and more.
L-TUNED SPRINGS/SHOCKS/STEERING ECU – I lumped these together because they were installed at the same time and my impressions are of the group as a whole. All positives, no negatives with this mod. I’d rate this mod (Tein, Bilstein, etc. included) as a satisfaction level = 5 – all God’s GS’s need improved suspension if you enjoy/require good handling. Mine cost $1,100 total, installed by Sewell Lexus.
L-TUNED MUFFLERS – I like the sound but there is a drone or resonance inside the car in the lower rpm range that I don’t like – heard the same thing on other LT-installed GS’s. I don’t believe that I’ve heard this with Borlas – Sorry I didn’t get Borla. Satisfaction = 3. If it weren’t for the resonance, they’d be a 4. Cost me $663 total, installed by Sewell.
SRT INTAKE/ECU – My butt-o-meter likes the intake – seems to pull better in mid-range and above, although feels like I’ve lost a little on low-end. The sound/noise is a mixed bag. I like the mid-range growl but don’t like the lower end “rushing air” noise, very un-Lexus. I addressed this by adding a modified and insulated Weapon-R CAB later. I’m rating the combination of both units together here. Satisfaction (now) is = 4, before the WR CAB would’ve been a 3. Paid $575, installed myself.
RMM GRILLE – I like the style of this grille but my particular one is somewhat misshapen and doesn’t fit like it should. Additionally, the place that painted it didn’t really match the Pearl color very well. Combination of bad fit and bad paint match caused me to remove it from the car and “chrome” my oem grille. Satisfaction = 2, only thing keeping it from being a “1” is that I still like the style. Cost = about $225, installed myself. [Edit: I now have the TTE grille, which fits better and I love it!]
DE-BADGED TRUNK – After seeing some examples of other members work, I decided to do this one. I love the look, to me it’s much cleaner – I left the “L” but removed the “Lexus” and “GS400” badges. Satisfaction = 5. No cost, did it myself.
TINTED WINDOWS – I’ve had my last 5-6 cars tinted, I like it. The GS windows are 35%. Satisfaction = 4. Cost was $88.00 through dealer.
HARD-WIRED VALENTINE ONE – I already had the V-1, had used it in my SC400 for several years. After you’ve become accustomed to knowing the direction of the “threat”, you can never be satisfied with any other detector (even the 8500). Hard-wiring was an idea that I first saw here on CL, never thought about it before. Satisfaction with the wiring (only) = 5 (V-1 by itself, also a 5). No cost, did it myself with help from member’s write-ups.
CLEAR BUMPER LIGHTS – I like the look of the clear lights, but these are really cheap. I’d replace them if I can find a higher quality unit. Satisfaction = 4 (they look ok until you get up close). Cost $28. from Procarparts.com. Installed myself.
2001 GS TAIL LIGHTS – For me, these are a big improvement. I like them much better than the original lights. Got in on a group buy from Steve Ganz for $320. Satisfaction = 5 (love ‘em). Easily installed myself.
TRD STRUT TOWER BRACE – Can’t say that I could detect the difference? I know it stiffens up the connection between the suspension and the body and therefore is beneficial but hard to tell any improvement?? Satisfaction = 3? Cost $226 (parts and labor) installed by Davenport Motors in Plano.
“CHROMED” GRILL – When I finally got fed up with the imperfect look of the RMM grille, I decided to try the removal of black paint covering the chrome of the oem grille. Used paint remover and a power washer to remove paint. I masked the grille (yes, every slat in it) to retain the chrome on the leading edge of each slat and re-painted the grille again in flat black. Satisfaction = 3. Cost = a couple of bucks, a good bit of labor – especially in the application/trimming of masking tape. Once again, I benefited from other member’s experience. [Edit: as noted above, I no longer have the "chromed" grille, replaced with TTE]
NEW 19” WHEELS – Bought 19” polished Altstadt Lubecks from gs4will (good job Will). Again, with input from many, got staggered 8.5 front, offset 36, 9.5 rear with 41. Love the look, very aggressive and the offset is perfect. Satisfaction with wheels = 4. Everything is up to “5” level except that bigger wheels did negatively affect ride and take-off by more than I expected. Cost $3,000.
NEW BRIDGESTONE POTENZA S-03 TIRES – The tires are quiet and dry grip is great – can’t hardly break them loose, wet traction is much improved over my earlier tires. The small aspect ratio (35 front, 30 rear) hurt the ride – still acceptable, but a little harsh. Handling is much improved and much of that is due to the grip of the rubber. Running 245 front, 275 rear. Cost $918, Mounted and balanced (Hunter) at Sewell Lexus $66.
SRT "race" ecu - Installed the new ecu a couple of weeks ago and I (think) that I can feel an improvement - I'll try to G-Tech today to see if I can quantify a difference. Conditional rating (pending G-Tech) a 4, cost $100 net, easily installed by Charlie (my dog).
That’s all for now – expecting delivery of Torquemaster plugs (thanks, Gene) whenever Steve Ganz gets them. I’ll add them to the list after install and G-Tech again to see what effect they have.
I've just begun investigating torque converter - probably will have this in couple of weeks.
Latest additions (and edits) added 11/21/02 <===
TORQUEMASTER PLUGS - Jury is still out on this one, I ran some tests with G-Tech and got no appreciable improvements in 0-60 times - others seem to be having issues that MAY be resulting from the plugs - I haven't, but I'll rate a "3". Cost $100.
TTE GRILLE - Fits great, looks great, expensive, took a long time to get - but LOVE the look, rate a "5". Total cost, painted and adding the "L" was $423.
TORQUE CONVERTER - P.I. converter from Steve at Carson via group buy. Expensive by the time you include install but it is a "kick ***" mod - worth every penny - rate a "5". Cost installed was $1,379.
TRD SWAYS - Really flattened out body lean and coupled with the other suspension mods allows the car to handle really well. Ride didn't suffer enough to worry about. Rate a "4" and cost was $681 installed. [added Jan, 2003]
My .98 cents worth.
