Are the plastic engine covers under the hood really necessary or are they cosmetic .They seem very flimsy and a nuisance to routine maintenance. Can I remove them permanently?

If your engine runs and your car goes without the covers then they are not "needed". Several people have said they leave the "engine undercover" off their Lexus vehicles to make oil changes easier. Some of plastic covers are probably cosmetic, others are definitely to improve aerodynamics and fuel mileage, some perhaps to protect underlying (e.g. electrical) components, and some may be for noise control.

They are also there to quiet down the engine compartment and to cut down on dust and water intrusion.

I agree with the two replies here. Have you seen the engine of an LS460? Now that car will probably annoy you a lot more because there's absolutely NO ROOM at all to fit any hands or fingers through the engine cover...




Compared to our GX's Engine Bay