Has anyone tried to remove the fake wood parts, specifically the wood on the center consol that surrounds gearshifter, seat warmer buttons, etc? Some cruisers come with it, some without it. If so, is the black plastic plate underneath or do you have to buy a new one? That wood gets grossly miscolored and I want to get rid if it.
Fake Wood
- Thread starter mcmanimal
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hoser
SILVER Star
Back last summer, I turned my heater on high for about 30 minutes while my 100 sat idling in the driveway. I removed the trim pieces on the driver's console area. on the glovebox area, and around the AC vents. This took about 10 minutes once the adhesive had loosened up. I was sweatin' my arse off while doing it though. 
It worked really well. 
It worked really well. 
macneill
Rollin’ on 33s
You said wood.
hoser
SILVER Star
Haha, Fake Wood, even.
Damn I thought it was real wood 
Greg B, El_3grab and SWUtah,
What does it look like after you remove the trim? Got any pictures?
I'm not sure why but in the front seat area only, passengers window switch area, center console the fake wood trim is getting these gold color discoloration spots. I'd like to remove the trim but keep wondering what the end result will look like.
Comments?
What does it look like after you remove the trim? Got any pictures?
I'm not sure why but in the front seat area only, passengers window switch area, center console the fake wood trim is getting these gold color discoloration spots. I'd like to remove the trim but keep wondering what the end result will look like.
Comments?
3rd Cruiser said:
I was getting those "gold" spots all over my wood grain also. It was caused by the outer resin coating separating from the base woodgrain. I thought about just removing it all and going with the black, but I had alot more difficulty getting the old off and probably wasn't quite careful enough.
Didn't like the end result, so I put on a new wood grain kit that I bought off of ebay and I like it much better.
3rd Cruiser said:
Sure, I can take some pics for you. I'll snap a couple at lunch and post them up this afternoon.
On mine, the wood kit was not discolored at all. It was coming loose at some of the edges and looked very cheap. I'm not sure if it was original to the 100 or not.
The pieces that went around the AC vents on the far left and far right were lifting up on the edges and the piece that went across the top of the glove box door also came loose at the edge. I also took off the wood trim around the steering wheel area. There was a little ring around the ignition, a piece that went around all the switches to the left of the steering wheel, and a piece that stuck to the flat area to the right of the steering wheel.
I didn't remove any of the trim in the center console area. It is in good shape and I like the look. Plus, it would have been much harder to remove those pieces as they are much larger. I also didn't remove the pieces on the doors that go around the window switches.
I think it looks a lot better now. It looks like it has wood trim, but doesn't look like the whole dash is covered in wood. In my opinion, sometimes more is not better. It still looks classy, but not over-done. I'll post some pics this afternoon.
Greg B said:
My cruiser didn't come with the wood trim around the outer vents or RDL switch. Only the Center Control Panel/Stereo , the outer ring of the shifter area and on the window switches. Although the wood grain kit I bought included the pieces you mentioned, I chose not to put them on cause I thought it might look a little too tacky. I replaced the pieces that were already there and only added one additional piece. The piece that goes over the shifter/seater heater switch area.
Overall, I really like the outcome.
I had the dealer remove it before I took delivery of my Cruizer in June of 2004. I was told the fake wood was applied at the port in the US as part of the Prefered "dealer profit margin"Package (I have so far removed, all these prefered parts... fake wood, running boards, tow hitch, roof rack except for ther rear spoiler whic howuld leave two holes in the sheet metal). The trim removal was done with a hair drier to heat the plastic and soften the glue. I don't know how old yours is but I was told the long it stays on the greater the chance the glue may ruin (scar) teh finish of the orginal plastic underneath
hoser
SILVER Star
Supposedly the wood trim on the Lexus is real wood including the steering wheel. It appears to hold up much better to peeling, bubbling and fading than the LC trim. I actually like the wood steering wheel... its comfortable and easy to clean.
So I assume LC interior pieces are transferable to the LX right? I'm not a huge fan of wood, and the LX I'm seriously looking at has it (I think they all do right)
Here's the pics after I removed the trim pieces. We'll see if any of you have a good enough eye to figure out which piece is missing on my dash. I have it, I just haven't put it back on yet. 
Unfortunately I don't have a pic of how it looked before I removed the trim.
Unfortunately I don't have a pic of how it looked before I removed the trim.
Last one...
LonghornCruiser said:
You have exactly what I ended up with then. I agree, it did look a little tacky for my taste.
Colorado Boy-74-FJ40
I may grow older but I refuse to grow up!
Uranus
They said Uranus.
From CNN website: Astronomers aided by the Hubble Space Telescope have spied two more rings encircling Uranus.macneill said:
They said Uranus.
Thanks Greg B for the pictures. I wasn't sure what it would look like if I removed and left the trim off. Had visions of a sticky mess, but that doesn't seem to be an issue.
For the picture police and those of you who haven't experienced the dreaded "fake wood trim" gold spots here is a picture.
Also, if I replace the bad pieces has anyone got a source that is reasonably priced?
For the picture police
and those of you who haven't experienced the dreaded "fake wood trim" gold spots here is a picture. Also, if I replace the bad pieces has anyone got a source that is reasonably priced?
