My official Prius mods thread.

I ordered the PIAA wipers from Sigma. I got (I think, can't remember now...) the 20" for the front and the 18" for the back.

I'm going to do a small write up on the rear wiper install as it needs a bit of "convincing" to install properly. I've used PIAA wipers before and they work exceptionally well.

 

I got the Pilot kit from eBay. It was only $170, which is a really good price. I liked the convenience of not having to run wires all the way to the battery. Much simpler. The lights match the HID headlights quite well. I'll see about taking some night pics to ge the beam pattern.

The install took only about 20 minutes for the one side, and that included a lot of fidgeting about with the parts under the car, and then realizing it would be easier if I jacked the car up. Hardest part was finding a place to mount the ballast.

One good thing is that the fogs have a metal shield in front of hte bulb which just clears the HID bulb. This keeps it from being too bright, and maintains a reasonable beam.

I'm a bit disappointed about one of the bulbs not working, but hte seller on eBay has been very helpful and very prompt in his email responses. He told me that if the bulb is defective, he'd replace it. Hopefully it's just a loose wire in the harness, and I can get it to work tomorrow.

 

Well, here's a pic of the Scion wheels to tide everyone over until the next mod is done. Just for kicks I put one next to the spare from my Explorer. Both have 17" wheels.

 

No, the sensors are still in the factory wheels, which are still on the car. We just have so much going on that I'm strapped for time. All the things I've done so far have been way after the sun has gone down.

I installed the carbon fiber dash kit last night. THe instructions say that it has to be at least 70 degrees to install it. It was only 50 last night, but it's amazing how much three 500w halogen work lamps can heat up a garage! THose pictures are coming soon. I took some pics already, but since it was almost 1:00 am, the lighting was not too great, and the photos didn't turn out too well. I'll be taking some more tomorrow during daylight. I think it turned out pretty well. It's not going to please everyone, but it's right up my alley.

 

SUCCESS! No more disappointment. THe bulb is good, it was indeed a problem with teh wiring harness instead. THe plug that connected the system to the factory bulbs plug was not making proper contact. I went through some pretty extenssive testing of the whole setup and was able to figure it out. The Seller was also very helpful and I highly recommend him. His eBay seller name is "pipi_stuff168" and currently has a 100% rating. If you are interested in an HID kit, I definitely recommend this guy.

http://feedback.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBa...3172658&frm=284


Anyhow, down to business. The HID fogs are not excessively bright, and I think I'll be able to use them as auxilliary driving lights with no problem. Toyota integrated a metal shield in front of and surrounding about 60% of the bulb, and helps to maintain a focused beam rather than just flooding the light everywhere. Are they much brighter then the factory bulbs? Very much so, but not to the point of being blinding.

Here are a couple of pics. From this angle, the fogs look brighter than the headlights, but they are not. Looks really nice. Very happy.

You can see in the second picture the low and wide beam dispersion of the fog lights. They really light up the road now.

 

I got the Pilot 9006 bulb 4300K HID kit. THose numbers shoudl be all you need, and will apply to other kits as well. The seller I used has at least two brands of HID kits with the same type wiring harness and bulbs.

 

Here are the pics of the Sherwood Dash carbon fiber dash kit. I won't post any before pics, as you all have a Prius of your own to compare it to. These are bright daylight pics. The pieces can be quite reflective, but the sun really brings out the depth of the carbon weave. It's hard to capture it on film (or rather Memory Stick).

 

OK, here's the list. If I don't have the parts yet, I just listed the place I plan on getting it from.

[eBay] 17" Scion tC wheels w/ 215/45 17 Bridegestone Potenza RE92 tires
[BT Tech] BT Tech stiffening plate
[BT Tech] BT Tech rear spoiler (after 2006 colors available)
[Sigma Automotive] Tom's strut tower brace
[Sigma Automotive] Tom's front suspension brace
[Sigma Automotive] Tom's floor brace
[Sigma Automotive] Tom's rear lower brace
[Sigma Automotive] Tom's exhaust system
[Sigma Automotive] Tom's SS braided brake lines
[Sigma Automotive] Tom's emblem (touch of bling)
[eBay] Sherwood carbon fiber dash kit
[eBay] HID fog light conversion
[Sigma Automotive] Larger front driver's and rear PIAA wipers
[Sigma Automotive] Stubby antenna
[undecided] Window tint (brand undecided)
[VAIS Tech] VAIS AIC-100i and iPod w/ video
[Sensuous Sounds, Tampa, FL] Rear seat entertainment system, headrest monitors, DVD
[Sigma Automotive] Signal mirror housings
[Sigma Automotive] Modellista front/rear spoilers
[Sigma Automotive] Version A side skirts

 

Yes and no. THe carbon fiber is not really that refelctive, it's the clear coat on top. All the surfaces are curved, so any reflections are minimized. So far I haven't even noticed any reflections when driving.

 

OK, my first batch of stuff from Sigma Autoimotive is on it's way. It includes the front suspension brace, the front strut brace, plus some other goodies. Stay tuned. I'll be out of town for a wedding this weekend, and I start law school next week, but it should be installed soon...