Minor mods that make you ridiculously happy

"BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind" (briangriffinsprius) 01/25/2020 at 13:55 • Filed to: None

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On this rainy Saturday, I took ten minutes and switched out the seat control panel on my F10 to add the “gentleman function” that allows you to control the passenger seats from the driver’s seat controls. My GF likes to have the seat allll the way back, and I always forget to move it forward until my son’s in his car seat in the rear and starts kicking the seat. $20 part and I’ve resolved a huge (well, i guess relatively minor) annoyance in my life.

What other simple mods or changes to your cars have made your lives  unreasonably better, Oppo?

AestheticsInMotion > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 14:13

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Voltage gauge, front and center. $0.60 part shipped free from China, and the amount of time and money it’s saved me is quite high.

I can see how each indivual accessory—headlights, heater, windshield wipers, etc.—effects load, I can play music or charge things with the car turned off and keep an eye on the voltage, but most importantly... This has been a godsend for diagnostic purposes. I’d give up my water temp and oil pressure guages long before I'd ditch the voltage gauge. 

Chariotoflove > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 14:27

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That’s a function I’d like on my car. I have chair  loading and normal riding presets on my front passenger seat, but sometimes someone gets out and leaves the seat back, and I have to stretch across the center to reach the presets and move the seat up.

f86sabre > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 14:33

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3D printed cup holders for the 90 Mini. Now I can have low risk drinks.

I soldered in an aus jack into our 05 Mini so I could plug in my phone. 

wpudvah: GTI, Super Beetle, now with more 80-Series > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 14:37

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clutch stop on my MK7 GTI. $5.00 on eBay, HUGE improvement for daily driving around town.

AkursedX > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 14:38

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For me it’s blacking out chrome emblems or trim.  I’ve never liked chrome.  

Nibby > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 14:38

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drinking bottles of used motor oil makes me happy

interstate366, now In The Industry > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 14:40

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DRAGint checkered floor mats for my GS. They shouldn’t fit with  the car’s styling, but somehow they work.

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > wpudvah: GTI, Super Beetle, now with more 80-Series 01/25/2020 at 14:43

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Care to explain how that works? Something to do with one of those idiot  dampened clutch pedals like I think some BMWs have, with the hydraulic cushion in the clutch linkage 

GLiddy > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 14:45

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I bought my 2006 Corolla SE two years ago. 5 speed manual as basic as a Corolla can come. After a bit of investigation, I discovered that Toyota essentially wires every car for every option (or it did at the time). So I went on amazon and bought a cruise control stalk and a clutch switch for about $45. (Hint, you can get the stalk cheaper if you buy the identical GM part number item .)

I pulled the airbag/steering wheel and cut an opening in the back wheel surround plastic for the stalk. Then I tapped 2 holes for the stalk mounting, put it in place, and connected the wiring harness. Then I went under the dash and removed the upper clutch travel stop piece and replaced it with the switch I bought. I searched around and found the unused connector up under the dash and plugged it in.

Et voila! I now have a cruise control. I think my next addition may be fog lights, but I need to find a fog lamp stalk from another Corolla or a RAV4 and some lamps from either a Corolla or Camry.

facw > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 14:50

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I don’t know if it’s cheap enough to be considered minor, but adding B luetooth integration to my car. So nice to have that, and have the steering wheel controls work.

duurtlang > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 15:08

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I swapped the wiper relay from my 1987 Peugeot for one from an early 90s VW. I can now adjust the interval of the wipers with the stock wiper stalk .

Cost: junkyard relay .
Time invested: 2 minutes?

Discerning > MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) 01/25/2020 at 15:15

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It's just a piece of rubber or plastic that goes on the firewall directly in line of the travel of the clutch pedal. It shortens the clutch pedal travel.

I’ ve never done it, but some people like it.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 15:24

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Bluetooth thingy from Amazon, $15 shipped iirc. Output is connected to the aux cable.

I dont have to take out by phone from my pocket to play music anymore!

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 15:30

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One day on the way to work, I had to slam on my brakes and got covered in hot coffee. Despite being the fat American’s sports car, the C5 Corvette has one cup holder that is an inch deep. This has been a wonderful addition to the car:

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 16:16

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I replaced what was left of my shifter bushings (they literally turned to dust in the last 20 years) and no more rattle. I put it off for a long time since it’s auto. 

feather-throttle-not-hair > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 16:20

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Going to a square tire setup on my old 350Z did wonders for the slightly understeery handling. The car was very neutral with 245s at all four corners.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 16:25

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*goes over short list of mods*

Easily painting 3 of the 4 steel wheels black to offset the silver hubcaps. I really should get around to painting that last one. . .

Also, Weathertech floormats are great when you park in a mudhole. 

SmugAardvark > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 20:05

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Anyone who has spent any amount of time in a C5 Corvette knows that the one drink holder in the car is effectively useless. It’s maybe 2" deep, and very narrow in terms of circumference. So if you have any sort of drink and take a turn, your cup winds up on the floor.

So I bought a little doo-dad that just slides up between the carpet and center console on the passenger side , and allows for two regular human-sized beverages to be held.

Not my car, but you get the idea. You can see the factory cup holder to the right of the shifter. It is more shallow than the bottom of the center console.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 01/25/2020 at 21:34

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I have a base model Forester that came with a hard rubber steering wheel and shift knob. Swapped them for leather-wrapped ones. Wheel was from a low-mileage Legacy wreck for $60 and the knob OEM for the WRX STI for $35. Took like 20 minutes to install and most of that was getting those infernal airbag spring clips to release. They are the things you touch most so it made a huge difference for minimal cost and time. 

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 01/25/2020 at 21:37

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When I had a SH Forester, I too swapped in a WRX wheel and leather shift knob!