JordanTSX

Hey everyone,

First thread. Lurked for awhile now just checking out everyone else's rides, getting ideas, you know how it is.

After having a couple mods done I feel like it may be worth posting an image or two of my car now. Feeling like getting involved in the community!

Anyways, here's my TSX. 2009 with tech package.

Upgraded from the 1989 Mazda MX6 on the right. Picture from the first drive home after getting it:




25% tints all around:



PlastiDip grille and rear emblems:






Recently as of this past Friday, 18x8.5 TSW Nurburgrings on Hankook Evo Ventus V12 245/40/18:





Lemme know what you guys think, good or bad. I can take it . At this point I feel that I've reached a bit of a block on things to do. Thinking about doing interior and license plate LED upgrade, as well as some sort of fog light upgrade (can't stand the halogen/HID contrast. Open to any opinions on that subject.. Possibly lamin-x tinting on the tails slightly but not too sure since I feel like it's a little overplayed. And sorry for the pics being a bit on the big side.

JordanTSX

Also some advice on wheel locks would be great. I go to school and feel like some wheel security would give some great piece of mind but don't know the first thing about if they're even worth it or whats the brand to go with etc.

mrstak

iTrader: (1)

definitely get wheel locks. you should've bought them when you got your car imo. you could get the oem ones on ebay or another online store that has them or you could get some aftermarket ones. just make sure it's the right size.

looks good so far. as for LEDs, if you can wait for exLEDUSA to get their vendor status, they will be having a group buy for their interior LED set. it's the best LED set that i've seen and used.

i say yay on the HID fogs. i'm planning on a set myself. have you thought about clearing your headlights of the amber?

JordanTSX

I have thought about clearing the headlights and would love to, but am a bit apprehensive about the whole cooking them in the oven thing.

How big of a job is it to convert the fogs to HID? Honestly if it takes a whole lot of work or money, I'm really not too opposed to some of those white halogens. Just hate that yellowish look.

Definitely going to be getting involved in that group buy for LEDs.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

its really easy to change to hids.

mount the ballast.
install the bulbs.
hook up relay kit.

thats basically it.



also, its pretty simple to bake the headlights.
its more trouble some to seal them correctly.

MrOtocinclus

Wow, what an upgrade! Congratulations. I suggest a drop, I think it would make a huge difference in how the car looks.

Regarding wheel locks, make sure you *don't* get the OEM ones because they are ball seat. Since you have aftermarket wheels, they are most likely acorn seat, so you'll need acorn seat locks. Check this out:

http://honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=2976091

JordanTSX

I guess i dont fully understand how the security of locking lugs work.I currently have discount tire supplied spline drive lugs. The new standard for locks are more than just a keyed lug, correct?

HondoGermany

Nice car and progress

ed_423

nice! wheels look amazing, you just need a drop!

as for as locks, make sure you understand that if thieves really want your wheels, they can get it no matter what. locks just delay them so they have a bigger chance of getting caught, which drives them away. they want a job that's quick and fast.

some ppl even go as far as having different locks on a set of wheels, but that depends on the area you are at or frequent i guess.

tobwac

drop will really set the car off
Nurburgrings were good choice

TSXy Luster

speedracer_2020

Love the rear emblems! Just a drop!

PyroDave

very clean. good to see another plastidipper =D

as said, wheel locks are a detterent, thats all. they can be overcome, but it takes time. the point of stealing wheels is to get it done with a few min and quiety. when a theif see's wheel locks, they move to the next car. i know people who live in the bronx, they have 2 different wheel locks on each wheel, because crime rate is higher

JordanTSX

Thanks for all the comments everyone.

I really would like to do a drop, probably something like some tein s.techs but this is my daily driver and I don't want to do something that makes the car less practical to drive. I love the look the a small drop like that gives for the overall aggressiveness of the car.

I think I'll look into doing the HID conversion for the fogs. Just gotta locate a thread on here somewhere on how to do it. I honestly don't know a whole lot about how HID lights work, as well as reputable brands/parts to get for the conversion. I'm sure a search around here will lend some answers though.

I'll be ordering some locks sometime this next week as soon as I pick out a brand. Gorilla, Mcgard, amazon generic?

@pyrodave I love the plastidip. The finish turned out a lot nicer than expected. Messed up on one small spot on the masking and ended up doing a small touchup with a brush and now its starting to peel off in a half inch section so I'll simply have to respray this summer.. love that you can just peel that shit and do it all over for $5. I'll probably take it off the bumper next time though to get a better uniform coating. Emblems holding up to weekly washing and through winter and spring now. Highly recommend it to anyone.

ssjoeboe9

looking good, wheels look like Type S TL. I like it though!

JordanTSX

Honestly if the old TL-S wheels came in an 18" they probably would have been installed months ago. I've always loved those wheels but after seeing a thread on here of them installed on a second gen TSX, I agreed they look wayy too small. Love these rims so much, they look way better in person that I expected when ordering them even.

Mr. NC

Nice intro.

Specs on the rims?

