If someone chooses to go the retrofit route … they may want to pick up a 98-02 hood latch as well or do some homework to see if the hood latch design changed over the years.
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Did anyone ever order one of these?
I did. There was also an email update a couple of days ago saying that they should be delivered by mid month.
Nice! Please post some pics when you install it!
Got my shipping notice, too! Says it'll arrive on Sunday the 21st.
I received mine like this. Unfortunately, looks like poor packaging is to blame for this. Really disappointed as I have been waiting for over a month and dealing with a very unresponsive company. Already emailed them... Who knows when they'll reply to my email...
It is intended for our 99 LX.
Mine arrived today. The box was beat to hell, but the grill seems undamaged.
I may compare the 99 LX assembly to the 06 LX assembly, when I have time, but I don’t have an urgent need to mess with the 06 LX grill.
My 99 LX grill looks like s***, with the black peeling off, revealing the chrome plastic underneath. I’ve been meaning to pull the OE grill, clean/mask/paint it, and put it back together, I still may do that, depending on the fit/finish/look of the Garage Alpha grill.
I may compare the 99 LX assembly to the 06 LX assembly, when I have time, but I don’t have an urgent need to mess with the 06 LX grill.
My 99 LX grill looks like s***, with the black peeling off, revealing the chrome plastic underneath. I’ve been meaning to pull the OE grill, clean/mask/paint it, and put it back together, I still may do that, depending on the fit/finish/look of the Garage Alpha grill.
Mine arrived today. The packaging is terrible. The box was busted open at one end and I'm hoping nothing fell out. Mine is lightly chipped on one corner from the cheapest, thinnest bubble wrap ever.
The fit/finish leaves something to be desired. There's rough spots on the plastic and the curved outer edges are rough. It's something you probably won't notice from five feet away but it's very much got a 'cheap aftermarket lights' feel. Pretty disappointing 'unboxing' impression.
I'll get it installed in the next day or two and hopefully I'll forget all that.
I just wanted to echo the other posts -- the packaging is so bad it's a roulette spin as to how you receive one of these. Can't recommend without that being addressed.
The fit/finish leaves something to be desired. There's rough spots on the plastic and the curved outer edges are rough. It's something you probably won't notice from five feet away but it's very much got a 'cheap aftermarket lights' feel. Pretty disappointing 'unboxing' impression.
I'll get it installed in the next day or two and hopefully I'll forget all that.
I just wanted to echo the other posts -- the packaging is so bad it's a roulette spin as to how you receive one of these. Can't recommend without that being addressed.
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i got the grille for my 2001 lx470. definitely wasn't easy since my suv is savaged and i had to bend the frame a lot to get it in the right shape. i vinyl wrapped the lexus emblem in matte green. two of the bolts i couldn't put back on but it looks okay without it. hopefully, i can rhino lined the whole thing soon.
Got my grill on. Discovered more fitment issues -- the entire top edge has a gentle 'wave' to it rather than being straight, creating significant gaps. You can also see the chipped corner from shipment. Screw holes don't all line up and the depth is pot luck on which ones you can get in of those that do line up.
I love the way it looks and hopefully I'll stop noticing the upper edge gaps. I still need to reattach the upper edge gasket with silicon from the OEM grill, but I've already fit it and the gaps are bigger than it will cover.
Final thoughts? I'd expect all of this (shipping, fitment, lateness, lack of commuication) from a $150 grill off of ebay from China. The "review" feels like a real shill job when it comes to the fitment issues and finish.
I love the way it looks and hopefully I'll stop noticing the upper edge gaps. I still need to reattach the upper edge gasket with silicon from the OEM grill, but I've already fit it and the gaps are bigger than it will cover.
Final thoughts? I'd expect all of this (shipping, fitment, lateness, lack of commuication) from a $150 grill off of ebay from China. The "review" feels like a real shill job when it comes to the fitment issues and finish.
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Which year your car is? Thinking if it will fit my 06…
2002.
There's a good chance it'll fit. I did a grill retrofit on my previous LX (that @cdoglesby has now) and know that the differences are the light trims and valance. On the later year models the grill extends down a bit further and in a bit deeper -- so the lower edge on an 02 would be a little smaller. Only issues I'd foresee would be a larger gap at the bottom edge of the grill to the bumper, but it's already pretty sizable, so that's not a big deal.
Glad to see another Houstonian! Might want to go get a cat shield!
Thanks! I may give it a try. I already installed that cat protector. I think I am the first one getting that however I just got time to have it installed few days ago.
I’m sorry to hear this, @aedgington !
It also appears that there is a massive gap at the bottom of the grille.
Cheap crap.
IMO it doesn't fit the styling of the truck at all either.
IMO it doesn't fit the styling of the truck at all either.
skymast
SILVER Star
I don't hate it but it looks like it belongs more on an FJ Cruiser.
