Brand new here

[OMGWTFHAX]

Hey everyone I just picked up a black on black '08 MS3. I love t, Im excited about it, and I guess Im glad I found a board with other MS3 owners.

Only pic I have of it right now (taken via blackberry):

So stock it hurts.

 

[DaleNixon]

Even stock this car's a damn beast. Welcome to the forums!

 

[CWPspeed3]

Damn your phone takes good pictures. Welcome and hopefully you dont have to suffer from being stock long.

 

[mckraut]

Damn your phone takes good pictures. Welcome and hopefully you dont have to suffer from being stock long.

Agreed. I thought my Tilt took pretty good pictures at 3MP. Welcome to the boards OP.

 

[OMGWTFHAX]

Thanks guys. I just got back from a two year tour in Japan so I was kind of clueless on what cars to get. Im glad I ended up getting this.

I really dont know where to go from here with it. I figure this next pay day Ill see about getting a window tint, then Ill start looking at a CAI just to get started. Should I get a turbo timer? This is the first turbo vehicle Ive owned and I know all my friends in Japan had turbo timers for their subarus, supras, skylines etc...

I guess what I want to know is if you had to start fresh, what modifications would you guys go with first and why? Im trying to keep the driveability good and dont want to do anything drastic to it as its a brand new engine and I dont want to explode it.

 

[DaleNixon]

1. Tint (especially if you live in a hot climate)
2. Audio upgrade (especially if it's a Sport model)
3. Remove your side moldings!
4. Enjoy the car in stock form... start the engine mods once you get used to it.

 

[OMGWTFHAX]

1. Tint (especially if you live in a hot climate)
2. Audio upgrade (especially if it's a Sport model)
3. Remove your side moldings!
4. Enjoy the car in stock form... start the engine mods once you get used to it.

Remove the side moldings? Do you have any pictures of a MS3 without them?

Tint is coming. Im debating 5%, but I probably wont get that dark.

 

[DaleNixon]

BEFORE:

AFTER:

 

[OMGWTFHAX]

Oh ok I was thinking of something different. Thats clean, and something Im going to be doing very soon. Do you just heat gun them and they come off or whats the deal? Are they screwed in and will I have to fill the holes?

 

[DaleNixon]

Watch the youtube video in this post of mine from another thread:

It was dead simple on a hot humid day in southern Louisiana. I got it started with fishing line then just pulled it off with my hands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPKJuN4t8W0

It's really that easy.

 

[OMGWTFHAX]

Watch the youtube video in this post of mine from another thread:

Epic.

 

[DaleNixon]

Hehe yea. It's not my video, but it's the one that gave me the courage to try it myself.

 

[LuckyKelleyK]

DaleNixon, what % tint do you have on the front and back?

 

[DaleNixon]

Edit:

LRS 32.361.1 states that the legal limits of the sun screening device (window tint) on a passenger car are light transmissions of 40% for the front side windows, 25% for the rear side windows and 12% for the rear windshield.

They did ask if I wanted 12% in the very back window triangle pieces but I went with 25% to match the rear side windows.

So it's 40% front, 25% rear side, and 12% rear windshield.

 

[LuckyKelleyK]

Edit:



They did ask if I wanted 12% in the very back window triangle pieces but I went with 25% to match the rear side windows.

So it's 40% front, 25% rear side, and 12% rear windshield.

Thanks! It looks good! I am trying to figure out what I am going to do. In California you aren't supposed to go darker than 70% (on the front windows), but I was thinking of doing 35% and 20%, or 35% and 15%. Hmmmm
(P.S. not trying to hijack the thread, sorry!)

 

[OMGWTFHAX]

Thanks! It looks good! I am trying to figure out what I am going to do. In California you aren't supposed to go darker than 70% (on the front windows), but I was thinking of doing 35% and 20%, or 35% and 15%. Hmmmm
(P.S. not trying to hijack the thread, sorry!)

Hijack away, Im taking all this in and considering it all.

 

[DaleNixon]

I recommend just going legal limit for whatever state you live in.

70% for California? Damn!

Here in Louisiana we have people who probably have 5% on the damn front windshield. When I got my last inspection sticker all they asked about tint is "is that tint legal?" I told them yes and they slapped on a sticker and I was done.

 

[LuckyKelleyK]

I recommend just going legal limit for whatever state you live in.

70% for California? Damn!

Here in Louisiana we have people who probably have 5% on the damn front windshield. When I got my last inspection sticker all they asked about tint is "is that tint legal?" I told them yes and they slapped on a sticker and I was done.

Well they aren't picky about it, as long as they can see you through the window. Although, if you do get pulled over for speeding you are likely to get a fix-it ticket for your tint. If the cop is a jerk, he will throw the front license plate on there too! I got pulled over in my stock honda civic once just because I didn't have a front license plate (jerkit).

 

[micronesia]

How agreed upon is it that the car is better without the side moldings?

 

[phillyb]

70% in the front...anything for the rear in california.
welcome op