Ode to the Internet
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Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,393
Likes: 4
From: Maryland
Ode to the Internet
Where to begin...
I stumbled across ClubLexus in the midst of deciding between a 2001 540i Sport and a 2001 GS430. I was torn, liking the style and ride/handling characteristics of the 540 more than the Lex, but the Lex was the winner in durability and reliability. And it was more comfortable.
In the end, since I drive literally 35,000 miles plus a year for work, the Lex won out due to its rock-solid engine and its stellar reputation for reliability. When you drive as much as I do, you need your daily driver car to be reliable and comfortable first...but it also helps if it has some pizzazz so work won't seem much like work, if you know what I mean.
During the decision-making process, I came across ClubLexus when I was looking for reviews of the Lexus on the 'Net. And CL was one of my most important internet discoveries ever. It made my decision a lot easier hearing you all discuss your GS, and then seeing all the pix in the gallery.
But the most important thing about finding ClubLex was that I was able to get such valuable information instantaneously about my probable new Lex purchase, including quickly being able to mod my car exactly to my liking with confidence, not with guesswork like I had done in the past with my Millenia.
Through ClubLexus, in the matter of about 10 days, I was able to get new ideas and various opinions on how to upgrade my wheels and tires, my suspension (a must since the Lex can be floaty, and rides too high in stock format), my engine (which I wouldn’t have even thought about upgrading initially since I was already buying a V8) and of course, all my lights…which had to get modded up right away since the lights are the one thing I don’t like about the exterior of the GS (too many lights and fixtures too big, IMO...just too busy).
The Breakdown:
Lights: I knew I was going to want clear corners and clear fog lights when I bought the GS. Of course, these were items listed under “future mods”. Well, because of CL, I was immediately able to swap my yellow fogs for clear ones (Thanks for everything, Panda, especially the fog light coloring advice…the Piaa GTX look sweet!). Swapping lights with someone from California???? Would have NEVER crossed my mind before CL. And of course, I got great info on the DRLs we all love to hate, and info about where to get clear corners and such. By myself, these items would have taken a lot longer for me to figure out, and probably would have cost me money in some shape or fashion. Thanks CL!!! You presented me a fast and inexpensive way to change out my foglights...via a swap.
Wheels/Tires: I have always thought that the GS had such a large body profile that it needs 20s to look “right”, or the right 19s. Unfortunately, 19s and 20s greatly diminish ride quality in areas of the country where the roads are pockmarked and potholed since the sidewall is miniscule. CL introduced to me a setup I never heard of….the fat setup. For me, it was perfect. I could get 19s but still maintain some decent sidewall to protect the rims. Now if I could just find 19s I like, I was all over the fat setup for my daily driver. And I did find some. So now I am able to ride on 19s with 34 psi, and have the look I want, and sacrifice only marginal ride quality. Thanks CL!!!!!!!! You gave me comfort AND looks.
Suspension: I have also always thought the GS rides a little high, so I knew I was going to get it lowered right away. Of course, spring and shocks were going to be my way to accomplish this, which was of course going to probably affect ride quality quite a bit matched with my 19s.
But CL changed all of that.
CL experts said coilovers can give you a good combination of handling and ride quality. And lo and behold, Tein’s give you ability to adjust the ride from the driver’s seat. After much indecision, I went with the Tein CS and the Daizen Sways combo (Todd from TMEngineering convinced me to try out the sway bars when I ordered my Tein’s since I definitely wanted to control body roll but not upset the quality of the ride too much)....I did this to maximize my daily-driver comfort, to minimize body roll and to be able to dial in stiffness when I am in the mood. Perfect for me.
And I would have bought regular springs/shocks if it weren’t for some lengthy threads in CL that gave all the pros and cons of each. Thanks CL!!!!!!! You gave me comfort, along with improved handling and improved steering response…and the car is lower.
Engine: Going into it, a Lex V8 was plenty for me coming from my small supercharged V6 in my Millenia. But, when investigating through CL who in Maryland works on Lexus besides the dealer…Swift Racing’s name came up in CL. Being only 30 minutes from my house, I paid them a visit even before I bought the car to see what they could do...and to see if they could install my Tein’s. Well, they can do a LOT since they are the home of the TT GS. LOL And Mo and Kellen are really cool, both filled with lots of info for me, a newbie GS owner.
