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Who said Prius looks awful?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by andreimontreal, Oct 31, 2019.

  1. andreimontreal

    andreimontreal Active Member

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    This is one hot mod - I'm blown away. See that gallery.

    That black tint on the rear lights at the back, is that some 3M tint or what? I was thinking of covering with black the top part of the rears - I think Toyota made a design mistake with that elongation. If those were elongated horizontally, that would have made the car's rear really sexy. I think that black tint is the closest thing to redeeming that Prius weirdness. What's some good tint btw to achieve those results?

    And that front bumper ... I've been thinking of introducing some fog lights (so aftermarket bumper maybe) - I have a 2012 Prius 3 sea glass pearl ... I like the look of this one ...

    [​IMG]
     
    #1 andreimontreal, Oct 31, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2019
  2. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Sorry, that does NOT look good.
    But, whoever owns it, can do whatever they want with their money..
     
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  3. andreimontreal

    andreimontreal Active Member

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    So what looks good to you ASRDogman :LOL: ??? Out of curiosity, if u have any example.

    Asides from the spoiler, I kinda like the look of it. Maybe I turned kitch overnight ...

    EDIT: what about this one

    [​IMG]
     
    #3 andreimontreal, Oct 31, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2019
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  4. Pluggo

    Pluggo Senior Member

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    It's snappy-looking if that's what you like. I would get rid of the front license holder yesterday unless my state required two plates.
     
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  5. Dimitrij

    Dimitrij Active Member

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    IMO the best thing one can possibly do to one's Prius is to add color accents, like those precious yellow mirrors ... pix later, when it's not pitch dark. In fact, I was so impressed with the aesthetic impact of other-colored mirrors that I am now plotting to give Earl Bubba's mirrors a blue makeover :)
     
  6. andreimontreal

    andreimontreal Active Member

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    I live in QC so YEAH that's one nice thing about this place lol.
     
  7. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    It's just a car. A mode of transportation. Extremes do not look good.
    Red and white does not look good at all, to ME.

    I know a lot of people do some strange things to their car. It's YOUR money.
    It doesn't matter if I, or anyone else likes it or not. As long as YOU like it.

    Mine is silver. I don't really like silver. But it was the best price and in great condition.
    I really got a super deal. I am very happy with it.

    But one bonus from the silver, it's cooler in the summer! It does not seem to be as hot in
    the car after sitting in a parking lot for 10 minutes or longer. And it cools down quickly.

    The Pruis is low enough, it doesn't need to go any lower. Every little bump tears up the underside.
    I drive in Sarasota, Florida. Their gutters are DEEP! It's like driving on a tank trail. EVERYTIME I go
    over them the car scraps or bumps. Any lower, and you'd get stuck!

    If your car was black, the red highlights would look better, to me. :)
     
    #7 ASRDogman, Nov 1, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2019
  8. ice9

    ice9 Active Member

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    I'm with ASRDogman, up to a point. I actually LIKE my ugly Prius... ...just not TOO ugly.

    I bought my Prius Four, not for looks, but because it was the only Prius in the the region with the features that I was looking for. I wanted a previous year model (2018) new Prius Four Premium for the high tech, audio quality and for camping. However, I was hoping for the traditional Prius Blue. I ended up with plain black and white. As it turns out, the Blizzard Pearl White was a better choice since it helps to keep it cool in the summer.

    Also, if you are going to put window visors on a Prius, you should use low profile visors, not the standard ones. The low profile visors blend in better with the glossy black exterior trim panels.

    20190818_085537 id crop.jpg
     
    #8 ice9, Nov 1, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2019
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  9. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There is no universal appeal. I kinda like OEM look of PRIUS unmodified. Hey, I'm still keeping those "ugly" hubcaps on my car. lol Enjoy your car!
     
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  10. ice9

    ice9 Active Member

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    Ditto regarding the ugly hubcaps. I thought they were terrible when I first got the car. Now, I don't think they're all that bad (tho I still think about replacing them on occasion).
     
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  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Ah geez, I'm waiting for this nonsense to die:

    upload_2019-11-1_7-47-13.png

    I like to call 'em magic smoke intakes. Honda's currently in love with them; usually has matching exit portals on the rear bumpers.

    What the heck ever happened to aerodynamics?

