While I was searching for pictures of my rims that did not involve a multi-colored car and unpainted body kit, I realized something. Looking at the pictures I have of my car from a year ago, I realized thatI liked my car a lotbetter pre-body kit. Tastes change with time, I guess, and I'm slowly but surely moving out of my "ricer" phase.
I think my biggest mistake was being sucked into the body kits craze in the first place. I'll admit, I think, it all started with the Fast & the Furious movies. The beautifully-kitted cars and their bright neon lighting caught me spellbound; it completely ensnared me anddrew me in. While some may be embarrassed to admit to having seen the F&tF movies, I am not. If it weren't for the original Fast & the Furious, I probably wouldn't have ever gotten into cars. I was twelve when I first saw the Fast & the Furious; now I'm seventeen. I was once into making a car look good and draw crowds, I think I'm starting to realize that the crowd a body kit draws is not the crowd I want around my car. I want the kind of crowd that a blow off valve or a supercharger whistle brings in.
So after finding pictures to use for the "***OFFICIAL*** Wheel Picture Thread", I did some thinking. I realized that I did, in fact, like how the stock body stlying looked. I guess I'd never actually seen the beauty in a stock Honda before. I guess I always thought "Why isn't it lower" and "Why doesn't it have a bigger air dam" when I looked at it. I guess I never really took into consideration what I could buy with the money I spent in body modifications.
I have no regrets in what I've doneto my car; I loved the way my car looked with it's kit, but there's a "d" on "loved" for a reason. The body kit is currently off my car, and it's going to stay that way. When spring comes around, I'm going to remove the dual exhaust system that was custom-bent to fit my Black Widow rear bumper. I'm also in the process of changing my interior's color scheme from it's previous black/blue/light gray/dark gray scheme to a simple black/silver. I know this will take time and money, but I think I'll like it a lot better. After all, tastes change with time, and I no longer like the body kit that I once fawned over.
I'm not saying I don't still like body kits, and I'm not saying I don't respect people with body kits. I'm simply saying that I think I need to sit down and seriously consider where I want to go with my car.
Remember: it's not what others think of your ride, it's what you think of it. Back when I first got into cars, that was my mentality. Over the course of a few years, I've slowly and steadily forgotten that mentality. I know it won't happen overnight, but I'm going to try my hardest to reclaim that state of mind.

-Chris

 

Im not gonna lie. F&F got me into it. I was only 13 when I saw the first one.

 

as long as u are happy with your car thats all that matters man...props to you

for the record i was into cars since little and lowriders got me into customizing can't drive a stock car i am always looking for a way to personalize it...to each their own though its your cash and your hard work..

 

*sniffle sniffle* i think i shed a tear reading this[sm=tongue.gif]i dunno if this is what u did, but i think the problem some ppl have is the lack of a goodplan. they'll just look around online for a short while till they find something that looks "cool" and whip out the credit card. then those quick buys they think are awesome, they end up regreting. but, those "mistakes" can change their minds and turn into something crazy...in a good way.

 

well it is good that you are taking that stuff off your ride. i was into the stage at one point too and almost bought a body kit/chrome grille. and some JUNK for the inside. i did however buy chrome altezzas and chrome halo headlights - not soo bad. i left those taillights on there about 2-3 months and was like this looks ridiculus and ricey. i dont think my car is anything considered ricey anymore and i am very happy with the work and money i have invested in it. i do however still have neon on the inside but the tubes are hidden and all wired up to switches so i think thats ok.

 

I consider interior lighting more practical than anything. As long as it isnt obnoxious or overdone. I drop stuff all the time adn hate having switch on my dome light to find it at night cause of the glare.

 

That was 5 years ago? Damn.

 

I know right, it seems that movie came out just a couple years ago

 

For me since I had my DL and friends had there are parents have had cars they passed down sometimes they were imports sometimes they weren't.Me personally my first car was a 85 cadi sedan deville a short cadi with a 4.9.MyDad's a cadi mechanic leave me alone.My friends car were mostly imports civics,eclipse,corrolla,mustangs. and as being kids we raced them did everything expect the kits and the wings also the neonsI think when the movie came out that was the crazy.Now it seems like if you have any of those three your rice.

 

I never was really into body kits, but I did go through the bling bling phase for huge, goddy, 50lb, chrome wheels. But yeah, our tastes change over time. I can't believe F&F was 5 years ago!