Speccing Up/Upgrading Parts

[gordonbennet]

My upgrades usually consisted of replacing the shit 5 watts if you're lucky stereo and the worlds cheapest tinny shit speakers with something reasonable,  ended up with a subwoofer in the boot of the W124 because the speakers in the car are only 4" all round and unless you want to chop the interior up that's all you can get in.

 

In more recent years haven't needed to do such things, apart from the family Aygo the radio and speakers of which were scandalous rubbish.

[tommotech]

I did buy a 1 series as a project car, it was a 118dSE. I got a 120d engine which had the bigger turbo and then sold the good bits off the old engine, making the swap almost cost neutral.

As the bumpers were knackered I bought M-Sport items and M-Sport wheels that had good tyres on them as I preferred that look. Latterly I found an M-Sport interior, which had the more comfortable sport seats in leather (well BMW synthetic leather!).

I then used the car and covered 150,000 miles in it, turned out to be a cracker!

I'm ok with personalising a car with OEM upgrades, making the car a nicer place to be. A number of upgrades are becoming difficult with the rise in ECU control and necessity for coding, as mentioned earlier.

[Noel Tidybeard]

Didnt realise there were so many different grilles for a Civic, and all of them nice apart from the 2009 one. 

 

Doubt Honda will ever make a Civic as well styled and smart looking as those ever again, every model since has been a step down, and the latest one looks awful, horribly shaped and bland, it puts me in mind of another bland Jap car from years ago but just cant place it. The interior too was smart, so untypically Jap dull boring masses of grainy light grey plastic style. Quite fancy one of these when the prices really do hit rock bottom, still command a decent wedge considering how old they are now. 

 

they needed extra cooling when they changed the 1.8 from i-shift to a torque converter autobox for '09my- so there are 2 removable balnking plates behind the nostrils

 

the 2011 grill for the 5 door should actually be dark grey like a type r, 3 door type s have brushed alloy look and mine is the dark chrome sports grille

 

ironically if replacing accident damage the sports grille is about 50% cheaper than the original one!!

[Hendry]

they needed extra cooling when they changed the 1.8 from i-shift to a torque converter autobox for '09my- so there are 2 removable balnking plates behind the nostrils

 

the 2011 grill for the 5 door should actually be dark grey like a type r, 3 door type s have brushed alloy look and mine is the dark chrome sports grille

 

ironically if replacing accident damage the sports grille is about 50% cheaper than the original one!!

That is unusual, usually the sporty bits, Type R, GTi, ST, RS, VXR are all massively more expensive than the already inflated price of standard cooking model parts.

 

How does spec work on these, is EX the top trim? Where does Type S GT fit in because they seem very well equipped but yet the Si which seems less well equipped has half leather compared with the Type S GT suede the seats. Also is there such a thing as just a Type S without the GT? In the same way that there's Type R and Type R GT specs?

 

I think one of the first I ever drove was when I worked for Arnold Clark and they bought one in which eventually was sold to one of the service advisors, it was an early one, black 5 door 06 plate 2.2 I-CTDi EX, very quick for a standard diesel hatchback!

 

Really like the burnt orange and "bright" blue colours they come in. Alas as I said the 2012 facelift ruined the outside and made it fugly, and the interior changed from being funky, cool and stylish to dull and bland.

[sierraman]

I think I'd be down grading stuff these days... chucking a smooth Sierra grille for a grey slatted one or slinging in a non Rev counter dash off a Mondeo Aspen. Just because...

[Bianconeri]

I once put a clock into a 1.6 L Mk 1 Cav. Think I got it from a wrecked 1.9 GLS.

 

And I added rear speakers to a Volvo 440. Everything was there, wires, grilles, just no speakers.

 

Changed a few radios but that's it really.

[Lord Sterling]

There were/are more OEM mods that I wanted to do to my own cars but all of them so far looked a right old war.

 

When I had my first 1989 Mk1 800, an 827Si I wanted to add the 'Vehicle Control Monitor' and trip computer that the Mk1 Sterlings had, but having asked for advice on it, it sounded like a right farce which included changing the loom, feeding wires here and there. I just didn't have enough arsed. I did end up with a couple of Mk1 Sterlings anyway.

 

I've been thinking of adding automatic wing-mirror closure to the BMW but again, it sounds more like adding/chopping wiring. I also wanted to add the big-screened stereo/SatNav that some E46 BMWs got, but again, I've been put off due to the amount of work. It's a sad state of affairs when you can't simply plug and play anything in anymore.

[mat_the_cat]

On my BX I fitted a leather interior (never offered on estates), oil pressure & temperature gauges (only fitted to the GTi & 16v models), and air conditioning which was extremely rare back in the early 90s. I like any improvements to look 'factory', as it usually looks better than universal fit stuff.

[paulscavalier]

I added fog lights to the blue cavalier because someone gave me a set when I bought the Vauxhall alloys for it. And it got some sri side skirts and boot spoiler .all stuff from dead cavaliers.

