Year One Mods/Reviews

[GolferguyCP]

Purchased my very first truck a little over a year ago ('07 Tundra DC SR5 TRD) and have been in love with it ever since. Unfortunately, I have had to pick and choose my mods this first year bc...well I got married and we just had our first little one so money has been funneling to much greater things. But over the past year I feel like I have made some great improvements on what I have in my mind as my overall want for my truck and I thought I'd share them with you guys. Hopefully the pics and reviews below will help some of you on the fence about an upgrade or give you guys ideas for Christmas! Anyway here goes!

Pics from the day I bought him



My first upgrade was to the factory radio and speakers...as well as adding a backup camera.
Stereo - Sony XAV-64BT (Bluetooth included) (Backup cam shows on head unit)
Backup Camera - Alpine (built into license plate frame)




Stereo review - After a year of having this Sony....I have mixed reviews. Interface is easy to use and I loved the fact that it had the Aux jack accessible from the front of the unit. It syncs with my BT phone easily and the BT transition and conversation through the truck speakers is fantastic. One thing that I don't care for is that the response form the screen is sometimes a little slow. In this day in age everything touchscreen is compared to the newest and greatest phones and tablets and I can say that the response, while not super slow, is not seamless like my other devices. Overall I give it 4/5 rating. (They do have a model above this that included GPS Navigation but I chose to go without it since my phone handles those duties well) Also works well with backup camera.

Backup Camera review - In one word... AWESOME! This alpine delivers the clearest picture that I have ever seen by a backup camera and the fact that it is shown through my headunit is even better. The discreet placement of the camera in the license plate is also an added bonus! No complaints at all for this camera! 5/5!

Next came the replacement of black handles/mirror covers , addition of stainless nerf bars, and getting the windows tinted.



Purchased the chrome mirror covers and handles from the Classifieds on the TS website! Got Smittybuilt step bars which look great and are functional for half the cost of NFab or Westin bars. Paid $200 for bars + install.

Next modification was changing the black OEM grill for a Billet grille insert. I purchased a Precision Billet Grille cover on Craigslist for $100 (which included the three smaller pieces underneath. I think the grille looks great on the truck but I do caution people before buying that the clamps that come with the grille for installation dont really allow a seamless attachement to the stock grille. I had to get pretty crazy withthe way I attached the grille but have had no problems with it coming loose or rattling at all. My only wish (and still on my list) is to get the upper insert for the top piece of the grille. I have had no luck at all finding this piece but hope to soon.



I then looked at doing something to increase the performance of the truck and after months and months of debating brands... I chose to go with a Volant CAI.


There have been many post on the site debating CAI's and I dont disprove anything anyone has said...but I can tell you that this beast is amazing. It has an impressive growl to it and the response time I got from a dead stand still is definitely apparent to me. I know the big debate regarding CAI's is the gas mileage increase and I honestly have received a gain of over 2mpg since installing this. Before I was getting right at 14.6 and since installing (3 months ago) I am now getting 16.9. These numbers are not being pulled from the MPG meter on the truck but by me actually resetting my trip A ever time I fill up and doing the math myself. The mpg meter on the truck currently reads 17.3. I can't go into any detail regarding the install of this bc to be honest... i didnt even want to attempt it. I paid a shop here in the DFW area $50 to install for me and never looked back. Scored the CAI for $275 off a the TS site!


Next was the addition of some weathertech digital fit floor mats which I love and don't understand why that wasn't the first thing I did when I purchased the truck.



For those of you interested in getting all weather floor mats... I can vouch that these are molded perfectly for the Tundra and are an absolute breeze to clean up when they get filthy. (Take the hose to them)

This past weekend I just installed a Westin Bull Bar to the truck. I had been debating whether or not to do a full on brush guard or a bull bar but finally decided that I could never find a brush guard that I thought complimented the front end look and well...the Bull Bar's just give it that aggressive look. Very happy with my choice in the Westin Bull Bar and I think its starting to bring the look I've been going for since I purchased the truck.




