Hi there, I was given a 2001 ls430 ul with 200k miles by my sister. It was maintained very well but needs a new rear bumper, front bumper, trunk lid, and rear lights. My sister is a terrible Parker and dented everything parking. And the taillights are the led aftermarket ones that have burnt out and get a taillight error.

Can anyone suggest a course of action for fixing this up? Should I just get a new front and rear bumper and trunk lid or would it be cheaper to get a body kit front and rear bumper? Taillights? I'm trying to do this cheap as I'm tight for cash but this is a free car so I'm willing to spend a little bit to make it look beautiful as it should.


Thank you!

 

cheap used bumpers are easy to get on ebay but might need more prep work for painting . New bumpers are not exactly cheap. You should find some local junkyards and see if they have any cars you can pull parts off of , that would be the cheapest way

 

There are aftermarket bumpers as well as refurbished ones. Aftermarket bumpers have varying fit so talk with your local body shop about reputable sources. The refurb bumpers I see most always tend to show where the fix has been made. Sometimes it is very subtle (liveable) and other times it is pretty wavy. If you want the car to look pristine, the factory bumpers are the better choice. They will fit and match the gaps right. (Provided the body shop aligns them properly and there is no other body panel that needs adjustment.) Junk yard digs can also be good but inspect them for broken mounts and other signs of impact damage.

Aftermarket bumpers are about 20% less than factory and refurbs a few ticks less. $100-$150 may not seem like much but adding in paint and prep, it does make for savings.

 

Are you sure there are aftermarket bumpers? When I was rear ended and needed a new bumper I wanted OEM of course. The insurance company said they would use the cheaper certified aftermarket bumper if available. They came back and said no one makes aftermarket bumpers for the LS430. Mine is an 04. Don't know if this matters.

 

There have been aftermarket sources for the cars we've replaced bumpers. A quick look I found refurbs for the 04+ 430's. I'd have to call the bodyshop to see what his book shows. There may not be offerings and we know that insurance co's cheap out as a priority anyway they can.

Aftermarket is fine for lower level cars. We put an aftermarket on the Corolla and that saved $125. The fit is pretty good except around the headlights where the gap changes about 1/16". The shop trimmed other places to even out the gap but it still is not exact like a Toyota cover. Definitely not appropriate for a car as nice as the LS.

 

She told me her front was aftermarket - the headlight washers didnt fit on the bumper so they cut them off .... and when u look at it it doesnt look like a good fit