Slowly working on adding things to the car. My wife isn’t too thrilled about me going all out—she prefers it looking more original rather than fully decked out with my ideas .
So far, I’ve done 35% ceramic tint on all the side and back windows (lets in 65% of the light). Supposedly, this is “legal” in California, but honestly, it might just be a marketing trick to sell more tints. I skipped tinting the front windshield because I actually like being able to see at night .
Thule’s site lists it for $509.90, but I got everything for $383.39! Sure, you might find it used for less, but if you want new and don’t want to overpay, this is a solid option.
What’s next?
Find a low-profile cargo box or basket. My garage has pretty tight clearance, so anything too tall is a no-go.
Install a hitch for bike transport. Still debating if I should do it myself or just hit up U-Haul. I might also grab a new hanging hitch bike rack since my current $70 one doesn’t stick out far enough, and the bikes end up scratching the car.
Got any other ideas for upgrades? Let me know!
Oh, and if you’re in LA and see this car driving around—that’s me .
Looks great! I have a similar setup but mine’s in Hampton Gray. I’ve got the Thule Wingbar Evo, tint, and had U-Haul install the hitch (no wiring). I also have canvasback liners for the back, but my dog tends to slide around on them. They look good though! I removed the Santa Fe badge and blacked out the logos. Got a Thule Force XT cargo box for the roof and a rear hitch cargo carrier for trips.
I’m thinking about blacking out the metal strip around the bottom and maybe swapping rims or powder-coating them black.
@Cleo
With the box on, it’s definitely taller, so it doesn’t fit in my garage. I usually only use it for road trips or snowboarding. It even scrapes the top of my work’s parking structure.
Whitney said: @Cleo
With the box on, it’s definitely taller, so it doesn’t fit in my garage. I usually only use it for road trips or snowboarding. It even scrapes the top of my work’s parking structure.
That’s good to know… guess I’ll hold off on getting a cargo box until I move somewhere with more storage space. Thanks for the tips!
I wrote an Amazon review for those visors you mentioned. They’re great, fit really well, and are totally worth the price. For the hitch, I’d recommend going with the OEM hitch and cover. You can install it yourself and save some money.
For 35% tint, that means 35% of the light gets through. You could try 70% or 80% tint for the windshield if you’re in a really sunny area. It makes a big difference in keeping the car cool.
.