Remember that these are MY opinions, your results may vary. I’m rating on a 1 – 5 basis. 1 = save your bucks for forced induction, 5 = worth every dime, and more.
L-TUNED SPRINGS/SHOCKS/STEERING ECU – I lumped these together because they were installed at the same time and my impressions are of the group as a whole. All positives, no negatives with this mod. I’d rate this mod (Tein, Bilstein, etc. included) as a satisfaction level = 5 – all God’s GS’s need improved suspension if you enjoy/require good handling. Mine cost $1,100 total, installed by Sewell Lexus.
L-TUNED MUFFLERS – I like the sound but there is a drone or resonance inside the car in the lower rpm range that I don’t like – heard the same thing on other LT-installed GS’s. I don’t believe that I’ve heard this with Borlas – Sorry I didn’t get Borla. Satisfaction = 3. If it weren’t for the resonance, they’d be a 4. Cost me $663 total, installed by Sewell.
SRT INTAKE/ECU – My butt-o-meter likes the intake – seems to pull better in mid-range and above, although feels like I’ve lost a little on low-end. The sound/noise is a mixed bag. I like the mid-range growl but don’t like the lower end “rushing air” noise, very un-Lexus. I addressed this by adding a modified and insulated Weapon-R CAB later. I’m rating the combination of both units together here. Satisfaction (now) is = 4, before the WR CAB would’ve been a 3. Paid $575, installed myself.
RMM GRILLE – I like the style of this grille but my particular one is somewhat misshapen and doesn’t fit like it should. Additionally, the place that painted it didn’t really match the Pearl color very well. Combination of bad fit and bad paint match caused me to remove it from the car and “chrome” my oem grille. Satisfaction = 2, only thing keeping it from being a “1” is that I still like the style. Cost = about $225, installed myself. [Edit: I now have the TTE grille, which fits better and I love it!]
DE-BADGED TRUNK – After seeing some examples of other members work, I decided to do this one. I love the look, to me it’s much cleaner – I left the “L” but removed the “Lexus” and “GS400” badges. Satisfaction = 5. No cost, did it myself.
TINTED WINDOWS – I’ve had my last 5-6 cars tinted, I like it. The GS windows are 35%. Satisfaction = 4. Cost was $88.00 through dealer.
HARD-WIRED VALENTINE ONE – I already had the V-1, had used it in my SC400 for several years. After you’ve become accustomed to knowing the direction of the “threat”, you can never be satisfied with any other detector (even the 8500). Hard-wiring was an idea that I first saw here on CL, never thought about it before. Satisfaction with the wiring (only) = 5 (V-1 by itself, also a 5). No cost, did it myself with help from member’s write-ups.
CLEAR BUMPER LIGHTS – I like the look of the clear lights, but these are really cheap. I’d replace them if I can find a higher quality unit. Satisfaction = 4 (they look ok until you get up close). Cost $28. from Procarparts.com. Installed myself.
2001 GS TAIL LIGHTS – For me, these are a big improvement. I like them much better than the original lights. Got in on a group buy from Steve Ganz for $320. Satisfaction = 5 (love ‘em). Easily installed myself.
TRD STRUT TOWER BRACE – Can’t say that I could detect the difference? I know it stiffens up the connection between the suspension and the body and therefore is beneficial but hard to tell any improvement?? Satisfaction = 3? Cost $226 (parts and labor) installed by Davenport Motors in Plano.
“CHROMED” GRILL – When I finally got fed up with the imperfect look of the RMM grille, I decided to try the removal of black paint covering the chrome of the oem grille. Used paint remover and a power washer to remove paint. I masked the grille (yes, every slat in it) to retain the chrome on the leading edge of each slat and re-painted the grille again in flat black. Satisfaction = 3. Cost = a couple of bucks, a good bit of labor – especially in the application/trimming of masking tape. Once again, I benefited from other member’s experience. [Edit: as noted above, I no longer have the "chromed" grille, replaced with TTE]
NEW 19” WHEELS – Bought 19” polished Altstadt Lubecks from gs4will (good job Will). Again, with input from many, got staggered 8.5 front, offset 36, 9.5 rear with 41. Love the look, very aggressive and the offset is perfect. Satisfaction with wheels = 4. Everything is up to “5” level except that bigger wheels did negatively affect ride and take-off by more than I expected. Cost $3,000.
NEW BRIDGESTONE POTENZA S-03 TIRES – The tires are quiet and dry grip is great – can’t hardly break them loose, wet traction is much improved over my earlier tires. The small aspect ratio (35 front, 30 rear) hurt the ride – still acceptable, but a little harsh. Handling is much improved and much of that is due to the grip of the rubber. Running 245 front, 275 rear. Cost $918, Mounted and balanced (Hunter) at Sewell Lexus $66.
SRT "race" ecu - Installed the new ecu a couple of weeks ago and I (think) that I can feel an improvement - I'll try to G-Tech today to see if I can quantify a difference. Conditional rating (pending G-Tech) a 4, cost $100 net, easily installed by Charlie (my dog).
That’s all for now – expecting delivery of Torquemaster plugs (thanks, Gene) whenever Steve Ganz gets them. I’ll add them to the list after install and G-Tech again to see what effect they have.
I've just begun investigating torque converter - probably will have this in couple of weeks.
Latest additions (and edits) added 11/21/02 <===
TORQUEMASTER PLUGS - Jury is still out on this one, I ran some tests with G-Tech and got no appreciable improvements in 0-60 times - others seem to be having issues that MAY be resulting from the plugs - I haven't, but I'll rate a "3". Cost $100.
TTE GRILLE - Fits great, looks great, expensive, took a long time to get - but LOVE the look, rate a "5". Total cost, painted and adding the "L" was $423.
TORQUE CONVERTER - P.I. converter from Steve at Carson via group buy. Expensive by the time you include install but it is a "kick ***" mod - worth every penny - rate a "5". Cost installed was $1,379.
