Ground Effects Question To Those That Know......

[cane2263]

I saw the OEM Lexus Ground Effects Kit and just wanted to know how different this really ends up looking (I haven't purchased my Lexus IS 250 yet, 1 more week)?

http://beta.lexus-parts.com/parts_detail.a...70032&all=Y

The company said that it was a subtle change. I am wondering if around $1,000 is worth a "subtle" change. I have a difficult time noticing how different it even looks when seeing the pictures of the car on the website (maybe it has the ground effects kit on it) and seeing the pictures on the seller's website. Does anyone have a before and after picture or a way to show it with and without?

Thanks in advance, I just want to know if it is worth it..........

(If someone has it in black, even better, but I know beggars can't be choosers.....lol).

Thanks!

[GDixon]

It is worth it if you think it is worth it. It is a personal preference/taste issue rather than a practical matter. The only people who will notice is Lexus salespeople and those that own the exact model - maybe not even then.

Notice that the ad states "a more aggressive stance" but does not have any indication of performance.

My guess is that you will have to regularly drive 150+ mph to make any real performance difference. But you won't be driving very long if that is your plan. B)

Maybe spinner rims would make a difference. They would certainly be noticed. Afterwards hydraulics in the front could add a "hop" if you were still not noticed to the extent necessary.

[Tango]

The company said that it was a subtle change. I am wondering if around $1,000 is worth a "subtle" change. I have a difficult time noticing how different it even looks when seeing the pictures of the car on the website (maybe it has the ground effects kit on it) and seeing the pictures on the seller's website. Does anyone have a before and after picture or a way to show it with and without?

No really good comparisons, but it's certainly subtle......just as an example here's pics of my car, admitedly with the OEM front shown on both, but one has the original side 'skirts' and the other has the GFX skirts. Can you see which one?

Shot at 2007-07-21

Shot with K800i at 2007-07-21

[cane2263]

Thanks for the replies:

GDixon- I was meaning more along the lines of if I would notice a difference in how it looks more than performance. I just didn't know how much of "subtle" difference it made. I saw the "more aggressive stance", but I didn't really recognize the difference from other Lexus IS 250's that I had seen and I was unsure if it either made very little difference in looks or maybe every IS 250 I see has the Ground Effects.

Tango- Thanks for the picks. I may be retarded but I don't really notice much of a difference. Do the skirts on the side of the bottom picture stick out a little more? Maybe it has something to do with the angle of the pics, I don't know........What about the back one, does that look a little more different?

Thanks again for both of you adding a reply and if anyone else can help me see the difference I would appreciate it.....

[Cory]

I think the GFX kit makes a huge difference in looks, but I'm the type of person who will analyze every facet of a car's aesthetics and ergonomics with excrutiating detail.

Bottom line, there are people (if not many) who will definitely notice the difference... you just have to decide if you're one of those people.

[Tango]

Tango- Thanks for the picks. I may be retarded but I don't really notice much of a difference. Do the skirts on the side of the bottom picture stick out a little more? Maybe it has something to do with the angle of the pics, I don't know........What about the back one, does that look a little more different?

The pic with the 'WIM' designation is the one taken after the replacement OEM GFX sides were fitted..Lexus call them 'mudguards'. That was the point of asking the question. I own the car so notice every little detail, but the change is so subtle I don't think I'd notice if they were switched back again.. It's the same with the back one, it's hardly noticable. The front air dam and of course the trunk lip spoiler are the more obvious changes. In saying all the above, the overall look is subtly changed without spoiling the original design concept..think they improve IMO.

It's easy to detract from the original design concept, as can be seen on the IS-F...that bulbous bonnet (sorry 'hood') is ugly, even if it does cover a V8.:whistles:

[DArustik]

I do think it makes a difference, but do not think the difference is worth 1100 or 1200$. btw, that IS is a beauty tango.how much power you have that thing pushin?

[DArustik]

if you're gonna get anything, i'd go for the spoiler :)

[Meesha]

When I was at the dealer for the first time, I saw a car with and without the GFX. The sales guy showed me. My first impression was "hmm... not much difference" and I wasn't interested in at all. But later if I keep looking at pictueres on the internet, I started noticing the difference more and more.

So, basically most people won't know the difference. Only people who would notice are the ones who own the same car or just those car geeks ;)

Just get a spoiler. That's what I'm doing :)

[cane2263]

Well after some deliberation and a lot of haggling....lol, I finally made my decision that I liked it.

I don't think the car looks bad either way and I don't think it makes a drastic difference, but the more I look at it the more I like it and the more I noticed it.

Funny thing is that I ordered the illuminated scuff plates for $166 online (since the dealer wanted to charge me $560 to order and install them) and got the complete Ground Effects Kit for $1,000 from the dealer before the Lexus I wanted even came in to their dealership after they located it. It was kinda weird having all these parts to a car that I didn't even have. I was patiently waiting since they took over $4,200 off MSRP of a IS250..

[Tango]

btw, that IS is a beauty tango.how much power you have that thing pushin?

I don't know what it's pushing out at the wheels as haven't had put it on the dyno yet, although it's fast enough to quickly lose my drivers license if I'm not careful :whistles: .

One thing I'd say on the ground effects kit and that's you really need to lower it to complete the look...mines on the US spec Eiback Pro-set springs so is dropped 1.4" on the front and 1" at the back.

[tiamfooks]

I think the front lip and the rear spoiler are noticeable differences. Not sure about the side skirts and rear lip though.

can you just buy the front lip?

[cane2263]

I think the front lip and the rear spoiler are noticeable differences. Not sure about the side skirts and rear lip though.

can you just buy the front lip?

Well, I instaleld the front lip, sides and back and I have to say that it does make a difference. I had wrestled with the idea myself of just doing the front GFX because I noticed the biggest difference with the front, and the sides I barely noticed much of a difference and the back I heard was difficult to do but my fiance convinced me to just do the whole thing. After doing it all I am so gald I did the whole kit. It makes it look more complete in my opinion. The front then blends better with the sides and the back creating a visual line/connection between them. The sides stick out more and are difficult to notice in pictures but if you walk up to the car you definitely notice the difference. Overall, I am just glad I took my fiance's advice because it was made as a compelte kit for a reason and was super easy to install (takes a few hours).

[cane2263]

Top picture is stock and bottom is with full OEM GFX

(This is where I was going to post before and after pics but every time I click "choose file" and find the pic I want to upload and hit "choose" on my computer, then it show up as a file next to the "Choose File" below, and then hit the "upload" button, it keeps saying I did't select a file to upload)

Sorry if that didn't make sense, just trying to figure out how to post a pic......

[bartkat]

Host the pic someplace like photobucket and then use the img tags to link to it.

[cane2263]

Never done that before and don't have a photobucket account. Can I e-mail someone the pics and they host them, put them up, something?

Thanks,

[EnginePassion]

I wonder what is the effect of this kit on the aerodynamics of this car? Any comments from the savvy guys?

[Tango]

I wonder what is the effect of this kit on the aerodynamics of this car? Any comments from the savvy guys?

Very little effect at all even if you're travelling everywhere at speeds 100 mph+. Just lowering the car has more effect than the GFX. Purely cosmetic in reality.

[tiamfooks]

going to purchase my IS250 next week but I definitely don't think I'd trust myself to install my own GFX. Should I have the dealer do it? Or should I buy it elsewhere and have it installed. Can anyone recommend someone good in the Boston area?

[cane2263]

I tried loading them on a friend's site and here is the link:

http://www.carolinamodelsonline.com/riojeansgallery.htm

All pics should allow you to click on them to enlarge.....