    They should turf out all the current generation of designers, and the managers that spur them on...
     
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  12. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    The Gen 3 is not "ugly". It's a "nice plain" look. Which is fine.
    There are some cars that ARE just plain UUUGGLLLYYYYY!!!!!!
    It doesn't matter who you are, they are ugly!!!!

    I look first at how the car looks, I'm either neutral or like it.
    Color, almost any as long it's a natural color.
    Most importantly, functionality, mechanically what shape is it in? How easy/hard is it to work on?
    And how much for replacement parts?

    As long at the a/c, heater, radio(that I can play podcasts), lights, wipers, etc, work, I'm happy.


     
  13. ice9

    ice9 Active Member

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    You know that with a Prius, "ugly" and "functionality" mean same thing (aerodynamically speaking)... ...kind of the same way as a stealth fighter. The gen 4 shape was optimized for ugly... ...They just got carried away with it a little.
     
    #13 ice9, Nov 1, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2019
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  14. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    The 4th generation doesn't look bad. Until you look at the back.
    Those lights are horrible! They must have been drunk when they designed them!
    The rest is pretty nice. I haven't had the chance to look inside in person.
    Most cars have too many gadgets for me. I prefer simple.
    I HATE touch screens! THEY SUCK! They get nasty and dirty and you are always cleaning them.
    But that is they way they are doing things now.

    I'm happy with my 2010 Prius. One of these days I'll get around to getting the windows tinted.
    I only wished it had the JBL system because of the bluetooth and it would be a little louder.
    Since I changed tires, the ride is quieter, so I can hear my podcast a lot better. But it cost me 4mpg! :(
     
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  15. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Looks are subjective. It takes every kind of freak to fill the freeway.
     
  16. ice9

    ice9 Active Member

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    Agree... ...As someone else put it: The rear makes the car look like a "half squeezed accorion". And the touch screen is an invitation to distracted driving.

    There is, however, a simple trick I found that helps solve the "dirty" display problem. If you get the 11.6" screen protector, do not remove the outer film (the inside film has to be removed to install the protector, otherwise, it won't adhere properly). With the outer film covering the screen protector, you still get fingerprints and dust on the screen, but it's not as bad, and is much easier to clean - just a tiny spray with ammonia-free glass cleaner and single swipe with a microfiber cloth and it's done.
     
  17. TheChip

    TheChip Senior Member

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    Alright, who knows where I can find that spoiler and rear bumper, those are great!
     
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  18. ice9

    ice9 Active Member

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    What tires are you using?

    The JBL system does have it's problems, as I am sure you have already read about.

    As an audiophile, I was originally disappointed with the sound quality of the new system because it wasn't set up properly at the dealership. When comparing systems, the 2018 Prius Four's Premium 10 spkr JBL entune system sounded worse than my gen 2, 2008 advanced technology Prius - poor stereo separation and weak base. However, the dealer let me play around with the entune system and I was able to tweak it to where it was producing superior fidelity... ...superior enough to sell me the car.

    Part of the problem appears to be too much absorptive sound deadening in the gen 4 rear vehicle trim panels which use a new absorptive material. To compensate for it, you have to change the entune front-rear balance to the rear, and increase base. It's almost as if the 10 JBL entune system was originally designed with gen 3 trim panels, which are reflective not absorptive.

    In any case, with the exception of road noise, I was eventually happy with the gen 4 entune sound system. Now I am installing structural sound deadening (Kilmat) to fix the road noise problem. I thought about changing tires, as well, but I didn't know where to begin with that.
     
    #18 ice9, Nov 1, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2019
  19. ice9

    ice9 Active Member

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    There's always one in a crowd. :cool:
     
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  20. andreimontreal

    andreimontreal Active Member

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    I think so too; the rear could be better though. Yes, I can see why you don't like that car now. I wouldn't do those for my daily driver - but I still like the look.

    I am looking to get some black wheels, to tint the rear windows and the rear lights - going for a neutral look too. For a dd I prefer a minimalist look like the 2nd example. I want to do the rear lights because I find they're too long and tint takes away from that. Like I said, they could have gotten a better look if they would have stayed with a more classic set-up. As for the new ones- flying ducks, or whatever that bird/wings shape is ... I give up.