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@HelloHybrid's Mod Journal

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by HelloHybrid, Jul 14, 2016.

  1. HelloHybrid

    HelloHybrid Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2015
    482
    1,483
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    photo5.jpg

    I was driving a 2004 Jetta GLI 1.8T for 11 years before I got my Prius. I was never too active on VWVortex and lurked about, but I modded it with a lot of performance parts (cold air intake, full turboback exhaust, ECU flash, coilovers, braces, front-mount intercooler) and went for a sleeper-look. I never even tinted the windows. Sadly, after going through various smartphones and different hard drive failures throughout the years, I don't really have any photos of my old car--The picture above isn't even mine.

    This thread is mostly for myself to have another spot to grab pics of my car in case my hard drive crashes again, but I also found everyone's build threads to be very helpful when I first got on PriusChat, so maybe this thread can help someone else out in the future.


    My Prius as of 07/16/2016:
    IMG_1160.JPG
     
    #1 HelloHybrid, Jul 14, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2016
    Dylan Doxey and sfv41901 like this.
  2. HelloHybrid

    HelloHybrid Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2015
    482
    1,483
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    0F697473-8A7C-4024-A1BF-BE74FA62C7D6.JPG 51AB915C-117C-4FF4-8390-3A2CC4899722.JPG
    Got a brand new 2015 Prius Two in April 2015 for about $18k after signing everything. I told my wife, and myself, that I was done modding cars. Then I saw this from a random Google search and changed my mind:
    IMG_1766.JPG
    I didn't know it was @Burna J 's car at the time since I wasn't even on PriusChat yet.

    C4F51E64-3A0F-40B7-8E1F-E84353DB2FDB.JPG
    My first "mod" was putting in the cargo net. I feel like everyone needs this just for their groceries.

    75623_image.jpg
    Got a 35/20 tint, removed the hubcaps and added some chrome Toyota center caps.

    IMG_1860.JPG Added some window visors so I could vent out the car without making it obvious the windows were cracked open. Also picked up some reflective tape and added a little wheel trim for some contrast against the tire.

    IMG_1885.JPG
    Wasn't feeling the blue color with the grey body. I wrapped the emblem backing with carbon fiber vinyl. Thinking back, I wish I didn't use the original backing and used another sheet of plastic instead.

    [​IMG]
    IMG_1905.JPG IMG_1881.JPG
    [​IMG]
    Upgraded the interior lighting with the kit from iJDMtoy. Such a huge difference compared to the stock halogens. Also swapped out the parking and rear license plate lights. Used red LEDs instead for the door lights, thinking they'd maybe help with safety when I open my door if I'm parked on the street.

    [​IMG]
    Upgraded the stock meep-meep horns with FIAMM El Grandes to vent out my anger at other people. I started to notice around this time a lot of hate from other drivers. I'd often get a tailgater switch lanes and cut back really quickly right in front of me without signaling, even though I'm already in the right-most lane and going slightly over the speed limit.

    IMG_1981.JPG
    Added a chrome exhaust tip & Domokun vinyl to add some eye candy in the rear.

    IMG_1994.JPG Added a TRD front grill badge for some more eye candy.

    IMG_2001.jpg Finally lowered on Tein H-Tech springs. I originally wanted the TRDs, but heard the H-Techs gave an extra .25-.5 inch. I'm still tempted to go lower on coilovers, but I'm sure I'd get tired of having to baby the car so much over every little bump/dip. It probably wouldn't even clear the incline on my driveway.

    [​IMG]
    Deleted the rear wiper and put a roof spoiler to cover the hole where the spray nozzle used to be. I left all the plumping intact and just capped it off with a plastic plug for irrigation lines.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Cleaned up the look a little more with a sharkfin antenna. I never experienced any reception loss, which is always a question asked about this mod.

    [​IMG]
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    Installed some Valenti SBs. I always hated how the chrome tails look on a dark colored Prius. I originally was gonna go with red to be a little more police-friendly, but the smoked version on a dark car looks too clean.