TRD SWAYS - Really flattened out body lean and coupled with the other suspension mods allows the car to handle really well. Ride didn't suffer enough to worry about. Rate a "4" and cost was $681 installed. [added Jan, 2003]
My .98 cents worth.
Last edited by garnet92; 01-18-03 at 02:54 PM.
07-13-02, 11:22 AM
#4
Some mods
Nice subject Garnet
1-Waste of money, 5-Best
LTune Steering ECU-1- Did not notice a thing. Now many people have claimed that they have noticed a difference so I leave the option open that maybe the previous owner had this already installed. Doubtful though. I wish there was a way to tell the difference between the two. I sold it.
SRT Intake/ECU-2-Very loud and little noticable power increase. Fit is questionable. Suppose if I was 18 again, it would be fine. Sold it.
Magnaflow Exhaust-5. High quality, very nice tone. Lexus Smooth. Picked up a little in the mid-high band. No noticable low end loss.
Borla Exhaust-3.5-A bit too loud. Some resonance. Bolt on which is a big plus. Good quality.
Full Chrome 2001 grill-5-Looks great.
Clear bumper lights-3-I agree, looks a little BMWish (CHEAP) but better than stock.
2001 taillights-5-again looks great
Weapon R intake-1-I have pictures that would blow your mind on the quality of this thing. Refund took over 3 weeks.
Weapon R CAB-2.5-Looked good once I drilled and shaved it to fit. Refund. See above.
TRD Upper Strut Bar-4.5-Just plain looks awesome. No performance increase noticed. Would be a 5 if the fit was better.
TRD Sway bars-F/R-5-This is how the GS should of come from the factory. No noise from bushings.
L-Tune springs/struts-4.5-Would of been a 5 except for the bump stop issue. A little too soft for my taste.
Cross drilled rotors-5-Looks sweet and the sound from triple digits is great.
TRD pads-"1" Enormous amount of brake dust-Brake dust is a direct byproduct of 2 things. Wear on the pads or wear on the rotors. In this case-BOTH. Alot of squeal. A waste of $95.00 . Pad life is also very limited.
Bendix IQ pads-4.5-No dust-No noise-Good life-Easy on rotors. Comparable to TRD pads on braking ability. Good cold/hot stops. Only 50.00. Lifetime warranty.
Raybestos PGD pads-1-Complete waste of money. Typical Raybestos noise. High speed fade. Repeated braking fade. Stay away from this one.
Painted calipers-5-Have already received a few compliments.
Gear shift Chrome bezel-5-Looks good.
Imperial HD trans cooler-5-The way I drive I need it and the trans is still in great shape (knock on wood) . Im going to make custom steel lines shortly.
KNN Panel filter-4-Does the job. No noticeable power increase. Reusable. No games. Just drop it in and go. Sound level is the same as stock.
Bell 980 radar detector-5-Has saved me over 15 tickets. Hey more money for mods.
Overall Lexus GS rating: 10-TEN. Never will I buy a BMW again.
Coming soon: TC and maybe a S/C.
1-Waste of money, 5-Best
LTune Steering ECU-1- Did not notice a thing. Now many people have claimed that they have noticed a difference so I leave the option open that maybe the previous owner had this already installed. Doubtful though. I wish there was a way to tell the difference between the two. I sold it.
SRT Intake/ECU-2-Very loud and little noticable power increase. Fit is questionable. Suppose if I was 18 again, it would be fine. Sold it.
Magnaflow Exhaust-5. High quality, very nice tone. Lexus Smooth. Picked up a little in the mid-high band. No noticable low end loss.
Borla Exhaust-3.5-A bit too loud. Some resonance. Bolt on which is a big plus. Good quality.
Full Chrome 2001 grill-5-Looks great.
Clear bumper lights-3-I agree, looks a little BMWish (CHEAP) but better than stock.
2001 taillights-5-again looks great
Weapon R intake-1-I have pictures that would blow your mind on the quality of this thing. Refund took over 3 weeks.
Weapon R CAB-2.5-Looked good once I drilled and shaved it to fit. Refund. See above.
TRD Upper Strut Bar-4.5-Just plain looks awesome. No performance increase noticed. Would be a 5 if the fit was better.
TRD Sway bars-F/R-5-This is how the GS should of come from the factory. No noise from bushings.
L-Tune springs/struts-4.5-Would of been a 5 except for the bump stop issue. A little too soft for my taste.
Cross drilled rotors-5-Looks sweet and the sound from triple digits is great.
TRD pads-"1" Enormous amount of brake dust-Brake dust is a direct byproduct of 2 things. Wear on the pads or wear on the rotors. In this case-BOTH. Alot of squeal. A waste of $95.00 . Pad life is also very limited.
Bendix IQ pads-4.5-No dust-No noise-Good life-Easy on rotors. Comparable to TRD pads on braking ability. Good cold/hot stops. Only 50.00. Lifetime warranty.
Raybestos PGD pads-1-Complete waste of money. Typical Raybestos noise. High speed fade. Repeated braking fade. Stay away from this one.
Painted calipers-5-Have already received a few compliments.
Gear shift Chrome bezel-5-Looks good.
Imperial HD trans cooler-5-The way I drive I need it and the trans is still in great shape (knock on wood) . Im going to make custom steel lines shortly.
KNN Panel filter-4-Does the job. No noticeable power increase. Reusable. No games. Just drop it in and go. Sound level is the same as stock.
Bell 980 radar detector-5-Has saved me over 15 tickets. Hey more money for mods.
Overall Lexus GS rating: 10-TEN. Never will I buy a BMW again.
Coming soon: TC and maybe a S/C.
Last edited by Pearlpower; 07-15-02 at 11:56 PM.
07-13-02, 11:38 AM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Re: How satisfied are you with your modifications? (long)
Excellent post! Here goes...
L-TUNED STEERING ECU – I installed it myself before any other mods and liked it. Noticed more effect once I did the L-Tuned springs/shocks. Rating 5 because it's relatively cheap as mods go (~$140) and should be the stock ECU.
