I did mine myself too and pretty much did the same procedure as lexus250. It's not very difficult, it just takes time and patience.

 

^^ Yes - very easy for the Black Grills...

For kicks, I just might do mine in black satin...

 

How do you remove the chrome?

 

HEY! i was going to do mine like that, but i decided not too because if it didnt look good then i dont want to buy another one and restart the process.

im doing mine right now as i type(im waiting for it to dry), ill post pics and do a little DIY later on tonight.

 

Sand paper...

 

oh make that friday, i was painting it and today was really windy and i thought that was a good thing because the paint would dry. buttt no the whole flipped over and fell into a bunch of leafs and it was the last coat
so friday on my day off from school i gotta resand it it all and paint it all over. Its dark out and started to rain. I think i also scratched my bumper and got paint on it.

 

When i did my IS300 grille i just bought a new one at the dealer ($140) then took it to a paint shop and had them do it ..... however the fine grit sandpaper yourself is an excellent idea since the bodyshop's don't care too much if it lasts.

How much is a IS250/350 grille????

KC

 

i was planning on doing mine in black when it gets warmer. L-tuned has the OEM grill surround for $95, so i think i'll be gettin that. If no one has posted a DIY yet, i'll try to get one up. Waiting for it to get warmer outside.

 

heres a preview.

 

It looks good in the pic.

 

you were so right about take your time and patience.

 

hehe. yeah I definitely only recommend painting it yourself if you have a black car.

 

rfx,
how many coats of primer, black, and clear did you put on? did you buff afterwards?

 

About 3-4 primer, 5-6 black and 5-6 clear. I didn't buff it but i did apply polishing compound 2-3 days afterwards. Also a quick note, before you start painting and after you take the chrome off, wash it with dishwasher soap to get rid of any oils possible. Also, give it around 30-40 minutes after each coat if possible depending on the weather.

Good luck.

 

hummm i want mines painted sgm now...