3 minutes ago, wg100 said:

I installed gas struts on mine and left the foam in situ. Doesn't seem to have had any averse effects when I had the bonnet up the other day.

Oh excellent, I really hadn't thought about the fact they would sit over the top of the foam.

I'll go fit them tomorrow then - damn these early nights!

7 minutes ago, wg100 said:

I installed gas struts on mine and left the foam in situ. Doesn't seem to have had any averse effects when I had the bonnet up the other day.

Same here, the foam seems to have sealed itself nicely around the struts. My gut feeling is that its there to stop leaves etc getting up there. 

 

My old Mondeo had gas struts, only realised one was shot when the bonnet closed (gently) on my head..... 

As above, the foam is there on the earlier cars too and I just left it. The struts have compressed it nicely to a curve around them. Had to deploy my struts in anger a few moments ago to top up the washer fluid. Much better without the stupid stick in the way  

I always hated the boot lights on this car and putting LED’s in the original holders wasn’t doing it for me so I invested in £6.50’s worth of China’s finest LED panel boot lights and they are great! Don’t be fooled by the wiring loom, just unplug that and plug the OEM loom into the other socket then reinstall into the boot panel. Lovely

 

 

 

 

Link https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/ceXaT9rj

12 hours ago, SashaGrace said:

I always hated the boot lights on this car and putting LED’s in the original holders wasn’t doing it for me so I invested in £6.50’s worth of China’s finest LED panel boot lights and they are great! Don’t be fooled by the wiring loom, just unplug that and plug the OEM loom into the other socket then reinstall into the boot panel. Lovely

 

 

 

 

Link https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/ceXaT9rj

Nooooooooooooo. I was debating getting these or just some LED bulbs. I ended up getting these LEDs. I hope I don't end up regretting it!

Fingers crossed they work how you want, but if they don’t, at least you know that these do

So Gas struts fitted at the front - I'll post a picture later. I went for the Superkoda ones in the end.

When you remove the screw from the lower point, there was absolutely no way I could remove that washer from the screw. So the new mounting points for the struts are screwing in without a washer.

I spent about 15 minutes trying to "unscrew" the washer but it just doesn't want to shift.

Hope that doesn't cause any issues further down the line.

9 minutes ago, Stoofa said:

So Gas struts fitted at the front - I'll post a picture later. I went for the Superkoda ones in the end.

When you remove the screw from the lower point, there was absolutely no way I could remove that washer from the screw. So the new mounting points for the struts are screwing in without a washer.

I spent about 15 minutes trying to "unscrew" the washer but it just doesn't want to shift.

Hope that doesn't cause any issues further down the line.

 

I think they are retained washers, used mainly for rapid production/assembly purposes to prevent the need to pick two items. The bracket fitting between the head and the panel will spread the load which is the prime reason for using a washer.

On 14/12/2018 at 22:42, SashaGrace said:

I always hated the boot lights on this car and putting LED’s in the original holders wasn’t doing it for me so I invested in £6.50’s worth of China’s finest LED panel boot lights and they are great! Don’t be fooled by the wiring loom, just unplug that and plug the OEM loom into the other socket then reinstall into the boot panel. Lovely

Link https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/ceXaT9rj

 

I fitted the same a while back, at the same time I swapped the interior bulbs for some Osram LEDs, they do give a nice bright clean white light. As the FL has nice white puddle lighting already the only annoyance i have now ancillary lighting wise is the yellow staring back at me from the torch in the boot, wonder if there's an easy way to change that for white. 

Edited 17 December, 20187 yr by uchuff

That would be awesome to know! Part of me really wants to retrofit the torch but it’ll be more trouble than it’s worth.

Think I know what I’m fitting tomorrow  I still have a broken thumb but I think I can do it with 9 fingers  Too excited over some swishy indicators haha

 

Uh, so I did a thing 

 

didn't think that was compatible with your current infotainment system?

I was wondering just that, but I'm sure Sasha has done her homework and has found a specialist techy somewhere, possibly in outer Mongolia that can code it up for her  

 

Will be another interesting chapter to watch .

15 minutes ago, SashaGrace said:

Uh, so I did a thing 

 

Sometimes we just have to... 

How's Santa going to wrap that as a surprise??? 

Haha, it’s not compatible in terms of the map display, because my basic MIB2 doesn’t have the fibre connection but it’ll do everything else. It’ll even work with a MIB1 if you accept the map display won’t work. Will still get the nav arrows, just not the big map. Can always upgrade the radio again to match as and when. Would also like an FL BCM for ambient lighting and key personalisation, also as and when. So this is kind of phase 1 of next year’s retrofits lol. Can’t spec a vRS how I want to anymore and this was one bargain car and with a few weeks to go before 100k miles, nobody’s gunna give me good mone if I sell it, may as well make it really unique  I’ve asked Santa to look after it while it’s in the post, and I’m trying not to think about the fact I’ve just sent £530 to a Latvian car parts dealer in full faith, but PayPal should protect me. Let the pacing begin 

Edited 18 December, 20187 yr by SashaGrace

24 minutes ago, SashaGrace said:

Uh, so I did a thing 

 

Awesome...
Hope you enjoy it, Saw the video was quite straight forward installation but for sure need some Coding.
I hate that i have MIB1 system :( :(

This will work with MIB1  Thanks, looking forward to it getting here.

1 minute ago, SashaGrace said:

This will work with MIB1  Thanks, looking forward to it getting here.

I was too excited to write u that i didn't read your post above...

I hope it arrives soon.

 

Your car is gonna be one of its kind... 

Thanks, I’m excited too, only saw it on Sunday and finally thought about taking the plunge. After some hard negotiations we reached $610. They rather optimistically say it’ll be here before Boxing Day from Latvia but I’m not sure.

1 hour ago, SashaGrace said:

This will work with MIB1  Thanks, looking forward to it getting here.

Did the trustworthy Latvian state which Xmas it would arrive,2018, 2019,2020.

Haha expected 20-26 December 2018

Uh, could I tempt you to do another thing? 

 

The picture shows the 295kW facelift engine with the new aluminium crank case - a WHOLE other price than the one actually for sale. 

 

Just sayin

51 minutes ago, SashaGrace said:

Haha expected 20-26 December 2018

If it fails to arrive ontime I hear Liam Neeson is excellent negotiating with Latvians. All 3 movies were great intertainment.