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Today I installed my fourth and final illuminated sill plate. I got lucky and found a used one at a bargain price on eBay. The ad said it fit 2014-up, but I thought it would also fit my 2013 and it did. A real bargain at $39.43 plus shipping and tax.
Installation is easy, but you'll need a plastic trim tool to remove the old plate (just pry it up and off) and a rubber mallet to hammer the pins in the top of the new plate into the corresponding holes in the floor plate, which includes the wiring and socket for the power to the new sill plate. The entire job should take less than 15 minutes. Shown with my aftermarket puddle light.
P.S. What's the difference between 2010-2013 and 2014-up illuminated sill plates? Early plates are stainless steel, later ones are aluminum, which costs less but are easier to scratch.
The type face is different too: You may wish to check that all four of yours match!
After trying a few "trim renewers" like Nu finish and plastic x. The B and clC pillars always seem to turn back dull after a month or so. Finally decided to just repaint them. Seen this new Luna one paint from Dipyourcar, and decided to give it a try. They claim its direct to surface, meaning no primer and also no clear coat needed..and that its a 2k aerosol that cures to a more durable finish than regular spray clears. The main selling pint for me. Is that it has a 6month shelf live. Other 2K sprays I've used were a one time thing once you mix the catalyst. It came with a scuff pad and prep wipe.
The C pillars were super easy to remove.
Took 10x longer to mask and scuff/prep everything than to spray 😭
I'm happy with the results. After it cures..I may polish a bit. Paint laid down smooth and had a nice fan spray tip.
finally got around to switching to ceramic pads and painting the calipers and rotors on my 2019. I despise that so many high-end cars come these days with ugly gray primer on the hats of the rotors. It's like having bare black plastic body parts. The primer stains with time from metallic brake dust and grease so you can't clean it.
I prepped and sprayed the rotor hats with a bright metallic silver and then clear coated them with 2K epoxy clear. The front calipers were already powder coated from the factory, but had a very dull finish, so I just prepped them and sprayed with a nice coat of the same 2K epoxy clear. The rear calipers were plated from the factory, but the plating was already wearing off and they looked ratty, so they got a full paint with a dark gun metal and then the epoxy clear coat.
The rear calipers are the exact same type you would find on any run of the mill minivan or econobox, so I just wanted them to disappear, which they do with the gun metal color. But they still look nice when you get close. Why the factory or anyone would paint these calipers red to have them stand out is beyond me.
The new Dynamic Friction ceramic pads are almost completely dust free, so I don't have to worry about the metallic brake dust staining the painted parts and coating my wheels in ugly corrosive dust after every drive.
Now my car really has that fresh and brand new look and high-end impression. It's the sort of mod that no one will ever notice specifically as it all looks stock, but they will think the car looks surprisingly new.
Last edited by lotusespritse; Jul 1, 2025 at 12:17 AM.
I'm planning on painting my rear calipers lol. Want the front ones done...so I'd be OCD if they don't match.
You're be really happy with the brakes nicely finished. I can't get over how the car looks so much better up close since the eyes are always drawn to the wheels.
You're be really happy with the brakes nicely finished. I can't get over how the car looks so much better up close since the eyes are always drawn to the wheels.
Hi wanted to share my hitch project. I do triathlon and putting my bike in the trunk was in acceptable. so i found a place to make me a hitch. worked out Great
@bigbeni04 I did this to my X351 also. These cars are unibody and not designed for towing so nobody offers a bolt-on solution. I drew up the design in CAD and fabricated it myself. My hitch receiver has a few bolts through the aluminum crash bar and a few through the trunk structure.