L-TUNED SPRINGS SHOCKS / TRD STB (strut tower brace) - I've grouped these because I did them at the same time. HUGE HUGE HUGE improvement over stock with no compromise in comfort from my perspective. Rating 5+. The parts + install with alignment (at my dealer cost) about $1070.
WEDS RIMS - 18x8.5 front, 18x9.5 rear. LOVE the look. The rims, with Nitto Extreme tires were only $2300 and then I sold the factory 17's for $1000 so this was VERY inexpensive for the upgrade. Had all kinds of hassles with balance, made worse by improperly installed sways (next) so it wasn't all the fault of the rims, but overall I'd give my satisfaction with them now a 4 because the balance is now just about perfect (with Toyo T1-S's) and they were cheap. Would I buy them again if I knew what I know now? Probably not. I'd probably get something with less lip because big lips on 18s (especially on the rear) make them look small.
TRD FRONT/REAR SWAYS AND LOWER CHASSIS BRACE - Holy Momma what a difference!!!!!! Yes, the ride becomes a bit more harsh but dat body roll is history! Now, my dealer installed the front one upside down :eek: and it took 10 months to figure this out and huge headaches with repeatedly breaking front speed sensors but they fixed it and the handling is awesome, a just about perfect trade-off of ride quality and handling. For comparison - my neighbor's 540i with sport package and staggered rims is a bit more comfortable than my ride I'd say but he has a lot more body roll. Don't know how much the TRD lower chassis brace contributed since the car already had one, albeit a wimpy one. I can't really remember, but I think the parts were about $700 and install about $150. Overall rating: 5.
L-TUNED EXHAUST - I agree with garnet that there's droning resonance at mid throttle but it varies with temperature and humidity and I don't agree that I would have now preferred the Borla which is ok but not as high quality as the L-Tuned mufflers. The sound is AWESOME though and the fit was great - a much simpler install than the Borla because it uses existing hangers. Rating: 5. Cost was $570 I think and install was $70 (at the dealer). I sold the stock mufflers.
K&N DROP IN REPLACEMENT AIR FILTER - hard to say if it does anything, but I managed to convince myself that it did feel a bit peppier off the line. Cost: $50 I think. Rating: 3?
RMM GRILLE – I also like the style of this grille but again, the fit isn't perfect (the upper edge isn't evenly flush with the hood, but it's not very noticeable at all unless you're **** like we are on here!). I knew others had had problems with fitment but based on the price I'm pretty happy and I like it a LOT better than stock. Cost: $217 I think, plus painting $125 (yeah I probably got ripped). Rating: 4. I sold the stock grille.
TINTED WINDOWS – I got 32% FormulaOne tint, looks great. Rating: 5.
PASSPORT 7500 RADAR DETECTOR, installed to the LEFT of the instrument cluster on the dash (passengers never know it's there unless it goes off). It's saved my *** several times. Rating: 5. The Valentine may be more sensitive, but you can't turn off X-Band which sucks.
CLEAR SIDEMARKER LIGHTS – bought off eBay for $20 I think - installed myself. They look great, especially with the silver body. Rating: 5.
MOMO SHIFTER (SHORT ZEBRANO WOOD) - I much prefer it over the stock one since it sits lower and there's no leather/wood transition. I think it was $40. Rating: 5.
TOM'S REAR STB AND REAR LCB - GREAT combo to make the back end 'tight' - definitely notice there's no more booty jiggle when going over speed bumps at an angle for example. Installed STB myself. LCB installed by dealer. Parts and install probably around $700. Rating: 5.
PRECISION INDUSTRIES 2800 rpm STALL SPEED REPLACEMENT "DRAGON" TORQUE CONVERTER - Awesome mod, giving smoother shifts and keeps the rpms up in most situations giving quicker response, quicker downshifts and much harder lauches (can you say wheel spin?). I think the part is 850 or so and the install is about 500. Rating: 5
L-TUNED STEERING ECU – I installed it myself before any other mods and liked it. Noticed more effect once I did the L-Tuned springs/shocks. Rating 5 because it's relatively cheap as mods go (~$140) and should be the stock ECU.
L-TUNED SPRINGS SHOCKS / TRD STB (strut tower brace) - I've grouped these because I did them at the same time. HUGE HUGE HUGE improvement over stock with no compromise in comfort from my perspective. Rating 5+. The parts + install with alignment (at my dealer cost) about $1070.
WEDS RIMS - 18x8.5 front, 18x9.5 rear. LOVE the look. The rims, with Nitto Extreme tires were only $2300 and then I sold the factory 17's for $1000 so this was VERY inexpensive for the upgrade. Had all kinds of hassles with balance, made worse by improperly installed sways (next) so it wasn't all the fault of the rims, but overall I'd give my satisfaction with them now a 4 because the balance is now just about perfect (with Toyo T1-S's) and they were cheap. Would I buy them again if I knew what I know now? Probably not. I'd probably get something with less lip because big lips on 18s (especially on the rear) make them look small.
TRD FRONT/REAR SWAYS AND LOWER CHASSIS BRACE - Holy Momma what a difference!!!!!! Yes, the ride becomes a bit more harsh but dat body roll is history! Now, my dealer installed the front one upside down :eek: and it took 10 months to figure this out and huge headaches with repeatedly breaking front speed sensors but they fixed it and the handling is awesome, a just about perfect trade-off of ride quality and handling. For comparison - my neighbor's 540i with sport package and staggered rims is a bit more comfortable than my ride I'd say but he has a lot more body roll. Don't know how much the TRD lower chassis brace contributed since the car already had one, albeit a wimpy one. I can't really remember, but I think the parts were about $700 and install about $150. Overall rating: 5.
L-TUNED EXHAUST - I agree with garnet that there's droning resonance at mid throttle but it varies with temperature and humidity and I don't agree that I would have now preferred the Borla which is ok but not as high quality as the L-Tuned mufflers. The sound is AWESOME though and the fit was great - a much simpler install than the Borla because it uses existing hangers. Rating: 5. Cost was $570 I think and install was $70 (at the dealer). I sold the stock mufflers.
