Want to do some mods on Altima 2008 Coupe

[Marcim21]

I also posted this in general forum but figured it was more appropriate here!
New to the club,

Previous owner of a Nissan versa and now an owner of a Nissan Altima 2008 Coupe that i'm completely in love with. I really want to do some mods but my automotive skills are slimmmmmm so if anyone lives in Florida Tampa area or just suggestions in general.

Introduce me to the basics!

Thanks!

-Marci

[Rogue One]

Welcome to NICO!

Revised title and deleted duplicate thread.

PRO TIP #1: Use the correct title. That means, make sure your title has the topic at hand. Don't title something: "I have a question" or "Small concern" or "Altima issues" or "Please Help". Instead title it: "Tire tpms question" or "Rear bumper paint issue".

PRO TIP #2: We have an incredible SEARCH feature on this forum. I'll bet if you do a search, you'll find lots of useful ideas and tips for modding your vehicle.

[centralcoaster33]

Hey, you have a great looking car, imho. Mods can be great fun but sometimes are a great headache. You buy a part and suddenly have to buy more parts to accomodate that first one or it doesn't fit with another 'upgraded' part you've already put on. Example: I bought a larger radiator and replaced my AC and OEM radiator with it. Later I added an AEM intake. Well the two conflicted in location and the radiator mount punched a hole into my intake piping. =( So, now I don't use the intake (it's damaged) and later I'll put back the stock radiator and get my pipe fixed and put back on the intake.

I'm thinking you need a goal and a plan to get there. I think you'll want your mods to compliment each other, you and your car. The goal would be like picking your "style". The plan would be the parts and work needed to acheive your "style". The plan would have a budget associated with it. Here's a link to an article attempting to describe some car "styles". https://www.torquecars.com/styling/car-styles.php

So, my answer starts with a question, what style do you want? (you aren't limited to the terms used in the linked article, you can make up and describe your own style)

PS - you don't have to find a style and plan if you don't want to. You can buy some wheels when you have $$, then some odd chassis bracing, then super big brake kit, some aero, etc. You'll have a mismatched car, it might be improved, it might not, but it will be "modded" that's for sure. Sorry for the long post.

PPS - I almost always recommend starting with wheels and tires (after picking your plan).

[centralcoaster33]

The basics of mods off of the top of my head are:
engine (intake, cams, exhaust)
wheels (lighter, grip, drift)
drivetrain (stronger, to support more power)
suspension (tighter, lower, hydraulics, raised, aligned, balanced)
braking (bigger pads, rotors and calipers)
chassis (reinforce, lighten)
aerodynamics (splitters, diffusers, spoilers)
electrical (capacitors, grounding, sensors and gauges, ecu tuning)
cosmetics (upholstery, stickers, paint, side skirts)
amenities (I.C.E., cruise control, heated seats)
safety (roll cage, harness)

[Adriant1]

I'm also looking for mods to add to my Coupe but mine is a 2013. Firstly, I want to install fog lights and make my headlights 8000k (Same 8000k fog lights)
Im afraid to order something on amazon or wherever and find out that I didn't order the correct thing.
So far i've found some parts but i cant post URLs :/

[MarkFL]

I also posted this in general forum but figured it was more appropriate here!
New to the club,

Previous owner of a Nissan versa and now an owner of a Nissan Altima 2008 Coupe that i'm completely in love with. I really want to do some mods but my automotive skills are slimmmmmm so if anyone lives in Florida Tampa area or just suggestions in general.

Introduce me to the basics!

Thanks!

-Marci

Just spend some time looking through the threads here and you'll get some ideas. I'm in Tampa, FL too

I'm also looking for mods to add to my Coupe but mine is a 2013. Firstly, I want to install fog lights and make my headlights 8000k (Same 8000k fog lights)
Im afraid to order something on amazon or wherever and find out that I didn't order the correct thing.
So far i've found some parts but i cant post URLs :/

I have a 2013 coupe as well, just got it about 6 months ago. You can double check to verify, but I'm pretty sure you should be pre-wired for fog lights. I checked mine a couple weeks ago and the wires/plugs are there waiting. I'm just now starting to do some light modifications and therefore fairly new to it. I plan on doing the fog lights at some point when I can afford them, but recently installed Kensun 5k HID kit. I'm pretty happy with it but I need to do some testing and possibly headlight alignment before I'm fully satisfied with it. I also purchased a footwell led kit and some leds to replace inside the car which gives it a new look.

