I did a quick search and did not see a thread in the forum for this.
I am in search of cosmetic mods to make the car look better.

I seen the 08 grill upgrade, the wire mesh grill and bumper mods.
Read the K&N fresh air mod yesterday, like that look.
I got rims, tint. Anyone have any other mods to share?
Easy or cheap little things that add style? Not like $1400 effects kits.

 

Can't really think of much else. Clear side indicators perhaps, but since you're in the US you likely have the mandatory orange reflectors and thus clear side indicators would look out of place.

The small trunk lid spoiler is one, if you like them. Polished stainless window pillars, exhaust tips?

What are the bumper mods you mentioned?

 

I just added the Jaguar exhaust tip covers. I think they look very sharp.

I ordered my Mina mesh grill. When that arrives, I will have the chrome grill surround painted to color-match the body. Give it more of an XJ look.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6031/6...623cc536_z.jpg

My Carnival Red X-Type has an Ivory pin stripe down the side to match it's leather interior. I HATE pin stripes! Wish I could remove it, but it seems to be beneath the clear-coat. Anyone have experience with pin stripe removal on an X-Type?

 

Yea the clear indicators help a lot but you'll have to get the side makers as well or it will look out of place as Aonsaithya said.

They have these both in clear and smoked depending on what will look better with your color.

Jaguar X-Type 01-09 Side Bumper Turn Signal Lights- Crystal Clear : Amazon.com : Automotive

Jaguar X-Type 01-09 Side Marker Turn Signal Lights- Crystal Clear : Amazon.com : Automotive

 

I've fitted an aftermarket stereo/my android phone shown on this thread.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...23/#post685224

I've also added a couple of low cost bits as follows.

Smoked indicators.
Red hub caps.
Colour coded jag badge on grille.
I debadged the rear.
Tinted the windows and sun strip. Sun strip isn't for cosmetic reasons. I just don't think any manufacuturer screens the space between the visors properly. REALLY annoying.
Added a retro jag badge to the bonnet. It has a fiddly fitting through the bonnet catch. (I probably should have just used 3M foam tape, but anyway it's going nowhere now.) I huffed and puffed a few times before attempting that. Dreaded the thought of going to a body shop with my tail between my legs and trying to explain how I'd cocked it up.

It already had the body kit and mesh grilles.

 

Cool stuff, some I may persue.
The bumper mod I meant the mesh insert.
If I can find a big Jag emblem I may mod it to the oil filler cap.
Think I may give that stick on carbon fiber a try, wrap the chrome grill surround with it, my car is black so it should jive ok. Also considered doing all the chrome in it if it looks good, the strips on bumpers and over the windows. Who knows, maybe even my fake wood inside will become fake carbon.
My hood has a lil paint damage, so also considering doing something with that. Maybe a black hood overlay or a big sheet of the fake carbon, some stick on hood pins perhaps. Unless I can find a black '08 hood with grill for a good price.

 

Carbon fibre, fake or not, tends to look pretty horrid in a retro-styled car

Well, I really dislike it everywhere but YMMW?

 

The Dash is Real wood not fake

 

innzane, I have done a few, but nothing to really make the car stand out. More something to make people realize I did something different, but not be able to put their fingers on what I have done.



I painted the chrome bumper corners to match the body. I did the same treatment to the piece above the license plate, but left the word "Jaguar" in chrome. Then I removed all the badging on the back of the car. I also color matched the trim piece at the bottom of the bumper where the backup sensors sit. Like I said, nothing spectacular, but it gets peoples attention.



This is what I did to the front. Here I color matched the grille surround, the chrome bumper corner pieces, and the splitter in the lower radiator intake.

If you can do your own painting, you can do all of this for around $50.

Beyond that, keep looking. There are a few things that others have done. I am also in the process of doing a complete LED transformation and I am doing it the "hard way" by using 10MM LEDs and wiring them up, not using the store bought pieces. I get better lighting and the cost is much less. But, you have to know how to wire in LEDs and the like.

 

I have done a few mods. Here is my build thread:

Getting off my *** and finally writing a build thread for the Jaguar - StanceWorks

 

just add a red stripes and red wheel lips, next proyect is wrap hood,roof and trunk with some carbon fiber 1080 or dinoc.

 

Hey, that does look good thermo. Did you do the chrome around/over the windows also?
EXE, 2 questions for you. The silver vinyl over the side markers, the light still shine thru the vinyl good enuf to serve their purpose still? And the spolier and front valence are booth off a 2005 model?
And Kal's car reminds me of a question, do all the xtypes seem to sit a lil higher in the back than the front? The gap between the fender top and tire being more.
And KAL?? Did you really Di Noc your hood? Has it stuck ok? Is a 4' by 5' sheet large enuf to fit the hood? I have missing paint on my hood and need an easy fix, please let me know how it has worked.

 

I got a lil light out, the dim/running light in one of the center headlights. Has anyone fooled around with a colored lamp as a replacement?
I might as well get some good HID bulbs when I dismatle the front end to replace it and put some mesh in.

 

innzane, I have not touched the chrome over the windows. I am torn about changing that over. I have looked at pictures and I like just the little bit of chrome around the windows. If you are going to change it out, spend the little bit extra and get the trim pieces from the sport model. They will be black and will save you a lot of work. The pieces that go on around the windows on the rear doors is just double sided taped in place. Easy to remove.

 

I have the sport model with the carbon fiber dash and bought real carbon fiber trim pieces for the outside of the windows. Have had them about 3 years and they have held up well and kind of tie it all together I think.

 

My brain is thinking away, not been able to think about stuff for a car in a long time. I got some cool ideas brewing.
Think I will buy some black tape and cover some of the trim in it just to see how it will look before I do much there.
This is fun, think I may just black this jag out, and buy another to do in all white.

 

Yes that's correct, but some spring kits (for example H+R, as fitted to my former X-Type) correct the ride height to get the back sitting nicely.

 

Ah, A kit to fix that. I do think it looks better sitting even.
Cambo, what year grille is on the pictured car?

 

The light will bleed through the vinyl, but I pulled the bulbs out. Every other country outside of US/Canada does not need these bumper side lights, so I tend to shave or pull them on every European car project.

The front valence is from Mina Gallery and emulates the 2005 Sport spoiler. I don't like the side skirts or rear valence unless the car is black or a dark color. Otherwise I find those pieces look too skirty.

 

It's the 2008 grille, chromed plastic mesh. I've read that it's (the OEM one) not compatible with the earlier cars, while some say it is. Not sure about that, but at least the Adamesh-sold one is.

The relatively similar grille exexpats car has is the Mina Gallery 2008 grille, which has a fine steel mesh.