K&N DROP IN REPLACEMENT AIR FILTER - hard to say if it does anything, but I managed to convince myself that it did feel a bit peppier off the line
. Cost: $50 I think. Rating: 3?RMM GRILLE – I also like the style of this grille but again, the fit isn't perfect (the upper edge isn't evenly flush with the hood, but it's not very noticeable at all unless you're **** like we are on here!). I knew others had had problems with fitment but based on the price I'm pretty happy and I like it a LOT better than stock. Cost: $217 I think, plus painting $125 (yeah I probably got ripped). Rating: 4. I sold the stock grille.
TINTED WINDOWS – I got 32% FormulaOne tint, looks great. Rating: 5.
PASSPORT 7500 RADAR DETECTOR, installed to the LEFT of the instrument cluster on the dash (passengers never know it's there unless it goes off). It's saved my *** several times. Rating: 5. The Valentine may be more sensitive, but you can't turn off X-Band which sucks.
CLEAR SIDEMARKER LIGHTS – bought off eBay for $20 I think - installed myself. They look great, especially with the silver body. Rating: 5.
MOMO SHIFTER (SHORT ZEBRANO WOOD) - I much prefer it over the stock one since it sits lower and there's no leather/wood transition. I think it was $40. Rating: 5.
TOM'S REAR STB AND REAR LCB - GREAT combo to make the back end 'tight' - definitely notice there's no more booty jiggle when going over speed bumps at an angle for example. Installed STB myself. LCB installed by dealer. Parts and install probably around $700. Rating: 5.
PRECISION INDUSTRIES 2800 rpm STALL SPEED REPLACEMENT "DRAGON" TORQUE CONVERTER - Awesome mod, giving smoother shifts and keeps the rpms up in most situations giving quicker response, quicker downshifts and much harder lauches (can you say wheel spin?). I think the part is 850 or so and the install is about 500. Rating: 5
Last edited by bitkahuna; 01-12-03 at 02:11 PM.
07-13-02, 06:22 PM
#6
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Join Date: Jul 2001
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Don't have as big a list as some of you guys but here goes, in order of install.
Bilstein Shocks - 5 About $1000 installed with alignment. Stock shocks, at least on the 2k1 GS430 are an abomination. Bilsteins make the highway ride just about perfect. Still had more lean in high speed cornering than I wanted but this change alone puts the GS in a different class.
PIAA Extreme White HI Beams and wedge bulbs - Probably $100, don't remember exactly, installed myself. Wedge bulbs are actually not that bad to my eye in relation to the HIDs. Not quite as blue but not that awful yellow that you have with the stock wedge bulbs at night. The high beams are definitely improved. I would really like to put HIDs in the high beams but the DRL setup would have to go, seems like more trouble than it is worth for right now. Not trying to get blue color, just a big fan of all the light I can get at night without affecting others on the road around me.
TRD Sways - 5 Seems like these were $585 from Steven Ganz, installed myself. I haven't really noticed any degradation in ride but I still have the stock springs. For such a large and relatively tall car, the lack of roll in low and high speed cornering is not only confidence inspiring but much safer than the stock setup. I have a feeling the rear bar is the main improvement here. The front stock and TRD bar are fairly beefy but the stock rear bar is probably not very useful on a vehicle with the dynamics of the GS.
TRD Grill - 4.5 Around $200, installed myself. Absolutely no problems with fit, very easy replacement and the faux carbon fiber goes well with my dark blue GS. The stock mesh is a little too open and too stealthy for my tastes. Virtually unimpeded view of the radiator and hood latch mechanism, not so swell. Have been experimenting with various replacements through the hex opening like I think the RMM comes with to stainless steel meshes. I am still trying different meshes, not sure I have gotten the right look yet. Probably going to end up with something similar to the Jaguar R type wire mesh look. May try blackening the stock grill like Dex has just done. Not a big deal either way.
Dynaudio 240 MKII speakers in front doors - 5 $515 for the speakers, installed myself. Percy is a firm believer in these speakers and, while pricey, what they do for the stock sound system are amazing. The improvement is across the board with particular improvement in the low and top end frequencies. If you have thought you wanted to start with a sub replacement to improve the bottom end, you should really consider the front door speakers because, like front brakes, they are doing the majority of the work for what you are listening to.
ADS 236im speakers in rear doors - $230 for the speakers, installed myself. 3.5 Sort of mixed emotions here. The location of the rear door speakers is not very good and you really can't hear much difference in the back seats. But there is an indescribable improvement in the overall sound system. The dyns cam alive to a higher degree with the rear door speakers replaced. Some comments made on the electronics board indicate that the improvement might come from a reduction in distortion from the rear door speakers. Whatever it is there is an improvement, just not a very big one.
K&N drop in filter - 3 Around $43, installed myself. Just a neutral rating. Used K&N for years and the stock filter had gotten quite dirty but not really any improvement other than it is cleanable so it does save bucks in the long run.
I did the installs of the speakers myself and used several sound improving and sound deadening materials and I would rate this stuff about a 3.5. Can't say I notice a significant reduction in noise but the doors have a more solid "thunk" to them than before. They were not bad to begin with but it is noticeable that the doors just have that well damped "thunk". Could be imagined.
Thanks to everybody for their listing and their unvarnished opinions.
Bilstein Shocks - 5 About $1000 installed with alignment. Stock shocks, at least on the 2k1 GS430 are an abomination. Bilsteins make the highway ride just about perfect. Still had more lean in high speed cornering than I wanted but this change alone puts the GS in a different class.
PIAA Extreme White HI Beams and wedge bulbs - Probably $100, don't remember exactly, installed myself. Wedge bulbs are actually not that bad to my eye in relation to the HIDs. Not quite as blue but not that awful yellow that you have with the stock wedge bulbs at night. The high beams are definitely improved. I would really like to put HIDs in the high beams but the DRL setup would have to go, seems like more trouble than it is worth for right now. Not trying to get blue color, just a big fan of all the light I can get at night without affecting others on the road around me.
