Cheap Mods for those tight months

danb986

danb986

In awe of VCDS
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Following on from a thread on another forum, I thought I'd try to start a thread where people can post up the cheap/free mods you can do when the urge to modify strikes, but you've blown all your money 2 weeks before pay day.
Obviously not everyone will like every mod, but the idea is to create a list that people can flick through either when they've just bought an A3, or when they find themselves at a loose end on Sunday afternoon and want to tinker with their pride and joy.

I'll start with a few I can think of off the top of my head.


Debadging the tailgate - Free

Lamin-X the headlights - £30 approx. (correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't bought mine yet)

Painted calipers - £10 for some VHT enamel paint from Halfords
 
No more than £5 or so for a meter square of vinyl I would assume - depends who you know lol

PIAA bulbs are expensive but are well worth it - I think the side light pair are around £28 and the DRL lights are £30 for the pair!
 
De wiping the rear always a good move. Any one know the gromment size think it may be 32mm?
Spraying Front Audi rings
Carbon wrapping interior stuff
 
Silvatec bulbs in the front indicators to get rid of the orangey effect. About £12
(assuming they're a standard orange bulb)
 
Alloy Audi foot rest of eBay

that's all i can think of everything else is expensive lol
 
If you havent done already, nitrogen in your tyres. £4, kwik fit. Free top up, or maybe a quid all round.
 
Boydie said:
No more than £5 or so for a meter square of vinyl I would assume - depends who you know lol

PIAA bulbs are expensive but are well worth it - I think the side light pair are around £28 and the DRL lights are £30 for the pair!
Click to expand...

Good shout which are the best ones?? And where is the best place to buy them from??
 
Fan type washer jets.


Exhaust tips. I just bought some off ebay that look the same style as the genuine ones and are exactly the same dimensions too, but were listed as muffler tips so they were probably getting overlooked. Paid £4.99 for the pair + £8.00 shipping from (you guessed it) Hong Kong. They say they're stainless steel and not chrome, so they shouldn't rot. For £12.99 I thought I'd take the risk.
 
FranA3 said:
led number plate lights cost me £8 off ebay been in there for 8 months not a problem as of yet
Click to expand...

It's probably been answered elsewhere, but do they set off a 'bulb out' warning? Or do you just disable this with VCDS like you do with the LED tail lights?
 
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yeah prob has been but thought i would add my 2p worth lol ,nope nowt at all never had one either very much worth the 8 quid mate , plug in and play 100%
 
FranA3 said:
yeah prob has been but thought i would add my 2p worth lol ,nope nowt at all never had one either very much worth the 8 quid mate , plug in and play 100%
Click to expand...

Don't worry, I didn't mean the number plate LED's had been mentioned previously, I meant my question about them had probably been answered by somebody previously.
Thanks for adding to the list. I've got some of these bulbs in my Golf that I'm selling, so I might swap them with the ones in the Audi.
 
Danb, any links for the tips you bought? What car were they for?

Euro style plates are cheap and look good on VAG cars.
 
1inchpunch said:
Danb, any links for the tips you bought? What car were they for?
Click to expand...

These are the same as what I bought. I probably won't use the brackets they come with, it depends on whether they're visible from behind or not.
I ignored the vehicle fitments they list as it covers most Audi's apparently. I just went with the dimensions and the inwardly rolled and slightly slash backed style. I haven't received them yet, but from the dimensions and photo's I thought I'd give them a go at that price.

AUDI A2 A3 A4 A6 S4 S6 STAINLESS MUFFLER TIP NEW Pair | eBay UK
 
danb986 said:
Fan type washer jets.


Exhaust tips. I just bought some off ebay that look the same style as the genuine ones and are exactly the same dimensions too, but were listed as muffler tips so they were probably getting overlooked. Paid £4.99 for the pair + £8.00 shipping from (you guessed it) Hong Kong. They say they're stainless steel and not chrome, so they shouldn't rot. For £12.99 I thought I'd take the risk.
Click to expand...

Will keep an eye on these when you get them. I wouldnt mind some tips on my TDI for this kinda money.
 
Well looking down this list...how about a years subscription to "Pimp my ride" mag ? or " go faster Nova" monthly :lmfao:
 
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Some fancy tyre valve caps
IMG_1991.jpg


About £3 off Ebay :)

Number plate holders - £10 or so
IMG_1990.jpg


Tax disc holder - £15
IMG_1988.jpg
 
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tyre valve caps are a headache....they seize as they are aluminium and the stem is brass, Happened to me prior to putting them on coat in copper grease.
 
I can see it now...You tear off your rear wiper and badges, paint ya calipers red and stick some 1950s crap pressed plates on it and think............****** ! i messed up my nice car.

Come on guys this is a premium car that needs premium mods if you must but this is all max power crap. Yea i know its cheap and there is a good reason for that ..:puke:
 
paddy said:
I can see it now...You tear off your rear wiper and badges, paint ya calipers red and stick some 1950s crap pressed plates on it and think............****** ! i messed up my nice car.

Come on guys this is a premium car that needs premium mods if you must but this is all max power crap. Yea i know its cheap and there is a good reason for that ..:puke:
Click to expand...

Just you wait Paddy - once you've got the S3 with the pipe holder you hanker for, you'll be after the Richbrook carbon fibre tax disc holder. You know you want to.

You want premium, then buy some of the valve caps on my linky before - that's premium pricing for you. I've bought 2 sets.

I did succumb to some white LED side lights though - I hated the std yellow ones. £10 well spent IMHO...
 
Interior map reading lights with the red mood lighting bulbs included. Got mine second hand off ebay for 20 quid. Plug and play so dead easy :)
 
BigBird said:
Just you wait Paddy - once you've got the S3 with the pipe holder you hanker for, you'll be after the Richbrook carbon fibre tax disc holder. You know you want to.

You want premium, then buy some of the valve caps on my linky before - that's premium pricing for you. I've bought 2 sets.

I did succumb to some white LED side lights though - I hated the std yellow ones. £10 well spent IMHO...
Click to expand...

Yea i see all the other makes he sells were £2.80 :)..Pipe holder might be useful though :drag: Bad enough paying £250 for the tax disc...****** well not paying another £10 for a Poxy holder :laugh:
 
Nout wrong with a de-badge and a de wipe. Plenty of motors on here with the same and there far from chavvy
 
Any body no part number for seat front splitter going to get 1 for my sportback
 
paddy said:
I can see it now...You tear off your rear wiper and badges, paint ya calipers red and stick some 1950s crap pressed plates on it and think............****** ! i messed up my nice car.

Come on guys this is a premium car that needs premium mods if you must but this is all max power crap. Yea i know its cheap and there is a good reason for that ..:puke:
Click to expand...

I think you're missing the point Paddy. Nobody is saying you have to do all or any of these mods, they're just suggestions. Some will be tacky to some people, but others will be a nice touch that keeps the car looking original while improving comfort or just making driving more enjoyable.
Like fan washer jets. These won't even be visible, but they are a vast improvement and cover the screen better while using less water meaning you won't be topping it up every five minutes in the winter.

I personally will be painting my calipers BLACK because the ones on the car are 4 years old and looking a bit scabby. Surely there's nothing chavvy about this? If I was painting the standard calipers red and sticking Porsche badges on them then fair enough, I'd deserve some stick, but not for wanting to keep the car I love looking smart.
I've done other mods too, but my focus is on keeping the car looking like it came from Audi this way. E.g. Sportback LED rear lights, cruise control retrofit.
 
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