Mo asked: “How many miles are on the GS you are buying?” I said, “28k”. Next thing you know, he tells me about the torque converter and the HFI and ECU upgrades. He quickly convinced me that both not only improve performance, but the drivability of the car. I stressed that this is a daily driver and I drive a LOT, and he said, these two mods don’t affect the reliability of the car, and have been shown to actually improve gas mileage just a tad.
‘Nuff said. I want both. LOL So I said when I bring in the car for my Tein installation, install the torque converter and HFI too.
[As I type this, the car is in surgery at Mo’s getting Tein's, sways, and engine enhancements, and I’ll probably pick it up tomorrow. Mo said, “Without a doubt, this is going to feel like a totally different car when you pick it up.” I believe him.]
Thanks CL!!!!! I will gain speed and more importantly, a shop I can trust to work on my Lex for any future engine mods and/or engine related issues. That is certainly priceless. I would have eventually found SRT, but certainly not this quickly without the help of CL. Hec, my car still has 30 day tags on it. LOL And all the major mods I want will be done before I even get my real tags on the car. That's sayin' something.
--------
I can’t explain to you how much money, time and energy CL has saved, over the long haul anyway...'cause I will be broke as a joke the next few months. LOL But in the end, I will enjoy my GS WAY more than I would have, and I have gained so much knowledge about my car that would have otherwise taken months or YEARS for me to gain. Being broke but the car feeling and looking "right" is a worthy trade for me.
And in the end, I haven't spent much more than planned anyway. I luckily got a great deal on a GS which left room for mods since I was planning on spending more for the car itself [$27,500 with 28k because the car was in a front end accident that required a hood and fender replacement (but no engine/frame damage)]. Well, the blue book is like $33k (with no accidents of course). So, I figured I could get any remaining bodywork needed done for less tha $5,000 since my best friend is a painter. He told me to 'buy the damn car' when he heard the price, and saw the car. He confirmed no frame damage, and also concluded unfortunately that the repair job wasn't great, but that he could fix it for wayyyyyyyyyy less than their discount. So I was all over it.
I will take pix of my black cherry pearl GS soon. I have to admit, I was not in love with the car at initial purchase, the color nor those big azz lights…actually making a more practical decision than a heartfelt decision. But once Mo is done with it, I think I will love it.
I owe a lot to CL. And a special thanks to Rom for always answering my stupid questions I post in the forum. And thanks to bitkahuna for all the suspension advice. And Panda for his lighting advice, and for my clear fog lights. I hope one day soon, I am the one offering well-founded advice as opposed to the one always seeking it. My time is coming...
And much gratitude to everyone else for making this the best place to be if you own or want to own a Lexus. For me, I can truly appreciate this place…because if I wouldn’t have stumbled across it, it would have taken me a LOT longer to fall in love with my car....that's for sure.
And in the end, I gotta thank the developers of the internet who made this all possible.
I stumbled across ClubLexus in the midst of deciding between a 2001 540i Sport and a 2001 GS430. I was torn, liking the style and ride/handling characteristics of the 540 more than the Lex, but the Lex was the winner in durability and reliability. And it was more comfortable.
In the end, since I drive literally 35,000 miles plus a year for work, the Lex won out due to its rock-solid engine and its stellar reputation for reliability. When you drive as much as I do, you need your daily driver car to be reliable and comfortable first...but it also helps if it has some pizzazz so work won't seem much like work, if you know what I mean.
During the decision-making process, I came across ClubLexus when I was looking for reviews of the Lexus on the 'Net. And CL was one of my most important internet discoveries ever. It made my decision a lot easier hearing you all discuss your GS, and then seeing all the pix in the gallery.
But the most important thing about finding ClubLex was that I was able to get such valuable information instantaneously about my probable new Lex purchase, including quickly being able to mod my car exactly to my liking with confidence, not with guesswork like I had done in the past with my Millenia.
Through ClubLexus, in the matter of about 10 days, I was able to get new ideas and various opinions on how to upgrade my wheels and tires, my suspension (a must since the Lex can be floaty, and rides too high in stock format), my engine (which I wouldn’t have even thought about upgrading initially since I was already buying a V8) and of course, all my lights…which had to get modded up right away since the lights are the one thing I don’t like about the exterior of the GS (too many lights and fixtures too big, IMO...just too busy).
