I saw this write up: http://maxima.cardomain.com/ride/158868/7 and then I searched, but got this: Fatal error: Allowed memory size of 33554432 bytes exhausted at (null):0 (tried to allocate 35 bytes) in /home/httpd/vhosts/forums.maxima.org/httpdocs/search.php on line 1045

So, did you fully prep the pieces as mentioned in Stillen's instructions or did you just have the body shop do it all before they painted?

Did everyone use the rivets? If so, on which parts?
In the write up shown above, he used rivets on the side skirts for a tight fit, but I'd rather not drill holes into metal because of rust issues.

I'm going to test fit everything today. BTW, I have the ABS front, which I bought used and prepainted and the rest is Stillen.

Any suggestions/tips or comments about the write up?

Thanks

 

Bump. Anyone?

 

I mostly used 3m double sided tape for kit,and just put a screw at the end of each lip. As well with the side skirt since their was the factory skirt on it was already pre-drilled. Stillen makes the kit so snug on our cars u really don't need a lot of screws to hold it in.

 

I used screws and tossed the rivets... used 3M also...... it is a simple job.

 

Ok cool. No rivets for me then. What about the tape that Stillen provided? Should I use that or just toss it and buy some 3M?

And did you guys prep the urethane yourself, or have the body shop do it?

 

I had the body shop prep it. My dad is friends with the guy, so they are doing everything next to nothing. So why the hell not, let them do everything. Then they are installing it, but I have no idea what they are using. It is going on this week hopefully and then I will let you know, what they did.

 

get the 3M double side tape and take it to a shop.......unless you know how to prep it...

 

Well, I just followed the instructions and scrubbed the pieces with Ajax and hot water 2 times. I plan to take it to the body shop and have them do their own prep and paint, then I will pick up the parts and install myself.

 

Anything you want to share with us, Jason?

 

I had a dealer install and paint mine for $210... Well worth it to me. If anything goes wrong... It is the dealers problem not mine.

 

that's probably what I'm going to do too

 

All that for just $210?? Wow, how did it turn out?

Oh yeah Tim, I got the kit BTW. hehe

 

Should have been more clear... I had my Stillen LIP installed and painted for $210... It is one of the most expensive places around, but they do great work.

The lip came out great and I have a lifetime warranty on the paint. A full kit would be more but I don't think it would be that much just to have them install it since they are already painting it...

Pic of painted and installed lip:

 

I prepped the kit by sanding inside the lip where the 3M tape will go and cleaned both that area and the bumpers with alcohol. I then used strips of 3M tape and also used rivets for the rear and sides, just for the added security. For the front, I used screws just in case I need to remove the lip in the future.

Also, definately get some 3M tape. The tape that stillen provides kept falling off for me.

 

Upstatemax, I thought you got the whole kit installed for $210. Silly me...

BTW, I love how the front of your car looks now. It looks like the Maxx tuning lip though. You mentioned it's made by Stillen, but I can't find it on their site. They only have the Classic and Touring, none of which looks the same. What is the model name for it?

 

If you have an 02-03 you cannot get the Stillen Aero lip. They only make them for 00-01 Maximas.

 

Wow, that looks really good upstatemax. MY front is ABS though.

 

Where did you put the rivets? The same places as shown in the writeup?

 

For the rears, yes. Although I used 3 rivets on each side instead of 2. For the sides, I only used rivets in the wheels wells, 2 per side per end (2 front, 2 rear).

 

damn thats crazy

 

Oh okay. I was thinking use used the rivets along the center part of each piece. In that case, I think I'll just use screws.

 

The only reason why I used rivets, they hold stronger. If you tigheten to much, you run the risk of stripping the screws or the screws backing off. Rivets just seem stronger to me.

 

Neat. Lemme know if you need any help...I wanna see it!

 

Ok I think the painting is gonna kill me. I just got a quote from Suburban in N. Olmsted and it was alot more than I was expecting, but I know they do good work.
He looked at the pieces and saw some small pin holes and he said they would need fill those and sand and bake it to make sure the primer doesn't lift. He said they have painted some Stillen wings for people before and it's very labor intensive to do urethane.

