My Mods Thread

[Oxide]

I decided I needed somewhere to help me keep track of all the small mods I've done so far. That way I have a progressive record of them. So here it is:

Carbon Fibre Wrapped Centre Console

Carbon Fibre Steering Wheel Inserts With Red Ford badge

Focus Brake Light Cover

Red LED Ignition Barrel

Front and Rear Carbon Badges

Just the beginnings of what I want to do.

[Brigante]

Looking good mate. The first few of many mods to come lol. Definitely getting the carbon overlays myself now.

[Oxide]

Just installed these today as well:

Climate Controls

New Pedals

Definitely getting the carbon overlays myself now.

I actually ordered the black and chrome ones and somehow ended up with carbon, in the end I'm glad there was a mix up. I think they look good.

[Brigante]

Definitely looks a lot better mate. It's the little simple mods that make a lot of difference. You must be pleased with how the interiors coming along. You got any exterior mods planned at all?

I was trying to choose between the black/chromes ones n the carbons but after actually seeing yours fitted it's gotta be the carbon. Just gotta get round to ordering them.

[Stoney871]

Getting good there.

[Oxide]

I really want to start some exterior mods, only problem is insurance. Seeing as this is my first car over here in the UK they see me as a new, male, 21yr old driver. Hopefully within a few weeks though I should be getting a letter through from my insurance company back in the states which will give me 5 years no claims....which should cut my insurance by about 75% (I'm paying near enough £2,000 annual) Having said that, should I be declaring these small types of mods on my insurance? Or is it only body kits/performance parts they're worried about? And how much would exterior mods cost me to declare on my insurance?

[Brigante]

What kind of exterior mods do you have in mind mate? My insurance is just under 2 grand too, original quote was about 1100-1300 but then all the extras was added on.

How much declaring the mods would cost depends completely on your insurer. Like some won't mind about window tints n only charge a small fee, where as others will cancel your policy n refuse to insure you.

I know another member swapped his mk2 spoiler for a facelift, n his insurer just charged him a 17quid admin charge n didn't ask what spoiler he'd swapped it for, they just wanted to know he'd changed it so he could of fitted any spoiler he'd wanted n they wouldn't of cared.

But then he got charged a silly fee when declaring his parking sensors.

So the cost of declaring mods does vary widely n all depends on your own insurers policy on them.

[Oxide]

Do you reckon I need to declare anything I've already done?

I want to paint the chrome lip on the front of the bonnet, only problem is I live on a Naval base and don't really have anywhere I could paint it or leave it to dry. Then probably smoked brake lights, twin reverse lights, DRL's, new front grill. The list goes on and on. Might just finish my interior first.

[Stoney871]

Always best to declare anything but worth doing that all in one go as like Charlie said usually it's likely to be an admin cost rather than a premium increase so why pay multiple admin costs?

Makes my insurance of £300 seen paltry in comparison.

[Brigante]

I don't see how you'd have to declare a bit of carbon wrap or some stick on badges or the pedals. But as Clive said it's best to declare everything. But yes definitely declare all at once so get everything you wanna do done first or it'll be a 20quid admin charge every time you declare something new, or a one off charge declaring all at once.

The exterior mods sound good mate. In my opinion the twin reverse light is definitely worth doing.

I was also going to recommend fitting an ST upper grill to really improve the front of your car. If you do though, read my guide on the bonnet lock problem cause many of us have suffered it when removing the grill, but don't let it put you off as it's easily avoided n easily fixed.

[Brigante]

Oh and as for the bonnet lip n not having time to dry, what you could always do is carbon wrap it. Will be really effective in improving the front of your car n also tie in very nicely with the carbon overlays. Be a lot easier to do too if you don't wanna/can't wait for it do dry.

[Brigante]

Makes my insurance of £300 seen paltry in comparison.

Yes rub it in why don't you to us 'young drivers'

Finally getting some pay back for all my jabs ;)

[Oxide]

I suppose I could carbon wrap it. It's hard to keep my priorities straight around here, too many good ideas. In looking for an ST grille I managed to stumble across a red illuminated gear knob which I now want as well as some ford focus floor mats! I think I'm going to have to try and keep things going in order, and possibly a raise from work. For example, wait for my LEDs to arrive and install them before I move on to anything else.

[Lenny]

I suppose I could carbon wrap it. It's hard to keep my priorities straight around here, too many good ideas. In looking for an ST grille I managed to stumble across a red illuminated gear knob which I now want as well as some ford focus floor mats! I think I'm going to have to try and keep things going in order, and possibly a raise from work. For example, wait for my LEDs to arrive and install them before I move on to anything else.

I too struggle to stick to one catagory or area of styling before moving on to the next one, resulting in head-ache from the missus because I've got box's of stuff on top of the kitchen cabinets like the pressure sensor for the oil gauge in the st pod lol 8 months on and ive still gotta purchase and fit the adaptor but I get distracted by other modifications.

