Scotty99

My car was supposed to be at the dealership either Friday or definately by Saturday, but apparently the transport truck driver decided to not make the run from Jax, FL to Savanah, GA until Monday. This despite the fact the transport company billed the dealer last Thurs and it is only about a 90 minute drive. To add insult to injury, we have had beautiful weather the last 5 days and of course it will be raining all day Monday so my baby will be getting transported in the rain subjected to all the elements, not to mention they are doing construction on a long stretch of I-95 so I am expecting the engine compartment to now be wet and dirty. That is my primary concern. Maybe I am just crazy, but I don't believe the underside is protected during shipping, is it?

Scott

mcfly

You're just crazy. Relax... if you plan to drive the car in the rain, then having it on a truck in the rain is hardly going to sully it. The dealer doesn't do anything to the car to protect it (not that rain is going to hurt the car anyway ).

Scotty99

Yeah, I know I'm a little crazy, but when the car is up in the air, it seems that the engine compartment is subjected to more of the rain/dirt highway mist. When you are just driving the car in the rain, the engine compartment usually does not get that exposed to water/dirt unless you drive through some 2 foot puddles because the wheel wells redirect all the water and the car is relatively low to the ground. I am primarily concerned about the insulation under the hood getting wet, because it discolors easily.

Bichon

The bottom of the engine bay is completely protected by a large plastic cover. (As you'll find out quickly enough if you ever plan to change your own oil)

And yes, you are acting a bit crazy. It's a car, it spends lots of time outside, and inevitably things are going to happen to it. Are you planning to hire an armed sentry to shoot any bird that may be thinking of crapping on it out of the sky? If you obsess over every little flaw, it's going to ruin your enjoyment.

Scotty99

Ha ha, okay guys thanks for cooling me down. I think I was primarily mad about the delay in shipment.

"The bottom of the engine bay is completely protected by a large plastic cover"

Did not know this, do all Lexus vehicles have this feature? I have never owned a car that had a bottom engine bay cover, maybe it helps reduce the drag coefficient.

mcfly

Actually, most any modern car has a large piece of plastic over some or part of the engine bay.

LSUFanMan

Glad to see I am not the only '**** retentive' Lexus owner on this website...LOL!

Scotty99

Umm, sorry, but no they don't.

Some of my recently owned vehicles with no such bottom cover:

05 Z-71 - No bottom cover (Still own)
05 TL - No bottom cover (traded, was service nightmare)
05 GTO - No bottom cover (traded for IS350, not a good daily driver)
02 Nissan Altima - No bottom cover (traded)
00 Toyota Camry - No bottom cover (traded)
96 Honda Accord - No bottom cover (traded)


So I don't know what modern vehicles you are talking about, but that is not a normal feature. Plastic covers on top of motors are very common, but the discussion is about a bottom plastic cover under the engine compartment

IS_250

iTrader: (2)

congrats on the purchase. yes, the bottom of most cars have a plastic splash sheild to keep excess water from getting in the engine compartment. honestly if you're in Savannah you should have just picked it up. you would have enjoyed the drive.. well espcially since you have a 350..

mcfly

Perhaps "most" was innaccurate, but ahem, lots do. My WRX and S2000 included. Like I said though, they don't cover the entire undertray, so perhaps we're referring to different things.

Scotty99

Thanks for the congrats, and I don't mean to sound rude, but I have changed my own oil on all of the new vehicles I have owned over the past 15 years so I have viewed them all on lifts. It is common to maybe have a skid plate underneath for trucks, but it is not common to have a plastic shield covering the entire bottom of the engine compartment. Unless this is a common feature for German cars (ie. BMW, Audi, Merc, Volks) because I have never owned a German car. But if you look at any American made cars or even Hondas, Toyota, Mits, Mazda, etc. there is no plastic guard that covers the entire bottom of the engine compartment on any model I have seen. Attached is a picture of the bottom plastic cover I just found.

Did not drive it from Savannah, because I am waiting for the car to be delivered from the port in Jax, FL to Savannah and it has to be PDI'd at the dealership in Savannah.

mcfly

Not to sound rude, but who bloody cares? The point is, the car, be it on the road or on a trailer, is a car. Getting it wet isn't going to hurt anything.

IS_250

iTrader: (2)

yeah, from what ive seen the both bmw and lexus use covers underneath the engine compartment. for some reason i thought you purchased the car in jax. im still kicking myself for not spending the extra for the 350

Toyota_F1

iTrader: (1)

Had a full plastic under engine cover on my 88 Supra Turbo.

BobsGX

My past cars, 93 SC400, 96 LS400 and the 05 Dodge Magnum RT all had a plastic shroud mounted under the engine area. My current 06 GX470 has a heavy skid plate (2 piece) under the engine area along with a plastic piece to deflect air near the transmission area.