    [​IMG]
    At this point, I was really starting to enjoy just how much nicer the car was looking versus stock. Of course, a lot of haters, ignorant people, and admirers at work started running their mouths. I started becoming known as "the guy with that one Prius in the parking lot", for good and bad.

    [​IMG]
    Picked up some aluminum pedal covers from ebay that are meant for the Lexus CT200H. I was really bummed out that MITaccessories/TopSage stopped making their pedal kit that included the dead pedal. It's still on my to-do list to pick one up along with the foot brake.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Picked up a dashcam to combat all the people cutting me off. I actually used this thing more to capture all the other modded Priis out there. I did catch a few accidents on it though. After having this, I don't recommend this model. It uses an internal battery for power, even when plugged into a power source, which dies from the high temperatures inside your car during the summer season. This camera didn't even last me a year.

    IMG_0006.JPG Added a few things to the interior. The ProClip mount for my phone sits nice and high without blocking the instrument panel. I used to have a white Lightning cable that really bugged me, but the black one is a lot more lowkey. Put a "leather/carbon" steering wheel cover and TRD shift knob as well. The shift knob needs a thread adapter to fit that I got on ebay from a Voldemort of priuschat. I also put a matching leather/carbon steering wheel cover. Not pictured, but I also picked up a Carmate organizing tray, Carmate blindspot mirrors, and OEM center console tray.

    IMG_0007.jpg IMG_0009.jpg Wrapped the 3rd brake light with Lamin-X vinyl in gunsmoke.

    [​IMG]
    Vanity plates came in around October 2015. The lady at the DMV where I picked them up said mine was the first vanity CA Legacy plates she saw. I've been seeing a lot more legacy plates since then.

    [​IMG]
    Installed the OPT7 HID kit right before daylight savings. I don't even remember what the stock halogen bulbs look like anymore. I never did the retrofit to fix the cutoff, but I haven't had too many issues without it.

    [​IMG]
    Got some TRD neck pillows to help out my posture. I noticed I was slouching forward in the seat for some reason, so these helped out a lot. Other than the sunken rear wheel, I was pretty happy with how the car was looking.

    [​IMG]
    Swapped the PRIUS badge for a Toyota badge.

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
    Painted my calipers yellow to try and get an accent color on the car. I was gonna use red, just like the calipers on the GLI, but realized I already had an accent color from the CA Legacy license plate. I used the brush kit from DupliColor since I didn' want to deal with overspray and it turned out pretty well.

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
    I bounced around multiple ideas for wheels. At first I thought of getting aftermarket 15s just to preserve gas mileage, then convinced myself to get 17s because my MPG is still higher than my old car, then finally settled on 18s because they look like the right size for the car. I knew I didn't want to spend a lot of money in this area and have no problems with decent replicas. I have a cousin that works for Discount Tire so I stuck with them since they're familiar. The Drag brand they sell has a nice replica of the Work Emotion CRs that I really liked, but I didn't want my car to look like the bootleg version of @Burna J 's Kre Per. Ended up getting the BBS RC reps which is a nice throwback to my old car.

    [​IMG]
    Added a generic 5mm spacer to the rear since it looked too sunk in compared to the front. I'd like to get some custom spacers with the wheel hub already attached, but I'm not having any issues with the current setup so it's not a high priority.

    [​IMG]
    I got the +35 offset instead of +45 when I got the wheels. I knew I wanted that flush look, but was trying to avoid large spacers if possible. I was getting a lot of tire rub whenever I hit any bumps/dips on the freeway. It was uncomfortable hearing that rubbing noise knowing I was driving around 70mph in the middle of the freeway.

    [​IMG]
    Wanted to add some extra bling to the wheels. I had a set of Muteki SR48s, but found out the hard way that the socket to tighten them wouldn't fit in my wheels. I found a set of spline-driven lugnuts from ebay that worked out really well.

    [​IMG]
    Finally got my fenders rolled maybe a month after the wheels went in. For anyone in San Diego, the guy's name is Andrew/SDFenderRolling and he did excellent work and has a nice Nissan GT-R to admire while he works on your car. By the time he got to it, the inner fenders were already bent from the rubbing, so I'm just glad none of the paint cracked. @Burna J & @sfv41901 warned me about the weld in the rear panel and this is still a rubbing issue when I have passengers in the back. I'll need someone to shave them eventually.