I admire you if you can stick to one project at a time mate.

[Brigante]

Think this is what your looking at regarding the grill:

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item416b1f028f

But shop around you may get one a lot cheaper.

I know a few fellow members that own mk2.5's have carbon wrapped they're bonnet lips n from what I've seen they looked pretty decent.

Dunno if you'd wanna take me up on the offer but if your car is panther black n you just wanted to colour code it to the rest of the car you could post it me n I would be happy to spray it for you as I already have all the required materials n a place where it could be left to dry over night. Just means you'd have to drive round with it missing for a few days longer than if you'd sprayed it yourself cause of postage times. But if you wanted it matt black I couldn't help in that case.

But I do reckon it would look good carbon wrapped too n would be quicker as there's no need to spray it n leave it drying for a few days, just wrap it n put it straight back on.

Know how you feel about getting priorities in order. I'll be in the middle of doing one mod then get inspiration to do several others at the same time.

[Stoney871]

Yes rub it in why don't you to us 'young drivers'

Finally getting some pay back for all my jabs ;)

Tee Hee

Just waiting for my blue sidelights to arrive to change my headlight bulbs over, and some LED panels for the boot then i'm going for the twin LED boot light effect.

[Brigante]

Tee Hee

Just waiting for my blue sidelights to arrive to change my headlight bulbs over, and some LED panels for the boot then i'm going for the twin LED boot light effect.

How much was the fogs? I'm tempted but not sure if I'd actually get use out of them.

[Lenny]

Tee Hee

Just waiting for my blue sidelights to arrive to change my headlight bulbs over, and some LED panels for the boot then i'm going for the twin LED boot light effect.

Sweet combination their mate, look forward to the pictures once fitted,

And keep your existing H11's for MOT time because the cree fogs are not E marked.

I currently have them fitted in my fogs too and they may not be E Marked but they sure as hell have my quality approval on them.

[martyntdci]

I currently have them fitted in my fogs too and they may not be E Marked but they sure as hell have my quality approval on them.

pmsl, thats all that matters lol

[Lenny]

pmsl, thats all that matters lol

Rock On Brother!!

lol

[Stoney871]

These are the ones i got, old ones will live in the boot just in case.

Everywhere i have checked states my car takes H8 fog bulbs, hope that's right or i'm buggered.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/H8-CREE-Q5-12V-24V-LED-FOG-LIGHT-BULBS-UK-PAIR-/300778323353?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4607c8fd99

[Lenny]

These are the ones i got, old ones will live in the boot just in case.

Everywhere i have checked states my car takes H8 fog bulbs, hope that's right or i'm buggered.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/H8-CREE-Q5-12V-24V-LED-FOG-LIGHT-BULBS-UK-PAIR-/300778323353?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4607c8fd99

H8 and H11 are much the same appearance of plug and socket anyway mate, I think the plug still fits but the clip has nothing to grip on the H8, time will tell anyways and I'm sure the will swap them in the event they are mistaken fitment.

[Stoney871]

The Owners handbook says H8 too.

I'll just suck it and see i suppose.

[Oxide]

Just had another idea for my interior lighting which I could use some advice on.

The leds I ordered for my footwells I'm now thinking probably wont be bright enough

http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1497.l2648

The original plan was to have them in the footwells and one in my courtesy light with one left spare. However I had an idea after Brigante so generously sent me his spare socket for my extra boot light.

After doing the ignition barrel I realised I only have one w5w socket in my overhead light. So I also thought that one of those leds would fit in there but wouldn't be particularly bright.

This is what my courtesy light looks like without the plastic cover:

The plan now is to cut two new holes either side of the existing one and add two new w5w sockets to give me 3 leds in my courtesy light. All of this would then be spliced into the existing loom.

I'd then replace my footwell lights with http://www.ebay.co.u...#ht_3935wt_1265

Does that sound feasible? Would 3 w5w sockets and my ignition barrel be too much to have spliced into a single loom? Keeping in mind I would actually have to get a grip and order myself a dremel to actually cut to the new holes.

[Brigante]

What you may find easier than drilling holes n splicing in new sockets, is purchasing a whole new courtesy light unit like the one I previously linked n replacing yours with that instead. I think it would be a straight swap but get someone else to confirm that first.

As for the foot-well leds not being bright enough, I thought you'd ordered these originally like you linked in your other thread:

http://www.ebay.co.u...e#ht_883wt_1186

And not the ones you've actually got, how did you end up with these ones? If I'd have known I'd have said don't get the ones you've got, and to order the other ones in the first place. As I also ordered the same ones you did but in blue n quickly had to replace them.

As for splicing too many things, I've already spliced my rear foot-wells n my ignition barrel n second boot light into my interior lighting n at some point will be doing cup holder n door handle LEDs too.