New Owner of '07 base Matrix

[sirmaenum]

Hi guys,
Just brought my new '07 matrix base model. LOVE IT!

but now I am thinking modify the car, anybody can give me a hand?

I live near L.A. area in southern California.

I heard California Tint is very good with their life time warranty for tint window, but what about the alarm systems? They say all alarm system is standard, but i am pretty sure I can get different alarm systems. Any suggestion as to where to go?

Also, I drive on freeway a lot, I only got the car for one week and already seeing some paint comes off and tiny holes on my front bumper.........DAMN YOU TRUCKS!
Is there anyway to prevent that or try to fix it now?

What kind Wax do you all recommand?

What do you recommand for the fog light position? Thinking adding the 2nd set of lights in the fog light spot.

What can I do to the interiors? Audio systems?

what about engine? It still hasnt' finish the break in period yet. (how long is the break in period?) I am thinking getting muffer and in tank value and air cooler so I get more per millage out of the gas.

Is aero kit worth it for matrix? what about carbon fiber for the hood and cargo? wings necessary?

sorry for so many questions, but I would like to get pointed to the right direction, since this is my first car and all. Don't want waste unnecessary money here and there and only find to find it out later.

thanks for all the help i can get.

sincerely yours,

[PA Firefighter]

First I'd like to say welcome and congrats on the new ride. All of your questions bring up more...What kind of a budget do you have? Is the car paid off in full or are ya making payments? I dont know as much as some people on here, but everything you're looking to do could very well top what ya even paid for the trix. I found it's better to do what you can afford, no more. If I spent what I wanted for mine, I'd have no place to live. I know they make CF hoods, but not so sure on the hatch. One could prob be fabricated at a custom shop, but chances of getting one already made to fit is pretty much zero. Don't buy a muffler, go cat-back exhaus;. Magnaflow, Greddy or Borla. Buy a bra for the front end if you're that concerned about dings and paint chipping. The fogs for the trix are PIAA 510s if I remember correctly, and you can buy those as a complete kit. As far as the interior goes, whatever you can imagine, you could do to the inside. Tv's in the headrests, 10s or 12s in the back. It all comes down to what ya wanna pay and how ya want it to look. Don't buy a wing. The matrix already has enough drag being a wagon, it doesn't need any more, and you wont be going fast enough to bring the nose up anyway. Wings will get you on laughatrice.com.If you are like myself, on a limited budget, start off small. Intake and exhaust, lowering springs and wheels are a good beginning. Word of caution: you just bought the thing and already you wanna mod it. Some of us have waited until the warranty runs out, cause if you mod the thing, and then something breaks, toyota will claim the mod broke that something, even if it didn't. Thats how dealers are: anything they can do to save money. However, there is a law in effect, I forget the statute, but it says something that the dealership is responsible to prove that the modification caused a failure, not your job to prove it didn't.

[sirmaenum]

Thank You.

No, i am not planning on change everything at once. not enough money.
but I do have enough money for alarm system and tint window for now. Any particular model of alarm system do you guys recommand?

Also, what is the break-in period for the matrix? 600 miles? 1000? I am currently a bit over 360 miles on the car.

Is it normal that you can feel a .5 to 1 sec pause between each shifting point? maybe it is a new car and I am so affraid to tab into the gas padel for more than 2.5k rpm.......other than that, the car handles pretty good.

I am a noob when it comes to modfiy cars, anyone want to enlight the poor little lamp here on what is intank and exhaust system? should i also consider air cooler systems?

I am a bit hard to decide now.....should i save money to upgrade the engine to get more power? or save the money and modify it so it saves more gas? any inputs?

My friend tells me for the fog light spot, i don't want to use the same output too much, so any recommand on which output should i connect my fog light to?

sincerely yours,

[inspired1]

I see you've registered lol. Yeah, I don't post much on here....

[matrixdude06]

the break in period is 1k miles, says that im the manuel i think. congrats btw, i bought an 06 base last yr, if i took it back to where i bought it from i dont think they would reconize it

heres what mine looked like when i bought it



and now

[yotatrix]

Originally Posted by sirmaenum

Hi guys,
Just brought my new '07 matrix base model. LOVE IT!

but now I am thinking modify the car, anybody can give me a hand?

I live near L.A. area in southern California.

I heard California Tint is very good with their life time warranty for tint window, but what about the alarm systems? They say all alarm system is standard, but i am pretty sure I can get different alarm systems. Any suggestion as to where to go?

Also, I drive on freeway a lot, I only got the car for one week and already seeing some paint comes off and tiny holes on my front bumper.........DAMN YOU TRUCKS!
Is there anyway to prevent that or try to fix it now?

What kind Wax do you all recommand? good carnuba wax or quick detailer will do the job

What do you recommand for the fog light position? Thinking adding the 2nd set of lights in the fog light spot.

What can I do to the interiors? Audio systems? one sub and amp 12" preferred

what about engine? It still hasnt' finish the break in period yet. (how long is the break in period?) I am thinking getting muffer and in tank value and air cooler so I get more per millage out of the gas. breakin should say in book but I think firt 1,000 miles. I say get an intake and a magnaflow exhaust or borla.

Is aero kit worth it for matrix? what about carbon fiber for the hood and cargo? wings necessary? carbon fiber hood is nice, but remember hood pins

sorry for so many questions, but I would like to get pointed to the right direction, since this is my first car and all. Don't want waste unnecessary money here and there and only find to find it out later.

thanks for all the help i can get.

sincerely yours,

I replied in red welcome and good luck on mods. When www.matrixowners.com is back online you should visit sometime.

[ycart1201]

watch out for the mod bug... once you get bit, you cant stop.



Nathan
ycart1201

PS: more pics like the above can be found here: http://www.importequipment.com

[ECHOKnight2000]

Congradulations! My mom also got a base model as well, a red one. Anyway welcome and happy motoring!

[sirmaenum]

k, since the manufacture warranty won't be expire until 3 years from now.

1.) what kind of modification I can do to my base model matrix '07 that will not touch the parts that are currently under the warranty?

2.) Is Aero Kit and lower the car really necessary?

3.) What about the undergrowing lights? I heard it will LOVE the cops, and now allow to be on while driving, so then what is the purpose of these lights then?

[ycart1201]

1.) what kind of modification I can do to my base model matrix '07 that will not touch the parts that are currently under the warranty? you'll only void the parts you modify, not the whole warranty. so if you lower it, then you'll void suspension parts if you have a problem, but not the other parts of the warranty like the engine, transmission, etc. So its up to you.

2.) Is Aero Kit and lower the car really necessary? Nope, not necessary.

3.) What about the undergrowing lights? I heard it will LOVE the cops, and now allow to be on while driving, so then what is the purpose of these lights then? i woundt start out with mods that will attract the cops. Just my $0.02

Nathan
ycart1201

[sirmaenum]

what kind light would you recommand? to be put in to the fog light spot?

and which electric system would it be better to tied into? I don't like running too much electric off one current spot.