Just bought 2K RX300, have a few questions
03-30-13, 03:20 PM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Just bought 2K RX300, have a few questions
Hello all, first post.
As of Friday, I am now the proud owner of a 2000 RX300. I'm pretty jazzed, this is easily my nicest ride ever. I've been pushing an 80s Blazer that is on its last legs so my Lexus is definitely a step up.
There are a few cosmetic issues I'd like to remedy. First is the headlight covers/lenses (what exactly do you call the clear plastic covers for the headlights, anyway?), but that's pretty straightforward.
What isn't as straightforward is, on the left side, the little metal strip that goes just below the headlights, the one on the left, is missing. I don't know what it's called so I don't know how to shop for it.
Another one I don't know what to call is the weather/water seal that sits underneath the hood but above the engine bay, that's designed to keep water from going past the hood and into the engine bay. For one thing, I don't know what it's called. I'm also kinda curious how it works. It looks like it's supposed to be riveted down to the plastic but all the rivets are gone. And it looks like the piece must come with rivets already inside it, because it's sort of a hollow soft rubber tube and I don't see how else someone would get rivets into it after the fact.
Yet another issue is the hood. It's got some spots where the paint has chipped off and they've got surface rust. One person I asked said you can't get that rust out and I should replace the hood with a new one. Another person said that's nonsense and that I could just have the rust removed, the hood repainted, and it would be fine. I asked him if the painters would have any trouble matching the brand new paint job on the hood to the older paint job on the rest of the car (which admittedly, looks pretty good aside from some small blemishes here and there), and he said no problem, they're pros, etc., but I'm wondering how true that is (assuming a good paint crew).
There are a few other minor cosmetic/non-essential issues throughout, but those are the ones I'd like to take care of first. Any suggestions?
As of Friday, I am now the proud owner of a 2000 RX300. I'm pretty jazzed, this is easily my nicest ride ever. I've been pushing an 80s Blazer that is on its last legs so my Lexus is definitely a step up.
There are a few cosmetic issues I'd like to remedy. First is the headlight covers/lenses (what exactly do you call the clear plastic covers for the headlights, anyway?), but that's pretty straightforward.
What isn't as straightforward is, on the left side, the little metal strip that goes just below the headlights, the one on the left, is missing. I don't know what it's called so I don't know how to shop for it.
Another one I don't know what to call is the weather/water seal that sits underneath the hood but above the engine bay, that's designed to keep water from going past the hood and into the engine bay. For one thing, I don't know what it's called. I'm also kinda curious how it works. It looks like it's supposed to be riveted down to the plastic but all the rivets are gone. And it looks like the piece must come with rivets already inside it, because it's sort of a hollow soft rubber tube and I don't see how else someone would get rivets into it after the fact.
Yet another issue is the hood. It's got some spots where the paint has chipped off and they've got surface rust. One person I asked said you can't get that rust out and I should replace the hood with a new one. Another person said that's nonsense and that I could just have the rust removed, the hood repainted, and it would be fine. I asked him if the painters would have any trouble matching the brand new paint job on the hood to the older paint job on the rest of the car (which admittedly, looks pretty good aside from some small blemishes here and there), and he said no problem, they're pros, etc., but I'm wondering how true that is (assuming a good paint crew).
There are a few other minor cosmetic/non-essential issues throughout, but those are the ones I'd like to take care of first. Any suggestions?
03-30-13, 07:05 PM
#2
Moderator
First a warm welcome.
Please read the owners manual, and FAQ in CL.
cover/lens -> is called the plastic lens. You did not mention what is wrong ... usually they dull out and rather quickly after you polish. Make sure you put a uv protector
Please post a picture for the second item ... the best I can understand is the metal strip between the headlamp and the fog-light.
3rd item is the rubber seal between the hood and the cowl. It is held down by plastic push-pins/rivets. Makes me wonder why it is not there.
If some one claims they can do the paint repair, you must insist on seeing before an after work. In my limited experience, it is a major job to get a smooth and consistent + matching paint. Everything else will be a compromise. So you must see their work.
Salim
Please read the owners manual, and FAQ in CL.
cover/lens -> is called the plastic lens. You did not mention what is wrong ... usually they dull out and rather quickly after you polish. Make sure you put a uv protector
Please post a picture for the second item ... the best I can understand is the metal strip between the headlamp and the fog-light.
3rd item is the rubber seal between the hood and the cowl. It is held down by plastic push-pins/rivets. Makes me wonder why it is not there.
If some one claims they can do the paint repair, you must insist on seeing before an after work. In my limited experience, it is a major job to get a smooth and consistent + matching paint. Everything else will be a compromise. So you must see their work.
Salim
03-31-13, 04:57 AM
#3
Welcome to Club Lexus.