So thats the timeline of mods so far. I'm hoping for Christmas to include a Readylift leveling kit, exhaust, and spray in bedliner and then early next year upgrading the wheels and tires to something bigger since I'll need to fill the wheel wells after the leveling kit goes on.

[5.7Thundra]

I think I'm going to like this thread. I picked up my new 2012 Tundra on 11/10, and am absolutely in love. I loved my last truck too (2000 Tundra) but I definitely won't be regretting my decision. Weathertech mats are definitely on my wishlist for the holidays as I had them in the '00 and like you, I think they are a must have. Also had a Volant CAI in my last truck and would eventually like to get one for this truck as well. So far the only mod I've made was installing blue LED's in the grill and windshield for the local FD on a nice custom rocker switch from OTRATTW. And I just finished draining the oil that it came with and replacing it with full synthetic Amsoil signature series. 716 miles on her so far!

Now for where this gets even better after reading your post and seeing your truck...a picture of MY truck

There are some differences, but between weathertech mats, volant cai, and the body of the truck...gonna have to put a rush on the mods so we can distinguish them from each other. Beautiful truck by the way!!

[deviltundra]

good work! i wish i had some mods!

[mattjgerard]

Awesome mods! I too have just purchased my first truck, upgrading from a Toyota sienna (no more minivan!!!). Bought a 2011 red DC 4x4, used with 25k on it. I've had it 2 months, but it still doesn't feel like mine yet. Needs some mods. As you, my funds are sucked up before they get to the truck mods envelope, so I look for the cheap ones. I'm looking at the LED's behind the door handles, I've got a Scosche bftak bluetooth adapeter on the way from amazon (only $25 shipped!!) and am hoping for the rear cam kit from sparks for Christmas. I think I might go nuts on the LEDS, they are cheap if you buy them bare and can wire them up yourself. Can't wait to get started. Fortunately my garage is heated, and even more fortunately my truck just fits with 6" to spare!!

[chphilo]

Looking good, man. That's a good list of first year mods. My first year mods were much more modest than yours. Congrats on your first baby. I have four children, so my mod schedule is even slower than yours.

[mattjgerard]

I have four children, so my mod schedule is even slower than yours.

Four here as well. I think we are on the same mod timetable! At least we all fit in the truck, though!

[ChrisWest]

I highly recommend the Gibson dual swept side exhaust I have it on my 07 5.7 L and it sounds and
Great.the extra mpg was nice as well. I have it on for about 6months now and I still find myself driving with the
Windows down and the radio off just to listen to her growl!!

[mattjgerard]

I highly recommend the Gibson dual swept side exhaust I have it on my 07 5.7 L and it sounds and
Great.the extra mpg was nice as well. I have it on for about 6months now and I still find myself driving with the
Windows down and the radio off just to listen to her growl!!

Whats the expense of that system? Think it would work on my 4.6? I've been struggling to get about 16 mpg on average. The sound would be nice, but the mpg's is what I'm going for.

[Rdcanthony]

Thanks for the thread

Do your steering wheel controls still work with the new radio ? (Controlling the radio and making/ accepting phone calls)

Also did you have a nav system before ? If not where did you get the dash board trim for the new unit? Local stereo shop? Does it match well?


Thanks

[GolferguyCP]

I don't have steering wheel controls on mine but from experience and friends that do... its no problem at all to have your steering wheel controls tied into a new headunit. The trim around the headunit was purchased at the same time as I bought the unit itself. I purchased everything from car toys and to buy the trim was an extra $30 I think. Just make sure you get the gloss trim. They had originally told their installer to pull black trim and he came in halfway through install and said... it doesnt match... we need the gloss black trim. Luckily a Car Toys close had it and was able to bring it over.

Any place that does the install will have in stock or be able to get the trim easily.

[Rdcanthony]

Thanks