Gradual improvements

[mistermoo]

Hey.

Would like some ideas on how i can make the improvements I'm looking to do without blowing a non existing budget.
I'm almost a full time carer for my son and only work a few hours per week. So I know it won't happen overnight.
Not long had my 2003 A4 Avant B6 but love it already. I've spent around £500 since my purchase just to make sure everything continues to run as smooth as poss. The car has had a service, 2 new tyres, thermostat, and a few little things that needed sorting.
Things I want to do are as follows:
Lower the car and maybe get some bigger shoes. Are lowering springs a good thing or am I best waiting till I can afford some coil overs, where is a good place or maybe 2nd hand?
I'd like to change the look of the headlights as in making them brighter/whiter, again do i have to go HID or is there an alternative.
I believe in the near future, discs and pads need replacing.
I don't want upgraded parts to interfere with anything on the car that might make a warning light come on here n there if I can.
Thats pretty much all I want to do for now really.
Any ideas and direction would be much appreciated.

 

[Paul_TDi]

Congrats on your purchase, you've done pretty much what my car needed as soon as I bought it, these ****** sellers not bothering to change a 10 quid stat!

As for lowering I'm no expert having sport suspension myself I'll be changing the front spring perches to ones from the A4 B5 model and that will give me the wanted lowering. I think there was a recent thread called "how does your ride sit" have a nosey on there for pictures and then most have listed there set up too.

Now lighting I can help with, if you look on the first/second page of my build I did a HID install. But unless your incredibly lucky this will kick up an ABS warning light. So would need the N/S earth relocating and or the HID ballast cables wrapped in kitchen foil, bizarre I know but works!

Of course the other option is to go for performance standard bulbs like the OSRAM Nightbreakers, which could be an improvement over whatever the previous owner has chucked in.

 

[mistermoo]

Thanks for that. I like the idea of Hids and i saw your install, but to be honest I am absolutely at most diy jobs. I might try the bulbs first and see how they go.. Thanks for the help n advise.

 

[mattyb6]

Night breakers are brilliant and I've had hids also

I prefer the osram bulbs

 

[Ro55]

Have a scroll through some posts on members progress threads,i got alot of idears from them,and 9/10 the parts used are priced with links ect to them...Good Luck and keep us posted!!!

 

[mistermoo]

Thank you for your comment & advice. I'd love to post a process thread, but it would be extremely slow...lol but all good things!!

 

[Ro55]

Progress is progress,keep us updated get some pics up!!! we all love pictures

 

[hooblah]

Hey Mistermoo, I can sort you out with brand new Vogtland coilovers for £520. These are rebranded KW V1's so they're pretty damn good! Send me a pm if you're interested

 

[mistermoo]

No thanks

 

[sumo]

Get your self some vinyl wrap and do some of the interior trims with it,its very cheep and makes a big difference inside.all you need is a hair dryer and some time.

 

[mistermoo]

Thanks Sumo, I have seen others do this, but in all honesty I quite like the trim I have, at least for now, I might be tempted by doing the gear stick surround with carbon or similar but other than that I'm ok with it.
Goin to be looking at number plate lights tomorrow as 1 light doesn't work and it isn't the bulb, Ive a feeling I need to buy a new housing due to possible corrosion.

 

[Welshquattro]

Congrats on ur new car.If ur careful you shouldn't need another housing,just the light unit. The screws are made of chocolate or something close to it as they are easy to make a mess of. When you get them out replace with cap head stainless ones. If you have to break the light units to get them out you can replace them with LED ones. Lower springs are popular,eibach or H&R are good choices.

 

[mistermoo]

Thanks. I've actually managed to extract said chocco screws, not sure how I would know if it is the light unit at fault or in fact it is the housing?

 

[Welshquattro]

On mine the light unit contacts had rusted so I changed them for LED ones. Are they rusted?

 

[mistermoo]

No they don't seem to be. Going to check to make sure power getting to housing and take it from there. All this is so I can put in LEDs, where did you purchase yours from, are they ok, are they error free?
Thx

 

[Wu11ie]

Congrats on the car

I had similar problems with my number plate lights although mine literally fell to bits when I took them out. I just binned them and used an LED strip wired to the original connection, works a treat and looks good too

 

[mistermoo]

My 1st cheeky little mod today.

From this, looking dull as dishwater

To this, bright as a button!!

1 fit like a glove, the other not as well, but hopefully modified on a permanent level.

Got a feeling if I drop something out of the boot at night, I'm not going to have trouble finding it!!

 

[Welshquattro]

Well done and they look good.The lights are handed,left and right. Most led ones are all the same side so you have to mod one. What are you planning to do next?

 

[mistermoo]

Thanks
They did come with a L & R on them, and my perception was as you look at the back of the car left is as you look at it but they wouldn't work that way round so had to swap them over and they worked straight away!!

I think the next step I think is to just upgrade the front light bulbs, side and dipped. Been in touch with the guy on here so hopefully not too long.

In the meantime I've bought some of that G3 scratch remover, so would like to give that a go, as there are quite a few scratches on the car, no point buying expensive upgrades if the car looks poor visually..