[Hendry]

On my BX I fitted a leather interior (never offered on estates), oil pressure & temperature gauges (only fitted to the GTi & 16v models), and air conditioning which was extremely rare back in the early 90s. I like any improvements to look 'factory', as it usually looks better than universal fit stuff.

The air con must've been a complex and fairly involved job.

[M'coli]

I've done this in the past.  I fitted a heater blower to my Hillman Imp Deluxe.

[overrun]

I am about to fit the Sport kit to my Titanium X Mondeo.

I thought I wasn't going to bother, but since deciding to have the wheels refurbished, I have changed my mind.

 

I will be changing the rear bumper for one with a diffuser. Adding the twin exit exhaust, side skirts, front splitter,different fogs, rear spoiler and upper and lower front grilles.

 

I like the car and they look much better this way, so why not?

[Hendry]

I am about to fit the Sport kit to my Titanium X Mondeo.

I thought I wasn't going to bother, but since deciding to have the wheels refurbished, I have changed my mind.

 

I will be changing the rear bumper for one with a diffuser. Adding the twin exit exhaust, side skirts, front splitter,different fogs, rear spoiler and upper and lower front grilles.

 

I like the car and they look much better this way, so why not?

 

Is yours facelift (post 60 reg) or prefacelift? My old mans got a 63 Titanium X Business Edition, was trying to get him to buy the Titanium X Sport but he just said the spec was no better it was just a body kit and bigger wheels so more expensive tyres. 

 

Ford went a bit weird, very early Zetecs and Titaniums, Titanium Xs had a boot spoiler, all the later ones dont, cost cutting i imagine. except i was surprised to see a spoiler on my dads otherwise standard one, seems for some reason the 1.6 TDCi Econetics get them as standard regardless of the model/spec. 

 

Anyway good decision, those Mondeos with the TXS sport kit look absolutely brilliant for bland repmobiles, get some pictures up!

[sierraman]

The econetics have lower ride height anyway for yo aerodynamics!

[fiatdaft]

I have borrowed higher spec parts from other skoda's that I have had for lots of my parts.

 

Elegance estate provided face lift tail lights, roof bars, under seat storage on passenger seat, dash tray , gear knob.

 

Vrs has so far provided, under seat storage on drivers side, seats,with headrests and proper third belt,steering wheel,front bumper, with more to add from it.

 

So far all cost negative.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Noel Tidybeard]

That is unusual, usually the sporty bits, Type R, GTi, ST, RS, VXR are all massively more expensive than the already inflated price of standard cooking model parts.

 

How does spec work on these, is EX the top trim? Where does Type S GT fit in because they seem very well equipped but yet the Si which seems less well equipped has half leather compared with the Type S GT suede the seats. Also is there such a thing as just a Type S without the GT? In the same way that there's Type R and Type R GT specs?

 

I think one of the first I ever drove was when I worked for Arnold Clark and they bought one in which eventually was sold to one of the service advisors, it was an early one, black 5 door 06 plate 2.2 I-CTDi EX, very quick for a standard diesel hatchback!

 

Really like the burnt orange and "bright" blue colours they come in. Alas as I said the 2012 facelift ruined the outside and made it fugly, and the interior changed from being funky, cool and stylish to dull and bland.

 

the 3 dr GT versions are better specced cos some people bizzarely wanted type-r oomph with sat-nag and other fripparies

 

Si and the lesser spotted Ci were special editions after the BTCC wins

Ci's were only championship white with black mirrors

Si was after Ci and came in red, blue, white and black (i think) and had colour coded arches and splitters

 

5 dr was

• S
• SE
• ES
• EX
• EX GT

later models got a -T version signifying technology ie sat nag except EX which had it std anyway

 

3 dr was

• type-S
• type-S GT
• type-R
• type-R Championship white
• type-R GT

5 dr and type-S came in 1.4 i-dsi, 1.4 i-vtec, 1.8 i-vtec & 2.2 i-ctdi derv

[r.welfare]

Surely the Autoshite way is downspeccing? As bought my wife's Qashqai had ridiculous 18" wheels as standard fit, so I sold them for £400 and bought a set of 16" steels with hubcaps for £150 taken off a new model having alloys fitted before delivery. Cheaper rubber replacement costs, better ride and more resistance to potholes, job jobbed.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

I fitted a Daimler style dash top with deeper veneer to my Jaguar Sovereign many years ago. The Sovereign has this dash in some markets, but in the UK it came with the XJ6 style dash. I was lucky enough to be able to buy the dash top and a full veneer set new from Jaguar when they sold off a lot of stock super cheap back in 2006. It is a subtle difference and one many would miss - but I find it a great improvement.

 

One of the great things with the XJ40 is that all specifications use the same loom - so everything just plugs in, even if you have the lowest spec car possible as a starting point.

[mat_the_cat]

The air con must've been a complex and fairly involved job.