TRD Sways - 5 Seems like these were $585 from Steven Ganz, installed myself. I haven't really noticed any degradation in ride but I still have the stock springs. For such a large and relatively tall car, the lack of roll in low and high speed cornering is not only confidence inspiring but much safer than the stock setup. I have a feeling the rear bar is the main improvement here. The front stock and TRD bar are fairly beefy but the stock rear bar is probably not very useful on a vehicle with the dynamics of the GS.
TRD Grill - 4.5 Around $200, installed myself. Absolutely no problems with fit, very easy replacement and the faux carbon fiber goes well with my dark blue GS. The stock mesh is a little too open and too stealthy for my tastes. Virtually unimpeded view of the radiator and hood latch mechanism, not so swell. Have been experimenting with various replacements through the hex opening like I think the RMM comes with to stainless steel meshes. I am still trying different meshes, not sure I have gotten the right look yet. Probably going to end up with something similar to the Jaguar R type wire mesh look. May try blackening the stock grill like Dex has just done. Not a big deal either way.
Dynaudio 240 MKII speakers in front doors - 5 $515 for the speakers, installed myself. Percy is a firm believer in these speakers and, while pricey, what they do for the stock sound system are amazing. The improvement is across the board with particular improvement in the low and top end frequencies. If you have thought you wanted to start with a sub replacement to improve the bottom end, you should really consider the front door speakers because, like front brakes, they are doing the majority of the work for what you are listening to.
ADS 236im speakers in rear doors - $230 for the speakers, installed myself. 3.5 Sort of mixed emotions here. The location of the rear door speakers is not very good and you really can't hear much difference in the back seats. But there is an indescribable improvement in the overall sound system. The dyns cam alive to a higher degree with the rear door speakers replaced. Some comments made on the electronics board indicate that the improvement might come from a reduction in distortion from the rear door speakers. Whatever it is there is an improvement, just not a very big one.
K&N drop in filter - 3 Around $43, installed myself. Just a neutral rating. Used K&N for years and the stock filter had gotten quite dirty but not really any improvement other than it is cleanable so it does save bucks in the long run.
I did the installs of the speakers myself and used several sound improving and sound deadening materials and I would rate this stuff about a 3.5. Can't say I notice a significant reduction in noise but the doors have a more solid "thunk" to them than before. They were not bad to begin with but it is noticeable that the doors just have that well damped "thunk". Could be imagined.
Thanks to everybody for their listing and their unvarnished opinions.
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07-15-02, 08:13 AM
#9
Driver
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: MO
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Borla Exhaust - Very satisfied with the results and price. I give a 4 only because of the mounting hardware and the occasional resonating at idle. Most of the times I never hear the resonating because my radio is cranked, but sometimes it will generate an annoying tone for a few seconds. I love the sound during acceleration. Both of my Borlas centered nicely in the exhaust cutouts. I just wish they would use the stock hanger system. I also had to bend back the spot welded strip for the trunk to keep my tips from rubbing and vibrating. I love the look of the ovals and the way they fill out the cutouts.
L-Tuned shocks/springs - Give them a 5 for return on investment. As most have said, they should just come standard on the GS. I barely noticed a change in the ride with my stock 16s and there was so much less body roll. With my new 18s the ride is noticeably stiffer, but still very comfortable given how much better it corners. Plus, I had no issues with getting all 4 wheels aligned. I will say that it seemed like some of the body roll came back after the suspension settled. The L-Tuned shocks and springs by themselves are not enough to make the GS a cornering machine, but it sounds like other owners are getting good results after adding STBs and beefier sways.
DIY chrome grill - looks great and cost me $0, so it's at least a 5. I think it ties in well with my chrome wheels and stainless steel exhaust tips. I only exposed the chrome on the leading edge of each vertical fin and left the rest black. I used Goof Off to do the job. The advantage is that it only removes the black paint from where you rub. The disadvantage is that it takes about an hour and a half and results in many blistered fingers.
L-Sportline Model IIIs - Another 4, because I'm very happy with the overall results but hindsight is 20/20. I spent many hours looking at wheels and felt like the Model IIIs were the best looking rims in my price range. Looking back I probably should have looked a little harder at Work wheels, to try to find something I really liked with a little more lip. Also, I'm not really sure what level of perfection to expect from a cast wheel, but there were some minor imperfections. The finish of the chrome was pretty much perfect out of the box. I'm waiting to see how durable it turns out to be. My stock 16s made it through 4 winters with no pitting or scratches besides very light curb rash. Hope I can expect that kind of durability from these. When they arrived at my house, I took every wheel out of the box and examined every square inch. One of them had the L of the L-Sportline emblem stamped too deep with a half inch, hairline scratch coming off the L. On every wheel you could find a spot along the contour of at least one spoke where there was a shallow dip or flat spot. These are the kinds of things you can only detect from a foot away or closer, and most people still don't catch them. I could have returned the wheel with the badly stamped emblem, but it didn't seem worth it when there are bound to be some minor scratches from mounting and balancing, rotating and daily driving.
Toyo T1-S tires - hopefully going to be a 5. I had to return two of them because they failed the road force test on a Hunter balancer. Not a good way to start my experience with Toyos. Besides that the traction has exceeded my expectations, especially on wet pavement and standing water. I know a GS4 would probably have no problems spinning them, but I can barely break them free even on wet pavement in a downpour. They will definitely be a 5 if they meet my expectations for tread life. So far they seem to be wearing extremely well. I'm hoping that the L-Tuned shocks and springs along with the stiffer 40 series sidewalls will make them wear even unlike my 16s where the corners were rounding over.
Right now I'm trying to figure out what I want to do for tint. Legal is 35% all the way around. I could probably get away with 20% on the back three. I'm thinking I need something semi-reflective like Quantum so the 35% doesn't look so light.
