Latest Photos With The Carbon Bonnet Painted

Peter P18 · May 30, 2015

Hey Chaps,

So finally had some time to give the beast a good clean, and snap some photos with the newly painted bonnet. The vents are still carbon, and the bodyshop have lacquered them for added protection.

The sharper eyed will also notice the rear has been partially de-badged. ;)

Hope you like it. :)

Next up is my Novel carbon fender ducts, service and recall work at Lexus Woodford, BC BR coilovers..... busy times! :)

Cheers.

Pete

sofasurfer · May 31, 2015

Sure seem to be keeping busy Pete....I do prefer the bonnet now it has been painted.

Stuno1 · May 31, 2015

Agree with Andy. A lot nicer painted. Good work :)

Peter P18 · May 31, 2015

Cheers chaps. :)

I really like how it looks now. The less is more approach worked well with the overall styling.

Shame my windscreen cracked tonight, but it'll mean a new chip free one in a few weeks! ;)

Poxy pothole! :(

Ace8800 · May 31, 2015

the rear of the car is well nice.. im not 100% sure about the vents in the bonnet.. dont get me wrong, they look great the design of the vents are really nice, love the carbon bits in them, but just a little bit big i think.. unless the pics make them look bigger then they are.

still though.. looks mean.

PS.. let me know when the front bumper lips are up for sale ;)

Corrado · June 3, 2015

Looking great Peter. Sorry you might be selling. Still awaiting an exhaust clip :)

Peter P18 · June 4, 2015

The vents aren't as large as they may appear in some of the photos.

You need to see the car in person really. Even the techs at Lexus Woodford were saying how aggressive and nice the bonnet looked. ;)

Peter P18 · June 4, 2015

Hey Sham.

Not selling anymore. Was only one example I would have considered swapping the F for, and that's because I know the current owner really well, and know his cars are absolutely mint in terms of condition etc.

Now he's found a buyer for that, I am going to hold on to my F for a while I reckon.

Had to laugh at how others seem to feel my car has de-valued because of the mods I have fitted to it!

Try telling that to the US guys who sell their modified versions for a load more than stock ones!

I guess for some people the only acceptable mods for any Lexus are boiled sweets, a blanket, driving gloves and a road atlas! ;)

Stuno1 · June 4, 2015

Hey Sham.

Not selling anymore. Was only one example I would have considered swapping the F for, and that's because I know the current owner really well, and know his cars are absolutely mint in terms of condition etc.

Now he's found a buyer for that, I am going to hold on to my F for a while I reckon.

Had to laugh at how others seem to feel my car has de-valued because of the mods I have fitted to it!

Try telling that to the US guys who sell their modified versions for a load more than stock ones!

I guess for some people the only acceptable mods for any Lexus are boiled sweets, a blanket, driving gloves and a road atlas! ;)

Sadly that's the way it is with some cars and the markets they sell in. Some cars and markets lend themselves to mods and some don't. The market is always reduced for a modified car by the very fact you have made it 'your' car. It may not decrease the value but sadly i don't think it will add value. Cars like this are better put back to stock for sale and you make as much back as you can on the mods.

Had the same chat with lotus and Porsche folk. People are only willing to accept so much in terms of mods and that seems to be limited to exhaust, intake and maybe suspension. Anything else seems to put folk off. As with any car, if you live it then that's all that matters :)

stevet · June 4, 2015

Spot on Stu, couldn't of put it better myself. I'm 100% sure a Lexus dealer would offer less for a modified car.

Peter P18 · June 4, 2015

So if I had a GTR with £50K of receipts for modifications, I'd have to sell it for the same price as a standard GTR of similar age and mileage?! Rubbish!

How about when it's been a feature car in a top tuning magazine? Still worth the same as an OEM 08 IS-F?

Or less according to some people on here! :(

Think I'm done with this forum.

Thanks but no thanks. :(

Stuno1 · June 4, 2015

That's a bit of a silly reaction chap. As I said above. Different cars and different markets are more suited to modified cars. The examples I know a FTO owner who's car was on fast and the furious and in many magazines and didn't sell for any where near the money the owner was asking. Also, the GTR is basically accepted as a car that gets modified in every market.

As you know the isf had limited success over here and as such the mod market for one is very very low. No one is having a go so not sure why you are reacting like this. Folk are just expressing their views from experience of different cars and moding them. Like I said, I will of the evora if I buy one and the mods I want to do are 6k but I have been told i won't see a penny of that come resale and it may have an adverse effect unless someone like me come along. Just the way it is with some cars.