One of the things I'd like to do that I haven't search/researched about yet is, adding my own vanity mirror lights. Mine didn't come with lights there already so I'm going to look into adding them.

[centralcoaster33]

5K is in the useful and legal light spectrum. Great choice! I'll have to check that kit for my wife's car. She has night vision issues and that could help.

[centralcoaster33]

Welcome new guys to NICO Club!

BTW - I'll be in FL for a kite festival on Treasure Island this weekend. I'm really looking forward to it. Mark, you should go, especially if you have family/ kids!

[Adriant1]

I'm also looking for mods to add to my Coupe but mine is a 2013. Firstly, I want to install fog lights and make my headlights 8000k (Same 8000k fog lights)
Im afraid to order something on amazon or wherever and find out that I didn't order the correct thing.
So far i've found some parts but i cant post URLs :/

I have a 2013 coupe as well, just got it about 6 months ago. You can double check to verify, but I'm pretty sure you should be pre-wired for fog lights. I checked mine a couple weeks ago and the wires/plugs are there waiting. I'm just now starting to do some light modifications and therefore fairly new to it. I plan on doing the fog lights at some point when I can afford them, but recently installed Kensun 5k HID kit. I'm pretty happy with it but I need to do some testing and possibly headlight alignment before I'm fully satisfied with it. I also purchased a footwell led kit and some leds to replace inside the car which gives it a new look.

One of the things I'd like to do that I haven't search/researched about yet is, adding my own vanity mirror lights. Mine didn't come with lights there already so I'm going to look into adding them.

It's so weird how some cars come with things and other don't. Mine does have the vanity mirror lights.
I just got my fog lights in today which fit just fine into the hole and in the plug but don't turn on just with that.






But now i need to figure out a way to connect the switch with all of the wiring into the empty slot inside the car.

[centralcoaster33]

Well, maybe you can reach up around and behind those switches. Maybe you can just take of some parts of the interior panels to access the inside of the dash. I'm not sure, because I don't have an Altima. You may have to pull the dash.
Here's a link to your FSM:
http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Altima/2008/

In there are links to each chapter. Chapter FWD is the foreward and has a table of contents. Chapter IP is instrument panel and has the dashboard and associated stuff described. Look in there for removal instruction with pictures staring at page 10.

[Adriant1]

Well, maybe you can reach up around and behind those switches. Maybe you can just take of some parts of the interior panels to access the inside of the dash. I'm not sure, because I don't have an Altima. You may have to pull the dash.
Here's a link to your FSM:
http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Altima/2008/

In there are links to each chapter. Chapter FWD is the foreward and has a table of contents. Chapter IP is instrument panel and has the dashboard and associated stuff described. Look in there for removal instruction with pictures staring at page 10.

I did remove the plastic panel to look around but I don't see anything that connects into the switch the came with the kit


There is this lose white connector that i circled in orange, but it doesn't fit into anything so I don't think it's involved in this.

[centralcoaster33]

Interesting. Well, I figured your switch would be wired to custom wires, since it's a custom switch. Is a headlight switch normally in that spot on the dash? Maybe fog light or is that the OEM switch in the middle? If you find out what normally goes into that right side switch location, you'll have a better idea of what wires might be behind it. After I drove home I was thinking about your project and realized I'm confused. Don't you use the same headlight switch to turn on your new headlights as you would have for your old ones? Or is that being bypassed to go to this new switch now? Finally, were there any wiring instructions included in your kit?

[Adriant1]

In the middle is the OEM traction control switch and to the left of that is the trunk lever. I know that there are stalks from nissan parts https://www.trademotion.com/parts/2013/ ... eid=214041 that have the fog switch in it, but just it seems too convenient for that place that i put the switch to go there. I'm pretty sure i could just buy that part and end this problem of mine, but I want to try out the switch first.

For now, i've mounted the fog lights just for the looks because i'm unable to turn them on just yet.

[MarkFL]

Having just installed a footwell lighting kit I just put a new switch for them in blank switch slot in your reference pic above. I also want to install fog lights but the prewired plugs i'm assuming would require a new combination stalk with fog light control on them, and I haven't been able to find one yet that isn't crazy expensive. Instead what I'd *like* to do is re-wire them to turn on with the head lights cause, why not just have them come on with the head lights anyways is my thought.

Otherwise I would think that your fog light kit came with all the necessary wires and included switch so that you can run the wire up and under the dash to the blank switch spot to turn them on and off.