Upgrade recommendation for non "tuners"

[jflogerzi]

Originally Posted by Jambi5150

Hey all, I picked up my FRS a couple of weeks ago and I'm wondering what kind of upgrades you would recommend to someone who isn't a big "modder" or "tuner" (if those are the correct terms). I'm probably never going to track this car and already love the way it drives. So a lot of my interest would probably be in the cosmetic/luxury type upgrades such as LED lights, leather seats, push button entry/start.

Which upgrades like these have you made that you like the best and is it easy to have it done through the dealer? I'm guessing I'd want to do that to preserve my warranties. Although I think many cosmetic modes don't impact warranty like a supercharger would.

Thanks for any info!

Should have gotten a BRZ if you wanted all that

[Extreme86]

Originally Posted by Jambi5150

Hey all, I picked up my FRS a couple of weeks ago and I'm wondering what kind of upgrades you would recommend to someone who isn't a big "modder" or "tuner" (if those are the correct terms). I'm probably never going to track this car and already love the way it drives. So a lot of my interest would probably be in the cosmetic/luxury type upgrades such as LED lights, leather seats, push button entry/start.

Which upgrades like these have you made that you like the best and is it easy to have it done through the dealer? I'm guessing I'd want to do that to preserve my warranties. Although I think many cosmetic modes don't impact warranty like a supercharger would.

Thanks for any info!

Originally Posted by jflogerzi

Should have gotten a BRZ if you wanted all that

Agree. Just do Katzkin leather seats and TRD intake/exhaust mods. Best bang for your buck that you will enjoy the most.

Beyond that.....Perrin 4" antenna has better reception than the 2". Weathertech mats, BRZ trunk liner are good mods. Tires/wheels are expensive exterior mods and would be secondary to intake/exhaust to improve performance/driveability. To me, beyond a hard wire installation to the cigarette lighter plug circuit in the glove box, a radar detector is not a mod or upgrade and is off-topic to the OP....discussion will lead to arguments regarding best brand of detector and that is covered in other threads. Interior LED light is a nice mod you will enjoy more than any other LED anywhere else. Get some tint if you don't have it already.

Congrats and enjoy your new car!!!!

[shiumai]

Originally Posted by 5th 86

The perrin minis look best to me
Wonder if you can just cut the factory in half and put a cap on the end or something

...sometimes at the cost of radio reception. i got a perrin 2" antenna and i lose the signal about 20% of the time and there's static noise now. the OEM antenna worked perfectly (i still have it in the glove box in case i want to swap back in different areas depending on reception).

anyway, my 'non-tuner' mod list would be:
1. wheels/tires
2. lowering springs
3. exhaust
4. window tint

IMHO, if you were looking for more luxury stuff/creature conveniences, you'd have been better off getting a BRZ with HID, alcantara seats, fog lights, nav, push button start, etc.

[TylerLieberman]

Originally Posted by Jambi5150

Hey all, I picked up my FRS a couple of weeks ago and I'm wondering what kind of upgrades you would recommend to someone who isn't a big "modder" or "tuner" (if those are the correct terms). I'm probably never going to track this car and already love the way it drives. So a lot of my interest would probably be in the cosmetic/luxury type upgrades such as LED lights, leather seats, push button entry/start.

Which upgrades like these have you made that you like the best and is it easy to have it done through the dealer? I'm guessing I'd want to do that to preserve my warranties. Although I think many cosmetic modes don't impact warranty like a supercharger would.

Thanks for any info!

-Armrest
-JPM knee pads
-JPM shift boot/ebrake boot
-Pedal set
-LED interior light
-Center consule plaque
-SARD leather seat covers
-LED trunk light
-LED license plate
-Clear side markers
-HID Headlights
-Toyota badges
-OEM prepainted trunk spoiler
-Window Tint
-Window Visors
-Tail light overlays/smoke/paint
-Exhaust tips
-Hood dampers
-Engine oil cap
-Flip key mod

That's just about everything I can think of that requires very little work to install that can be done in a short period of time. There are other things as well but you just have to look and see what appeals to you. I would say wheels and springs as well but you said you already like the way it drives now. Springs are super easy to install though.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas.

[thill]

I bought a 2.4" generic antenna off Ebay that many people here recommended and reception has been the same for me vs the stock antenna. Even in my parking garage at work. And it was only $10 shipped.