Body labor 4.5 hrs @ $40/hr = 180.00
Paint labor 7.2 hrs @ $40/hr = 288.00
Paint supplies 7.2 @ $24/hr = 172.80

= 640.80 @ 7.5% tax= $688.86!

I had to take off work early to get there and I'm sure every other place is closed now. I might have take off a whole day next week just to run around and get quotes from other places.

 

Suburban is a bunch of d1cks, but they do good work and a lot of it.
The only other place I know offhand is:
North Olmsted Collision Center
28415 Lorain Rd., North Olmsted, OH 44070
Tel. 440-734-1700

Good luck!

 

Yeah, I stopped there right after I left Suburban, and it was 5:27 and the sign says they close at 5:30...the door was WTF

 

out of curiosity, why is he charging the paint supplies by the hour?

 

Not sure.

 

That sounds high...

I would drop by a few other places. The dealer I took mine to told me Stillen made good parts that are easy to deal with and they never need extra work...

And my lip came out flawless.

 

Yup. my bodyshop had to redo my front bumper like 2-3 times to get it right. its because of those small pits in the bumper surface.

but either way im sponsored by them

 

Well he DID say that for the most part, Stillen makes good parts. Just gotta look for the minor defects. I'll go out on Saturday and see what shops are open for estimates.

I'm thinking that I should've gotten the Stillen front too, instead of buying that used ABS one. Especially since they were running the 20% sale when I ordered from Kenny. Oh well, I'll live with the ABS one for now, and keep my eyes on the classifieds.

 

~$600 seems right. Thats what I paid for paint on my kit.

 

But my estimate is closer to $700, and that's just the rear and sides.

 

Took the day off work and when to a place I found in the yellow pages. Damage, Inc. on Brookpark Rd. in Cleveland. Seems like a good place. They have all these certifications and stuff from Sherwin Williams, A1 something or other. Looks like alot of the Browns players have gotten their rides "pimped" there.

The owner came out and looked at my kit in the trunk and said it would be about $600 to paint. I then asked him for a written estimate, so we went inside and after going through his computer, it came out to be around $800. He said since he told me $600 just a few mins ago, he would charge me that if I made my payment in ca$h.

It should be done by Friday he said. So, I'll ask my boss if I can leave work a little early to make it to the shop in time to pick it up if it's done.

I feel better now.

 

Cool, I'd like to see how it turns out.

 

I may need some assistance when installing.

 

I picked up my parts yesterday. He finished them early.

They came out really good except for some places on the front and rear and one side skirt, where clear coat drips ran down. The back is fine, because it's in the cut out slits and you can't notice it unless it's sunny out and you lay on the ground to look, but the front is a little more noticeable, but not too much. It's on the "shelf" area on the driver's side.
The part on the side skirt will be hidden when the door is closed, no biggie.

I didn't notice these areas until I got the parts home and looked at them closely. I guess they maybe rushed the paint job and didn't take their time with the clear. Before I left, he said that I could bring the car to him after I got it installed, and they would wet sand some imperfections out for me for no charge. He said I could drop it off for an hour and he would give me a free rental if i needed it. You think they would wet sand out the clear coat drippings?

I'd like to tell him to repaint or fix those areas, but since I'm working an hour away from that place, it would be a big headache to go through that again. Plus, I'd really like to install these this Labor Day weekend. Like I said though, everything came out great except the minor stuff. Makes me want to get my whole car repainted. hehe

 

I got my ABS rear painted for $40, paint looks great (pearl white too) but I installed myself, and the drivers side bottom corner bulges down when I press the drivers side in to match the passenger side.
So I just left it with one screw in the drivers side so it flares out a little more, but no buldge.
Thats what I get for buying crappy ABS

 

I decided that the paint job is fine. Coolmax helped me install the front lip on Saturday. Looks great. Can't even see the clear coat drippings when it's on the car.

Just got the sides and rear left to do tomorrow.

The hardest part is positioning the pieces right so that the holes you drill in the car and the part line up.
Any suggestions?

 

if i want to straightup buy this kit and have it done professionally painted and installed around how much can anyone see it costing. thanks