Hudini

If you have the extra cash, I'd paint it if you plan to keep it for a while. It seems like you take good care of it and scratches and nicks are going to come whether you buy another car or repaint yours. But going from light to dark will be much more noticeable. With my old Supra, when I went from white to dark blue, I think I spend 1000% more time looking for imperfections.

I have a silver 2001, and if I ever decide to repaint it, I would go with a slightly darker shade.

Swagga82

yea i guess i'm not going to paint the car..i'm just going to save the money if anything i will just paint the front bumper because of the little nicks from driving on the high way and save my money because u right i might have perfection problems, because when i tell people i need a paint job after looking at my car they always ask me "whats wrong with you your car looks clean'.... with my mental though "if u don't do it right why try at all"

ill live now its either save for something new or buy rimz time will tell

2SAVVY

Another view point. When I bought my LS430 the paint was in rough condition to say the least. Just get a professional detailer to work out the imperfections in the paint and touch up the stone chips. A quality detailer will do wonders for about $400. When done get the front end wrapped and your good to go.

Factory paint will always be the best possible paint on your car unless you are looking at a $8,000 - $14,000 paint job with multiple layers of base, pearl, clear plus wet sanding, blocking ect ect (1 to 3 months min)

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

Lexus has some of, if not the most durable (resisting fading, looks good, etc.) factory paint of any manufacturer. You want to paint over it with some aftermarket crap that will at the same time devalue the car? Excellent idea!

No. I'd sell it and by a different car because painting a car like the LS is rarely money well spent.
I have my '03 sold for $19.9K (selling it stock, without the aftermarket wheels, tires, coilovers, and the exhaust that I built). I'm planning to buy an '04-'06 and not expecting to spend more than about $24K. I'm getting a newer car with the '04+ upgrades for the price you are talking about spending to paint your car and devalue it.

You must be quite the savvy investor. "Invest" in a paint job that causes the value of your car to decline??? And doing so when you said the "chips aren't noticable"??? Using the word "invest" to describe paying for something doesn't make buying that item a good idea. And before you say that an aftermarket paint job will not hurt the value, I'll go ahead and say that's only true if you find a know-nothing clown to sell the car to (and there aren't many of those who have any money to buy an LS), or if your car is ghetto level anyway and already de-valued due to poor conditon or other "investments" you've made in it.

I agree 100%! Paint away. I don't give a %$@&. I just gave my opinion because it was invited.

adob0

^ he already said he wasn't going to paint

sojah

iTrader: (1)

hey I6turbo are you always an *** or are you just having a bad day today?? i bet your a wall street investor, thats gotta be it, it explains the bad mood at least..

this is generally a forum about moding cars, a paint job is a mod, why should this idea be shot down so hard?? if you don't like the idea of painting a car just say so, you don't have to be so harsh. by the way a lot of folks might not think a cat back exhaust on an ls 430 is such a good idea either.. have you ever had an aftermarket paint job before?? its no different than putting in a turbo system for the 'go' crowd, its just on the 'show' side of the house...

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

He asked for opinions, and I gave mine along with my reasoning. He came back with a snotty response (and where is your nannying message to him?) and I responded to that. Sorry if I didn't participate in your circle jerk -- I just stated my views in both posts. In the end he decided NOT to paint the car like I and others recommended. You must be hurt because my advice went against yours. Sorry.

sojah

iTrader: (1)

i don't know if i would call mine advice or not, just an opinion like yours i guess. i think that your words were a little on the harsh side, but maybe i didn't read where he made a snotty response then, cuz i'm definitely a firm believer in the whole what goes around comes around karma shiz.

i think you guys should kiss and make up... /

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

Here's a BIG KISS and hug for everyone!

sojah

iTrader: (1)

awwww.....

racinstyle

if you plan on keeping the car, its makes it look so fresh and so clean clean

sojah

iTrader: (1)

jigga what??

Swagga82

my point proven ...why wont u pay for a pain which probably does take away from the cars value...but you would pay for a exhaust that also takes away from the value!!!!

Budhah

WOW talk about devaluation.. Only thing that goes down in value faster than off color lux car is your net worth the day you get get married.. And that is only cut in half... If you don't try to use attachments on her... LOL

sojah

iTrader: (1)

i have only had 1 custom paint job and i have now had 3 lux sedans, so here is my question. i have never been successfully able to sell a used lux sedan for anything more than what i owe on it, with or without mods. i know that everyone says this mod or that mod will devalue a lux sedan but just looking at it will also devalue it. something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it, and i have yet to have a business man show up in a 3 piece suit to look at my used lux sedan in anticipation of purchasing it... you dig?

i am not in the slightest saying that it is an investment, and you should never expect to see a dime of any money put into moding a car every return either... this i know all to well.