TXLeXTC

Remember with these kits that what you pay for is what you get!!!! I have seen it many times, and now live it in my GS. I just bought mine last week (Used) and one of the kits has been installed. It is by far the best color match to the factory wood, and can hardly be told apart, in color. These kits manytimes are not made to fit right tho. Or cheap glue is used, or parts that are not concave where need be etc. After time they start to peel away in places. The hardest part about that is, of course a whole piece is never fully coming off. You then are faced with ripping it off , therefore damaging where the glue is good, and hoping to be able to put a new sticky backing on, or buy a new kit. Then your "Stuck" with always having a kit if you damage anything pulling a piece off. My GS is the first car I ever have had a kit in and would not recomend them to anyone. The only ones i have seen last have been aftermarkit shop installed kits pricing of which has been well over 1k, but they last.

JD

Sam Khoury

I had mine done by my dealer when I leased my 99 GS300 and it matches perfectly and I've no problems with peeling or anything like that. Most people don't even know it's a dealer installed kit. They think it came from the factory like that. But I appreciate the advice. Even though it will cost more, I'll probably have the dealer install it if I have to get an aftermarket black walnut wood kit.

Sam Khoury

I called Exotic Wood Dash today and they told me that the "Special Edition" listed under the GS300 01&up on their Lexus page was the black walnut wood trim. Here is a link.

http://www.exoticwooddash.com/lexus.htm

$255 isn't bad. Has anybody ever dealt with this company?

MrSypher

Sam, make sure the wood matches, and it is black... You don't want some fuked up gray/silver crap...

Sam Khoury

Yeah mrsypher, I'll definitely keep that in mind. I even asked them what their policy was on returns and the salesman told me that there was a restocking charge. I think he may have said 25%. I'm going to ask the dealer what options they have.

TXLeXTC

Anyone have experience removing one of these kits? My GS has one (Falling apart) and I would like to remove and add the black kit. I just dont want to start ripping off the dash and such behind it!! Any thoughts how to pull it all carefully? Also where can I get ahold of the black pieces to replace my oem brown, or is that in the kit as well?

SecPole14

No offense, but I think add-on wood kits are gross.

kidcapp

yes there is a kit i had one made at http://aaaexoticwood.com ask for konsantine. i sent him a piece from my factory wood from my 2002 gs300 sport design and he did a pretty good job of matching it. it cost me around $200 dollars for the whole kit [FONT=courier new][COLOR=darkblue]

Sam Khoury

Thanks a lot kidcapp. I might stop by this place in NJ and check it out since they are not too far from me.

MrSypher

Kidd, do you have the woodgrain installed in your car yet?? And if you do could you take some pics?? I want to see how close of a match it really is... Thanks...

///MDex

Ditto the request for a full blackwood LHD setup!

kidcapp

yes i have it installed i will try to take some pictures of it and post it up for you. i tried every where to get this kit it was impossible to find if you would like to spend a lot more than i did you could try http://www.rau-autowood.com/gs400.htm they actually mold the wood right to your factory parts but it is expensive here is some pictures of a 2002 sc430 kit they did i was thinking of having them do my steering wheel

kidcapp

here is a close up

Sam Khoury

I was comparing the 2 kits today, the Exotic Wood Dash one and the AAA Exotic Wood one and here's what I noticed.

1) The AAA Exotic Wood was has more 6 more pieces included even though it is only $2 more ($257 versus $255). For those with Nav, compare Exotic Wood Dash kit WD226F with the AAA Exotic Wood one. The AAA Exotic Wood includes 2 pieces around the down buttons on the steering wheel, 2 pieces for the overhead console and 2 pieces for the glove box handle and lock. These are not included with the Exotic Wood Dash kit even though they have the pieces for the down buttons and overhead console in the diagram on the web page but they are NOT included with the WD226F kit and when I called them about the overhead console pieces, they told me that they are not available in black walnut. I never asked about the down button pieces.
2) When I called AAA Exotic Wood, they make the kits to order which makes me concerned about the color match. When I called Exotic Wood Dash, it sounded like they keep them in stock. It also appeared to me that Exotic Wood Dash was a larger company but I could be wrong.

The good thing for me about AAA Exotic Wood is that they are close to me so I can go check it out before I have it installed. They said they would install it for $70. Does that sound reasonable to everybody?

RMMGS4

iTrader: (5)

I'm changing over to the blackwood kit from the brown walnut. I ordered the door pieces from http://shop.store.yahoo.com/lexusparts/ind.html.

I sent one of the pieces immediately to American Stitches to see if they could match it with their wood steering wheel.

I'm trying to get in on Steering Wheel group buy, but this matching thing is holding me up.

They say it's only an extra $10 to match it.

The part has been with them for a week already. I'm still waiting to hear the word.


I'd like to get this wood trim kit as well as a matching center console and shift ****.