Ray
L-Tuned shocks/springs - Give them a 5 for return on investment. As most have said, they should just come standard on the GS. I barely noticed a change in the ride with my stock 16s and there was so much less body roll. With my new 18s the ride is noticeably stiffer, but still very comfortable given how much better it corners. Plus, I had no issues with getting all 4 wheels aligned. I will say that it seemed like some of the body roll came back after the suspension settled. The L-Tuned shocks and springs by themselves are not enough to make the GS a cornering machine, but it sounds like other owners are getting good results after adding STBs and beefier sways.
DIY chrome grill - looks great and cost me $0, so it's at least a 5. I think it ties in well with my chrome wheels and stainless steel exhaust tips. I only exposed the chrome on the leading edge of each vertical fin and left the rest black. I used Goof Off to do the job. The advantage is that it only removes the black paint from where you rub. The disadvantage is that it takes about an hour and a half and results in many blistered fingers.
L-Sportline Model IIIs - Another 4, because I'm very happy with the overall results but hindsight is 20/20. I spent many hours looking at wheels and felt like the Model IIIs were the best looking rims in my price range. Looking back I probably should have looked a little harder at Work wheels, to try to find something I really liked with a little more lip. Also, I'm not really sure what level of perfection to expect from a cast wheel, but there were some minor imperfections. The finish of the chrome was pretty much perfect out of the box. I'm waiting to see how durable it turns out to be. My stock 16s made it through 4 winters with no pitting or scratches besides very light curb rash. Hope I can expect that kind of durability from these. When they arrived at my house, I took every wheel out of the box and examined every square inch. One of them had the L of the L-Sportline emblem stamped too deep with a half inch, hairline scratch coming off the L. On every wheel you could find a spot along the contour of at least one spoke where there was a shallow dip or flat spot. These are the kinds of things you can only detect from a foot away or closer, and most people still don't catch them. I could have returned the wheel with the badly stamped emblem, but it didn't seem worth it when there are bound to be some minor scratches from mounting and balancing, rotating and daily driving.
Toyo T1-S tires - hopefully going to be a 5. I had to return two of them because they failed the road force test on a Hunter balancer. Not a good way to start my experience with Toyos. Besides that the traction has exceeded my expectations, especially on wet pavement and standing water. I know a GS4 would probably have no problems spinning them, but I can barely break them free even on wet pavement in a downpour. They will definitely be a 5 if they meet my expectations for tread life. So far they seem to be wearing extremely well. I'm hoping that the L-Tuned shocks and springs along with the stiffer 40 series sidewalls will make them wear even unlike my 16s where the corners were rounding over.
Right now I'm trying to figure out what I want to do for tint. Legal is 35% all the way around. I could probably get away with 20% on the back three. I'm thinking I need something semi-reflective like Quantum so the 35% doesn't look so light.
Ray
Last edited by dt21823; 07-15-02 at 09:08 AM.
07-15-02, 08:38 AM
#10
Lead Lap
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Dallas/Ft.
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I ain't writin' no book!!! Too much stuff...LOL!!
I like everything I have... everything has improved the car in some way, whether it be styling, ride or performance. I did a ton of research on every part no matter how big or small.
But, thanks for the post, it is a great "guide" for the newbies!!
I like everything I have... everything has improved the car in some way, whether it be styling, ride or performance. I did a ton of research on every part no matter how big or small.
But, thanks for the post, it is a great "guide" for the newbies!!
07-15-02, 08:55 AM
#11
Lexus Test Driver
Don't have too many mods yet still working....but here goes.
Eibach Pro Springs/ Bilstein Shocks - Rating = 4. - Not to say that I don't like these springs, I just wish the drop was a little more. The ride with these installed is 5 times better than stock. Gave the car a more sporty feel and better handling around corners. I bought the enitre set for including installation for 550 dollars. I would say that it was well spent, but I am looking into dropping another inch so I am thinking about getting Tein.
19" Work VS SD2 Wheels - Rating = 4.5 - Bought from GSXOTIC. The only reason why I didn't put five down was because I didn't get staggered and I am really sad that I didn't. Other than that, I really like work wheels because of the quality. Hit a few pot holes that I was for sure would screw the rim up, but nothing happened. Love the look of work wheels to, plus not too many people have them. Cost was a little over 3000.
RMM Grill - Rating = 3 - I like the style of the RMM Grill, but like many others have mentioned, the fit of it could be a lot better. I think the grill gives that car a sportier look and more aggressive look in the front. The quality of the grill could be better too. The mesh on the grill seems a little cheap to me too, seems like them just went to home depot and chop a piece of mesh off for you to install. But overall I like the grill because of the Lexus symbol in the middle of it. I paid 200 including paint.
AutoLamps-Online 4100K HID Kit - Rating = 5 - I have nothing negative to say about this kit. I am very impressed with the output of this kit. It was very easy to install, the company was quick at shipping my order (got it within a week), and it was all plug n play. Once you gone to HID, theres no turning back. I paid 450 with the group buy.
Borla Tips - Rating = 5 - I really liked these tips from the start because it really accented the rear of the car. I looked around for a while for some good quality tips and found none to be like these. They fill in the rear bumper slots perfectly. The tips offered a more agressive/sportier look without loosing the comfort/quietness. I paid 110 from DrewGS4.
Clear Bumper Lights - Rating = 4 - I think these match the car a lot better that the orange ones. I wish the plastic on them was frosted instead so you couldn't see through them, that is why I didn't give them a 5. I put Polarg M4 bulbs in them and at night, they match my front lights better. I paid 30 dollars from procarparts.
Nitto 555 Extreme - Rating 5 - I just got these put on last week and so far I really like them. Don't know how long they will last though, guess I will have to find that out. As far as handling, I think these really stick to the road well. I had Dunlop Lemans II before, which was a more conservative tire. I like the nittos much better because of the more aggressive thread pattern. My ride did suffer more since the Nittos are a harder tire, but it wasn't by much. I paid 680 for all, including mounting and balance.