The Breakdown:
Lights: I knew I was going to want clear corners and clear fog lights when I bought the GS. Of course, these were items listed under “future mods”. Well, because of CL, I was immediately able to swap my yellow fogs for clear ones (Thanks for everything, Panda, especially the fog light coloring advice…the Piaa GTX look sweet!). Swapping lights with someone from California???? Would have NEVER crossed my mind before CL. And of course, I got great info on the DRLs we all love to hate, and info about where to get clear corners and such. By myself, these items would have taken a lot longer for me to figure out, and probably would have cost me money in some shape or fashion. Thanks CL!!! You presented me a fast and inexpensive way to change out my foglights...via a swap.
Wheels/Tires: I have always thought that the GS had such a large body profile that it needs 20s to look “right”, or the right 19s. Unfortunately, 19s and 20s greatly diminish ride quality in areas of the country where the roads are pockmarked and potholed since the sidewall is miniscule. CL introduced to me a setup I never heard of….the fat setup. For me, it was perfect. I could get 19s but still maintain some decent sidewall to protect the rims. Now if I could just find 19s I like, I was all over the fat setup for my daily driver. And I did find some. So now I am able to ride on 19s with 34 psi, and have the look I want, and sacrifice only marginal ride quality. Thanks CL!!!!!!!! You gave me comfort AND looks.
Suspension: I have also always thought the GS rides a little high, so I knew I was going to get it lowered right away. Of course, spring and shocks were going to be my way to accomplish this, which was of course going to probably affect ride quality quite a bit matched with my 19s.
But CL changed all of that.
CL experts said coilovers can give you a good combination of handling and ride quality. And lo and behold, Tein’s give you ability to adjust the ride from the driver’s seat. After much indecision, I went with the Tein CS and the Daizen Sways combo (Todd from TMEngineering convinced me to try out the sway bars when I ordered my Tein’s since I definitely wanted to control body roll but not upset the quality of the ride too much)....I did this to maximize my daily-driver comfort, to minimize body roll and to be able to dial in stiffness when I am in the mood. Perfect for me.
And I would have bought regular springs/shocks if it weren’t for some lengthy threads in CL that gave all the pros and cons of each. Thanks CL!!!!!!! You gave me comfort, along with improved handling and improved steering response…and the car is lower.
Engine: Going into it, a Lex V8 was plenty for me coming from my small supercharged V6 in my Millenia. But, when investigating through CL who in Maryland works on Lexus besides the dealer…Swift Racing’s name came up in CL. Being only 30 minutes from my house, I paid them a visit even before I bought the car to see what they could do...and to see if they could install my Tein’s. Well, they can do a LOT since they are the home of the TT GS. LOL And Mo and Kellen are really cool, both filled with lots of info for me, a newbie GS owner.
Mo asked: “How many miles are on the GS you are buying?” I said, “28k”. Next thing you know, he tells me about the torque converter and the HFI and ECU upgrades. He quickly convinced me that both not only improve performance, but the drivability of the car. I stressed that this is a daily driver and I drive a LOT, and he said, these two mods don’t affect the reliability of the car, and have been shown to actually improve gas mileage just a tad.
‘Nuff said. I want both. LOL So I said when I bring in the car for my Tein installation, install the torque converter and HFI too.
[As I type this, the car is in surgery at Mo’s getting Tein's, sways, and engine enhancements, and I’ll probably pick it up tomorrow. Mo said, “Without a doubt, this is going to feel like a totally different car when you pick it up.” I believe him.]
Thanks CL!!!!! I will gain speed and more importantly, a shop I can trust to work on my Lex for any future engine mods and/or engine related issues. That is certainly priceless. I would have eventually found SRT, but certainly not this quickly without the help of CL. Hec, my car still has 30 day tags on it. LOL And all the major mods I want will be done before I even get my real tags on the car. That's sayin' something.
--------
I can’t explain to you how much money, time and energy CL has saved, over the long haul anyway...'cause I will be broke as a joke the next few months. LOL But in the end, I will enjoy my GS WAY more than I would have, and I have gained so much knowledge about my car that would have otherwise taken months or YEARS for me to gain. Being broke but the car feeling and looking "right" is a worthy trade for me.
And in the end, I haven't spent much more than planned anyway. I luckily got a great deal on a GS which left room for mods since I was planning on spending more for the car itself [$27,500 with 28k because the car was in a front end accident that required a hood and fender replacement (but no engine/frame damage)]. Well, the blue book is like $33k (with no accidents of course). So, I figured I could get any remaining bodywork needed done for less tha $5,000 since my best friend is a painter. He told me to 'buy the damn car' when he heard the price, and saw the car. He confirmed no frame damage, and also concluded unfortunately that the repair job wasn't great, but that he could fix it for wayyyyyyyyyy less than their discount. So I was all over it.