[Jambi5150]

Originally Posted by Obsidiank

radar detector is pretty much useless these days as most law enforcement has switched to lazers

If any of you haven't heard or used it yet, the App Waze is a great navigation app and allows users to "tag" police officers (among other traffic hazards) on the road to warn other Waze users. It aggregates real time GPS data from other Waze users so it knows current traffic speeds and can suggest alternate routes.

Google just bought them for a billion dollars so will probably be integrated into Google Navigation in a few years.

[Jambi5150]

Originally Posted by BRZPDX

you should visualize a total look and theme for your car. Flow is so important, its what keeps the "clean" look. Some people have a good sense of design, and some just wants to stand out and be different.

This is a great tip thanks! I had definitely started to slip into the "piece by piece" upgrade mindset and was losing sight of how I want the overall end look of the car to be. Great reminder

[Jambi5150]

Originally Posted by Clembo

LED lights, leather seats, push button entry/start? Don't want to start a fight here but it sounds like you might have been better off in a BRZ in the first place.

That's a good point, and there are a few reasons I went with the FRS. Firstly, BRZ's are much harder to find in my area (San Diego). Even going with the FRS there was only one MT firestorm FRS at all the dealers I searched. The dealership I went to had to trade with another to get mine.

I also have always loved Toyotas and feel a bit of loyalty sticking with the Toyota "family" even though both cars are basically twins. Visually, I love the FRS front end and the overall look of the FRS better. I think the BRZ is a great looking car but the FRS always gave me that ear to ear grin visually.

And I liked the idea of saving some $$$$ up front and then customizing my car over time. Maybe leather seats down the road, maybe LED, etc. It'll be my first time upgrading modding a car so that would be a fun experience plus over time it will keep adding a "new" feeling to the car even if it's a year or two old.

[Jambi5150]

Originally Posted by TLRracer

Why mod at all?
Save your moolah, put it in the bank.
I like the car the way it is Just learn to drive it and have fun doing so. It's unique enough that you don't have to put on a different antenna nor mud flaps (unless you drive in mud a lot), nor clear gizmos on the doohickeys.

Just have fun driving it

That's definitely my short term plan. I absolutely love the car and over in the "what don't you like about your FRS" topic I honestly couldn't think of one complaint. The only "flaw" is my radio is acting a bit funny.

I'm going to treat the upgrading and modding as something fun to do with the car in the coming months and years and enjoy the hell out of it the entire time.

[Jambi5150]

Originally Posted by UnOvertime

I was in your boat when I started, this is the first car I have ever modded. I went for simple things such as changing the side markers, exterior LED lights, weathertech floor mats, and the Escort 9500ix radar detector. I also changed out my headunit for a better one and bought some JPM coachworks interior pieces to give the car a better feel.

I also put on a catback exhaust and eventually shelled out for coilovers, which in your case might be too much since you want to preserve your warranty. I am not a fan of TRD parts which I know dealers install to preserve the warranty, but I believe they are overpriced and usually you can find better value.

Next mod is the Katzkin leather seat replacements which should be in by the end of the week and installed in the next week or so.

Be careful though, the modding bug bites and it bites hard.

Exactly what a good friend of mine said this week. "It's a slippery slope my friend"

[Jambi5150]

Originally Posted by jflogerzi

Should have gotten a BRZ if you wanted all that

A fair point, check out my reply to the similar comment though.

[Jambi5150]

Originally Posted by shiumai

...sometimes at the cost of radio reception. i got a perrin 2" antenna and i lose the signal about 20% of the time and there's static noise now. the OEM antenna worked perfectly (i still have it in the glove box in case i want to swap back in different areas depending on reception).

anyway, my 'non-tuner' mod list would be:
1. wheels/tires
2. lowering springs
3. exhaust
4. window tint

IMHO, if you were looking for more luxury stuff/creature conveniences, you'd have been better off getting a BRZ with HID, alcantara seats, fog lights, nav, push button start, etc.

Thanks for the list! "Luxury" was probably a poorly chosen word I'd probably restate that I'm more interested in visual and comfort upgrades. Upgrades that add to the "wow" factor of how the car looks and upgrades that add to the comfort and convenience of the car such as a better antennae, exhaust for better sound, etc.

[Jambi5150]

Thanks everyone for all the great responses! This will really help me to compile a list of ideas and shape how my FRS evolves in the coming months!

[bestwheelbase]

JDM rear-view mirror. "Frameless" design looks badass. Most people won't notice. It'll be your subtle customization that you use & enjoy daily.

Also, a comfy t-shirt to wear while driving. Shameless plug!