I know the easy answer is none or just whatever to keep it running, but that's no fun 
So what even if just small stuff does everyone do to their DDs?
I know the easy answer is none or just whatever to keep it running, but that's no fun So what even if just small stuff does everyone do to their DDs?
Here is my situation, I got a free 95 Camry wagon from a family member that was supposed to drive it again after I fixed some of it's issues. Instead of coming to get it they gave it to me. Even though my first instinct is to sell it for a quick $1500, I have the over whelming urge to keep it and lightly mod it. Maybe use it for a taxi for VIP customers or a winter car, or road trip car? I can't decide but in the mean time I am thinking of what the first mods are going to be. Right now I am thinking about summer tires on wider wheels (maybe crown vic steelies),CAI from PVC, window tints, rustolem black paint, HID's with projector retrofit (fogs or headlights, and some coroplast aero mods.
remove rear view mirror... I like to beable to see airplanes.. (ok they just always seem to fall off all my cars) - I would say tires at the least - I am picky about my tires and that normally leads to wheels.. then i start removing stuff I don't think I need and always my DD turns into a track car and I need a new DD
In reply to jere:
You're going to want some aggressive snow tires.
Because you're going to rallycross that motherberkeleyer.
My current and last two DD's have remained bone stock.
Granted the current one is a pickup. (last two Speed 3 and 350Z).
Shocks/struts, sways, tires, bushings.
Some way to connect to my iPod, even if that's just a tape adapter. Otherwise, they all get modified in different ways. The one thing that has not remained stock on any of my vehicles is lighting, though. They've all got either uprated headlights or auxiliary lights.
I'm surprised how much it's bugging me to leave the WRX stock. But it's absolutely off the table for resale reasons.
For pretty much any car where it's viable, I want to move away from the undersprung/underdamped stock arrangement. Everything feels too soft and floaty to me stock. For a cheap Camry, cut coils (with a bit of math to make sure the rate changes are sane and within reason with regard to F/R rate changes) and KYBs would be a reasonable answer.
Or maybe check out Mazdeuce's experiments with coil separating blocks.
Of course, firmer suspension isn't the first thing I think of when I think "VIP Customer Taxi"...
And I hate window tinting, but to each his own.
Other than going through the car and replacing worn stuff (bushings, brakes, fluids) I think tires and shocks are where it's at. Those two things are the two single best upgrades for a DD and even more so on an older DD where they are bad. I wouldn't do anything other than tune up stuff and spending a whole day cleaning under the hood for the engine. It's amazing how much nicer it is to own a car if it's clean, not to mention all of the stuff you find that needs fixing when you really clean everything.
Wheels and tires. Maybe a little flavor in the brightwork ( a small pinstripe, a painted badge...) and that's about it. The rest follows the cars personality. IE the MINI has remained mostly stock, and the ms3... well there's still some factory rear endlinks in it....
usually a secondary set of snow tires, and then sound system upgrades (minimum radio aux. input).
Though my current DD ended up with Koni coilovers, wheel spacers, upgraded summer tires, chip, rear sway bar... I keep finding cheap parts used that are hard to turn down. It's hard to leave anything completely alone.
Fix what's broken. Then:
After that I'm usually good for awhile.
First thing I usually do it stereo. Dunno why, but that's usually the first mod. Next, if we're talking about all my cars, would be engine swap... LOL
Spinners.
p.s. once again someone's avatar makes me happy Adblock exists.
Mods for my daily drivers usually include getting it running.
A big cam and/or port. Nothing more annoying than a car that just sits there and idles dead smooth like a blender. It muct be raucous, somewhat angry sounding, and it should also be kinda lumpy to drive in the low load part of the curve.
Still looking for good 10v Audi cams, everything for them is wussburger
I always start with wheels and tires. Then from there I either go with performance stuff or the bling factor depending on the vehicle.
In reply to mguar:
I can't stand most vehicles when they're stock, even to DD. I replace worn out stuff with nice parts when they wear out, but never before that. If my daily makes me fall asleep on the way to work and I crash it, it's because it doesn't have soul. Mods keep me happy with a daily longer, so I keep the daily longer.
The ONLY reason we still have the Astra is that it's financed. It's bored me far more than anything else I've owned. If we didn't have a payment to make on it, that car would have Koni Yellows and a second set of wheels with autocross tires.
If I can't have fun with it, I'd rather ride my bike, which I do consider to be pretty fun.
I've never had a dedicated DD (unless you count that Daewoo E36 M3box I hated), but it depends on what the car already has - I'm thinking control mods and maybe some tint. Only thing that's certain is I'd change the tires, only supercars come with good tires.
Louder exhaust (but not so loud as to be annoying), tint, if it doesn't have good seats, then change seats (need to do this to the Civic), tires, springs, shocks and swaybars (next on the list for the Civic), audio system (need to redo the sub box and get a decent sub for mine as well).
ShadowSix wrote: In reply to jere: You're going to want some aggressive snow tires. Because you're going to rallycross that motherberkeleyer.
This plus a million. You can polish a turd but it is still going to be a Camry. At least if you rallycross it you can have fun with it.
Springs/struts. If I want to float, I'll buy another boat.
Another vote for stereo. This is your daily driver right? You gotta have some tunes while you are driving.
All our DD's are and have been older and bought used, so the stereo sucks. My wife's Excursion came with a 6-disc CD changer in the center console. Tore that antique out and put in a modern aftermarket deck. Now it has the equivalent of 200+ discs on a thumb drive the size of, well, a thumb.
I have a cheap but effective cell phone holder that clips onto the AC vent. I have used the same holder in 3 daily drivers over the past 5 1/2 years.
jrw1621 wrote: I have a cheap but effective cell phone holder that clips onto the AC vent. I have used the same holder in 3 daily drivers over the past 5 1/2 years.
dude, send a link, I've bought two or three useless ones!
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