Want to mod my car, don't want to barry it.
Discussion
Lower it, de-badge it, change the wheels. All appear to be acceptable.
Do not add side skirts, front splitter or rear spoiler that appear to be over done, this will lead to being a Barry Boy.
There is no guarantee that any of this is true, just what I have gleaned from various threads.
Do not add side skirts, front splitter or rear spoiler that appear to be over done, this will lead to being a Barry Boy.
There is no guarantee that any of this is true, just what I have gleaned from various threads.
I was a Focus modifier many years ago. Some of it tasteful, some not so!
ST170 wheels always look good, and perhaps smoked rear lights and side repeaters. Front grille is easy to swap out for a metal one, but only looks good if you get a matching lower grille. Focus RS rear spoiler looks good without being too big.
I'd probably leave it at that.
ST170 wheels always look good, and perhaps smoked rear lights and side repeaters. Front grille is easy to swap out for a metal one, but only looks good if you get a matching lower grille. Focus RS rear spoiler looks good without being too big.
I'd probably leave it at that.
backwoodsman said:
I have an 02 plate 1.6 Focus.
I would like to mod it to stand out a bit.
But want to avoid something that looks like it should be on barry boys.
Anyone have any tasteful ideas?
Let the mocking begin.
The best way you can make it stand out is to keep it clean and in good order. Then people will say "hey that 12 year old focus is in good nick", rather than "look at that sad wI would like to mod it to stand out a bit.
But want to avoid something that looks like it should be on barry boys.
Anyone have any tasteful ideas?
Let the mocking begin.
ker modding his 12 year old stbox".You may not want to hear it, but it's true.
i see the haters having a go - if you drove an Audi S3 or a Megane R26R or a 335d youd be getting all kinds of advice. anyways, my advice, keep it restrained. no silly vinyl wraps or stripes or huge winged spoilers. i think wheels are the main thing to look at. maybe a set of RS focus (check they wont stick out of the std arches) or ST170 alloys - failing that (not sure what focus you have) maybe a set of the 16" alloys of the Zetec 2.0ESP?
a set of front brakes off the ST170 would also be a nice touch and good strong brakes can be worth 20bhp in anyones book.
engine wise maybe the usual exhaust and filter?
a set of front brakes off the ST170 would also be a nice touch and good strong brakes can be worth 20bhp in anyones book.
engine wise maybe the usual exhaust and filter?
RobGT81 said:
Buy some decent suspension and engine bits instead of neon lights and wide arch kits.
Some decent lowering spring (from a company people have heard of eg. Eibach), some different wheels (not too big - perhaps just some from a sportier model eg. the ST170 ones mentioned above) and some good tyres will improve the car.Not too expensive, won't look ridiculous and hopefully you can only tell it is modified if you park it next to a standard car.
I was thinking about...
De badge it.
Change the wheels.
Mild tint on windows, should help protect the kids from the sun too.
Possible change the grill.
Uprated discs and calipers.
Most of which have been mentioned above.
I knew there would be some haters, but I like my car, I just want too put a little personal touch on it.
De badge it.
Change the wheels.
Mild tint on windows, should help protect the kids from the sun too.
Possible change the grill.
Uprated discs and calipers.
Most of which have been mentioned above.
I knew there would be some haters, but I like my car, I just want too put a little personal touch on it.
Truckosaurus said:
Some decent lowering spring (from a company people have heard of eg. Eibach), some different wheels (not too big - perhaps just some from a sportier model eg. the ST170 ones mentioned above) and some good tyres will improve the car.
Not too expensive, won't look ridiculous and hopefully you can only tell it is modified if you park it next to a standard car.
Now that's the sort of thing I'm after.Not too expensive, won't look ridiculous and hopefully you can only tell it is modified if you park it next to a standard car.
As above try and keep the mods to OEM upgrades from the ST/RS models. anything that modernises the look rather than chavving it up. Didnt those things have a mid life facelift? check to see if there are any differences between yours and say an 04 plate, then go part hunting for bits.
When i had my mk1 peugeot 307 (great car, shut your noise!) I pulled the interior out of a wrecked mk2 and for the princly sum of 280 quid I had leather seats, door cards, new stereo and dials. Also pulled the newer style rear lamps and swapped them over. The one change that was a bit too much looking back was a shark fin aerial from a BMW stuck on the roof instead of a normal one.
When i had my mk1 peugeot 307 (great car, shut your noise!) I pulled the interior out of a wrecked mk2 and for the princly sum of 280 quid I had leather seats, door cards, new stereo and dials. Also pulled the newer style rear lamps and swapped them over. The one change that was a bit too much looking back was a shark fin aerial from a BMW stuck on the roof instead of a normal one.
As others have said: leave it totally standard, look after it well and save the money for something tasty that will stand out on its own merits. If you modify an old focus 1.6 it will instantly devalue it, it'll look tragic and you'll almost certainly make it worse to drive too. A 2002 Focus petrol is a perfectly nice car as it is but the only way it will ever 'stand out' is by people thinking "Look at that plonker/chav/17yr old".
Personally I'm not a fan of lowered cars but if you're going to do it don't go so low that you can't manage speed humps.
Discs and calipers, can often use parts from higher spec cars rather than buying new, bear in mind you might need bigger wheels to fit them in.
Bigger wheels means lower sidewalls so harsher ride, more expensive tyres, more likely to damage them on potholes, and if you go wider you could find it tramlines a bit.
It's a pretty common engine so there must be loads of mods for it.
Keep an eye on insurance, I knew someone years ago a did a load of engine and brake mods to a Nova without it increasing the insurance much, but as soon as she looked at adding bodykit it made a big difference.
Alternatively total up the cost of all the mods you're thinking of doing, add it to the money you get for selling the car and buy another one with a bigger engine, better brakes, etc.
Discs and calipers, can often use parts from higher spec cars rather than buying new, bear in mind you might need bigger wheels to fit them in.
Bigger wheels means lower sidewalls so harsher ride, more expensive tyres, more likely to damage them on potholes, and if you go wider you could find it tramlines a bit.
It's a pretty common engine so there must be loads of mods for it.
Keep an eye on insurance, I knew someone years ago a did a load of engine and brake mods to a Nova without it increasing the insurance much, but as soon as she looked at adding bodykit it made a big difference.
Alternatively total up the cost of all the mods you're thinking of doing, add it to the money you get for selling the car and buy another one with a bigger engine, better brakes, etc.
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