JordanTSX

TSW Nurburgring 18x8.5 wrapped with Hankook Ventus V12 evo K110 245/40/18

Mr. NC

offsets* ?

lol my bad if I wasn't clear

JordanTSX

of course of course, +45. Got 'em for around $250/ea.

mrstak

iTrader: (1)

250 each including tires?

JordanTSX

no no no. Rims alone @ $250/ea + rubber stickered @ $200/ea but got discount tire to knock around $25 off each for the entire set.. so around $175 each.

~$425 for each wheel+rubber

ssjoeboe9

damn, someone got a good job at age 20.

PyroDave

go to my profile and view threads i've started, theres a DIY for the HID fogs install, feel free to PM with any questions bud =) nice lookin ride

JordanTSX

So what's everyone's experience with aftermarket HID replacement fogs? Ebay ones tend to work out alright or are some sort of name brand going to be a lot more reliable and last longer. I've always been a bit apprehensive about Ebay things feeling like more times than not they're some cheapo low quality chinese BS.

mrstak

iTrader: (1)

me and my friends have used ebay hid kits before with no real issues. i had one problem with a faulty ballast and they sent me slim ones instead. just installed an ebay hid fog kit for my friend and it's been fine. dunno what to say about them in a year or two but my friend has hids in his other car for over 3 years with the only issue being the bulb dying. another brand people recommend is ddmtuning cuz they have lifetime warranty. ebay kits are now around 30 or so...ddmtuning was around 45 last i saw. i think with shipping it comes out closer to 60. don't remember if its changed now

JordanTSX

Damn you fellahs helpful! I've wanted to do that HID conversion but figured it was at least a $200 upgrade. I'll have to get on that here probably in the next month or so once I get some time with finals coming up and all.

and as for those interior LED group buy you mentioned, where do I need to be looking to see when exLEDUSA gets his vendor status.. or whatever that means haha.

AcurieTSXSE

Looks great man. i love the blacked out grill and blacked out rear Acura symbol

PyroDave

trust me, you'll see a thread made somewhere here starting a group buy as soon as they recieve their vendor status. also, try doing a search for HID fogs, you'll find out alot about them. i have DDMtuning HID kit, and thats what i recommend to people. kait had an HID extra which i installed, and it was very similar to the DDMtuning kit. many also have ebay kits, so there are alot of options, and no it is not that expensive to replace them.

Aman

Congrats! That's one hell of an upgrade, but your old car had a nice flair to it.

I'd be careful with HID fogs. Unless you do a projector retrofit, they'll have the same glare problems as putting HIDs in halogen headlights. Ever been driving in front of an old F150 or Civic with HIDs that blind you?

JordanTSX

@Aman haha yes, I really loved that car and that's where I learned everything I know on how to work on 'em. Starting with a beater really teaches you how to fix problems yourself and now that I have a car that has started off in next to mint condition, I really feel like I know how to properly take care of it. I totalled the mx6 in a rear end collision that smashed the whole front end in and replaced the hood myself (hence the primer), and cut the whole front end up and straightened it all out and made it look damn near good as new, besides the black circle that was stuck in the front bumper from the bitchs exhaust pipe who slammed on her brakes at a yellow..

Alright guys so after going through countless pages of threads on headlights, LED replacement DRLs, HID fog conversions, etc etc, I think I'm going with all yellows. Defconskylude's all yellow setup totally sold me and made me realize how overplayed the all blue/white look is. Plus, as Aman said I don't want to mess with glare problems of HIDs in the fogs.

Soooo, my question is are the Nokya 2500k HyperYellow bulbs actually a quality bulb if I want to go this route? Or does someone have better recommendations for a quality bulb? Seemed like yellows all around looks more unique plus has function and I'm all about practicality!

JordanTSX

Beautiful day here at Indiana University, did a bit of a detail and stumbled on a pretty sweet photoshoot spot on the way to Autozone to pick up detailing supplies.









Check out the rest of the shoot on my flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhladis...7629393238732/

Working on my Auto Photography abilities the best I can with a point and shoot.

ed_423

color looks great

but drop her

FlipRizzi

^yes please!!

JordanTSX

I really do want to drop, her really bad. The only thing I worry about is if lowering her on some s.techs decreases the practicality of things at all. Do I need to worry about curbs and potholes like significantly more with a s.tech drop? I'm sure that I can search for this but I'm just being lazy..

JordanTSX

@FlipRizzi I love your car by the way, probably one of my favorites on the 2nd gen forum

ssjoeboe9

My only worry is speed bumps, and really high parking curbs. Haven't had any other problems with mine!

speedracer_2020

Do eibachs, 1.0" - they're decent.

ed_423

i just recently dropped mine, its my first car ever being lowered. although im only lower a tad over 1", im planning to go lower. but right now, i don't really have much trouble with speed bumps dips or w/e.

FlipRizzi

i drive terribly on speed bumps and high parking curbs as is. i'm gona hate myself when i lower my car. never had a lowered car before so no practice or whatsoever hehehe and thanks jordan =) anyways, you should go megan ez coils