The "Today I did something to my car" thread

Top Dog

Done yesterday but by the time I finished it was too late to be taking photos, so took some today.

After talking/thinking about this for nearly 6 months, yesterday I finally took the time to visit the local scrapyard for a few bits & pieces before attacking the rear of the Shogun. :pac:

For those who don't know - the huge rear lenses are pretty much ornamental on the back of the Shogun. As standard they house a reversing light on the passenger side, and a reverse light + fog light on the drivers side. European laws mean that the indicators/park/brake lights are set low in the bumper. :rolleyes:

So yesterday I modded my ornaments so that they're now much more functional & visible. Added bonus that if I'm ever towing a low trailer with busted lights, my own tail-lights will now be visible where the bumper lights would be obscured

2 new park lights


New fog light on passenger side


2 new brake lights


Can you see me now?


Also swapped out the original reverse lights


For some lovely bright LED's :cool:


And of course in typical Murphy's law, the first lens took me 3 hours to sort with the cutting, trimming & sorting the wiring ... and the second took me 10 mins! Managed to wire them into the original socket so no splicing into the vehicle wiring and they can be simply unplugged and removed if I need to change bulbs

Gary ITR

Top job there fella, a really good mod to do

Top Dog

Cheers Gary. Like I said, I've been thinking about it for months - finally got the thumb out yesterday.

Half-regretting going to the yard I did though - as now I want a rear spoiler & wheel cover that I found burried out there

Voodoomelon

Ordered some new bits for the E38 from Prentice BMW, can't beat them lads for price, giving us a nice discount now too.

Centre link
Tie rod ends
Intake elbow
Intake boot
Hose clamps

Noticed a little crack/tear in the intake line entering the throttle body, hence the bits n bobs.

Centre link alone is £230 ex VAT though. First decent bit of money i've had to spend on the car though in fairness in nearly 4 years, excl tyres, servicing etc.

MetzgerMeister

I ordered proper MPS mats for the car. No dealer in the south was able to get them so I went to a dealer in Lisburn. I'm getting them for €50 + courier, not bad for "luxury" mats.

Also priced a part that I need - rear bumper trim. It's a moulded piece of black plastic and comes with a reflector and exhaust trim - £280 + VAT :eek:

Gary ITR

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

I ordered proper MPS mats for the car. No dealer in the south was able to get them so I went to a dealer in Lisburn. I'm getting them for €50 + courier, not bad for "luxury" mats.

Also priced a part that I need - rear bumper trim. It's a moulded piece of black plastic and comes with a reflector and exhaust trim - £280 + VAT :eek:

What's the courier costing?

MetzgerMeister

Gary ITR wrote: »

What's the courier costing?

Haven't a clue!! I would say about €10 - €20. It would cost the around the same if they were put in the post and take twice as long to get to me.

Gary ITR

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Haven't a clue!! I would say about €10 - €20. It would cost the around the same if they were put in the post and take twice as long to get to me.

Ah I was just going to put you onto a guy if you were being ripped off, sounds about right though

MetzgerMeister

Gary ITR wrote: »

Ah I was just going to put you onto a guy if you were being ripped off, sounds about right though

Thanks bud! My card hasn't been charged yet though. He's ordering the mats from the UK, he'll have them on Wednesday and he's going to ring me then and sort it out from there. I'll only know the courier price for sure then.

EPM

I got my definitive cost to change from a dealer...at a loss as to what to do though. Until I make a decision any plans for mine are at a standstill and have three boxes of stuff at home for it:(

-Corkie-

EPM wrote: »

I got my definitive cost to change from a dealer...at a loss as to what to do though. Until I make a decision any plans for mine are at a standstill and have three boxes of stuff at home for it:(

What have you in mind???. Whats in the boxes??

vectra

-Corkie- wrote: »

. Whats in the boxes??

^^ What Corkie said

EPM

-Corkie- wrote: »

What have you in mind???. Whats in the boxes??

€120 worth of light bulbs, OEM phone dock and some carpets for the door pockets.

Looking at something slightly bigger and comfier.