I will take pix of my black cherry pearl GS soon. I have to admit, I was not in love with the car at initial purchase, the color nor those big azz lights…actually making a more practical decision than a heartfelt decision. But once Mo is done with it, I think I will love it.
I owe a lot to CL. And a special thanks to Rom for always answering my stupid questions I post in the forum. And thanks to bitkahuna for all the suspension advice. And Panda for his lighting advice, and for my clear fog lights. I hope one day soon, I am the one offering well-founded advice as opposed to the one always seeking it. My time is coming...
And much gratitude to everyone else for making this the best place to be if you own or want to own a Lexus. For me, I can truly appreciate this place…because if I wouldn’t have stumbled across it, it would have taken me a LOT longer to fall in love with my car....that's for sure.
And in the end, I gotta thank the developers of the internet who made this all possible.
Last edited by KevinGS; Nov 3, 2004 at 07:55 AM.
Welcome to New Member
Welcome aboard Club Broke
Man that is the way to get instant gratification. You've done a really good thing skipping the springs and shocks, and going straight to coilovers. Once you get some more money you might want to get all of the Tom's braces and your car will handle even better. Get the 3.76 LSD and the car will go even faster.
What kind of wheels are you getting?
I can't wait to see pictures of that Black Cherry Pearl beauty?
Congratulations you've probably just set some sort of spending record on mods in the shortest amount of time. But get ready, it's only just begun!
Now get out and hammer that baby!
3dog
Man that is the way to get instant gratification. You've done a really good thing skipping the springs and shocks, and going straight to coilovers. Once you get some more money you might want to get all of the Tom's braces and your car will handle even better. Get the 3.76 LSD and the car will go even faster.
What kind of wheels are you getting?
I can't wait to see pictures of that Black Cherry Pearl beauty?
Congratulations you've probably just set some sort of spending record on mods in the shortest amount of time. But get ready, it's only just begun!
Now get out and hammer that baby!
3dog
Last edited by 3dog; Nov 2, 2004 at 04:01 PM.
Trending Topics
Kevin man, that was beautiful. 
Great write-up, and I love how you've saved so much money you're broke, LOL
You were fortunate to LISTEN TO and benefit from the paths trodden by many a previous GS pioneer!
You are going to LOVE YOUR CAR when you get it back from the talented hands of Mo and his crew!
Great write-up, and I love how you've saved so much money you're broke, LOLYou were fortunate to LISTEN TO and benefit from the paths trodden by many a previous GS pioneer!
You are going to LOVE YOUR CAR when you get it back from the talented hands of Mo and his crew!
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 9,859
Likes: 12
From: Waipahu, Waikele, HI
Kev....great writeup....from beginning to end...your journey of being a Lex enthusiast, then an owner, and finally, modding up.
Just shows how much we love are Lexus, and how we love to share our info and experiences with other Lexus owners.
By far....greatest Lexus site ever.
Pete
Just shows how much we love are Lexus, and how we love to share our info and experiences with other Lexus owners.
By far....greatest Lexus site ever.
Pete
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,393
Likes: 4
From: Maryland
Re: Welcome to New Member
Originally posted by 3dog
Welcome aboard Club Broke
Man that is the way to get instant gratification. You've done a really good thing skipping the springs and shocks, and going straight to coilovers. Once you get some more money you might want to get all of the Tom's braces and your car will handle even better. Get the 3.76 LSD and the car will go even faster.
What kind of wheels are you getting?
I can't wait to see pictures of that Black Cherry Pearl beauty?
Congratulations you've probably just set some sort of spending record on mods in the shortest amount of time. But get ready, it's only just begun!
Now get out and hammer that baby!
3dog
Welcome aboard Club Broke
Man that is the way to get instant gratification. You've done a really good thing skipping the springs and shocks, and going straight to coilovers. Once you get some more money you might want to get all of the Tom's braces and your car will handle even better. Get the 3.76 LSD and the car will go even faster.
What kind of wheels are you getting?
I can't wait to see pictures of that Black Cherry Pearl beauty?
Congratulations you've probably just set some sort of spending record on mods in the shortest amount of time. But get ready, it's only just begun!
Now get out and hammer that baby!
