Best Upgrades for Under $100 (200-Series)

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I found this silicone cover on eBay for the gear shift area. Adds a tiny bit of storage which is all I need for this area. I don’t care for the faux wood finish the vehicle came with - and it scratches easily. I like the plain black look better.

They make them for the LX also. And different colors. Different model years too.
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Nothinghead said:
Does it use any sort of adhesive on the back?
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Two very thin pieces near the rectangular box (seat heater controls) running the long sides. Up and down. It's completely reversible and fits very well.

If you have the regular cup holder with the lid - there is a small piece of adhesive there too.
(I use the BH3D cup holder - no lid)
 
xtern0 said:
I may have posted this in years past, but the best upgrades I've put on mine for <$100 are:

1. Can of bright yellow automotive spray paint to paint the heads of all bolts that need to be removed for an oil change (hands down, the BEST cheap mod I've done). This makes oil changes a breeze...or at least, makes them significantly less of a PITA.
2. ProClip Mount with Ram Mount Phone Holder (separately under $100 each, but its been a while). I guess this doesn't apply to the folks who have upgraded to one of the aftermarket CarPlay systems.
2. Steering wheel cover
3. Toyota OEM metal oil filter housing; yes folks, its a hell of a lot easier to work with.
5. Dual USB-C port sized to fit Toyota size and replacing the button blank (I think the blank used to be the VSC 'off' button back in the day) Note: I used to recommend the duel USB-C/USB-A port, which I have installed in our Tacoma rally truck, but USB-A is getting rarer and rarer and the LC already has a stock USB-A for stone-agers and Entune junkies.
6. <disregard> K&N reusable cabin air filter ****changed my mind on this; going back to the stock Toyota/Denso***
7. <disregard> K&N reusable engine air filter ****changed my mind on this; going to an aftermarket one with nice smell and good pollen filter***
8. I think the Toyota OEM leveling spacers were <$100, but the install was such a motherf*****, I'm not sure its worthy of being labeled a "less than $100" upgrade.
9. Oh yeah...a couple of rubber/silicone key fob covers. You can find them on Amazon for ~$10 or so.
10. Honorable mention: 200 Series Rear Exit Switch/Handle Kit, I think CruiserTeq sells it, or resells it; search around on the forum. Its about $185 nowadays, but an almost necessary install if you ever plan to sleep in the back and perhaps want to get up to take a leak in the middle of the night, or someone needs to emergency-puke out of the rear hatch.

11. Seat gap fillers...per @marcus clarkus , $20 off amazon, standard size. No more bits falling in between the seats and a great place to put the key fob (I am in the crowd that hates push button start). Handy enough that I'd add these to the short list of "almost necessary" upgrades along with the rear hatch exit switch.

I did try installing that "quick valve" oil drain...but, it seemed a little gimmicky to me and I am fine with just using the original plug and a torque wrench.

I think some other posters have mentioned tint and other stuff, a lot of which I have on mine, but none of which was less than $100.

TBH: The absolute, hands-down, best upgrade one can make to any 5.7L J200/LC200 is spray painting the heads of the bolts required to be removed for an oil change. Unless you go with an aftermarket front skid plate or spray paint the heads of the bolts-to-be-removed, oil changes are annoying AF on the 5.7L petrol J200/LC200.
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@xtern0 What did you end up doing for #5?
 
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actort said:
@xtern0 Easy install?
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@actort : Relatively straightforward, as I recall I googled for a video about installing a CarPlay upgrade to find the procedure for removing the panels and the center console.

It wasn't hard; took me about an hour or so.

However, that assumes you have a small kit of auto trim removal tools. Which, TBH, anyone who owns any car built after 2005 should probably have some auto trim removal tools (~$10 in any auto parts store or off amazon).
 
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GrouchyTech said:
I would love one of these, but I haven’t found one without the lights.
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@GrouchyTech : You'll want the lights. I don't know about everyone else, but having to search for a USB-C port while driving in the relatively poor labeled and lit LC200 interior is a hassle. The light ring has helped both me and my passengers on many occasions. DATEABLE GIRL: "Tee-hee, my phone is about to die, do you have a charging port?" ME: "Why yes Sugarpants, its that blue square ring by my right knee...look closer...cloooossser..."

The driver never sees the light ring, if you install it in the place where I did: its completely hidden from view by the steering wheel...unless you're actively looking to plug something in and moving your head around.
 
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xtern0 said:
@actort : Relatively straightforward, as I recall I googled for a video about installing a CarPlay upgrade to find the procedure for removing the panels and the center console.

It wasn't hard; took me about an hour or so.

However, that assumes you have a small kit of auto trim removal tools. Which, TBH, anyone who owns any car built after 2005 should probably have some auto trim removal tools (~$10 in any auto parts store or off amazon).
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Did this plug into the factory harness somewhere? It looks like it has a suitable plug for that. Or did you hardwire it?
 
Jrod said:
Did this plug into the factory harness somewhere? It looks like it has a suitable plug for that. Or did you hardwire it?
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It has a Toyota-compatible plug, it plugs into the cigarette lighter circuit as I recall. Plug-and-play; I didn't do any wire harness mods.
 
xtern0 said:
It has a Toyota-compatible plug, it plugs into the cigarette lighter circuit as I recall. Plug-and-play; I didn't do any wire harness mods.
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Hmm what do you mean— is there an empty plug behind the dash? Or did you unplug the cig lighter and plug this in instead?
 
actort said:
I’ve got a blue one on order. Seemed like the white one would be too bright at night.
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@xtern0 - thanks for the link for the USB-C. Just got it installed. Used these two videos below to knock out the install. One to gain access to the blank accessory slot and the other I just followed the Hamilton CarPlay install video to take off the infotainment and center panels. Easy plug and play pigtail onto the 12V outlet.
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Blank accessory panel access -

Hamilton CarPlay install - .
 
actort said:
@xtern0 - thanks for the link for the USB-C. Just got it installed. Used these two videos below to knock out the install. One to gain access to the blank accessory slot and the other I just followed the Hamilton CarPlay install video to take off the infotainment and center panels. Easy plug and play pigtail onto the 12V outlet.View attachment 4120945

Blank accessory panel access -

Hamilton CarPlay install - .
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In case anyone is trying this on an LX, beware that that 12v pigtail going to the cigarette lighter is apparently different than the LC (maybe due to the diff stereo?). This kit won’t fit. Too bad, looks super cool!

Mine is a 2020 fwiw.
 
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