-Corkie-

vectra wrote: »

^^ What Corkie said

Lol it took me a while to figure that..:-D

I am thinking about Top dog's mod there. Whats the highest wattage of bulb I can get for the reversing lamp. I have only one on the Passat and its sh1t..

You can get HID look reverse bulbs in extreme white.......
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PIAA-H-225-XTREME-WHITE-BULBS-HID-LOOK-WY21W-FITMENT-/170772233672?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item27c2d17dc8#ht_3291wt_1037

That sort of stuff, full range there I'd day, they are very bright though.

no1beemerfan

EPM wrote: »

€120 worth of light bulbs, OEM phone dock and some carpets for the door pockets.

Looking at something slightly bigger and comfier.

Someones getting auld

EPM

no1beemerfan wrote: »

Someones getting auld

Staring down the barrel at an age ending in a zero so yup! Nothing's bought yet though, the cars only just in and I haven't seen it. Only tried the demo they had. That wasn't the spec or colour I wanted.

no1beemerfan

Any hints? (On the car, not your age!)



Jaysus, just looked at your profile and it says you are 29 so you are calling 30 old??? Feckin kids these days.........!!!!

Voodoomelon

What would anyone recommend as a good white sidelight (parking light) 501 bulb? Are LED ones tacky looking in the flesh?

Like this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E46-E38-E39-E60-XENON-WHITE-SIDELIGHT-LED-BULB-501-/170677047777?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27bd2511e1#ht_3522wt_1265

Ardennes1944

Go for smds voodoo. Very nice light off them. Much cleaner looking imo

EPM

no1beemerfan wrote: »

Any hints? (On the car, not your age!)



Jaysus, just looked at your profile and it says you are 29 so you are calling 30 old??? Feckin kids these days.........!!!!

I was born a pensioner.

It's jap scrap...

Voodoomelon

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

Go for smds voodoo. Very nice light off them. Much cleaner looking imo

Any specific product in mind? I actually don't want them bright at all, I just want something white and subtle to get rid of the halogens which aren't a good match for the angel eyes which are on all the time. I'd rather no side lights at all, just don't want the dash gonging at me all day if I took them out.

Voodoomelon

Voodoomelon wrote: »

........... I'd rather no side lights at all, just don't want the dash gonging at me all day if I took them out.

Would sticking an appropriate resister in as a bridge do the trick? Folks do it instead of replacing ABS sensors.

Voodoomelon

Probably would no problem. Just can't be arsed making one up when the leds are only a couple of quid!

MetzgerMeister

EPM wrote: »

I was born a pensioner.

It's jap scrap...

Hey...dickhead...there's nothing scrap about it :mad:

Top Dog

Voodoomelon wrote: »

What would anyone recommend as a good white sidelight (parking light) 501 bulb? Are LED ones tacky looking in the flesh?

Like this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E46-E38-E39-E60-XENON-WHITE-SIDELIGHT-LED-BULB-501-/170677047777?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27bd2511e1#ht_3522wt_1265

I have these fitted to the front - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130629472726?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Look like this turned on



Wouldn't notice the hint of yellow from the SMD unless you're looking really closely for it (don't have a pic with them turned off).

Ardennes1944

EPM wrote: »

I was born a pensioner.

It's jap scrap...

Is it a lexus?

Rich11

finally got around to fixing the astra today...:rolleyes:, was having power problem when in a low gear at low revs, and also at high revs, so went and bought a new...well second hand:rolleyes: coil pack, 4 spark plugs, and an oil filter, didnt really need an oil change but anyways... and the astra is back to life:D god those sparks needed to be changed, small difference but still, happy enough, just needs a wash and a clean inside next:eek:
feelin a bit lazy, my car will be parked in clearlys car park on monday for a couple of hours and i think they do car valeting in there anyone here ever been or any other multistory car parks, thanks

L-M

New tyres... Two for 60 euroooss..

Jimdagym

Well after months of putting it off, I finally took my megane rear door apart and reattached the outside handle. Wasnt that bad a job,just a little awkward. Could have done with a duburring tool for the door frame though...