Wish List includes: TTE Front Lip, UGO Rear Roof, L-Tuned Steering ECU, Tein Ha.
Mike
Eibach Pro Springs/ Bilstein Shocks - Rating = 4. - Not to say that I don't like these springs, I just wish the drop was a little more. The ride with these installed is 5 times better than stock. Gave the car a more sporty feel and better handling around corners. I bought the enitre set for including installation for 550 dollars. I would say that it was well spent, but I am looking into dropping another inch so I am thinking about getting Tein.
19" Work VS SD2 Wheels - Rating = 4.5 - Bought from GSXOTIC. The only reason why I didn't put five down was because I didn't get staggered and I am really sad that I didn't. Other than that, I really like work wheels because of the quality. Hit a few pot holes that I was for sure would screw the rim up, but nothing happened. Love the look of work wheels to, plus not too many people have them. Cost was a little over 3000.
RMM Grill - Rating = 3 - I like the style of the RMM Grill, but like many others have mentioned, the fit of it could be a lot better. I think the grill gives that car a sportier look and more aggressive look in the front. The quality of the grill could be better too. The mesh on the grill seems a little cheap to me too, seems like them just went to home depot and chop a piece of mesh off for you to install. But overall I like the grill because of the Lexus symbol in the middle of it. I paid 200 including paint.
AutoLamps-Online 4100K HID Kit - Rating = 5 - I have nothing negative to say about this kit. I am very impressed with the output of this kit. It was very easy to install, the company was quick at shipping my order (got it within a week), and it was all plug n play. Once you gone to HID, theres no turning back. I paid 450 with the group buy.
Borla Tips - Rating = 5 - I really liked these tips from the start because it really accented the rear of the car. I looked around for a while for some good quality tips and found none to be like these. They fill in the rear bumper slots perfectly. The tips offered a more agressive/sportier look without loosing the comfort/quietness. I paid 110 from DrewGS4.
Clear Bumper Lights - Rating = 4 - I think these match the car a lot better that the orange ones. I wish the plastic on them was frosted instead so you couldn't see through them, that is why I didn't give them a 5. I put Polarg M4 bulbs in them and at night, they match my front lights better. I paid 30 dollars from procarparts.
Nitto 555 Extreme - Rating 5 - I just got these put on last week and so far I really like them. Don't know how long they will last though, guess I will have to find that out. As far as handling, I think these really stick to the road well. I had Dunlop Lemans II before, which was a more conservative tire. I like the nittos much better because of the more aggressive thread pattern. My ride did suffer more since the Nittos are a harder tire, but it wasn't by much. I paid 680 for all, including mounting and balance.
Wish List includes: TTE Front Lip, UGO Rear Roof, L-Tuned Steering ECU, Tein Ha.
Mike
Last edited by mcgong; 07-15-02 at 09:03 AM.
07-15-02, 09:45 AM
#12
Lexus Champion
Here's my HUGE list of MODS:
1. Cleared Taillights: Awesome, I think they look so much cleaner over the sock 98-00 tail lights. Rating - 5
2. L-Tuned Steering ECU: Def noticed a handling difference on the car for the money I paid for it, excellent MOD. Rating - 5
3. Neon Lighting: 2 15" Blue tubes in Driver/Pass. side and 2 10" blue tubes in rear all hidden under seats and dash. The look is absolutely amazing, not ricey like those Hondas. It peps up the interior of your car so much, and it was relatively inexpensive, got a custom ashtray switch plus the lights PLUS labor all for $240. Rating: - 5
4. Clear Bumper lights: Eh, they look nice, alot beter than stock, but they fogged up the first day I had them. So until I open and reseal them they get an average rating. Rating - 3
5. Polarg M6 - Wasn't too impressed with it, but again better than stock brownish light. Doesn't match my Factory Xenons very well at all. Rating - 4
6. 15% Tint - Had the tint put on in FL. looks really good, can braely see through it during the day, at night completely black. I always get tint as my first mod. Rating - 5
Future MODS (within the next 6 months):
1. 20x8.5F 20x9.5R WORK Euroline LS Chrome
2. Tein Flex Coilovers
3. Bodykit, not sure, looking at Autocouture and L-Sportline
4. TV in headrests and visors, TV will be tucked under leather so only screen will be showing. Will be done by StreetEffectz.
1. Cleared Taillights: Awesome, I think they look so much cleaner over the sock 98-00 tail lights. Rating - 5
2. L-Tuned Steering ECU: Def noticed a handling difference on the car for the money I paid for it, excellent MOD. Rating - 5
3. Neon Lighting: 2 15" Blue tubes in Driver/Pass. side and 2 10" blue tubes in rear all hidden under seats and dash. The look is absolutely amazing, not ricey like those Hondas. It peps up the interior of your car so much, and it was relatively inexpensive, got a custom ashtray switch plus the lights PLUS labor all for $240. Rating: - 5
4. Clear Bumper lights: Eh, they look nice, alot beter than stock, but they fogged up the first day I had them. So until I open and reseal them they get an average rating. Rating - 3
5. Polarg M6 - Wasn't too impressed with it, but again better than stock brownish light. Doesn't match my Factory Xenons very well at all. Rating - 4
6. 15% Tint - Had the tint put on in FL. looks really good, can braely see through it during the day, at night completely black. I always get tint as my first mod. Rating - 5
Future MODS (within the next 6 months):
1. 20x8.5F 20x9.5R WORK Euroline LS Chrome
2. Tein Flex Coilovers
3. Bodykit, not sure, looking at Autocouture and L-Sportline
4. TV in headrests and visors, TV will be tucked under leather so only screen will be showing. Will be done by StreetEffectz.
07-15-02, 07:49 PM
#15
Pole Position
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Greenville, SC
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All you guys deserve some big thanks for this thread. Us wannabees pore over the mod threads to try to decide where to start and what to expect, and this stuff is priceless to be all in one place. I hope others will follow up with more. Outstanding - and thanks!