Lexus IS 300H 2013 Non F-Sport Premier (Bagheera)

[HellaF]

So decided to finally get registered on lexus forums want to keep a little thread going for my ride and see how it progresses in time and Keep track of what I started with.

So first thing first I drive a 2013 Lexus IS300h XE30 in Premier trim Non-Fsport.
I bought it first with my brother in 2017 or so and he had it for 3 years or so beforehand.
He had a tuned-out Volkswagen Passat B6 2.0TDI sedan but with Lexus, he decided to keep stock.
Now he sold it to me and it's my time to try to make my car stand out from the crowd a bit make a character.
Not sure if there are any performance mods for Hybrid but I guess I'm in right place to find out!
So my car is bone stock as of now it sits high and it's on 18' inch stock wheels which are staggered 225/35R front and 255/40R in back.
It has Beige Leather seats with ventilation and heating, a Mark Levinson sound system from the factory a sat nav, memory seats electric seats, etc - In Ireland, this is an extra believe me cause I got a colleague at work who has mechanical seats

So the first mod I did was removed all stickers from the garage that sold the car to my brother and removed the badges to make a cleaner look and did a chrome delete for like 15$ DIY style ( Need to redo it properly) I would say it is a 5metter mod, looks only good from a distance but I did it myself a d I've never wrapped anything before so yeah.
In the future want to black it all out. In my country where I'm from originally, Latvia we called it bandition murdered out black look.
Want to get Maxton lip for non-f-sport or NIA non F-Sport not sure yet, diffuser axle-back and other goodies to make it look different from the crowd. And I also love Japanese cars that's why I got it from my brother.
The wheels I'm thinking Kiwami Emotion from WORKS or JRS11 or JRS28 lower it not sure if I want to get coils or get springs first and see how it is lowered.
So enough me yammering here are the money shots with my phone.
I gave her the name Bagheera like the black panther from the jungle book.

Dirty at work.

Tractor.

Cleaned up and shined up!


Bye bye badges!

Anyone looking for a unique 300 numbers? XD

This going to be changed to black one or smoked out.

Need new plate frames on black gloss.

Same for front and relocate the plate.


First time doing chrome delete second time I will do it better.


This is where I realized I don't have enough to do the whole car.

But I still managed to do it with scraps and planning

All cleaned up no badges time to search for a diffuser.

Washed up.

Still a learner.



 

[Las Palmas]

Sweet car. Learner: Not in keeping the car looking great.

One thing you do not need to tune up is the sound system. It is not a disco, but the best sounding factory installed music box.

Enjoy.

[HellaF]

Yeah the sound system is amazing everyone everytime asks me do i have like custom one fitted. But i did have a mod for sound system in mind purely cosmetic I saw on the US forums he like wrapped the grills in the like thin material like pop filter material looks so premium and luxurious. But yeah in plans I have getting new tires first thing first then Maxton lip kit maybe some interesting diffuser from MV tuning or something, black out the grille change emblem to black pearl but my DIY. Ordered the radiator mesh grille ordered small bits and pieces off china like small valve caps cup holder insert etc not going to put any carbon fibre in interior 😂 maybe wrap the centre console in black gloss piano black like cause it's scratched up pedal covers, tint the taillights redo chrome delete wheels exhaust so it looks like a car hahah but yeah alot alot of things to come!

[_3rd]

Where did you get radiator mesh grille from?

I don't recommend MV Tuning rear diffuser as mine is cracked after slightly touching the curb while parking (made of fiber glass, not ABS or other plastic materials, that's the problem).

[HellaF]

I got the mest grille emblem from the eBay and it should fit the IS I will find you the part number and a picture.

So this is the emblem it consists of two parts the mesh grille and the Chrome L which are sold separately. 

Here are the PN:
Garnish, Radiator GR: 53142-60011
Emblem, Symbol: 90975-02083
Nut, Spring: 90183-06044

[_3rd]

You mean mesh emblem, I thought it's front bumber upper mesh grille for non F-sport models making them F-sport looking 😄

I try to find something like this for non F-sport trim

[HellaF]

 Oh no I'm not sure if they have that for non fsport 😁🤔 I kinda like the non sport look cause it's more uncommon 😄

[_3rd]

True, everyone wants F-sport look 😄

[HellaF]

Yeah that's why I want to mount the plate on the lower mesh grille not but won't do it until I get full license 😄

Need to remove the bracket that holds the plate which is bulky and ugly also hunting down original OEM Lexus Wind Deflectors JDM

They expensive af hahah 😄 Also got some small nick knacks coming from Aliexpress not sure how good XD but I want to order the dynamic blacked out Mirror turn signals.

