Installing body kits

[Nerraux]

Okay, so I totally want to put a body kit on my car <<drooling over the Genius Lip Kit>> and I think I can put together the cash to buy it. However, as someone who is chronically poor and who has a kid due in a month or so, I'm balking a bit at the idea of doubling the price to have a shop install it.

What I'm wondering is, how hard is it really to self install? I've never actually looked at how things are connected under there, but in my imagination I have trouble picturing it being anything harder than a couple screws and clips. Have any of you done installs yourself? Was it hard? Does it require any super-hard-to-get/mad-expensive tools?

Also, for those with kits installed, did it do anything major to hurt gas mileage? I have to think there's extra drag, but I don't know if it would be enough to kill the economy.

I'd like any advice you can give. I'm sorry if this is rehashing an old topic. I ran a search and didn't find anything similar.

Thanks!

[sed]

Lips kits are nothing more than screws and bondo if you want a permananet attachement. Really simple.

and a lip kit isn't going to reduce your gas mileage....

shawn :)

[Nerraux]

Cool. And what if I was to go with the Genius full kit
http://www.evofusionusa.com/TeamSR/Hyundai/01elantra-geniuskit.html

or the R34 kit
http://www.evofusionusa.com/TeamSR/Hyundai/01elantra-r34kit.html

?


Also, does anyone know where I can get the spoiler they use in this pic?
http://tinyurl.com/3k2m4

[sed]

thats a tad more involved. You have to remove the front and rear bumper, (about 20 minutes each)

You also have to drill the kit and will most likely have to shave the kit a bit to fit 100% correctly. But its definitley something you can do with another pair of hands and some decent planning beforehand.

[Nerraux]

Do instructions come with the kit? (I assume so) Is there someplace online I can go to see them in advance? (I haven't been able to locate anything) I'd just like to see where the screws and clips are before I order and jump it.

Thanks, Sed, btw. You've been very helpful. I just want to make sure this doesn't end up looking like a stereotypical Puerto Rican Civic.

[sed]

FRONT BUMPER:

Disconnect the leads to the turn signals and head lamps.

Remove the turn signals and head lamps.

http://www.hmaservice.com/xml/graphics/ES/ESKA005A.gif

Remove the screws holding the bumper cover.
http://www.hmaservice.com/xml/graphics/ES/ESKA005B.gif

http://www.hmaservice.com/xml/graphics/ES/ESKA005C.gif

Raise the vehicle, then remove the screws holding the bumper cover.

http://www.hmaservice.com/xml/graphics/ES/ESKA005D.gif
http://www.hmaservice.com/xml/graphics/ES/ESKA005E.gif

Remove the front bumper cover

http://www.hmaservice.com/xml/graphics/ES/ESKA005F.gif


REAR BUMPER

Remove the nuts holding the rear combination lamps and then remove the rear combination lamps.

http://www.hmaservice.com/xml/graphics/ES/ESKA001B.gif

Remove the rear wheel guards.

http://www.hmaservice.com/xml/graphics/ES/ESKA001D.gif

Remove the tapping screws and retainers holding the rear bumper cover.

http://www.hmaservice.com/xml/graphics/ES/ESKA001E.gif

Raise the vehicle, then remove the screws holding the bumper cover.
Remove the rear bumper cover and the energy absorber.

http://www.hmaservice.com/xml/graphics/ES/ESKA001F.gif

[Nerraux]

You are the best, man. Thanks!

[sed]

here to help

shawn :)

[mrhoaf]

keep in mind that kits usually don't come pre-painted... You'll have to have a local place to that for you....

[SuperGLS]

Right, installing a lip kit is a piece of cake. Mine was held on with screws, bolts, and some glue stuff. Didn't hurt my gas mileage at all. Any quality ones will fit without any trouble. Many of the full body kits have had minor fitment problems that you might have to be fixed by a shop.

[Nerraux]

keep in mind that kits usually don't come pre-painted... You'll have to have a local place to that for you....

Yeah, I've kept that in mind and I'm not so worried about it. Like I said, I just don't want to double the price with an install that I can do myself in a weekend.

[mtlelantra]

Also, does anyone know where I can get the spoiler they use in this pic?
http://tinyurl.com/3k2m4

That sorta looks like the newer 3-door Accent GSi spoiler retrofit onto the elantra.... interesting...

well, maybe not... similar, but bigger at the center...
http://www.hyundaicanada.com/HYUNDAI/Pages/images/thumbnails/Rear%20Spoiler%20-%203%20Dr%20-%20cut%20-%20Accent.jpg

[hyunelan2]

That is an Elantra Specific Spoiler. It was made by Hyundai and put out on a limited number of Elantras before they changed to the other type. I think a lot of the early Canadian models ahd that spoiler. I've seen it for sale, but don't remember where. i'll try to find it.

[SuperGLS]

Oh, right, Mike is right. That's the Canadian spoiler, I've seen it for sale on eBay a couple times.

[james65]

here's the spoiler you're looking for.
http://www.autodirectsave.com/WingRyderSearchDetail.asp?Recordset33_Action=Filte r%28%22Make+%3D+%2715%27%22%29&Recordset33_Position=PAR:

[Nerraux]

here's the spoiler you're looking for.
http://www.autodirectsave.com/WingRyderSearchDetail.asp?Recordset33_Action=Filte r%28%22Make+%3D+%2715%27%22%29&Recordset33_Position=PAR:
Dude! You are the cat's gnads! Thanks!

[OPZ]

that makes me wonder if my elantra has one of those "elantra specific" ones, because I have not seen ONE other elantra with the same spoiler as mine...