Want to customize, but don't know where to start....Any relatively cheap ideas?

[JerseyJeff84]

I used to love doing little things to my last car(had a Pontiac from the 80's that ran amazing), such as putting in new filters, batteries, brakes, etc, however, now that I'm driving a '10 Yaris Sedan(base model), I feel like my hands are tied since everything is brand new. Only three things I do on a consistent basis are oil changes, vacuuming, and checking fluids.

I bought the car back in June of this year, and am currently sitting at 8,500+ miles. Any ideas of little things I can do to the car to make it feel "mine," but that aren't too expensive? For example, any good recommendations for air filters, wiper blades, hubcaps/rims, etc? One thing I've been kind of wanting to do is a spoiler, but by the time I purchase one on ebay that is painted($120-150) and have it installed(not sure how much labor would be, but I'm thinking $100-200), I don't think it's worth it. I'm more interested in ideas of how to gain more power and pep to the car as well.

Thanks so much. I guess you can say I'm just an over-zealous Yaris owner who wants to start making the car go from Stock to feeling like my own.

[Tylermayer]

debadge the back it makes it have a cleaner look

go here
http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9675

[yaris2010RS]

personally i went for the same thing. only thing i recommend is to stick to a low budget and wait for deals. do little interior things (interior lights and stero system) outside i lowered it and debadged it. planning on painting calipers soon and painting tires. under the hood i got light weight pullies and torque dampner plus intake. i love it, so much fun to drive and like u said, i made it my own and for relitivatly cheap.

for the spoiler, my friend on his altima got a M3 spoiler and its black and sticks right on the top of the reat window (or u can put it on the edge of the trunk or top or the roof) and its a suttle lip that really adds something, look them up on ebay

[Cosmonaut]

These are ideas and really cheap too.
Badges: I stripped the "toyota" and painted the yaris badge.
http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/images/funkygarage/1281/yaRiS.JPG

if youre going to take off the wheel cover give it some love and paint it.
This little detail goes along way.
http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/images/funkygarage/1281/yaris3.jpg

I also have Garm's skull badge painted black.

As well as a custom exhaust tip made from scrap and i have access to a welder so it cost nothing for me.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s209/red_five_o/DSC02820.jpg


These are just little things ive done for little or no $$$. Actually the skullbadge was the only thing i had to drop cash for.

[SpaceShot]

Changing the stock radio antenna for a stubby ($12) or a shark fin style ($75) really changes the look, but you do get a noticeable loss in reception strength. Some of which you can get back with a signal amplifier.
If you don't use the radio much or stay closer to metro areas that may be fine for you.

Debadging the rear (free) and putting on racing disc hubcabs ($100/set) make for a nice clean look. Not sure that the racing discs would look as good on the sedan.

[ilikerice]

id check out microimageonline.com first and see all the different things available for you. go to the shoponline tab and it will shoot you to the link for online store.. its pretty damn impressive for new yaris owners

[Shinare]

First thing I did was window tint but that's because I have a family member that does it professionally so he did mine for the cost of the film, which was almost nothing and a little extra for him.

I did the stealth garage door opener because I was tired of opening the little compartment next to the driver's left knee to open my garage and the visor is WAY to thick for an opener.

Then I removed all badges and painted them red (I have a black yaris) with Krylon Fusion and then a satin clear coat, then re-applied them. I think it looks really REALLY good. I've even gotten complements about it from people that work in the same building as me.

I then removed the center dash stuff that is silver (around the radio and climate controls) and using the same cans of paint painted that red and it too looks really good.

Next on my list to do is reupholster both doors with red neoprene or other thick fabric to match the dash. That's only going to cost the material and the headliner glue which both are cheap.

I've also purchased a set of 4 center caps for about $20 for my steel wheels off of ebay. I plan to paint the wheels a glossy black and paint the caps red as well but its been too cold and I don't feel like doing it inside. Looks like that may wait till next spring.

Even after the fabric and glue I've spent less than $100 on my car so far and I think it will look a lot better when everything is done.

[HariKaYari76]

You can rock Clazzio custom leather interiors, it's a couple hundred bucks but my buddy got some black leather with red middle's for his red scion and they are killer. He got them from clazziocars.com

[yaris2010RS]

You can rock Clazzio custom leather interiors, it's a couple hundred bucks but my buddy got some black leather with red middle's for his red scion and they are killer. He got them from clazziocars.com

Or MicroImageonline.com

[zuberio]

Paint stuff - easiest and cheapest. I suggest you DIY paint the back and leave the front alone - I painted my front emblem and now it's all chipped from driving.

[TRDblueyaris]

try de-badging the liftgate, then changing the interior lights to l.e.d., that's what i did, it looks pretty cool.

