oneor11

Good morning all,

Have any of you had the Lexus OEM spoiler installed post-purchase? I got a quote from the dealer and the part is a reasonable $250 and then an astounding $375 to install. I was thinking about ordering the part and then YouTubing on how to install a spoiler myself. If course drilling through the trunk and such always seems scary to me. Have any of you done a manual install? Thanks.

Jacob

lesz

I'm confident that the spoiler comes unfinished and that a major portion of the $375 installation cost is for painting it the color of the car.

And that brings up another issue. If you are someone who is especially particular about fits and finishes and if you have an eye that is inclined to catch less than perfect paint matches, you may not be happy with the color match between the spoiler and the rest of the car. Especially with today's pearl and metallic finishes, even those with the highest level of skill can have a difficult time getting a satisfactory color match (for those who are particular). And it becomes even more of a challenge if what is being attempted is a panel-to-panel match without blending. I would be confident that a competent body shop could do an excellent panel-to-panel match with black. My level of confidence would drop significantly with other colors, and that would be especially true with a white pearl, any red, and light silvers and golds. My level of confidence in getting a satisfactory match would increase bit with something like a dark gray metallic or pearl.

Again, for some, a less than perfect match is not even a small issue to them. For others of us, seeing a less than perfect paint match is like hearing fingernails scrape along a chalkboard. Being one of those, I would hesitate to add a panel that had to be finished separate from the body.

Arty101

I believe someone already asked and installed a spoiler post delivery. Check with Seawell (one of the CL vendors and dealer), but I believe they are pre-painted and color matched.

lesz

Boy, if they do come pre-painted, that would cause me to have even more concern about what I would consider to be a satisfactory color match. The likelihood of even slight variations from one paint lot to another adds one more factor to the difficulty in getting a perfect color match.

As I said above, I know that minor color variations don't bother some people at all, but they drive others of us crazy.

Arty101

The color match is based on the factory color code, also found on the side panel of the car. This is how they'll match it, but obviously it's not done at the same time. Which makes me wonder even if the car comes with the spoiler (like all 300h), are they painted with the car or attached later? As you said, there may be minor variations that most will never notice.

lesz

I don't know what the process is for the 300h, but I suspect that the spoilers are painted with the rest of the vehicle. Whenever a panel, whether in the manufacturing process or as the result of body work, is painted separately, you run into two issues. First, even with the same formula, there will be minor color differences in paint from different lots. Perhaps more important, however, is that, if the paint is not applied in a continuous motion over the entire vehicle, with the metallic and pearl finishes, the metallic flakes will lie differently, and that is what leads to a spot that has been painted separately looking to be darker from one angle and lighter from another. Even differences in pressure from the paint nozzles can lead to a part of a vehicle painted separately not appearing the same as the rest of the vehicle, and this is especially true with the light golds and silvers, pearl whites, and reds.

I'm not sure whether they are still doing it this way, but, for years some manufacturers, notably GM, where painting their bumpers separately from the rest of the vehicle. The result was that, especially with colors like silver and depending on the viewing angle, the vehicles looked like they had a 2-tone paint job. These are the kinds of things that someone with an experienced eye for finishes will spot immediately, and they are also the kind of things that an appraiser, at the trade-in time, will spot immediately.

For me, when I buy a vehicle, one of my considerations with regard to color choice is to make sure that I'm picking a color for which, if even minor paint work is needed, there will be a good likelihood that paint can be matched even to the higher standards of a more discerning eye, and there are a few colors, regardless of how beautiful they may be, that I just won't consider choosing.

oneor11

Thanks for the replies everyone...very informative. I have a lot to think about now, especially since my car is silver and more than one of you indicated silver could be a problem color. But on the flip side I guess I don't have a choice but to accept it since I really want a spoiler.

Do any of you have experience with installing it manually?

corradoMR2

If it comes pre-painted and it's flat underneath, all you need to do is lay it on with a heavy-duty double-sided tape like with http://lepageproducts.com/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=114 (note it can hold 50kg and is meant for outdoors including automotive use).

Emblems, door guard molding, and other trim is typically glued on in this fashion at the factory, not screwed in. I've added chrome striping on my CT and past vehicles with no issues and I have the harsh Canadian winters to deal with. Latest is an F-Sport emblem for my new IS using the Lepage tape. For prep, key thing is properly cleaning the paint on the trunk lid with rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol found at your local drug store) and a quality microfiber cloth, measuring properly where you will stick the spoiler, applying the tape on the spoiler underside, and placing it on the trunk lid while applying even pressure. For 10$ and 30 minutes, installed.

Good luck.

jbm79

Aah...color matching. My ES300h is starpearl white, and the front and rear bumpers do not match "perfectly" with the metal parts of the car (hood, doors, etc) when viewed from certain angles. I also had ordered and installed factory body side moldings, and the moldings look a bit "whiter" than the doors. So with these metallic finishes, 100% match is near impossible.

Arty101

My silver GS has a factory spoiler, and you see a slight difference in color/shade at certain angles. I think because of the metallic color, it will change at different angles so its more an optical thing, same original paint or not.

mrBillFL

body side moldings are sold in the color of the car. why would a spoiler be any different? same material no?

just ask sewell if they are drilled.

good factory screws should have a sealant attached to the screw. -like roof racks.

if you need to drill, use a center punch and a hammer, to slightly dent the spot for the hole, or it will walk when you drill. with the dimple and blue tape, not so much... - YMMV

Arty101

Bill- I don't think the body side moulding is the same material as the spoiler. But good point to call and ask Sewell, they should know.

Also I still think most bumpers are painted separately from the main body structure. I've seen enough body shops with bumpers removed that the body structure behind it is also painted the same color. Makes sense otherwise it would be just primed or would rust out. I also think that most modern bumper covers are a flexible urethane type material that uses a different formulation so it can flex too.

Art

RazSrq

Slight shift in topic, but has anyone found any aftermarket spoilers that have a good fit and proper look? Just curious...

bc6152

I used your LePage link to find this tape. I found that it is not for sale in any store in the U.S. It is sold exclusively in Canada.

pintado

oneor 11:

I purchased a spoiler for my ES350 through my local Lexus dealer. I installed it myself with little difficulty, once I convinced myself that it was a good idea to drill four fairly goodsized holes in my new car's trunk lid. My car is the dark metallic gray - the new spoiler was and is a perfect color match. Let me emphasize one thing: BUY and USE the optional mylar installation template. It costs about $35, but makes the job ALMOST idiot-proof. Your dealer might loan you the template. The template precisely locates the four holes on the rear upper edge of the trunk. You have to remove the trunk lid inner liner in order to put the nuts on the bolts (studs) coming through the drilled holes. The four bolts hold the spoiler down to the trunk lid; the foam tape under the spoiler edges provides some water sealing and flexibility for the joint. Do NOT rely on any kind of adhesive or tape to attach the spoiler. As I remember, the threaded studs are already on the spoiler and can't be easily removed.

I figure my gas mileage has gone up about 2-4 mpg with the ES300h spoiler installed!

There's pics and details in a thread here in June I think - search for posts by "pintado". Be glad to field further questions, and as noted in the referenced thread, I can cut a deal for my template!!

Pintado