Hey guys, I finally got around to taking some pics of my 08 Lancer ES. I've had her for two years (wow, doesn't seem that long) and she's still stock underhood. I've been in college so funds have been short, killing any chance of performance parts. I graduate next month and have a job lined up as a Mechanical Engineer, so the money will be rolling in. I'll probably continue with the simple mods, (i.e. intake/exhaust, window tint, new springs and a drop) until I save up enough to trade her in for the real deal (an X, duh).

My camera is horrible so I apologize for the crudity of these pics...



Here's a detail of the ralliart-esque chrome trim I put on the front bumper. Cost me 15 bucks, took 20 minutes. Has lasted a year, I like it, makes it stand out more esp. from a distance:




more of the chrome around headlights...might take this off soon...


















I installed some footwell lighting in red, also cost me like 20 bucks with no wiring involved, I installed a button inside the armrest. It adds a little extra glow at night without looking like ricer neons. Most people think its stock and like it. I can give a how-to guide if people show interest.

Well, that's all for now. I'll probably post more this summer when I start tinkering under the bonnet. But I don't want to invest too much into this guy just to trade it in for an X in a year or two, thus the cheap mods. Hopefully I've improved the cheap looking interior albeit slightly. Let me know what you think!

 

IMO, not a bad daily driver at all. Gets me to and from work and I feel like the car still draws some looks and is fun to drive. Sure beats a Civic, Jetta, mazda3 or any other 20K commuter car!

 

Looks good! is that a sparco shift knob and momo pedals? hehe Imo the red seems out of place but non the less good mods

 

I just got a black 09 lancer not too long ago myself and was wondering about the ralliart-ish chrome trim on the grill. Do you think you could give me some pointers on how to pull it off? I've never tried putting on chrome trim and was a little hesitant to just wing it (esp with the double-curves...) Was it hard to do?

 

Not really my style , and if i had a Ralliart i would remove all the chrome , i know they do it all the time and looks better that way .

 

The reason why I like it, especially when it comes to black lancers, is that it accents that "open mouth" grill shape (similar to the way blacking out the grill on a non-black lancer does). Granted chrome trim usually does not fit in with the whole JDM street racer style of cars that is pretty prevalent nowadays, if done artistically and in combination with the right additions, chrome trim can be used to create a very provoking balance between sportiness and classiness, which is the aesthetic I am going for.

 

Paint your center section a semi dark shade of gray. I'm sorry but I have yet to see anyone do a chrome front on a lancer that I like. It just doesn't fit with the other styling cues of the car.

 

I would disagree, but I suppose a lot of it depends on your predispositions regarding style (and if you feel there is a "right" or "best" style to shoot for).

Now by itself, that is to say with nothing else to compliment it, that chrome trim may look out-of-place on the car... but so can nice rims, spoilers, decals, or any other aesthetic elements if not in context with the rest of the car. It's all about context, and a stock car (though it will have its own stock style) can successfully evolve into a multitude of different styles depending on what you decide to add to it.

Now, I know that some cars can't pull off some styles no matter what you try to do to them...but I dont think the Lancer and chrome is one of those paradoxes. Granted, you have to have the talent to be able to see the underlying potential a car has and the skill/money/time to pull it off, but if you have yet to see this look good on a lancer, you have yet to find someone who has done it right

 

I personally like the chrome trim around the out side but i think it would look god if the grill was black.

Where did you buy the chrome trim though for around the whole mouth area?

 

Can you do a how-to on installing the footwell lights? I have a ralliart but hope it'll work out the same way as yours.

Thanks

 

too much chrome trim.. dont be lazy with the front like how you done it..take out the OEM crome grill paint it black..paint the middle part black and then wrap the crome around it..it looks cheap when ppl do it that way. not really my taste i would have started with mods else where.

 

i only like the chrome trim on black lancers. It looks more classy and calm. Kinda gives the vibe of a tamed animal vs an aggressive shark

 

I need to take update pics, my car has changed a lot. I realize some of the chrome and whatnot looked cheap, but keep in mind I was a poor college student at the time and just really wanted to mod my car. Now that I'm a werkin man I've made some performance mods... injen cai, works exhale ab, and works springs, as well as some evo parts inside. it looks a lot better and I'll get pics up soon, hopefully with a better camera

 

UPDATE

I have a lot of new mods recently installed...pics up soon (after it gets a little warmer and I can wash it)

ASA AR1's finally installed...

 

nice