The Caldina is looking good, will look even better once the new bumper is on.

I think wagons are my guilty pleasure, I tell people I don't like them but deep down I think I do. At any rate I'd get a wagon way before I got a sedan, SUV, van, crossover, etc...

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Having owned almost all car shape types (Coupe, Hatch, Sedan, SUV and Wagon), I have to say I like wagons the most. Easy to maneuver and park like a hatch back, but more space than a sedan. Next would have to be the SUV, not as much room as the wagon, but still more than a comparable sized hatch or sedan and the Tiguan is just like driving a slightly larger hatch lol.

This post has been edited by rentaspace: Apr 21, 2017 - 1:56 AM

Yesterday I finally got a chance to remove my stock bumper and install the TRD bumper. It looks way better than the stock one and also isn't cracked like the stock one is.
Stock:


The car looks sort of sad without a front bumper lol:


The bumper just after unwrapping from the "Genuine Kia Parts" bubble wrap.


First mount but no mounting screws installed:



Screws installed and number plates installed:


And finally, the final product:

Amazing how well that genuine KIA part fits.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Car-Motorcy...0608.0.0.pWxH6r needs some fog lights.

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Already have the stock ones ready to go just no time to install them.

So got time to tint the Foglights today. Not the best but first time I have tinted anything before.


And I finally found the mounting kit for the replacement TRD badge for the front bumper, I thought the screws were lost during the move but luckily I found them!

meh... that's how my fogs and headlight tints turned out too. its hard because of the rounded edge but it gets covered up anyways so who cares. lol looks good!

When I tinted my tail lights I used a vinyl film and it was fairly easy to use, just took some time getting it stretched and wrapped around given the size and curve of the lights. You can trim the edges some with a razor blade if you want, I trimmed the edges and went back over with the heat gun and it turned out fairly decent. Main thing is making it to where water won't get in behind the film and cause lifting.

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This was also a vinyl film, but it was a cheapo ebay one. Only cost $1 and had enough to do both lights, the only bits that look eh will be covered by the trim so it is alright haha.

If it does lift down the track I might get some proper tint and re do them

So I got time yesterday after work to install the foglights and trim pieces to complete the bumper.
While I was there, I decided to replace the faded grille meshing that came with the bumper and install some brand new black mesh.
Results make it look so much better:

Looks great!

Needs some Nolden LED fogs.

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Thanks

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They currently do have regular white LED bulbs in there for more light output through the tint. I have some plans for front light mods which are already underway and I think adding foglights to the mix might make it over the top. I will see after the niext mods go though

Nolden's aren't just bulbs, they're whole assemblies built around LED emitters with special optics.

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I know haha, I think they make the front look a bit over the top though.
I will see once the headlight mods are complete though.

Well had two cars taken out within a month.
Caldina was hit while turning at a set of lights. Corolla in the inside turn lane changed lanes midway through the corner to enter a shop driveway. Hit the front quarter of the Caldina and pushed it into the gutter on the passenger side. Both wheels, front bumper, front driver quarter panel, drivers wing mirror, front driver suspension strut, front driver steering knuckle and front driver steering end link all were damaged.

Dashcam Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb8zrlph0tQ...1I&index=12

Then, only two weeks later while driving down the M5 Motorway we were rear-ended while in our daily Tiguan. The other driver was an International, uninsured driver who wanted us to claim the crash was on the following Monday. We declined this and got our insurance involved, unfortunately we are with a budget provider as my Fiance and I are in the 'high-risk' age bracket and it is super expensive for us, so we had to put our excess forward upfront. To top it off, the cars registration and CTP Insurance was due on the Monday costing us a total of around $3600 for the weekend. The excess has since been refunded as we are not-at-fault.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4Gj9jRDYu8...HUnKbCRAsLuK01I


The Tiguan was dropped to a smash repairer on the following Friday and was back to us by the Monday (3 day turnaround). The inner and outer bumper, reverse sensor, reverse light and brackets were all replaced. The new inner bumper and the tailgate were repainted and all new rear badges were installed.

Before repair:




After Repair:

well.... this isn't the update I was hoping for when I checked in on this thread. glad you guys are ok though.

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Thanks, everyone is all good which is the silver lining.

The Caldina is still off the road waiting for parts going on almost two months now :L

Cripes sake! I hate those double turning lanes for exactly that reason and also why I have a dash cam, seeing videos like these knowing that cops may take the other persons word over mine since my car is 'modified' which means I'm the default law breaker.

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I don't mind double turn lanes, people are just stupid...

The woman still thinks she wasn't at fault lol... oh well can't fix stupid.




Caldina is still off the road cause they have now found the suspension strut and knuckle are bent and need to be replaced too. Waiting for the parts to arrive...

Well this is lame... Thankfully no injuries. Also reminds me to get some kind of dash cam if I ever start driving again.

Supposedly getting the Caldina back in the next week or so... Only been like 3 months...



aaaaand then I am going to have to sell it and get a sensible daily because my works Cube that I usually drive is screwed and work doesn't want to spend any money or time on it to try and fix it... Feels like it has dropped a cylinder, super super rough running and over 2000rpm feels like it is going to blow... No CEL light or other obvious issues though...

Wait, how is a wagon not a sensible daily for pc parts delivery?

Saw an update on Facebook, in for more info.