Well crap. 3889 miles in 6 weeks and I gotta replace a tire. Got not one, but 2 nails in the RR tire, one going through the sidewall. Oh well. In 45+ years of driving this is only the 2nd time I've ever needed the spare. Glad that Kia includes a mini spare - better than a can of goo and a compressor in the trunk.
Mods I've Made to My GT-Line
I just wanted to create a thread for tracking my car and the mods (such as they are!) I'm doing to it. It won't be a lot or anything major so don't expect to be blown away by something unusual or unexpected, but just in case it helps someone in the future...
![Wheel Car Vehicle Tire Hood]()
I'm really pretty happy with the looks of my K5. I love the color, the wheels, the design and styling, and even the non-Bose sound system doesn't sound bad to my ears (I'll preface that comment w/ the fact my hearing sucks and I have tinnitus). I won't be doing mods to the drivetrain, as I don't want to void my lifetime powertrain warranty. That being said, it's not perfect, so there are a few things that I've already done that I'll share. Many of these are things I've learned or seen on other peoples cars, some from my own experience, most right here on this forum, so please don't be offended if I don't share where I originally saw the mod.
I'm really pretty happy with the looks of my K5. I love the color, the wheels, the design and styling, and even the non-Bose sound system doesn't sound bad to my ears (I'll preface that comment w/ the fact my hearing sucks and I have tinnitus). I won't be doing mods to the drivetrain, as I don't want to void my lifetime powertrain warranty. That being said, it's not perfect, so there are a few things that I've already done that I'll share. Many of these are things I've learned or seen on other peoples cars, some from my own experience, most right here on this forum, so please don't be offended if I don't share where I originally saw the mod.
- First thing I did was to install a CarLink Apple CarPlay/Android Auto wireless adapter. I forget where I actually got mine, because I paid $55 for it when I got it. I was using it in my Camry before it got totaled, so I just transferred it to the K5. I don't want to be bothered to plug my phone in every time that I want to stream music or use Waze (which is all the time), so this was a must.
- Next, my phone (iPhone 13 Pro) didn't work all that great in the Qi charger. I did find that by cutting a straw to 3 1/8" long and dropping it into the cavity for the phone that it lifted it up to a better location, and now it charges with no issue.
- My car came w/ the Premium package and carpeted floor mats, but not weather proof mats, so next up was a set of WeatherTech HP FloorLiners. I like the HP line better than the others, as they are more rubbery and fit better. I just got them for the front seats, as I'll rarely carry anyone other than my rescue dog Stuart in the back. Which brings me to the next mod...
- I installed THIS hammock in the rear seat for my buddy Stu. It works OK, not great, but it does the job. I also throw a blanket in the hammock for him, and wash it once a week to try and keep the dog hair at bay! Good luck with that...
- I installed THIS center console organizer. Not much to say about it, other than it works fine and does it's job!
- Next were THESE rear LED turn signal bulbs. Much brighter than the incandescent bulbs that were replaced, and no error messages. Amazon says they don't fit, but I've found that Amazon's Confirmed Fit is 60% accurate at best. They work great.
- Next was THIS LED trunk light. This is a MUST! SO much brighter than the weak little factory incandescent bulb it's crazy. And so simple to change.
- I replaced the original reverse light bulbs with THESE. Much brighter than stock, which was a big deal for me, as we have almost no light around where we live. Work great.
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Like I mentioned earlier, I'm not doing a ton of mods to my K5, just a few things to individualize it a bit. In that vein, I started the process of changing some of the badging up. First thing I got done was the addition of new wheel center cap cap stickers to cover up the Kia script. Before and after.
![Tire Wheel Automotive tire Tread Hubcap]()
![Wheel Tire Automotive tire Tread Hubcap]()
Next was a small mod to the 'K5' trunk emblem.
![Motor vehicle Hood Automotive lighting Automotive design Automotive exterior]()
![Automotive lighting Motor vehicle Automotive tail & brake light Hood Vehicle]()
And a new GT-L emblem.
![Grille Automotive lighting Hood Motor vehicle Automotive tail & brake light]()
![Automotive lighting Hood Automotive design Car Motor vehicle]()
I still need to replace the 'Kia' badges with new ones and paint the calipers, but as always, other crap gets in the way and this stuff goes to the bottom of the 'To Do' list! More to come.
Next was a small mod to the 'K5' trunk emblem.
And a new GT-L emblem.
I still need to replace the 'Kia' badges with new ones and paint the calipers, but as always, other crap gets in the way and this stuff goes to the bottom of the 'To Do' list! More to come.
That what she said 😂Yeah, the red really 'pops' and I really like the look of them against the blue! I'll get a good rear end shot
I installed the gloss black handle covers from Amazon.com - I think they go well with all the other gloss-black items:
Kinda wish Kia had installed painted handles on the car to begin with.
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