[_3rd]

Great idea removing the plate bracket, gonna do it too 😄 
Dynamic smoked mirror turn signals are amazing mod for about £40 - best spent money ever 😆

[HellaF]

Yeah hahah but like I'm wondering what should I do first lower it or get rims? 🤔 What would be right thing to do. Or what is the best thing to do first. Also when you remove the bracket can you make detailed description what you did and what not to do 🤣

[_3rd]

I’ve done coilovers first but it is up to you I guess 😀 

[ColinBarber]

19 hours ago, HellaF said:

I got the mest grille emblem from the Ebay and it should fit the IS I will find you the part number and a picture.

So this is the emblem it consists of two parts the mesh grille and the Chrome L which are sold separately. 

Here are the PN:
Garnish, Radiator GR: 53142-60011
Emblem, Symbol: 90975-02083
Nut, Spring: 90183-06044

Do you have the PCS/Adaptive Cruise Control option? The radar sits behind the emblem and may not work correctly if you replace the standard one.

[HellaF]

I wanted to actually check what I have like via VIN number but sorry for a noob question where's the vin located on the lexus?

 

[ColinBarber]

1 hour ago, HellaF said:

I wanted to actually check what I have like via VIN number but sorry for a noob question where's the vin located on the lexus?

 

It should be in three locations:

 

It's also possibly under a cover under the drivers seat (extend it all the way back to see it) but not sure if its there on the IS.

It should also be written in your service history book.

 

It will start with the letters JT due to it being manufactured in Japan by Toyota.

[HellaF]

So the VIN is JTHBH5D2005005615

Thanks for the heads up on the location so where do I put it in now?

[HellaF]

Little update still waiting for the Ali stuff but ordered black plate frames that should arrive tomorrow will post pictures when they get here. Also I won't mess with suspension and wheels and other stuff until I pass my driving test because you don't want a low car at the test hahah 🤣

[_3rd]

On 6/10/2021 at 2:25 PM, HellaF said:

Yeah hahah but like I'm wondering what should I do first lower it or get rims? 🤔 What would be right thing to do. Or what is the best thing to do first. Also when you remove the bracket can you make detailed description what you did and what not to do 🤣

Today I tried to open headlights but unfortunately they are permanently sealed with high temperature resistant glue (not a butyl one) so ordered proper tools for removing cold glue. 
 Also removed front plate bracket - under plate there are 2 screws holding the bracket 🙂

[HellaF]

Nice one! P.s Anyone else has problems uploading pictures from phone? 🤔 I've installed the lexus projector puddle lights thinking of getting a canbus smd LED for interior just not sure which ones anyone have experience? I want to get these.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B082174BLY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_JDCDNPF4QR92TPYWGNAQ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[_3rd]

My first mod on the first day of owning Lexus was full LED interior, mirrors lights and Lexus logo door projectors 😂 
Here is front bumper with no plate bracket 

[HellaF]

Nice that looks clean! Only that honda logo on the bottom hahah 🤣

[LenT]

On 6/9/2021 at 10:27 PM, HellaF said:

…ordered small bits and pieces off china like small valve caps…

Just a small point…I’d be inclined to ensure that the valve caps - or dust caps - are plastic and not metal.  Metal ones have a tendency to corrode on to the valve stem.  This leads to the valve snapping off when an attempt is made to remove the dust cap, leading, in my case, to the replacement of the TPMS valve.

All because the previous owner had put one metal cap on a valve.  But then I expect you probably already know this?

[_3rd]

6 hours ago, HellaF said:

Nice that looks clean! Only that honda logo on the bottom hahah 🤣

Red Type-r logo = extra hp 😅

 

[HellaF]

23 hours ago, LenT said:

Just a small point…I’d be inclined to ensure that the valve caps - or dust caps - are plastic and not metal.  Metal ones have a tendency to corrode on to the valve stem.  This leads to the valve snapping off when an attempt is made to remove the dust cap, leading, in my case, to the replacement of the TPMS valve.

All because the previous owner had put one metal cap on a valve.  But then I expect you probably already know this?

Ah damn! Maybe I could put like antisieze or something like that on the thread caus they are metal 🤔

[LenT]

1 hour ago, HellaF said:

Ah damn! Maybe I could put like antisieze or something like that on the thread caus they are metal 🤔

Vaseline was good enough for us old timers!  

But anti seize sounds about right.  Or even copper grease, I believe.  It’s to stop the galvanic corrosion that can occur when two different metals come into contact.

Still you’ve caught it just in time. 😊