Dudemaine

iTrader: (1)

I'd say vinyl it, it would look great with your tint (20%?) and a gloss black rear window spoiler

I see you also took off the dipped window trim, did you not like how it looked after a while too?

Ghozt told me he's had his window trim vinyl wrapped for 2+ years with no problems and he gets bad winters just like us

You could totally transform your car in one day by vinyl wrapping the roof and window trim gloss black

Tommy6905

Ya I took off the window trim because a random bubble started, so I popped it and made it look like crap so I pulled it off. Yes def for sure, playing around with vinyl is my next project. I've never used it before and I'm looking forward to it, I hate paying other people for services I know I can do myself...

MIA_SHIFT

Wrap it!

Tommy6905

Wrapping it is on my list of to dos, but my next thing is to paint the headlights. Just paint, no halos or running lights....I was going to try the halos but I decided I don't need all that

maxipad2011

I went with HappyBuyItNow and it fits/matches perfectly!

Tommy6905

Looks good maxipad

Tommy6905

Some current photos, few changes to the grill, painted calipers, added a subwoofer(will get a photo when I'm back at the car)



I think my next exterior mod will be painting the headlight housing when I get the guts to open them up, and still on the fence about dropping it, I think maybe when it comes time to replace suspension components is when I'll do it

VVhite-0ut

Car is looking good my white paint job friend lol. I'm in the same boat on lowering. I've been thinking about doing the handles white, but honestly looking at your pics, and as good as it did look, I think I like the chrome stand out. Weird I don't want chrome anywhere else but I like the handles and the back part over the plate. Eh...

Anyway I really wanted to ask, you painted your break pad? Not just the calipers? I stayed away...

New front paint looks good, how much gloss do you usually use?

And what percent tint is that?

Tommy6905

1. Yes but it wasn't intentional, it was my first time doing it and just didn't think to cover the pad area, doesn't bother me though

2. I think I did 3-4 coats of black, removing the tape on the edge every time before it dried, and then 3 coats of the gloss, I used the glossifier with the fade buster, been about 3 weeks and still nice and shiney

3. I went 20% on back, and 35% on the driver and passenger glass. IMO 35% is the way to go with these cars because the car comes with a slight solar tint from the factory making the 35% more like 30% when it's done

VVhite-0ut

Fade buster? Maybe that's what I'm missing... I used a can on two wheels so I could see the difference. And I can't. I don't care for the matte look I need a shine!

And I just noticed your window trim is black. Now THAT looks awesome. That's some of the chrome I wanna get rid of. Did you wrap? Dip? Paint?

Tommy6905

Yes fade buster, I don't know how new it is but it states that it does not fade like regular plasti dip. I tried regular glossifier over the black and it did indeed fade alittle, so far the new stuff is shining as when I sprayed it on. And window trim is also plasti dip with the glossifier on top. If u never used plasti dip it's pretty much idiot proof, but still need to prep the area, clean the area with alcohol, and mask whatever area you don't want to spray

Tommy6905

Eibachs installed, rims painted gloss black, front strut bar installed(no pic), and 2014 gunmetal grill installed with the chrome border painted gloss black

1996blackmax

iTrader: (2)

Looks great Tommy!

Dudemaine

iTrader: (1)

Well done, Tommy! Car is looking great, man.

Tommy6905

Thanks guys, I'm really happy with the way she looks now...I might do a few more minor mods, but as far as anything big, I tend to think less is more. I do like the stillen front lip a lot, but think it'll be a waste with the streets and winters here in boston....I may try out the diy Home Depot lip

05RLS2

White Maximas look so much better without the "Maxima" letters. I need to take them off of mine. I like the white on the rear chrome piece, looks much better

Blue Bomber

The painted door handles and rear trim look okay, but I like the original chrome better.

Tommy6905

Ya I was just trying it out, it looked ok but I went back to the chrome

Tommy6905

This is how my car looks today and how it will remain for the life of the car, I'm done with the plasti dip, etc....fresh out of the touch less wash to get all this salt off from these Boston roads, damn you winter. Vinyl wrapped door handles to match car, returned rims back to stock(so much better then black, gloss and or matte)...few months back put new rubber on(Bridgestone drive guard)2014 sport grill, bottom grill painted black to match, lowered on eibachs with racingline rear sway, few other here and there

JRod28

Looks great! I think the Maxima looks better with a rear spoiler because it emphasizes the car's big, rear shoulders even more...

