I just traded in my 03 GS for an 07. I love many of the new features and capabilities, and actually like the V6 in the 07 better than the V8 in the 03. The one thing I don't like is that someone stuck a Corolla dashboard in this here Lexus and it makes it look a bit 'back of book'. I just picked up a friend at the airport who has an 04 GS430 and he echoed the same sentiments so I'd imagine there are those here who have felt the same.

So I'm wondering, has anyone reupholstered their dash and/or other interior bits? I searched but didn't see anything......

 

Reupholster the dash?? the dash is just fine IMO.....here is a link with some ideas....https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...ighlight=threw

 

heh. you're just not used to it yet. or maybe you're smoking some good stuff.

i've never had a 2gs, and i think the 2gs looks cheap at first glance.
3gs looks richer.

 

Yeah the one on the 3GS is just right IMO....no big tacky buttons or anything strange. The only Lexus with a somewhat cheap looking centre console is the base IS and ES. However, even they are nicely laid out and usable.

 

having owned both models.......i prefer the material the 2gs's dash was made out of.....much softer with less rattles...the 3gs's dash is a hard plastic.....that being said, i prefer the layout/controls/looks basically everything else of the 3gs dash

 

I never saw the 2 dash back to back, now that I have, I do like the 2GS dash just a tad better.

 

this is MPLexus301's comments, which explains why the 2GS dash is better (softer) with less rattles:

My time working at the Lexus dealership (around technicians) and Southern Area Headquarters (around field techs and product specialists) answered my question about why the interior materials changed from being soft to the touch, to harder.

If you guys might recall, 4-5 years ago there was a big shift in the industry away from oil-based exterior paints to water-based ones. This was because the gasses and fumes given off by oil-based paints in the painting process was deemed harmful to the environment.

Much of the same has taken place with interiors. Traditionally, and by that I mean pre-2005ish, almost all interior panels were made of vinyl blends- thus being softer to the touch. It was then discovered that the molding and casting process of vinyl released harmful emissions and gasses into the atmosphere so just like paint, automakers sought new alternatives. The most popular solution has been plastic based blends which has created a whole new set of troubles for companies- mainly rattles. We've already discussed that vinyl is softer and more forgiving to the touch and this goes for the components that we can't see. Plastics expand and "give" less leaving more open spaces for pieces to rub against one another or vibrate. Welcome to 2006- the year of Lexus rattles

So essentially the new plastic blends have been largely to blame for harder-to-touch interior panels as well as rattles. Manufacturers have been experimenting with what types of plastics to blend and use and some have been more successful than others, but this movement (away from vinyls, towards plastics) has been joined by almost all auto makers and thats why you can cruise through Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Acura, etc forums and see complaints of rattles in almost all newer models. Lexus simply needs to get their formula straight- for the sake of the rattles AND tactile feel.

link: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...uggling-2.html

 

That is silly, there are many manufacturers out there with the new plastic based blends dash material that does not squeak and rattle.

 

i didn't say it was the truth, but it is one possible explanation. maybe lexus just didn't get the right formula for their plastics, whereas other manufacturers got it right the time time around? it's the most plausible explanation i've heard of to date as to why our dash squeaks.

 

I personally think that the 3GS dash looks a lot nicer then the 2GS.

 

I've had both. The 2GS is clearly softer to touch but the 3GS looks more luxurious IMO. I've also had both with black interiors. I have gotten seemingly more compliments on the dash of the 3GS compared to the 2GS, especially the redwood in comparison to the 2GS wood.

I find all Lexus layouts done well but I can see the change in the materials to a harder plastic that is easier to mold and shape than the softer plastics which do look "older".

 

i recently rented a 2009 mazda 6. they use soft touch dash on that. it acts like hard foam.

 

I prefer the 3GS dash better overall, but I think that they should have kept the wood on the side of the center console which meets the dash from the 2GS. I also think they should have used something nicer than the AIWA boom box silver around the navigation screen. The biggest improvement over the 2GS dash IMO is the instrumentation gauges. I like the metallic light blue look much better than a TIMEX indiglo look.

 

I agree jre002, the old wood on the side of the center console looks better. Also they should have made the silver trim around the nav a dark titanium color.

 

jre002...absolutely agree about the instrument panel. I have yet to see a set of gauges that looks as good as the 3GS. This was a huge component of my purchase decision as I knew that this is what I would stare at 80% of the time (besides out the front window) when inside my car.