3dog
I heard the Tom's Braces really stiffen up the car. I don't want too much stiffness. I want some form of a Lexus like ride. And I really don't need maximum go-kart handling, just improved body roll control. I still want as much Lexus like ride as possible, minus the body roll and floatiness.
As for the 3.76 LSD, that's a maybe down the road. I'm a little worried about all-out reliability from that mod, having talked to a few that have it installed. I need the car to be quite durable for the next 5-7 years. I can't get engine/transmission mod crazy because eventually the sum total will start to effect the life of the engine. I have to sacrifice some maximum speed for long-term durability since the car is used for work.
I will post pics soon. Maybe this weekend. I may need someone to host me though. I'm new to the picture posting on the 'Net.
And yeah, I did quite a few mods in the last 3 weeks. I'm almost done. Personalized tags will be the next thing.
I've always had personalized license frames and/or tags.
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,393
Likes: 4
From: Maryland
Originally posted by bitkahuna
Kevin man, that was beautiful. Great write-up, and I love how you've saved so much money you're broke, LOL
You were fortunate to LISTEN TO and benefit from the paths trodden by many a previous GS pioneer!
You are going to LOVE YOUR CAR when you get it back from the talented hands of Mo and his crew!
Kevin man, that was beautiful.
Great write-up, and I love how you've saved so much money you're broke, LOLYou were fortunate to LISTEN TO and benefit from the paths trodden by many a previous GS pioneer!
You are going to LOVE YOUR CAR when you get it back from the talented hands of Mo and his crew!
And of course meeting Mo at SRT was the clincher.
I just want the Lex to ride like I want it right now, instead of waiting like I did on my Millenia...and then regretting that I waited later. Not this time. I left some money just for mods... Still broke though. Looks like people will be getting hugs for Xmas.
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,393
Likes: 4
From: Maryland
Originally posted by BmoreGS4
Damn that was long but as I wipe the tears from my keyboard all I can say is [stupid beer commercial tone] I love you guys [/stupid beer commercial tone]
Damn that was long
but as I wipe the tears from my keyboard all I can say is [stupid beer commercial tone] I love you guys [/stupid beer commercial tone]
You in Bmore? I live in Crofton.
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,393
Likes: 4
From: Maryland
Originally posted by PHML
Kev....great writeup....from beginning to end...your journey of being a Lex enthusiast, then an owner, and finally, modding up.
By far....greatest Lexus site ever.
Pete
Kev....great writeup....from beginning to end...your journey of being a Lex enthusiast, then an owner, and finally, modding up.
By far....greatest Lexus site ever.
Pete
And this just has to be the best Lex site. So much data and information and experience here. If there is one better, I'd be stunned.
I pick the car up tomorrow probably from Mo, and then I take to my friend who's an excellent painter to pick up my newly painted or chromed grill, and my painted center caps for my wheels (I got 19" staggered Stern ST-2s). Gives me a nice footprint in the rear. I do get a little rubbing up front since the offset up front was quite aggressive (37). Kellen at SRT is going to try a few tricks to minimize that.
The car should come together nicely.
Hec, it's about that time to purchase a digital camera anyway. I'll try and pick one up this weekend.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 31,944
Likes: 2,737
From: North Carolina
Nice writeup Kevin, thanks for the kind words and sharing your experiences .
I did a very similar thing back in the early days at SRT (1999) when I dropped off my bone stock GS with Mo and got the SRT intake / ecu, torque converter, borla exhaust and bilstein / eibach suspension done... all in one weekend! Only the Borla exhaust is left on my car now (the others have made their way to other CL members as I've continued to change mods).
Best of luck with your new mods, you'll love it.
Edit - I believe TTurbopimp also lives near Crofton, you should hook up with him. Work buddy of mine grew up there to, haven't seen him in years. Big family, the Trasatti's.
.I did a very similar thing back in the early days at SRT (1999) when I dropped off my bone stock GS with Mo and got the SRT intake / ecu, torque converter, borla exhaust and bilstein / eibach suspension done... all in one weekend! Only the Borla exhaust is left on my car now (the others have made their way to other CL members as I've continued to change mods).
Best of luck with your new mods, you'll love it.
Edit - I believe TTurbopimp also lives near Crofton, you should hook up with him. Work buddy of mine grew up there to, haven't seen him in years. Big family, the Trasatti's.
Last edited by DaveGS4; Nov 2, 2004 at 05:24 PM.