 

Yes, took several weekend's solid work to remove from a donor car and plumb/wire in. The wiring was heavily integrated within the original loom, so took quite a while in itself to strip out and connect in neatly - no plug and play! Happy to say that it all looks completely stock now, and has worked perfectly for the last 11 years, although became intermittent about 2 weeks ago

[155V6]

I've done quite a lot of this on the Volvo.The complete beige vinyl/fabric interior was replaced with a full leather black one.This also gave me cupholders & leather handbrake handle.I had to find a leather gearknob as the donor car was an auto.I swapped the single disc CD player for a 3 disc version,& fitted a multichanger in the boot,the wiring is already there.The steering wheel was changed to a later,chunkier one,& I also fitted a different type of Volvo alloys.I've since bought a leather/alcantara interior with heated/electric seats but haven't got round to fitting it yet

 

My £50 Rover 25 has an MG TF steering wheel & an MG ZR gearknob.I was tempted to fit electric windows & mirrors from the 25 I broke,but none of the wiring is there so I didn't bother.

[overrun]

Is yours facelift (post 60 reg) or prefacelift? My old mans got a 63 Titanium X Business Edition, was trying to get him to buy the Titanium X Sport but he just said the spec was no better it was just a body kit and bigger wheels so more expensive tyres. 

 

Ford went a bit weird, very early Zetecs and Titaniums, Titanium Xs had a boot spoiler, all the later ones dont, cost cutting i imagine. except i was surprised to see a spoiler on my dads otherwise standard one, seems for some reason the 1.6 TDCi Econetics get them as standard regardless of the model/spec. 

 

Anyway good decision, those Mondeos with the TXS sport kit look absolutely brilliant for bland repmobiles, get some pictures up!

Bet your dads is a nice one.

Mine is just a 59 plate pre-facelift.

I have owned it for three years now, and it is no bother.

 

Cheers

[clayts450]

Always a bit of a grey area with late Rovers, due to Project Drive. Do I look to replace bits which should have been included but weren't, or do I just suck it up ?

[Hendry]

Bet your dads is a nice one.

Mine is just a 59 plate pre-facelift.

I have owned it for three years now, and it is no bother.

 

Cheers

 

This is it:

 

IMG_0038 by Greg Hendry, on Flickr

 

Dads New Taxi by Greg Hendry, on Flickr

 

2013 Ford Mondeo 1.6 TDCi Econetic Titanium X Business Edition by Greg Hendry, on Flickr

 

TITANIUM X ECOnetic TECHNOLOGY by Greg Hendry, on Flickr

 

Apparently the highest spec mk4 Mondeo ever produced thanks to the factory standard sat nav and full leather inclusion, only this one had the no cost option of half leather/half alcantara sports seats specced, and the older Titanium X non Business Edition had 18" alloys, rear air vents on the b pillars, xenon headlights and heated/cooled front seats which the Business Edition doesnt have. 

 

Lovely car though IMO. 

[Lord Sterling]

Actually, here is another OEM door-card mod I've just remembered I did to my 827 Sterling;

 

 

Door cards are from a later post-96 Sterling, the original door cards had a fabric insert and hard plasticy handles, this later one has leather insert and softer leathery handles. The center console lid was also changed for a softer leathery one.

[New POD]

Front wheel drive Vauxhalls have a Front caliper interchangeability so my Upgrades have been :

 

1.4 mk3 astra given 2.0 GSi front brakes and Rear Springs and Shocks and 14 inch alloys so the front brakes fitted.

 

Mk2 cavaliers : 1.8 Cdi auto given mk3 cavalier gsi front calipers and SRi130 Wheels. 1.8 SRi given mk3 cavalier gsi front calipers

2.0 CalibrE given mk3 cavalier gsi front calipers

 

Mk3 1.8 carb pre-face lift given 1.8i Post face lift front calipers (same as GSI ones) and SRi130 Wheels

[25v6turbo]

My Safrane V6 RXE being a top spec at the time had lots of toys already,electric rear individual seats,electric steering column,double DIN stereo etc,but there was only 3 options when new,Leather seats,ergomatic inflatable pocket seats and CD player,all which mine has,think it was fully loaded as it was a Renault UK publicity car.

But I still added to that by importing from France the glass rear partition which fits behind the rear seat between the rooflining and the parcel shelf,and the garment carrier which slides into rails fitted to the underside of the parcelshelf,very cool and damm hard to find nowadays.

[lisbon_road]

I have fitted GLS seats to my mk3 Astra, made more challenging as the GLS seats came from a five door and the car is a three door.  But they are much more comfortable and the back have headrests, which can't be bad.  It also has coloured bumpers, which transformed it.  It also has a multipoint injection engine to replace the comical spi engine.

 

I have a spotlight bumper, electric windows and (oh yes) an electric sunroof to fit, and may, er, live long enough to actually fit them.  

 

On the Vauxhall Viva, I fitted a 3.9 rear axle in place of the 4.1, which was a step in the right direction albeit too small, and a Weber carb and electronic ignition to replace the carb and ignition which basically didn't work.

 

Most of these changes have been totally worthwhile.

[mk2_craig]

I found an interior pic of my old mk3 Fiesta at the weekend, reminding me that I upspecced the interior light by fitting one from a mk4 Escort with the integral digital clock, then downspecced the standard clock in the dash by throwing it away and fitting the coin tray thing from a base spec van instead.