I agree with everything the previous poster said.
I recently polished the headlight plastic. I got a bottle of headlight polish and a matching bottle of headlight sealer at Walmart and they worked fine. I also did the headlights on 3 relatives and neighbors cars. I didn't have the need for the more elaborate kits.
I just looked at my RX300 and the only thing I see as a strip under the headlights (and above the fog lamps) is about a 1 inch high painted piece.
It is possible for a talented auto body painter to blend and match a panel like the hood. They blend to match body panels all the time.
I agree with everything the previous poster said.
I recently polished the headlight plastic. I got a bottle of headlight polish and a matching bottle of headlight sealer at Walmart and they worked fine. I also did the headlights on 3 relatives and neighbors cars. I didn't have the need for the more elaborate kits.
I just looked at my RX300 and the only thing I see as a strip under the headlights (and above the fog lamps) is about a 1 inch high painted piece.
It is possible for a talented auto body painter to blend and match a panel like the hood. They blend to match body panels all the time.
03-31-13, 09:40 AM
#4
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
First a warm welcome.
Please read the owners manual, and FAQ in CL.
cover/lens -> is called the plastic lens. You did not mention what is wrong ... usually they dull out and rather quickly after you polish. Make sure you put a uv protector
Please post a picture for the second item ... the best I can understand is the metal strip between the headlamp and the fog-light.
3rd item is the rubber seal between the hood and the cowl. It is held down by plastic push-pins/rivets. Makes me wonder why it is not there.
If some one claims they can do the paint repair, you must insist on seeing before an after work. In my limited experience, it is a major job to get a smooth and consistent + matching paint. Everything else will be a compromise. So you must see their work.
Salim
Please read the owners manual, and FAQ in CL.
cover/lens -> is called the plastic lens. You did not mention what is wrong ... usually they dull out and rather quickly after you polish. Make sure you put a uv protector
Please post a picture for the second item ... the best I can understand is the metal strip between the headlamp and the fog-light.
3rd item is the rubber seal between the hood and the cowl. It is held down by plastic push-pins/rivets. Makes me wonder why it is not there.
If some one claims they can do the paint repair, you must insist on seeing before an after work. In my limited experience, it is a major job to get a smooth and consistent + matching paint. Everything else will be a compromise. So you must see their work.
Salim
Yeah the lenses are super-faded. My buddy tried a few minutes with the polishing kit but didn't help that I could see. ATM I'm thinking I should just replace them, they're probably 13 years old and new ones would really give her a facelift I think. Just need to figure out which part# I need.
I'll post a picture of the strip if you want, but you described it perfectly, the metal strip between the headlight and the fog light.
As for the 3rd item I know it's the rubber seal between the hood and the cowl, I was just looking for the official name of the thing. It's there but the rivets are gone and it's kinda just sitting there, not really attached.
As for paint jobs, I have a buddy who's into cars, mods, builds his own speaker boxes and everyone else's, is always tinkering, etc., so he knows a lot of the paint people in town so I'm going to start looking at whoever he recommends for the paint job first.
Welcome to Club Lexus.
I agree with everything the previous poster said.
I recently polished the headlight plastic. I got a bottle of headlight polish and a matching bottle of headlight sealer at Walmart and they worked fine. I also did the headlights on 3 relatives and neighbors cars. I didn't have the need for the more elaborate kits.
I just looked at my RX300 and the only thing I see as a strip under the headlights (and above the fog lamps) is about a 1 inch high painted piece.
It is possible for a talented auto body painter to blend and match a panel like the hood. They blend to match body panels all the time.
I agree with everything the previous poster said.
I recently polished the headlight plastic. I got a bottle of headlight polish and a matching bottle of headlight sealer at Walmart and they worked fine. I also did the headlights on 3 relatives and neighbors cars. I didn't have the need for the more elaborate kits.
I just looked at my RX300 and the only thing I see as a strip under the headlights (and above the fog lamps) is about a 1 inch high painted piece.
It is possible for a talented auto body painter to blend and match a panel like the hood. They blend to match body panels all the time.
Yes, the piece that's missing is roughly an inch high and maybe a foot long, maybe a little less.
03-31-13, 10:38 AM
#5
The price for both bottles at Walmart was about $7-$8. But, maybe yours are far more faded and yellowed.
03-31-13, 05:34 PM
#6
Moderator
Welcome to the club.. Can't wait to see photos. I too am a recent 1st owner of a 2K RX300. I bought mine about a month ago as a replacement for a 2002 Bonneville that was hit from the rear.
So far so good, except for the MPG...ugh.
So far so good, except for the MPG...ugh.
Last edited by 2KHarrier; 04-02-13 at 03:18 PM.
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