Dsrtne1

iTrader: (1)

Here's some pictures from when I got my car until now. Some pictures were taken with my phone, others with my Nikon D40. Any suggestions about my picture-taking will be greatly appreciated! I don't know much about taking pictures or editing. Enjoy!

The first day I got it. July 5, 2011. Had 77k on it and had some light mods. 5AT non-navi.



My first mod (if you can even call it that) was plastidipping the rims. Left it for about a week and realized I didn't like it and peeled it off. Made the rims look smaller and I felt like the car looked like a big blank wall of black from the side.




My first real mod was the RV6 V3 j-pipe. After it was installed, I had some annoying, nasty rasp so I had a resonator welded in. Prior to that, I had 2.5" pipe from the third cat back to Magnaflow mufflers.


This was the best mileage I've gotten in my car. All highway coming back from Bullhead city, AZ.


The next mod was retrofitting white LEDs into my front sidemarkers and cree leds+SMD led combo bulbs in my blacked out turn signals. The crees actually made a huge difference in the light output. Before, you could hardly see the signals in the daytime but with these you can see them in any light.



This is a picture of my Boston Terrier, Elvis, riding shotgun in my car.
1. Yes, it has occurred to me that he didn't read the warning on the visor about not sitting backwards in the front seat.
2. Yes, that is in fact an M&M towel he's sitting on.


My next mod was an Aspec front lip. This is probably my favorite mod to date. Adds so much to the front of the car.




My brakes started pulsing and I'm almost positive my rotors were warped so my dad bought me Brakemotive rotors and pads for Christmas.
Just arrived in the mail:

Beginning of the install day:

My sister also bought me blue lugs and valve stem covers for Christmas.


Next, I picked up an used Aspec rear lip in great condition from a member.


Three days later I got quad tips. Didn't even take any pictures of the rear lip with the stock tips.


Next mod was a rear window spoiler from bmwoemshop.




At this point I had been getting busy with the business and kinda stopped modding for a few months. The TL became my mobile office.


Then I got my windshield tinted. I got it done in 55% so it's actually really light. This picture makes it look darker than it is due to how overcast it was that day.


My most recent mod (which was a HUGE PITA) was the Accord fogs. I picked up a set of oem fogs on ebay and spent two days trimming, trimming, and doing more trimming.



And yesterday my car hit a milestone.


Today I gave my car a wash, clay bar, and wax. Had a little shoot with my mom's boyfriend's 1969 Camaro SS.




















Lately, I've been really regretting selling my truck so i've started to save up for a new truck. The only thing holding me back is that I keep thinking about how excited i was the day i got the TL. I feel like i take the TL for granted. I think I forget how nice of a car it is. I went from cloth seats, an interior made by Fisher Price, and 11mpg to the TL and for whatever reason, I want to go back. Somebody talk me out of it! Here's a picture of my old truck:


If I keep the TL, future plans include:
coilovers, 07-08 base tails, possibly spacers and fender rolling, maybe window visors also.

oarichard

iTrader: (3)

Nice TL, even nicer SS.

Dsrtne1

iTrader: (1)

^Thanks!

I forgot to include these pictures. I need to install my footwell strips now.

MEKO

iTrader: (1)

That shift on SS...ufff
Too good

And nice TL

TWiSDiT

iTrader: (4)

I dont know if its the lighting but your decklid spoiler shape looks warped.

other than, car is coming along nice!

Dsrtne1

iTrader: (1)

I tThanks!

I'm not sure which pictures it looks warped in but its even all the way across in person. Thanks!

The Machine

iTrader: (8)

Pics and progress are coming along nicely. Any plans to put spacers on? I think it would make the wheels look a lot better if they were out a tad further.

Dsrtne1

iTrader: (1)

Yeah if I decide on keeping the car I'll probably roll the fenders and put on 15mm/20mm spacers front and rear.

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

Dude, your TL looks great-you've done a lot of work to it. Hell, it even makes the Camaro look good.

mY sLOW UA6

Looks good

Pacura2006

iTrader: (6)

Looks good .. Nice job man .. Was wondering were did you got your exhaust tips wanted to get some for my Tl ?

arn809

nice car man i like everything just try to paint the bottom part of your front grill... doing that will add more personality to the front...

Pghpizzaman

this and spacers.
car looks great already , keep it!

gwai1o

Can you possibly post an up close pic of this (lights off) so I can see the led board/housing? I believe I have something similar but the mod was already done before I bought the car. Most of my LED's are burnt out and you can't see the blinkers for shit. I'm not sure what to do about it.

Car looks great! I agree with the "wall of black" sometimes it looks good on cars but I'm glad you peeled it off

Justin-

socal3

Spacers and window visors would really change to look for a small price, but your car looks great.

guitarplayer16

iTrader: (8)

damn that trunk light is bright

RU_JELLY

iTrader: (1)

+1 on the spacers, would make those wheels look completely different, so much better

Dsrtne1

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, Steven!

Thanks!

Thanks! Sent you a pm.

I've thought about that before. I may just plastidip it. The rest of the grill was professionally painted so I wouldn't be able to easily replicate the shine and NBP paint with a DIY job.

Thanks! I wish I wasn't so indecisive

Yeah I'll try to snap a picture of that next time I take the camera out. Don't think my phone would catch all the details. Thanks!

Yeah I've been contemplating the visors for a long time. I think I'm just on the fence because $145 seems like a lot for four pieces of plastic. For that much money I could pick up some depo 07-08 base tails like I've always wanted. And I'd love to do spacers but fender work is a must if I do.

Indeed it is! I need to install my footwell LEDs using your DIY guide now.

Yeah I was thinking a 15/20 mm combo.

gwai1o

Do yours look like this?




Please don't get me started on the quality of work done the debris inside the housing (previous to my ownership), it's terrible and my other headlight even has a dead bug chillin inside the front corner! Ha!

Let me know

Dsrtne1

iTrader: (1)

^those are regular led bulbs. Mine are Cree + SMD combo bulbs. Has a forward firing Cree led and a dozen SMD LEDs that are around the base of the bulb. The Cree LEDs are the ones that make mine very visible in the sunlight.

gwai1o

^ Thanks for the response. Yeah, I don't know anything about these things. These don't show for shit and like I mentioned before. Half are burnt out/flickering.

Dsrtne1

iTrader: (1)

With a blacked out turn signal reflector like you have its hard to see them at all in the daytime. Thats why I went with Cree LEDs.

Dsrtne1

iTrader: (1)

Question: I'm wanting to quiet down my exhaust a bit. Currently I have RV6 v3 jpipe, 2.5" catback with a 16" resonator (the actual canister of the resonator is 12" + 2" of pipe on each side), to Magnaflow mufflers. Would it be problematic to weld in a second resonator behind the one I have in there (same dimensions) or should I weld in a single 19" long resonator? Keep in mind the 19" one is really 15" long with 2" of pipe on each end. My main concern with this is that it won't be much quieter than it is now.

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

Dude, you've done a lot of work on your car. It looks great-a job well done.

JD TL-S

iTrader: (1)

Awesome TL Love the silver wheels

Dsrtne1

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Steve!

thank you! I've checked out your progress thread also. Your tl-s is coming along nicely as well!

KRCHA

your car looks nice!

btw did u change the side under body spoiler or only the front and the rear?

it seems like the side spoilers look the same as the stock.