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Caymandive's 06 Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by caymandiver75, Aug 26, 2011.

  1. caymandiver75

    caymandiver75 Member

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    Can't believe I'm actually on a Prius forum, but here I am! I've always been a car guy. Love speed, handling and great looking cars, but when I picked up the IS-F in 2008, I realized I needed a daily driver. It's not that the IS-F isn't a great daily car (aside from winter capabilities and mpg), but more of a hate to put on too many miles thing and I just want to preserve it for the many years I plan on keeping it. The IS-F just may be the car my 2 year old takes his prom date in down the road? :p

    Our first child arrived 2 years ago and we decided to pick up an 07 Highlander Hybrid that we love. In turn, I inherited the wifes old 2002 1.8t Jetta for which I had been driving around as the daily. Needless to say enough with the repairs!!! so I sold it on autotrader 2 weeks ago and picked up a 06 Certified Prius with 70,000 miles. I bought the extended warranty, I believe it's called the "Platinum" warranty. I probably wasted my money on it having read all the threads here with members having 200k, 300k and more miles racked up!

    Well this is after all a "mods" section so below is the start of the modding. :D

    Mods:
    -Formula 1 Pinnacle Series Tint 35% all around
    [​IMG]

    -ProClip Center Mount with swivel base for the iPhone
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    The stable.
    [​IMG]

    Future mods:
    -Once I receive the new front driver side wheel I plan on removing the wheel rings.
    -Thinking about doing LED's for the license plate bulbs. Had them in the Jetta and they looked great.
     
  2. V8Cobrakid

    V8Cobrakid Green Handyman

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    Re: Pinnacle Series Tint and iPhone mount for my first mods

    you have quite the daily and weekend driver... i approve.. hehe

    daytime shot of that mount? same place i mounted mine. i stuck down a suction mounting plate then suctioned my mount to the plate.
     
  3. caymandiver75

    caymandiver75 Member

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    Re: Pinnacle Series Tint and iPhone mount for my first mods

    Thanks!

    I'll take shot of the mount tomorrow for you in the daytime. It's the perfect location for a mount. I tried using the windshield mount that I had on my Jetta and it didn't work too well with the slope of the Prius windshield.
     
  4. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    Re: Pinnacle Series Tint and iPhone mount for my first mods

    OMG - you are like my twin!!!

    I have a Magnetic Gray Prius and I want an Ultrasonic Blue IS-F too!!!!! You have fantastic taste.

    BTW- I also have LED license plate lights and I love it. Couldn't live w/o them and I can't see how anyone does.
     
  5. caymandiver75

    caymandiver75 Member

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    Re: Pinnacle Series Tint and iPhone mount for my first mods

    Picture added to original post.
     
  6. caymandiver75

    caymandiver75 Member

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    Re: Pinnacle Series Tint and iPhone mount for my first mods

    Sweet! Would you mind telling me what LED bulbs you went with?
     
  7. Daves09prius

    Daves09prius Active Member

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    Re: Pinnacle Series Tint and iPhone mount for my first mods

    Welcome to the Forum!

    I too never imagined I'd fall in love with the Prius; I was always about driving fast, and having a car with high horsepower... When I left for Iraq in 2003, gas was $0.99 a gallon. Before I left I could drive anywhere and not have the price of gas impact my ability to provide for myself or my family. When I came back to the United States and ended my military career, gasoline was about $3 (Wth? we took over an oil rich country and the price of gas when up?!) That was 2006. Now fast-forward to modern day. Depending on when you buy it, where you buy it, or how the powers that be feel on that particular day... gas is / was / will be $4 or more a gallon.

    I bought my second-hand Prius based out of necessity, the price of fuel was greatly impacting my ability to provide for my family. I don’t’ think it’s wrong for oil companies to earn a profit, however when they exploit their customers because there is no alternative, I think there is a problem.

    Hybrid-Technology is, as of now the only viable alternative to a gasoline engine.
    I love my Prius, and can’t figure out how I’ve lived so long without it.

    Again, welcome to the forum, and have fun modifying!
     
  8. caymandiver75

    caymandiver75 Member

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    Re: Pinnacle Series Tint and iPhone mount for my first mods

    I see you are from Gettysburg. I'm from there! Grew up in the hills north of Arendtsville and went to Gettysburg school district. Where do you work that you drive so many miles each day? Are you working down here in DC with me?

    I'm really liking the Prius and will most likely be following this forum more and more so it's nice to see some local folks here.

    Will be ordering that shorty antenna soon too! :D


     
  9. Daves09prius

    Daves09prius Active Member

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    Re: Pinnacle Series Tint and iPhone mount for my first mods

    Cool!

    I currently work in Rockville, MD as a Contract Specialist for the Department of Health and Human Services. I use to work as the Senior Operations Manager for a body shop in Frederick, MD until I was laid-off on my birthday in 2009. "Happy birthday! oh, by the way you need to apply for unemployment you're being laid-off today, sorry, and good luck!"