[thepartsmancometh]

custom shift knob : find something random that would be a cool shift knob. tap it for the correct thread and use a nut to lock it in place.
interior lights : I use www.oznium.com for LEDs and they are pretty inexpensive. If you are ok with wiring, they aren't hard to put in yourself. I did both front footwells, the dome light, and the rear cargo area (in our LB - I actually added a light to both sides as the stock setup sucks)

[limey163]

I like the painted wheels, i want to do something like that, was it difficult to paint?

[cali yaris]

Center console (http://shop.microimageonline.com/Liftback-Center-Console-LB-CenterConsole.htm)

rear sway bar (http://shop.microimageonline.com/Ultra-Racing-19mm-rear-sway-bar-YARIS-UR-AR19-100.htm)

....or stock steelies, cleaned up and with added polished trim rings and center cap, look great on the Yaris (or an xB in this pic, first thing I found)

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4855&stc=1&d=1178484423

[CrankyOldMan]

....or stock steelies, cleaned up and with added polished trim rings and center cap, look great on the Yaris (or an xB in this pic, first thing I found)

Do you have any suggestions on brands or styles that fit the stock steelies? I poked around with google and found stuff for aftermarket rims or antiques (beetles/cameros) but nothing that claimed to fit the yaris/scions.

[bzinn 1]

I got my set of trim rings for the stock steelies on Ebay.....just look for the ones that are the same size as your rims,mine were 14"....perfect fit....

[ciscobear]

I started with interior, some nice leds, change of HU and some tint.

[sqcomp]

^ x2

I changed my shift boot and knob out. Then did an LED lighting change on the dome light...oh yeah, and the "little" sound system.

Garm,

Those steelies, you had those painted? I was hoping to keep the steelies on my car (which is a darck charcoal color). Do you have the polished trim rings at your disposal (to sell?) I think that I'd like to do something like you did with that Xb.

[caineroad]

where can you get shark fin antenna?

[Iggy888]

where can you get shark fin antenna?

I got mine from Visual Garage: http://www.visualgarage.com

They are in British Columbia. The antenna comes painted and ready to install.

[caineroad]

I got mine from Visual Garage: http://www.visualgarage.com

They are in British Columbia. The antenna comes painted and ready to install.

wow only problem is the price $69. If I recall it is only a piece of painted plastic molded in a shark fin shape that covers your existing antenna. why so expensive?

[Iggy888]

Yeah, they are expensive. You can find cheap knock offs on ebay for approximately $10 and then paint it and mount it yourself.

Here is what the $69 price buys you:
- a shark fin cover that is perfectly painted to colour match your car based on the colour code you provide them (Fit & Finish 5/5)
- it comes with a 3M double-sided adhesive tape gasket to easily and securely mount it to the roof of your car (Ease of install 5/5)
- it is a working antenna and not just a plastic cover. (Radio reception 3/5)

Note: You will notice a slight loss of radio reception with the VG shark fin antenna compared to the stock whip antenna because the antenna element is shorter (can't fight the laws of physics). I believe the cheap ebay knock-offs are just a plastic cover without an antenna.

I realize this may sound like an ad for them but I am not affiliated with this company. I simply purchased their product and had a good experience with it.

If you want to check one out in person, drop by the GTA West End Toyota Nation meet tomorrow night.
Details for the meet can be found here: http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35430

I have to warn you though, attending the meet may be hazardous to your wallet down the road. :wink:
(I used to be perfectly happy with my stock Yaris until I saw the various mods other members have done to their cars)

[caineroad]

securely mount it to the roof of your car (Ease of install 5/5)
- it is a working antenna and not just a plastic cover. (Radio reception 3/5)


so do you have to screw the shark fin to the antenna base then?

[KSIbucky]

radio reception is like 1/5 if you don't leave near a station.

[Iggy888]

so do you have to screw the shark fin to the antenna base then?

The shark fin's antenna element connects to your car's antenna base via coiled wire and screw (which come with the antenna).

http://www.visualgarage.com/images2/Installation/18.jpg

Once the antenna connection has been secured you peel off the adhesive tape covering gasket and press it into place.

[WeeYari]

^ so that's why that thing is so huge compared to OEM shark fins from some car makers. It has to fit over and around the OEM whip base.

[cali yaris]

^ yeah, never knew that, and wondered why myself.

[caineroad]

I asked if they could remove the antenna and just sell the the plastic shark fin.. they said no =.= $69 for the product, $12 for shipping, 5% tax.... = $85...... just a plastic with a cheap circuit board in there....... they are making too much profit

[ttr125fan09]

you could do what i did http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35107