Cheap Mods: De-Ricing

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa) 02/23/2015 at 09:24 • Filed to: cheap mods

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If you have bought a used car, it has had a previous owner. This is the definition of a used car . The unfortunate thing is that this previous owner's sense of taste might be, ah, skewed. This horrid taste in asthetics could have manifested itself as modifications to the car you now find eating all your money yourself owning. In my case, with my 98 CDM (That's Canadian Domestic Market for you American plebians) Civic DX this resulted in:

Rather convincing but still boyracer seat covers

Aftermarket headlights

Gaudy head unit

Cold air intake

Neons

I was going to leave the headlights, head unit, and CAI alone because they provided functional advantages over stock, but the seat covers and neon had to go. This is one of those mods that can make your car look 100% less poseur for free.

Yep, it's *FREE* mod time.

Here's what I was working with.

The seat covers were nice, and in good condition, but were just so incredibly ricey that I couldn't stand it. The neon was about four million different varieties of WTF.

The solution?

Pull off the seat covers, then toss them on the back seat where they can be stepped on by your friends and covered in mud, then sold on Craigslist.

Take a hammer to the neon until it frees itself from your now-pristine [citation needed] bumper.

The seats were in fair condition, though I'll definitely be giving them a good shampoo to remove a stain that looks like either coffee or fecal matter, and I shall also be fixing at 4 inch tear on the drivers seat where the bolster connects to the main seat, but that all has to wait for warmer weather.

Jake is a college student from Kansas who recently bought a $500 rolling headache Honda Civic and revels in being a cheap bastard saving money and ruining improving the looks of his car. This series will share some of the more worthwhile cheap fixes for common car aesthetic issues.

thebigbossyboss > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 09:28

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I want your seat covers. How much?

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 09:34

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Even in its current condition, that is still the cleanest EK Civic I have ever seen. You've got yourself a nice Honda.

CalzoneGolem > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 09:35

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Time for a custom cheap as hell shift boot.

bob and john > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 09:38

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ehh. i've always liked neon. no idea why

Tohru > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 09:45

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The unfortunate thing is that this previous owner's sense of taste might be, ah, skewed. This horrid taste in asthetics could have manifested itself as modifications to the car

daender > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 09:46

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How clouded-up are the headlights? I swear a set of clean or new ones makes most Civics look 100x better.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > CalzoneGolem 02/23/2015 at 09:52

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"No sir, I have not been drinking"

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > daender 02/23/2015 at 09:53

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What you've done there is correctly predicted the next Cheap Mods article I'm working on.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Tohru 02/23/2015 at 09:53

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Nah, man. The Murdersofa is 100% tastefull.

100%.

Yeah.

Totally.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > bob and john 02/23/2015 at 09:53

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underglow can be pretty cool if done right, but a single green neon in the front grille does not a tasteful neon installation make.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > CalzoneGolem 02/23/2015 at 09:54

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No words can describe my hate for those damn things.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 02/23/2015 at 09:55

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Thanks! I'm hoping to keep things tasteful with this.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > thebigbossyboss 02/23/2015 at 09:56

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If you're serious just make an offer. I would be shipping from Kansas.

daender > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 09:57

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Hell yes! Now this might not be cheap, but if you can ever find a set of tail lights with clear indicators, then it'll look so clean and a few years younger.

thebigbossyboss > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 10:00

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Do you think that they would fit over real racing seats or are they seat size specific?

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > daender 02/23/2015 at 10:00

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Unfortunately the sedan and the coupe have different tail light assemblies and finding some for the sedan is much harder/more expensive. I'm using borrowed stock tails right now because the ones that were on it got stolen, and the cheapest I can find are OEM replacements for $60 shipped

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > thebigbossyboss 02/23/2015 at 10:02

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Hmmm. That's a good question. They were a really well-done fit on the Civic so I feel that they might be made specifically for those seats.

daender > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 10:03

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Dang, maybe local junkyards might have a clean set?

thebigbossyboss > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 10:03

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:( My racing seats (especially my drivers side) has a big bolster hole.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > daender 02/23/2015 at 10:08

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I haven't tried looking yet. Still trying to recover from the financial pile of bullshit my bank, paypal, and progressive landed me in.

Officer Jim Lahey is not a real cop > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 10:29

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Tasty

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 10:55

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I'm looking forwards to where you go with this car. I'm sure wherever that is, it won't be living the F&F lyfestyle. About the neon lights though. Are you just changing the bulbs or replacing them outright?

RazoE > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 11:12

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thank you. I lost faith for a second.

Tohru > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 12:03

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MonkeePuzzle > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/23/2015 at 14:30

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got some minty fresh civic seats sitting extra in my basement, shame you're far :D

bob and john > Tohru 02/23/2015 at 18:02

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you may want the gif of that

Tohru > bob and john 02/23/2015 at 19:58

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much obliged. I was on my phone and couldn't find the gif quickly.

Tohru > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 02/24/2015 at 23:21

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So how long until the MurderSofa's influence starts to affect the KamikazeRecliner?