    I used my military experience to get my foot in the door to a Federal Job, it didn't pay as much because it was only a entry level position, but I'm working hard, and earning my way up. I'm not a lazy federal employee and I don't plan on ever being one. although if you listen to Congress they make it out to seem that all federal employees are lazy, useless, underworked, and overpaid. It may be true in some Agencies, but I haven't found anyone that's underworked yet! but I guess that's a discussion for another post... I'd relocate somewhere closer to work but I'm at break-even or almost upside down on my house depending on who you ask. So it's not really advantageous to sell right now, besides I have a single-family home up here, down in Montgomery County, I could only afford a condo, and I really don't mind the drive. I've always enjoyed driving. I knew I needed to get a Prius, I had been thinking about buying a third-Gen for awhile, but after much searching I decided I was better off buying a pre-owned second generation. I found my 2009 Certified Prius at Fitzgerald Toyota, in Rockville and wow! has it been a lifesaver. I was so happy to get rid of my Dodge Intrepid, it was a nice car when it was running, but repair after repair got old. I'm sure you know how that goes! I've slowly been modding my prius, it's so hard to be patient! I just got my Shorty Antenna today, it looks so much better than the long stock antenna.

    Where are you working in DC? Do you work on the hill?
     
  10. V8Cobrakid

    V8Cobrakid Green Handyman

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    Re: Pinnacle Series Tint and iPhone mount for my first mods

    nice pic.

    i guess what i like most about that spot for the iphone mount is; it's easy to reach (really the only logical spot) and the vent should always keep it cool. when i use my phone as an audio source during construction, it overheats. i've seen it twice and take measures to make sure it doesn't happen (mainly when charging and playing while it's hot out).
     
  11. PhazonPhobe

    PhazonPhobe His name is Sora

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    Re: Pinnacle Series Tint and iPhone mount for my first mods

    That mount seems like it would make it troublesome to text...

    I have my charger plugged into the center console thing. Phone usually goes between my legs so I can actually feel when I get a text. I never hear it over the sound system.

    Tint doesn't look too bad though. I did single limo on the front windows and single limo on top of the factory tint on the back windows of mine.
     
  12. Daves09prius

    Daves09prius Active Member

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    Re: Pinnacle Series Tint and iPhone mount for my first mods

    It’s illegal to text and drive over here in Maryland and Pennsylvania maybe even the entire east-coast. That’s not to say people don’t do it all the time, and right now in Maryland it’s only a secondary offence. That means a cop can’t pull you over for texting and driving, they have to find a reason to initiate a stop and then add on the charge of driving and texting (distracted driving).

    So having the iPhone mount up there helps remove the temptation of driving and texting!
    Maybe that’s a good thing?
     
  13. caymandiver75

    caymandiver75 Member

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    Re: Pinnacle Series Tint and iPhone mount for my first mods

    I personally don't text, but the iphone mount is in a great location. It's very easy to reach, good visibility, easily connects to the 12v power source and being near the vent does indeed help keep the phone cool. I've had a few of my old iphones overheat in the past when they were sitting on the dash. I use the MotionX GPS app a lot and it can heat up the phone quickly if in direct sunlight and no cooling.
     
  14. caymandiver75

    caymandiver75 Member

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    Re: Pinnacle Series Tint and iPhone mount for my first mods

    Two more mods to add to the list. This weekend I installed a rear bumper protector from Toyota Prius (04+) : PriusChat Shop (covers up the old scratches there nicely) and replaced the license plate bulbs with white LED's. The bulbs are WLED-WHP5 Natural White Wedge Base bulbs that I purchased from superbrightleds.com

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Daves09prius likes this.
  15. caymandiver75

    caymandiver75 Member

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    Re: Pinnacle Series Tint and iPhone mount for my first mods

    I just ordered some different licence plate bulbs of the same natural white color, but should be a little dimmer than the ones I have now. The new bulbs are (part number WLED-NW5). My goal is to tone it down a tad to give it more of an OEM look like on my IS-F.

    Once I receive them, I will take another photo with the same settings to show the difference.
     
  16. caymandiver75

    caymandiver75 Member

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    Installed some Philips X-treme 9003 headlight bulbs today. Took me about 30 minutes because of how tight the space is to work, especially on the driver side. I haven't driven with them yet, but they certainly are whiter than the OEM bulbs and do not appear to be much brighter if at all. When I drive into work early tomorrow I'll hopefully notice a difference.

    OEM is on shown on the left side of the wall for comparison.
    [​IMG]
     
  17. caymandiver75

    caymandiver75 Member

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    Installed the new LED's today and I'm very pleased! Same Natural White color only dimmer. :thumbup:

    WHP5 (Left side) vs WLED-NW5 (Right Side)

    [​IMG]
     
  18. caymandiver75

    caymandiver75 Member

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    Well today after 9 months of use one of the Philips X-treme bulbs went out. :( I loved the crisp white light, but will not be replacing them with another set. Guess I'll be sticking to OEM or equivalant for now on as I can't see myself wanting to change the bulbs out so frequently.
     
  19. 69shovlhed

    69shovlhed Surly tree hugger

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    you didn't touch the glass with your fingers when you installed them did you? anything that gets on a halogen or HID bulb can cause it to fail early.
     
  20. caymandiver75

    caymandiver75 Member

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    Nope. I'm always extra careful when handling bulbs. In fact I install them with rubber gloves.