Ok, not quite what I mean but meh.

As some of you may know, i sort of have a car (it will be mine if it passes it's MOT or will do so cheaply), a 2001 Proton Wira 1.5 LXi.

So far the only thing I can find wrong with it is that the RPM gauge randomly works, doesn't work or sticks (i.e. at 4,000 RPM), but that's not such a big thing (:schwitz

Are their any mods at all I should do? It's not insured (yet) so I'm not sure what my insurance will and won't allow (i'm sure it won't be much), but I have no idea if things like Xenon HID lights are good idea, and I've also seen things like films you spray over you numberplate so that speedcamera's can't see it etc. It also needs new wiper blades - any 1337 brand or type I need to use?

I take it that any sort of performance modifications are out of the question? And if they aren't, what things can be done cheap?

Also, in true 17-year-old first car fashion I'm considering a new sound system, mainly because atm it can play tapes. And that's it. Any recommendations? I'm a total nub here.

Quote from Jakg :

I take it that any sort of performance modifications are out of the question?

Im pretty sure they arnt, i dont have a car myself, but my brother does and he's been performance'ing his cars since he first got one.
Mind you it has to be very small things, one thing i think may be legal is your air intake. I think your allowed to change something in that.

(sorry but i fail at cars but meh its the thought that counts )

Leave it as is, any mods need to be reported to your insurance company, and could bump up your premium, and any you don't report, will probably leave your insurance void should the have an accident.

It's not not worth it, plus you'll just look like one of those saxo twats who look like they've driven into Halfords shopfront with their car coated in superglue.

As for performance mods, it's a Proton wira 1.5, nothing you do, this side of an engine replacement or major engine work, will have any effect on performance.

Buy a bike rack to put on the trunklid, and then make a wing out of carboard and super glue it to the bike rack.

Put a taxi sign on the top?

weigh it in and buy a better car:biggrinfl

Headlights isnt really a mod, and the brighter ones are good for old folks who's night sight is failing them. For you, standard lamps are probably fine.

Quote :

and I've also seen things like films you spray over you numberplate so that speedcamera's can't see it etc

They dont work, there's so many image processing things that can counter them and the police, for all their incompetence over real crime, are very sharp when it comes to slapping fines on motorists - they know what they are doing. In fact their software already automatically does several image manipulations to read off number plates where people have tried to obfuscate the plate. Still there's no solution for tipex over the camera lense mind.

I have an idea, how about not speeding until you have some mileage under your belt and the age and maturity to know when is a sensible time to do it? (going to hospital). And the experience to draw on to avoid all of the new and unusual situations you are yet to face.

Quote :

Are their any mods at all I should do?

Bloody ricers.

The stuff you put on windscreens to make the water roll off it is good though, i'd recommend that.

Insurers are funny people. When I phoned mine up to say I'd put some new wheels on, all I got was "okay I'll put a note of that on your record". Pretty much the same with every other mod declared since then.

I wouldn't be looking for performance mods for a Proton though, I suspect you'll spend a lot of time and money trying to get parts for it. I would have thought 1.5L of sheer power is more than enough in a 1st car anyway

For the stereo, you can get a nice Sony bluetooth headunit for £100 or so these days. It'll browse through your iPod playlists on the screen, stream music off your mobile or take phone calls (built-in mic). Has the usual line-in and cd-changer ports as well.The sound quality isn't half bad either, and has a dedicated sub channel & phono outs. If you need new speakers, there's a lot to choose from. I have some Alpine Type-S's in my Focus which sound nicely balanced with the 12" JBL in the boot. Nothing fancy just sounds nice.

Edit:

Just done a quick google on it, you might get £60 in weigh-in for it, that should buy you a more respectable motor. I brought my Nissan Micra all them years ago (4 or 5) for £40, for example.

Quote from Becky Rose :

The stuff you put on windscreens to make the water roll off it is good though, i'd recommend that.

Sun strip?

I have no plan on speeding but at the same time in totally arragont way if I do speed by accident (i.e. as i'm seeing more and more "round here" signs which are hard to read followed by cameras) I would like to have a few tricks up my sleeve.

EDIT - No you can get a liquid film thing you put on the windows to make sure the rain runs off.

Ahah right, sorry

Btw you know that spray on thing you were talking about? Well if you sprayed something on then wouldnt the police notice you have a completely blank license plate and stop you? Or is it transparent to the human eye?

Quote from Migz :

Sun strip?

