My Prius v (lowercase v) Mods

I got my 2013 Prius v Two model in February of 2014. color: Clear Sky Metallic price: $24, 450.

DEALER INSTALLED EXTRAS:
remote starter
front side windows tinted to match other windows
clear door edge tapes
clear door protective ovals behind door handle area
All mats, cargo net and trunk tonneau cover (extras?)

MY MODS: ( > indicates supplied by Juiced Hybrid, Redwood City, CA )
> Beat Sonic color matched shark fin antenna (perfect color match and a bit better reception)
> Cusco center chassis brace
> Tanabe NF 210 lowering springs *
> Cusco Strut tower bar
> Cusco front lower arm bar (lower compliment to the strut tower bar)
> Tanabe 2 point forward brace (Only for 2013 and later models. 2012 requires larger brace.)
- Scan gauge II information center (mounted on steering column, plugs into OBD II)
- Sylvania Silverstar Ultra headlight bulbs
- CREE daylight running lights (in lower slot of chrome grille area. From JDMToy) *
- AUER fog lights (factory look and better lighting) *
> INJEN cold air intake
- INJEN heat shield W/ Dynomat liner to deaden induction noise
- ENKIE RPF1 17" wheels W/ Yokohama 215/50/17 model 580 V rated tires (from Discount Tire)
- TPS upgrade (gives individual tire pressure and temps and location W/low pressure audible warning) *
- LED light on right side of trunk interior (stick-on round light W/two lithium AA batteries lasts years)
- LED bulbs in all overhead lights (more light)
- LED rear bumper lights (replaces reflectors) *
- 3M clear protective film (Entire front including 1/2 of hood, partial front fenders and rear view mirrors) *
- black coated stainless steel rectangular exhaust tip *
- Tanabe front sway bar *
- Cusco rear sway bar

* Items requiring professional installation and labor charge.

FUTURE MODS:
- spray-on and sheet type sound deadening on inside of all doors and trunk lid.

HANDLING: Wider tires, 5% stiffer and 1" lower springs, four body stiffeners including strut tower bar all make for a MUCH more responsive car that corners very flat already without the future mods. Body stiffeners are essential in this long Prius. They let the suspension work much better. Body flex is much reduced during quick maneuvers.

LIGHTING: Much better night lighting and finally Daylight Running Lights. The rear bumper vertical lights give added visibility from a wider angle than the OEM reflectors.

Sorry, no photos of the 3 underbody braces. Will take them when I get it up on a professional lift.

My "warm rod" will be finished by Jan. 2015.

 

Will post pics at end of the week.

(OK, pics are up, see above.)

 

I run Yokohama YK 580 (Discount Tire's own tread design/model designation) 215/50/ 17" on ENKIE RPF1 rims, the lightest I could find.

The Yoks are V rated B/C I live in the Mojave Desert and need the high heat rating when bopping along at 75 - 85 mph.
These tires have Yokohama's "Orange Oil Compound" for better wet weather traction and fuel mileage.

 

Hey,
I've got 3 Cusco braces including a strut tower braces. Soon I'll have a 4th brace (front underbody). All are from Juiced Hybrid in Redwood City, CA. The underbody braces are chrome moly steel flat tubular, the strut tower brace is aluminum W/ steel end plates.

All are Japan sourced and fit perfectly. What a difference in handling!

 

I'm buying spray-on sound deadener for all four doors. Remove the inside panels and unstick the plastic vapor barrier then spray the inside of the steel door, avoiding window and door handle mechanisms and electrics.

I did it on my '95 Maxima years ago and it worked well. It is MUCH lighter than adhesive sheets, but only half as effective.

 

I've replaced my map and roof lights with LEDs but I can't find the shorter size LED for my door bottom courtesy lights. The OEM light says #25 on it. Is this the bulb size?

 

HUH??

1.) What is the "mid Power brace"? Are you referring to the Cusco Pi-shaped center brace?
If so I have it and it did improve the ride in the sense it made the car feel "smoother" and gave a greater feeling of chassis solidity.

2.) Are the OEM "L" braces you refer to near the heat shielding and to the rear of the front axle? My 2013 v has triangle-shaped braces there.

3.) I'm thinking of getting Juiced Hybrid's Tanabe (red) 2 point front lower brace. instead of the larger and heavier Cusco brace.

$. How do you know the Cusco braces are not chrome moly steel? Good bike frames used to be made of this stuff.

 

I installed new CREE Led DRL lights below the chrome grille bar and they look great plus those CREE bulbs are BRIGHT and slightly blueish (rated at 7,000 K). They make the car look classier, IMHO. Got 'em from JDM Toy.

I'll add a photo tomorrow.

 

Beha,

1.Go to JDMToy LED Daylight Running lights page
2.click on "UNIVERSAL daytime running lights" in the box at left
3. The new page shows a large selection of non-custom lights
They are the Universal LEDs shown on a Range Rover (upper right of the light ads).
The title is:
"Xenon White Universal Fit Daylight Phillips Style 4
LED HighPower Cree LED" the SKU is 60-006

"V+ instar" is the brand name. They have cast aluminum finned housings for heat dissipation and everything is high quality.

Too busy today to take pics but I'll try Monday or Tues.

 

Yep, you would think that they would be slightly blueish at that temp rating but they are actually just bright white with no bluish tint.

Check the JDMToy site for the lumens rating.

 

I've painted the hubcaps of my 17" ENKIE RPF1 wheels the "Hybrid Blue" found on the car's badges.

The hot new BMW i8 sports car has a lot of "Hybrid Blue" all around the body to advertise its hybrid aspect and it looks good.

So... I'm thinking of getting that color in vinyl for the lower styling crease area of the rear bumper cover and maybe on my grille area, either just below the chrome on the flat painted area or maybe above/behind the chrome just on the flat black plastic area. (Or I can do both. The old Victorian era interior decorator's motto was "Too much is never enough. ;o)

Hey, if I don't like it after a while I can always remove it.

Thoughts, anyone?

 

Lem,

I've done it on my '95 Maxima tuner car back in the day and it did help quite a bit with cutting down "road noise" from the tires and some wind noise. Definitely worth it. I may even spray the inside of my inner door panels. Can't hurt.

But I'm waiting to spray my doors until I can find a good auto upholsterer here in 'Vegas to cover the cheap plastic area around and below my 4 interior door handles. I want all that cheap, easily scratched plastic covered with some quality gray leatherette vinyl or synthetic suede.

 

OK, Got the Tanabe 2-point under brace and installed it today. I cut 0.5 cm off the bottoms of the end cylinders and painted it Cusco blue to match the other two braces. (I know, who gives a $hit? It's under the car. ;o)

This brace, joining the new style 2013- 2014 Toyota triangular braces, will make the chassis a bit stiffer with negligible weight, being internally reinforced flattened tubular aluminum. Gotta be better than the steel braces that Toyota used further back where my center brace now resides.

That's it for braces. One pi-shaped Cusco center brace, one Tanabe 2-point brace, one Cusco front lower arm brace and one Cusco strut tower brace. The Cusco "rear-end" brace Juiced Hybrid offers is totally unnecessary.

Now for the Tanabe front and Cusco rear sway bars and I'll be done with suspension upgrades.