jenzo1

so i finished my blue emblem project. what started out as a simple swap of rear and front for the blue "L" I got my moneys worth on the hood. after being told the 450h and 460 are exactly the same prior to the grill change of the 450h in 2010 I ordered the blue emblem from Sewell Parts for 130.00. when i opened it up i knew there was a problem. there is a 2 inch locking tab, and plastic reinforcers all over the emblem... not 1 place for the dual 3m tape i was expecting to peel off and reapply!

i was so bummed that i decided to give it a shot with a handheld sander and a few hours of my time. figuring the 130.00 would sting real badly if it didnt work i still decided to go for it.

the emblem was easy just clipped off all the plastic and sanded off the burrs left behind.

the hood emblem point on the car was where the real risk was. the emblem is concave and as a result the hood needed to be sanded down approx 1 inch at the thickest point ( top ) i worked my way across the top and got it to be almost a perfect match for the emblem. a little 3m tape and im in business!

wish i had taken pics of the process, i was thinking i was gonna screw it up the whole time so i didnt really get any pre sanding.

dunnojack

looks nice. hard to notice from 10 ft away though.

I don't know what you mean by 'sanding down the hood'....... please explain.

sand down 1 inch ?


this is what the original emblem looks like. what is there to sand?

LexFather

Blue emblems belong on Lexus hybrids. Its like badging a non AMG car with AMG badges.

Nice write up though seems you got what you wanted.

bigblack06

iTrader: (20)

I went to the dealership and they told me that it might not work and that I wil be required to change the entire grill F*#% that black pearl here I come!

jenzo1

LOL nobody ever accused me of being a photographer here is some close ups. you can see i hit 3 of the fins through the tape i had placed there to protect it....

its really hard to explain and i didnt take a pic prior to the work, but if you look at the plastic standoff where the stock L emblem meets the grill at the very top of L it stands out by approx 1". i ground it down considerably to make a flush connection to the emblem.

jenzo1

i disagree, i didnt badge my car with 450h, and when you get down to brass tacks my ride was about 4k different in cost after all the accessories. when you price out a 460 loaded its 59k, a 450h is 63.

an amg is 30k + if i remember correctly.


plus nobody outside our community knows what the blue denotes so i really dont think it puts a false sense of financial difference.

LexFather

It has nothing to do with financial difference, I surely didn't mention it. It has everything to do with badging it something it is not.

However I digress, if you are happy well thats good.

Yang1815

iTrader: (1)

It's not about the price difference... It's exclusive to a hybrid that's the point.

How many people outside of Mercedes community knows about AMG? Probably "nobody" either.

dunnojack

who cares. it's just a lexus mothership logo.

not like he stuck an "h" or an "F" on his car.

no harm done, and it looks good.

I would do it too..... if i wanted to spend the money, and to spite 1SICKLEX.

*Batman*

I'm surprised you did this. The regular Lexus emblem is much nicer in my opinion. The Hybrid logo is flat. The original one has a perforated background which looks much more dynamic.

Quite frankly I think the hybrid version of the Lexus logo seems cheap.

jenzo1

to each his own. i think the chrome emblem looks cheap, in fact mine was peeling from a rock that hit it guess thats why theres an *** for every saddle!

cowsgomoo

iTrader: (2)

I like the Hybrid emblems. On a white car or a Black car the blue would really look sharp. If it weren't for my red license plate...and red calipers I'd consider this.

jenzo1

seriously? AMG is very known to people... it is also a MASSIVE upgrade by a simply changing a badge and a looking like a moron. its like wearing a fake rolex. i didnt change the model of my car just a L. still says gs 460. 460 has same amount of horsepower, same cost ( roughly ) same suspension, brakes etc. AMG has what 200+ HP, 10K in wheels/brakes, different suspension. its a race version of the car. and by rebadging you are trying to fool someone by its nature.

anyone who does that is trying to get over on the public by perpetrating ownership of something they couldnt afford. a 20K upgrade by a change of a trunk badge.i could care less if i have a hybrid, or a 460. in fact i would rather have the 460, as im sure the repair costs are much lower down the road. either way, the its something its not argument is moot here. i seriously am not trying to be something im not. the "intent" is where i think i place the argument, i dont intend on fooling anyone. i liked the blue logo, random people have actually commented on how much they like it. so it stands out and to me it looks very nice ( IMO ) so i really guess thats all that matters...

LexFather

Again if the OP is happy that is fine. However he posted pics here and people will give feedback negative and positive.

Thats the way of the world isn't it. Who cares. Screw what is right, let me do whatever the hell I like. Let me do something to spite someone else. Yup, nothing wrong with buying blatant knock-offs either.

At this rate, maybe we should just sell our GSs, buy Altimas or G37s, and slap Lexus emblems on them. I mean we like Lexus right and who cares right?!?!

The issue sadly is there are those that do care.

jenzo1

you just dont get it. im not knocking off anything! my car is and always will be a GS 460... a knockoff by definition is a cheap clone thats sole purpose is to make others think it is real. i am not doing that. i am rocking a blue L emblem on a comparably equipped near exact cost lexus that is still badged properly. nobody in the world except for a few of us geeks might know that blue is for hybrids.