No it's like a spray on stuff that coats the screen that makes it low friction and the water just rolls off so you get better visibility.

Quote :

I have no plan on speeding but at the same time in totally arragont way if I do speed by accident

You are 17. You are going to speed. You are going to crash. This is why your insurance is high.

Welcome to the world of insurance, you're already guilty.

Quote from Becky Rose :

You are 17. You are going to speed. You are going to crash. This is why your insurance is high.

Welcome to the world of insurance, you're already guilty.

Thats extremely stereotypical. My brother never had any crash of any sort until the age of 22 and even then it acctually wasnt his fault.
and my brother drivers like a crazy mo fo!

Quote from Migz :

Thats extremely stereotypical. My brother never had any crash of any sort until the age of 22 and even then it acctually wasnt his fault.
and my brother drivers like a crazy mo fo!

Well firstly your argument that that point of view is stereotypical with the supplied evidence that your brother hasnt had a crash that was his fault breaks down when you provide evidence that he drives like a ****.

As for the stereotype - it's not actually my personal viewpoint. I know not all 17 year olds are bad drivers. Only 98.85% of them are.

I was only talking about the "you are going to crash" bit, of course they are going to speed, nothing feels better then the feeling of power and abusing it!!
(Not political power, the power that you get when your behind a wheel)

But yeah i was just saying that not all 17 year olds are going to crash, but yes alot of them are going to speed.

Quote from Migz :

Thats extremely stereotypical.

That as it may be, but it's also statisically very true.

Jak, I would tell you not to speed, but it won't make any difference, but you'll learn

Quote from Migz :

Ahah right, sorry

Btw you know that spray on thing you were talking about? Well if you sprayed something on then wouldnt the police notice you have a completely blank license plate and stop you? Or is it transparent to the human eye?

The idea is that when it flashes the film reflects making it hard to see the actual plate - not sure it'd work but i thought i'd check.

Mythbusters checked every single one of those sprays and other methods

None worked.

You could always start with one that ticks both "performance" and "looks" boxes and get new wheels. A few hundred quid will get you a half decent set of alloys with some half decent tyres and you can't complain about more grip (as long as you're prepared for it when you take a sharp bend).

Just don't Barry it or I will be forced to kill you.

The only way you can cover your number plate is by building somekind of iron curtin that activates at a press of a button, very James Bond-ish. In terms of performance I suggest you just buy it a performance air filter because from what I know, it won't affect your insurance . Oh yes, the insurance, their is a way to lower the cost by a half..................do a sex change. It seems that the insurance companys have the same stereotype of a teenager as we do....................a chav that wears his hat from back to front and does illegal racing.

Quote from Jakg :

The idea is that when it flashes the film reflects making it hard to see the actual plate - not sure it'd work but i thought i'd check.

They really dont work, yes on the photo it looks blank but then you make it a negative or do some simple contrast enhancement and bingo the fine is on its way - and it's all automated. If the automated system cant read your plate they then have a guy with photoshop who will.

Quote from Dajmin :

You could always start with one that ticks both "performance" and "looks" boxes and get new wheels. A few hundred quid will get you a half decent set of alloys with some half decent tyres and you can't complain about more grip (as long as you're prepared for it when you take a sharp bend).

Just don't Barry it or I will be forced to kill you.

I was thinking about new wheels (atm I have hubcaps) but that sounds rather expensive.

Are air filters expensive...?

Quote from Becky Rose :

If the automated system cant read your plate they then have a guy with photoshop who will...

...and send you an extra fine for having a non-standard numberplate, I suspect.

But let me get this straight... you want to tart up a Proton Wira?

I'd have thought the obvious course of action was to spend as little as possible on it, in order to save up for something you'd want to be seen in.

Air filters? Replacing mine didn't cost much at all, but then I replaced with another stock part.

Quote from STROBE :

But let me get this straight... you want to tart up a Proton Wira?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P ... n_Wira_as_a_tuner.27s_car - no accounting for taste, of course.

Quote from STROBE :

...and send you an extra fine for having a non-standard numberplate, I suspect.

But let me get this straight... you want to tart up a Proton Wira?

I'd have thought the obvious course of action was to spend as little as possible on it, in order to save up for something you'd want to be seen in.

It's my Mum's old car and i'm getting it for free (or for £300, but then my Dad has "kept" that money from me and will spend it for me so in effect it wont cost me anything) with insurance paid for.

I knew they were popular in Malaysia, but i never realised they were that popular!