Plastidip does a great job of staying on plus it's cheap. A high velocity pebble will scratch it though, but it is surprisingly durable. As for the chrome trim around the car, I wouldn't and didn't Plastidip it. I bought the blackout vinyl strip on OutMotoring (about $12). Just spray the trim with some rubbing alcohol to clean it, then install a section, use a hairdryer to heat it up to get a good fit, then use a razor blade to trim the excess. It's worked perfectly for me and I installed it in November in my garage when is was about 30 degrees outside. You should have no problems with good weather.

 

Does not scratch easy. Things actually bounce off.

Check this out

 

Oh, nice! I wish these things were just obtainable locally. I would so do it this weekend. Thanks for the info.

 

+1

 

i agree with a good window tint, we are planning this. SO much glass and gets SO hot in the summer.

 

Isn't the idea of getting a bigger swaybar to reduce understeer so you can go faster at turns and have more gokart-like driving experience than stock?

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Correct my friend!!! And I love it now! On ramps I could only do 40ish but since I put the sway bar on, I do much more than that(when I'm driving alone and with no drivers behind or in front of me).

 

2 very cheap and effective mods (and the only I did):

1. Stubby antenna.
2. Silver bulbs for the white blinkers to get rid of the ugly orange "egg yolk"

 

To reduce body roll in corners.

 

You can purchase Plastidip at Lowe's, Home Depot and I think Ace Hardware, probably a lot of other places, do a Google.

 

Front and rear strut bars, Light In-Sight, Stubby antenna, and side stone guards.

 

After checking oil for the first time the dip stick either is getting replaced or dremeled. Next thing will be tint.

 

Oh boy, here is my 2 cents:
I wanted to change the way my N14 responded first:

Changed the cold side intercooler charge pipe. Woke my N14 up a little.
Changed the intake to a CAI. Woke up my N14 further.
Changed the exhaust to a bigger diameter. Icing on the N14 cake (and a tune, lol).

But I agree, 22mm sway bar is the best spent money from the get go. I will do mine when I get springs.

 

Is there a particular brand of 22mm roll bar you guys are installing or at least a common source to get one?

 

Alta, Hsport,
Contact http://www.helix13.com/2nd-gen-mini/...suspension/#go
http://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2009-C...Bar/ES2581649/
http://www.waymotorworks.com/07-coop...ion/sway-bars/

 

Mine's H-Sport, installed by Way Motor Works, but it's 19mm. My advice is that you not get too thick of a rear swaybar especially if you are not a track driver. The risk is that instead of less understeer (which I definitely noticed right away in corners) you could oversteer especially if you go too fast in a turn and have to lift off throttle. Then the car will swap ends, never a good thing. Careful.

 

heres the list of mods we did all on the cheap and all well worth it.

ebay aluminum strut tower bars (front and rear can be had for under $100 delivered)
a CAI
one ball exhaust mod
window tint
led plate bulbs
EBC Red Stuff Pads

Soon we will be plasti-dipping the white roof gloss black to match the sunroof and be more contiguous and the wheels to match.

total for all upgrades is probably about $500 or so depending upon where you get parts, tint etc and if you have someone do the work for you or do it yourself.

all make our R53 a much better car to drive and look at.