    [​IMG]
    Pretty happy with how things progressed. I started thinking the front was still too high though at certain angles because of that curve in the bumper.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    IMG_0952.jpg
    Got the $99 ebay front lip meant for the 2010/2011 Prius after seeing @Jessemkane and a couple others successfully install it on their post-facelift Priis. Kinda lowers the front end a little bit more without having to slam the entire car. I'd love to have the Lexon Exclusive lip some day, but this will do for now.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    @Starbrand hooked me up with some custom heat yellow emblem backings. He wasn't too happy about the color not matching the license plate and resent me some new ones that I haven't had time to test.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    IMG_1041.jpg
    My ebay window visors were coming loose. Replaced them with the WellVisors version. I really like how they look like the OEM version, but at quarter the cost. The only complain I have is that the curve of it doesn't exactly match the top curve of the window when it's rolled down, so you start seeing some gaps if the window is too low.

    [​IMG][​IMG]
    Got my priuschat vinyls on to represent our community. I regret not getting the silver version instead of white.

    [​IMG]
    Picked up some more Carmate accessories at the local Tokyo Central & Main. The trashbin is the correct driver's side version for USDM cars. The mirror took some getting used to, but I like being able to see my right-side blindspot from it. The air freshener only lasted about a week. Not sure if it was just a sample version that comes with the holder, so I'll need to pick up some refills next time I go.

    IMG_1078.JPG IMG_1101.JPG @Dylan Doxey swapped one of my panels with one of his LED testing units. Ended up ordering amber LEDs from Oznium to finish the rest of the LED retrofit.
     

    Attached Files:

    #2 HelloHybrid, Jul 14, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2016
  3. Burna J

    Burna J Knot Right Performance....

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2012
    1,062
    3,331
    53
    Location:
    Long Beach, CA.
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    She's looking sweet @HelloHybrid. I'm looking forward to seeing all her future mods. (y)(y)
     
    HelloHybrid and Dylan Doxey like this.
  4. Dylan Doxey

    Dylan Doxey Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2013
    1,389
    3,455
    92
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Hm, I am also "that guy with that one Prius" at work ....

    My Prius life was also changed the day I first saw a picture of @Burna J's Kreper, and then @RightOnTime's Angry Panda! I guess it should come as no surprise that I ended up with a WMG G-Sport. :cool:
     
    #4 Dylan Doxey, Jul 15, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2016
    sfv41901, m3pare, HelloHybrid and 2 others like this.
  5. RightOnTime

    RightOnTime Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2012
    744
    1,612
    183
    Location:
    Kidnapped in OC, CA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Keep up the good work! We are just one happy Prius family!
     
    sfv41901, m3pare, saulbassfan and 3 others like this.
  6. saulbassfan

    saulbassfan Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2014
    979
    3,108
    0
    Location:
    Southern California
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    "The guy with that one Prius in the parking lot" is hilarious.

    Keep up the good work, bro!
     
  7. m3pare

    m3pare Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2013
    679
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    Location:
    SoCal (626)
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I always enjoy reading others' journals. Glad to see yours up @HelloHybrid ! I've caught myself staring at your signature here and there and now I can finally see everything progress. Looking forward to what's next! :)
     
  8. HelloHybrid

    HelloHybrid Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2015
    482
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    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Your car is a perfect blend of the two (y)

    Edit: Haha I hope you know that thumbsdown emoji was a typo! I fixed it :oops:
     
    #8 HelloHybrid, Jul 15, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2016
    sfv41901 and Dylan Doxey like this.
  9. HelloHybrid

    HelloHybrid Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2015
    482
    1,483
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Thanks guys. It's definitely been a fun experience piggybacking off the mods you've all posted and getting ideas for my own car.
     
    sfv41901, Burna J and Dylan Doxey like this.
  10. HelloHybrid

    HelloHybrid Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2015
    482
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    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Thanks! I never felt like I had the quality & amount of mods as everyone else on here, but I noticed the same questions from a lot of the new people like "what did you do to mod this?" or "where did you get that?". I still find myself looking at other people's threads to find info about strut tower bars and other things, so it's always nice to see everyone's journey and their thoughts. I'd like to see @Dylan Doxey and @Starbrand start their threads...:whistle:
     