Tommy6905

Thanks and i agree

klhaley25

Tommy, how hard was it for you to change out your front grill to the 2014 style? Did you have to remove the front bumper?

Tommy6905

No no very easy, open the hood and remove the plastic cover where the radiator is, then you can get access behind the grill, I use a flat head screwdriver and just slowly push the clips in while pulling on the front of the grill and working my way around... Just take your time so you don't break any clips you'll be good. Reinstalling the grill is simple just push it in and work around to push in the clips. I also lucked out and purchased the grill on eBay for $50 shipped, keep an eye out on there

klhaley25

Ok, good to hear! I've been wanting to buy one of the 2014 grills for awhile now but couldn't find anyone that had swapped it out, so I wasn't going to buy one if I had to remove the front bumper! And $50 is a great price for it! I'll keep an eye out on eBay and hopefully score a good deal like that.
Also, did you install the spoiler yourself? I'm about to purchase one if it's not too risky to mess something up doing it myself since I don't know how much a body shop would charge to install it and hook up the 3rd brake light.

Tommy6905

Yes I installed it myself, I was nervous doing it drilling holes into the trunk but it really wasn't that bad, the spoiler I ordered came with these tabs that go into the holes you'll be drilling. Once the tabs are in place you'll hold the spoiler in place and tape the tabs down. I did this by myself, but another person helping would be ideal for holding things etc. just take your time measuring things twice, cut once type of deal. For the 3rd brake I just ran a coat hanger from the rear deck pull the wire up and wire tapped into the existing third brake light wires. Pictures would've been helpful but i did this alone

Tommy6905

For anyone that might be interested, when I painted my rims a gloss black I made a bone head mistake of using legit paint over plasti dip hoping it would peel off like normal. The paint obviously overpowered the plasti dip because I couldn't get it off when I wanted to go back to stock, I was nervous I was going to have to use aircraft stripper or whatever it is and damage the factory wheel paint. I ended up using goof off, and I gotta say I am very impressed. Just sprayed the rim and watch the paint bubble off, still have to use a good amount of elbow grease but it made it a lot easier. And looking at the pics you can see the factory rims were not affected one bit. Goof off is a product id use again, however I would not use on the factory paint( read some bad things about that)

Snapper1978

Looks fantastic, I did the black plasti dip on my car and was worried about the handles and people fingers. Let me know how they hold up, I was thinking about just having them wrapped when I do the chrome around the windows but now you got me thinking I may be able to just dip them............

Tommy6905

The door handles are no longer dipped, I opted for vinyl this time around. The plasti dip did look good at first but over time it'll start to peel in some spots from use. So far so good with the vinyl

Tommy6905

Put a tablet in, if you wanna call it that. It's just some Velcro, call it ghetto or whatever but I don't want it permanent as I use it around the house as well. Installing it up top is definitely more clesner as I've had it that way in the past, here's an option for somone that doesn't want it permanentits actually pretty clean looking, doesn't look bad at all between the display and radio controls

Blue Bomber

If the chromed parts came body coloured everyone would want to have them chromed. LMAO

Tommy6905

Haha maybe true, I just think the door handles look very cheap with chrome

Tommy6905

Just pulled this thing out and replaced it with a fresh filter, first I don't think this has ever been replaced, the amount of soot and leaves and such was obsurd. Second if u got pretty big hands like myself prepare to get cut up and nicks, first time doing this, but if and when I do it again it'll be cake

Texakinz

Next time just remove the glove compartment and it makes it easy to remove and install. I change the cabin filter every year before summer.

Tommy6905

That's what I did, but it's still a very tight area to work in

Tommy6905

Vinyl wrapped the chrome on trunk, now should I remove the nissan burger or paint it black? The car is also filthy so the vinyl looks brighter then the car and yes that would be more snow in boston

Asav

iTrader: (1)

That looks good bro. PAint the burger black and leave it imho

Tommy6905

Thank you sir, That's what I'm leavin towards myself, you know what....I did say I was done with plasti dip but I think emblems are the exception. Next decent day I'll get it done

Tommy6905

BIGIRISHSTL

I love the chrome wrapped. Wish I could match gunmetal and slate gray on my Max's! Did you do yourself and what did you use?

Snapper1978

^^^^ your try hydro dipping? I think I may give it a shot and it is pretty easy and you can do a lot more colors.