Cheap Exterior Modifications (08’ IS F)
08-06-18, 09:50 AM
#16
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
08-06-18, 12:57 PM
#17
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Gotta love it when the father and son have a same love of cars.
NorCal roads and the fog can be brutal. I'd suggest coilovers and a good fog light output. We frequent up north with family often, so can understand how scarce it is to find an IS F there. I'd say hit up a Lexus meet- there's bound to be at least one attending.
But in regards to $350 for upgraded headlights, you're most likely looking at aftermarket and not factory upgrades. There have been issues with signals, wiring, and even fitment at times. Used headlights (LED strip) will fall in the 1k-2k range, so while it's not a cheap modification, it does a lot to make the car look a lot newer.
NorCal roads and the fog can be brutal. I'd suggest coilovers and a good fog light output. We frequent up north with family often, so can understand how scarce it is to find an IS F there. I'd say hit up a Lexus meet- there's bound to be at least one attending.
But in regards to $350 for upgraded headlights, you're most likely looking at aftermarket and not factory upgrades. There have been issues with signals, wiring, and even fitment at times. Used headlights (LED strip) will fall in the 1k-2k range, so while it's not a cheap modification, it does a lot to make the car look a lot newer.
08-06-18, 01:05 PM
#18
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Your ISF comes with HID headlights/bulbs along with AFS feature(moves left right and up and down while driving). Replacing them with $300 halogen will lead to much worse light output at night, or with an HID kit inside light splattering all over the road and still bad output. Many have also said the aftermarket headlights have LED's go out, condensate, or have other quality issues after a few weeks.
The only ones worth upgrading to are OEM 2011+ HID, or Depo brand HID which are $1k on eBay, and don't come with some additional components like bulb covers, bulbs, ballasts, and some wiring. Unless you thoroughly research and want to tinker with them, I'd leave them alone. Taillights however almost all have great reviews. SpecD or Vland taillights go a long way to updating the cars rear end and those don't seem to have quality issues, especially if you add just a pinch of extra silicone along the edges. Honestly not needed, but I sleep better lol.
As far as other cheap upgrades, I'd start with tint, blacking out the rear emblem with dip and grill/roof/spoiler/etc with gloss black wrap, muffler delete/used exhaust, painting the Brembo's, and lip/diffuser/side skirts. Front lip especially so that you don't scrape that low bumper. Side skirts can have issues with becoming wavy after a few months due to the exhaust temperatures, so if you install make sure to use plenty of screws, or save up for a better/stronger CF style. Better looking and nicer offset wheels will go a long way, but minimum $2k with tires so probably out of your plans for now. If you really hate the headlights you can try to have a smoked vinyl overlay with light cutouts applied like I did(pics on this forum and on IG @russiancarguy . Springs I'd stay away from as they have a tendency to ride rougher and it will make your stock wheels look worse with how sunk in they are even at stock height. Cheapest coils I'd do are $1200 BC Racing+swift.
Honestly, I'd just pay the $40-50 to go autox and learn the car and it's limits on a safe course and enjoy the car for what it is. I can't imagine owing a car this powerful at 17 but good luck to you and keep us updated!
The only ones worth upgrading to are OEM 2011+ HID, or Depo brand HID which are $1k on eBay, and don't come with some additional components like bulb covers, bulbs, ballasts, and some wiring. Unless you thoroughly research and want to tinker with them, I'd leave them alone. Taillights however almost all have great reviews. SpecD or Vland taillights go a long way to updating the cars rear end and those don't seem to have quality issues, especially if you add just a pinch of extra silicone along the edges. Honestly not needed, but I sleep better lol.
As far as other cheap upgrades, I'd start with tint, blacking out the rear emblem with dip and grill/roof/spoiler/etc with gloss black wrap, muffler delete/used exhaust, painting the Brembo's, and lip/diffuser/side skirts. Front lip especially so that you don't scrape that low bumper. Side skirts can have issues with becoming wavy after a few months due to the exhaust temperatures, so if you install make sure to use plenty of screws, or save up for a better/stronger CF style. Better looking and nicer offset wheels will go a long way, but minimum $2k with tires so probably out of your plans for now. If you really hate the headlights you can try to have a smoked vinyl overlay with light cutouts applied like I did(pics on this forum and on IG @russiancarguy . Springs I'd stay away from as they have a tendency to ride rougher and it will make your stock wheels look worse with how sunk in they are even at stock height. Cheapest coils I'd do are $1200 BC Racing+swift.
Honestly, I'd just pay the $40-50 to go autox and learn the car and it's limits on a safe course and enjoy the car for what it is. I can't imagine owing a car this powerful at 17 but good luck to you and keep us updated!
08-06-18, 01:07 PM
#19
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Thinking of going this route but with wrap instead, i like the chrom badging for now but i’m going to wrap the chrom outlines on the rest of the car. not sure if i want gloss black or another color since the car is granite mica and tends to be a different color in the sun
08-06-18, 11:09 PM
#20
08-07-18, 01:52 PM
#21
Moderator
Hi,
I'm 18 owning an IS F 08', don't even bother cheaping out. It's a Lexus, you can't simply drop quality like that, BUT you can buy used parts which I've done
Mods I've done so far:
X Force Varex Exhaust - 1.079 - Pro Installed - 150
Difuser Install - $150 - Major fail fitment incorrect waiting on it
F Sport Rear Sway Bar - $100 - DIY
BC Racing Coilovers - $800
WedsSport SA-10R 18x9.5 +38 Squared W
RS3 Hankooks 255/35/R18 - 1,400$
Arkym Diffuiser - $250 - fail didn't fit
Tint 3M - $125
I can say I spent around 3,xxx roughly on the car for just mods. I'm done for now, I got college to pay off also need to keep money for maintenance. I'm almost at 60k, and instead of taking it to the dealer I'm setting up a garage to do DIY work for the car. Although, my uncle works at Lexus so I get free alignments and such hehe.
I'm 18 owning an IS F 08', don't even bother cheaping out. It's a Lexus, you can't simply drop quality like that, BUT you can buy used parts which I've done
Mods I've done so far:
X Force Varex Exhaust - 1.079 - Pro Installed - 150
Difuser Install - $150 - Major fail fitment incorrect waiting on it
F Sport Rear Sway Bar - $100 - DIY
BC Racing Coilovers - $800
WedsSport SA-10R 18x9.5 +38 Squared W
RS3 Hankooks 255/35/R18 - 1,400$
Arkym Diffuiser - $250 - fail didn't fit
Tint 3M - $125
I can say I spent around 3,xxx roughly on the car for just mods. I'm done for now, I got college to pay off also need to keep money for maintenance. I'm almost at 60k, and instead of taking it to the dealer I'm setting up a garage to do DIY work for the car. Although, my uncle works at Lexus so I get free alignments and such hehe.
08-08-18, 08:25 AM
#23
Intermediate
08-08-18, 03:07 PM
#25
Moderator
Toms and cheap have never been in the same sentence before. I do personally feel that it’s worth saving for quality parts on an F. That’s why I’m saving for Volks instead of enkeis.
08-08-18, 07:25 PM
#27
Driver School Candidate
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