I just wanted to ask how many LS430 owners have had issues with roof rails peeling and looking horrible because of the cheap vinyl wrap Lexus uses. Please post. Thanks

 

Is that a cheap vinyl wrap? Mine is coming off in small patches in one area but I was guessing poor surface preparation before painting - and that it was paint peeling.

 

What vinyl wrap, exactly?

There is no vinyl wrapping done by Lexus, or by any manufacturer up to my knowledge.

The side roof rails are painted, not vinyl wrapped. Maybe the previous owner wrapped yours, but they are not wrapped from Lexus.


*check this out:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...g-peeling.html

 

I replaced my drip rail moldings. When I brought it to the Lexus dealer, they offered to paint the old ones for $500 vs. $360 for 2 new drip rails. Rep said it's a known issue and the painted ones last longer than the factory "vinyl" wrapped ones.

 

Oh they are wrapped from the factory. I called Lexus corporate offices. Once they start peeling the material starts to dry and will chip off. I just got done peeling mine completely off and polished the metal to a chrome shine. 600 to replace them or 150 to have them rewraped. My mechanic worked for Lexus for over a decade and he said it was a common problem on the newer cars. He even said it is a wrap. My 2000 Ls they were painted. According to Lexus the Ls is not as prone but she did say that other models it does happen. Just curious. Keep the posts coming. Thanks.

 

When I peeled them, it came of like one big piece of tape. No scraping. Just some adhesive left behind. Paint flakes off. This peeled effortlessly. Paint doesn't get wavy and flexible.

 

every single one does this after awhile. just peel it off. under it is shiny aluminum. almost looks chrome. on a black car it actually looks pretty sweet!

 

I removed the wrap and polished them. Back on the car and looks so much better. Don't know why Lexus wraps them anyway. Just gonna take a high speed buffing wheel to them and they should be perfect. They look great at now, but I'm a little O.C.D. What can I say.

 

I know there are a few threads out there on this issue in this forum and some of the other forums, but thought I'd mention what I did. Not sure what KING is mentioning above, but all three of my LS430's have had the same issue with the vinyl tape peeling off the roof drip rail molding. As Stereorob and JRM mention above, under the vinyl tape is stainless sheet metal. Here are the steps I took and some options on how to fix the problem.

1. To release the roof rail I took a plastic molding removal tool and started at the rear (by the trunk). See attached picture. Check out the post that KING mentioned for pictures (post by smm3) on where the clips are located. Go slow along the rail and do a gentle pop when you get to the clips. Not that difficult at all.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...g-peeling.html
2. Visited a pin-striper I've used on my 63 Comet and he had some 1 inch wide (or so) silver vinyl tape. I popped off the molding, we peeled off the old tape (some parts peeled easier than others), and he applied the new tape. For the OCD types (sorry JRM) it wasn't an exact match, probably a shade dark, but to the casual observer you wouldn't notice the difference. He mentioned that this was the lightest vinyl tape he could get from that manufacturer...and no I don't have details but could get them if anybody would like to go this route. Cost - my time, and he graciously donated the tape. By the way, that's the new tape in the attached picture.
3. No clips broke so haven't had to deal with that but don't look that difficult to install.
4. Since the part is metal under the tape you could have it painted. Difficulty would be the "how". Doubt many professional painters would do it since it's a strange shape and a one-off project. But if you wanted you could probably do it yourself if you were so inclined (either had the equipment or did the color matched spray can approach and weren't too particular on the look). Actually for a modder you could have some serious fun with this piece.
5. Take JRM's approach and you could just leave it polished stainless.
6. Another option is to see if you can get it chromed. There's a place in Dallas (Pulido's) that might do it, but didn't take this route yet so don't know if possible or the cost.

Tim
--------
2004 LS430, ML, Metallic

 

We have this issue too, only on the driver's side....I was thinking of somehow gluing it back, but the vinyl is all ripply.....sounds like there's no corrosion issue, which is what I was initially concerned about...

 

Super bump

Doing this now literally took 20 seconds to get each rail off without any damage. Using $5 black out tape until I wrap the roof.

 

Passenger side done in 10 minutes

 

Funny looks like I discovered this issue about 3 weeks after owning my car.....I just replaced the part over the weekend on the driver's side, and decided to use clear (the strong kind) packaging tape to protect the passenger side. There's no need at all to pry, they come off so easily, by starting at the front windshield. The black vertical trim at the windshield pops up easily by hand, then the front of the drip molding plugs into the black molding, and gently pops up from front to back. I suppose if one wants it done perfectly, then replacement is the only way. I never actually noticed these things before, and my wife has a pearl white car, yet hers are black, just like the pic above. And no joke, I never even noticed it before, but find myself looking at all cars now. That's why except for the owner, I don't think people notice....really not sure how so much dirt and pine needles got under the molding...

 

I updated my drip rails with OEM 2 years ago. Now, they are starting to peel. I may go the painted option this time.

 

Mine are peeling on my 06. Buddy has a vinyl shop so I'm going to have them done in piano black, which I think will look sharp. Will update my build/blog post once it's completed.