Stu

stevet · June 4, 2015

So if I had a GTR with £50K of receipts for modifications, I'd have to sell it for the same price as a standard GTR of similar age and mileage?! Rubbish!

How about when it's been a feature car in a top tuning magazine? Still worth the same as an OEM 08 IS-F?

Or less according to some people on here! :(

Think I'm done with this forum.

Thanks but no thanks. :(

Its just that there is no market for your car in the UK. We are very different from the USA. If your happy with your car then I'm happy for you. Just don't expect it to sell for more. If it was a GTR, Scooby etc. then I fully agree with you.

Don't leave the forum its good to see what can be done.

Corrado · June 4, 2015

Hi Peter, regardless of people's opinions on the value of modified ISFs at the end of the day it's worth whatever amount someone is prepared to pay for it. I think if you did come to sell you would get more if you returned the car to stock and sold the parts separately if you can be bothered. That's not to say it's worth less than an OEM one.

The problem in the UK is the market for even a standard F is fairly limited so for a modded one I would guess it is even more so.

Hope you stick around now you're keeping the F :)

toffee_pie · June 6, 2015

IMO the ISF is absolutely fine in its stock format. Maybe some painted calipers but I am not a fan of all these mods and you rarely get any money back.

I think the Nissan GTR is an exception due to its nature and serious tuning ability.

Ace8800 · June 6, 2015

The vents aren't as large as they may appear in some of the photos.

You need to see the car in person really. Even the techs at Lexus Woodford were saying how aggressive and nice the bonnet looked. ;)

yep for sure id love to see all the mods if there ever was a Lexus meet up and have a chat.

madasahatter · June 17, 2015

Car looks great mate just been down the same route lost a packet on a Vrs because people want standard unabused cars, my lexus will stay as is but i

would love to mod it. People mod cars to their tastes, some do engine some shocks some exhausts etc but at the end of the day that is their taste.

We are all individuals mate dont take things personal, if you like it thats all that matters.

stevet · June 18, 2015

Car looks great mate just been down the same route lost a packet on a Vrs because people want standard unabused cars, my lexus will stay as is but i

would love to mod it. People mod cars to their tastes, some do engine some shocks some exhausts etc but at the end of the day that is their taste.

We are all individuals mate dont take things personal, if you like it thats all that matters.

Spot on! Just as you commented don't expect to get any money back on mods at sale time.

madasahatter · June 18, 2015

No im not exactly saying you wont make money just need the right buyer which is a waiting game mate,i wasnt prepared to wait wanting a complete change

people think because you mod them your a boy racer, im 56 and dont think i am i like uprating things look better and handle better.

I will be doing rear anti roll bar and drop links soon think the car needs it, i know i said im not modding the car but they are not seen and will benefit.

Peter P18 · June 18, 2015

Precisely.

Just means you have a smaller audience than you would for a stock version.

Whilst I agree modifications can be to an individuals taste, some enhancements/improvements will be recognised by people as beneficial to the cars performance, looks, handling etc.

You can't say a modified car won't be worth more than a stock version. If the modifications in questions are done tastefully and at considerable cost, there is no way the owner would swallow a huge loss to sell their car.

I'm fully aware I wouldn't make back all the money I have spent on my car if I ever do decide to sell it.

Thank you Keith for the kind words. At the end of the day I am extremely pleased with how the car now looks and sounds. Next up will be improving the handling.

You also need to appreciate that once this car has been featured in one of the Japanese performance magazines, it does add something to the value.

Remember not that many people really know about the IS-F. Hopefully I will help open their eyes to the amazing potential these cars offer for those who need a degree of practicality, whilst still retaining plenty of performance and good looks.

Stuno1 · June 18, 2015

Welcome back ;)

stevet · June 18, 2015

No im not exactly saying you wont make money just need the right buyer which is a waiting game mate,i wasnt prepared to wait wanting a complete change

people think because you mod them your a boy racer, im 56 and dont think i am i like uprating things look better and handle better.

I will be doing rear anti roll bar and drop links soon think the car needs it, i know i said im not modding the car but they are not seen and will benefit.

You will never make any money selling a modified ISF. You will be lucky to even get any of the money back you spent on mods. I would love to be proved wrong but so far never seen a modified ISF sold for more than a standard one. I've not got a problem within modifying cars I spent £1000's on a MX5 and would do it all again. Even put a Takeda air intake on the ISF