rentaspace's progression :), How My Celica Came to Be :) Options

[rentaspace]

So gonna start my progression thread, and update it occasionally.
I'll start with how I got my Celica:
So it all started last year in around March, when I got my Red P's and was searching for that first car...
I tested a lancer, a prelude and a Hyundai Coupe... They all had their pluses and minuses, but none felt 'right'...
On the way home from the Prelude, we passed a Ford dealership and sitting in the middle was a little white PreFacelift Celica, as soon as I saw her, I knew she was the one I wanted. When I got home I jumped online and and contacted the dealer; she was an auto (I am not legally allowed to drive manual yet, thanks to my dads non-functioning speedometer).
The next day, my dad drove me and my beautiful girlfriend out to the dealer and we test drove the car. At the end of the test drive the dealer wanted 8k for her. I knew this was steep for it, but she was in almost perfect condition.

The only damage I could pick was a scrape on the passenger side rear wheel fender, a few small dents over her and quite a large dent in the roof (it looked like the previous owner had hit her with his fists)...
With the $8k as a base, we negotiated with the dealer and came out with a total:
- $7700 for the car
- All dents removed from the car
- Brand New 5 treads
- and finally what really made me go for it, A 12 month warranty... on an 18 year old car

Here she was on that exact day, right after out test drive:




A few weeks later, we got a call saying that she was ready for pickup, All the dents had been removed ($1500 worth of dent removal and paint) and she was good to go. A few days later her first photo shoot:



Her Interior and Engine were immaculate for her age:




After a few weeks our small troubles began, she started leaking oil all over the ground... After a call to the dealership, she was booked in for her first warranty inspection... They re-did all engine gaskets and replaced all seals in the engine... When we got her back, she was still leaking... We took her back again and were told that the transmission seals were shot, they were replaced and the engine was flushed out; the leaking stopped... for now...
Over all, the work would of cost ($1800 by the dealer, if not for the warranty).

Ill post the first of many mods in the next few hours or so, Once I get together the photos and know exactly what I want to say

This post has been edited by rentaspace: Oct 21, 2013 - 1:34 AM

[rentaspace]

And the Mods Begin:

Sipping over adding iPod connectivity to the car, the mod that got me started was adding my foot well LED's. Now initially, I had planned just to have them installed for extra light at my feet when the door was opened and then off when closed. Simple enough...

But, after thinking more and more, I decided this was the time to start my theme... So to be different from the hype, I chose a blue theme (all my mates were going with Red as a theme)

So I got off onto eBay and ordered my first lot of LED strips for the foot well LEDs. To mix it up, I put a double throw switch in, so I could now turn them on and off myself manually and also have them controlled by the doors. (Why go simple on your first mod eh? )

The first attempt wasn't all that great, some of the LEDs were a different colour to others, and I used this as a learning curve. I contacted the eBayer and they refunded me for the LEDs, and I bought another set which turned out to be great

iPhone Photo:

SLR Photo:


At the same time, we did my mates Lancer and my other mates Corolla. After this; I was hooked... I went back to my house to think of more mods to do


The next mod was driving lights...
After looking at other Celicas in the area, I found the front looked better with driving/fog lights. Now, I didn't want the standard OEM ones (because I like to be different like that). So I started researching lights and prices, I couldn't be bothered getting anything fancy, so I just went to Super Cheap Auto and bought some of their house brand driving lights. I wasn't exspecting much from them, but amazingly they are actually good... Haven't had any issues with them and I actually like them better than the OEM Toyota ones...
Before:

After:
Day:

Night:


I then heard of this stuff called PlastiDip, and decided to check it out at changing my badge colour to black. I was going to paint my rims with it, but it's so expensive here in Australia... ($33 a can...) So I threw that Idea out and decided to just wait for the funds and get new rims
The badges came out alright, its no paint job... But it was good enough for me. It has also lasted, just under a year now





And then I was thinking... What next?

This post has been edited by rentaspace: Apr 21, 2013 - 3:25 AM