pschonig

My wife got me a Sirius radio for Christmas this year, as my 2007 GX470 did not have the satellite radio already installed. I purchased the VAIS SL2S Sirius interface because I did not want wires hanging from the dash and I wanted to use the head unit and steering wheel controls for satellite. I down loaded the 30 page satellite radio installation guide from Sewell Lexus.

Time for the installation. Read the 30 page guide, twice. Time to remove dash sections to get to the rear of the head unit. Going great, so far. I have to remove the right side wood section which runs along the NAV screen and down along the radio head unit. The instructions say to pull forward. Here goes....snap....the thin section along the vent cracks. Can I live with this? Not sure..time will tell. Continue with even pressure and the section comes off, with three broken mounting sections....GREAT.

Continue the installation..why stop now. The left wood section comes off intact! I contact the cables, install the antenna and fire it up...it works...Contact Sirius and activate....minutes later...full Sirius satellite playing through the audio system...success....

I hide the antenna wiring and re-install the dash and console parts....I see the crack and decide, no way am I going to look at this everytime I drive my GX470, so time to see the parts department at my Lexus dealer.

"Sir, we have the part in stock, but it's $876.00." Is that for the entire wood trim inside my GX470? Nope...$876.00...for one single section of dash trim...what do you do? I had no choice....very very expensive satallite radio..by the way, to purchase an XM satallite radio and installation at Lexus would have beem $600.00..total. Hard lesson learned..sometimes it is better to go through the dealer.

schan1w

What is the part number?

pschonig

schan1w....I'll have to get the receipt...why did you want the part number???

schan1w

I was wondering if it might have been cheaper going with one of the online Lexus dealers.

The G Man

I remember someone here buying one of those wood trims online for a little over $400 a year ago.

pschonig

Part Number is 55474-60050: Garnish, Instrument Cluster..

schan1w

Try this online dealer next time:

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...08&catalogid=0

5547460050 $792.77 $0.00 $658.00
Instrument panel - Instrument panel components - Finish panel
Finish panel Right 2003 - 2004

Apparently, the list price is $792.77 and Park Place charges $658. Like most local dealers, yours marked up the price above list - albeit not by that much only 10% - I've had some dealer mark up 25-50%. I still can't believe how much that trim piece cost. I wonder if you can order it from Park Place and return the original one back to your local dealer?

cmarshack

I too decided to finally install the Vaistech module with my sisius radio and same thing happened...I cracked my trim right at the vent. Very thin there and a bad design in my opinion. I was pulling from the top. If you pull from the bottom it comes off in one piece. Lesson learned. I only cracked mine in one place and a little super glue topped of with a little surfboard repair resin did the trick. Only I (and everyone on this board) will know that there was ever a crack.

pschonig

schan1w and THe G Man....Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I printed a copy of the price of $658.00 from Park Place Lexus' website and drove right over to my dealer, Superstition Lexus. I asked the parts guy to match the Park Place Lexus price or I had no problem returning it and ordering from the other dealer. He went right back to his manager. I waited about 5 minutes and the parts guy comes back and said, "We owe you some money." I saved $247.00, thanks to you both. My hat is off to you guys, big time!!!

By the way, as I was driving to my dealer, I was following a new 2008 Lexus SUV, which had a lot of chrome on the rear. I thought they must have added alot of chrome to the 08 GX470, as it was almost the same size as my 07 GX470..my mistake, it was the new LX570. Not much bigger than my GX470. The new owner let me look inside, very nice I will say, but I'll keep the GX470 for awhile.

EyeKutr

iTrader: (5)

u can try car-part.com ---- u can find them from salvage yards too, it is too late now but for others

2005
Cluster Bezel Only
Lexus GX470 CA092048 $Call A & I Auto Recyclers USA-TX(Ft.-Worth) E-mail 1-817-516-9090

cliffud

iTrader: (3)

i like reading stories like this where one CL member helps another.

comoSC

I usually get my online parts from here: http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...82&catalogid=0
Usually alot cheaper than other places.

5547460050 $792.77 $0.00 $548.10
Instrument panel - Instrument panel components - Finish panel
Finish panel Right 2003 - 2004

pschonig

Well, I took comoSC's advice, printed off a copy of the $548.10 and headed back to my Lexus dealer. I showed the same parts guy the new price and asked him to match it. He said he could not because the $548 price was below their cost. I said no problem, I'll just return it and order from dealer in FL. THe parts guy said to hand on, he checked the computer and lowered his price to $580, which I accepted. Again big thanks to all your input guys, you saved me alot of money.

BobsGX

I'm surprised he would have even considered taking the part back for a refund. I doubt he had the part in stock and special order parts are usually not returnable. You lucked out.

pschonig

Guess I did luck out as they had the part in stock, I just felt the price for a single section of trim was too high.