  11. Starbrand

    Starbrand Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2014
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    Location:
    Westmont, IL
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I'm surprised as you are that I haven't started one. I too am interested in seeing a few others and more Japanese members (Instagram #プリウスmodders are so much further ahead of USDM modders :cry:) But I'm gonna wait until I feel more "worthy". I need to get rid of the Tanabe Springs and FRS wheels first. But I did surpass the $6K club though.. Like my fiancé always says... if we are honest about my spending habits, we will have a successful marriage (need to thank @ncases for that suggestion).

    here's an update on 1 of 4 of the spreadsheets I have for Starbrand:
    [​IMG]
    I need to slow down though... I'm hitting the 1k milestones I set for myself too quickly. I could've had bags by now!
     
    sfv41901, Burna J and HelloHybrid like this.
  12. HelloHybrid

    HelloHybrid Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Dude, I don't think you should feel the need to be worthy. You've definitely done more to your car than I have. You were also the first one I saw here hydrodipping all the interior panels, and even inspired Dylan to do his...
     
    saulbassfan and Dylan Doxey like this.
  13. HelloHybrid

    HelloHybrid Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2015
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    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    IMG_1153.jpg
    Some upcoming things on the to-do list, whenever I find some time on the weekends.
     
  14. HelloHybrid

    HelloHybrid Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    image.jpeg
    Nitpicking little details. Took a black Sharpie to the edges of the license plate to remove any silver bits from showing. Also added a black slim rim frame, and replaced the silver bolts for black ones.
     
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  15. HelloHybrid

    HelloHybrid Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2015
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    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    image.jpeg image.jpeg
    The NuCam dashcam is working out pretty well. Definitely better resolution compared to the Mini 0806. I can actually read the license plates without being right behind the other car with this one. The WiFi transfer is pretty slow though, so still need a PC to connect the memory card to. Guess we'll see if it survives baking in the car through all the record temperatures we have this summer.
     
    Dylan Doxey likes this.
  16. Lit Lit

    Lit Lit Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2016
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    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Nice progress and write up on all your mods!


    iPhone ?
     
    HelloHybrid likes this.
  17. Burna J

    Burna J Knot Right Performance....

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2012
    1,062
    3,331
    53
    Location:
    Long Beach, CA.
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three

    I hear you @HelloHybrid (y). People that don't have the Black Legend plates don't realize the pain of the silver edges.... :eek:
     
    sfv41901, Dylan Doxey and HelloHybrid like this.
  18. HelloHybrid

    HelloHybrid Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2015
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    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    image.jpeg
    Swapped out my TRD ball shift knob for this one. It's gonna take some getting used to the size since its larger. It'll match the piano black/leather steering wheel more though.
     
  19. HelloHybrid

    HelloHybrid Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2015
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    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Had the TRD rear sway bar on for a little over a week. There's a winding road that I take sometimes to get home after work, and it definitely feels smoother when I'm turning the wheel left and right throughout the curves. The springs also feel less bouncy to me, which is good. I'm considering getting a Cusco front tower strut bar if I come across a used one, and I'll probably leave the suspension mods alone after that.
    IMG_1166.JPG
     
  20. HelloHybrid

    HelloHybrid Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2015
    482
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    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    IMG_1197.JPG FullSizeRender.jpg

    Hung out with @Dylan Doxey and he helped install my piano black/leather steering wheel from mitaccessories. This wheel is a lot more comfortable than the stock plastic wheel and matches the new shift knob perfectly. The only thing I don't like about it is my wedding ring makes a "clank" sound against the black part when I grab it. I've been startled a few times since I don't associate a loud, hard surface to hard surface noise as a good thing when driving a vehicle :ROFLMAO:

    Dylan also swapped out all of the headunit LEDs with amber Ozniums. I'm liking it more than the stock green, even though it almost has a little retro vibe to it. Just waiting for someone to figure out how to change the color of the instrument cluster to match :whistle: