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Adding multiple car accessories to my tuned Ford Figo 1.5 TDCi

1st April 2024, 14:30 by Utkarsh Chaudhary

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I installed a rear dashcam, wireless mobile charger and 12V splitter. I also upgraded my car's head unit.

BHPian AYP recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

A few minor upgrades, and a major one

Upgraded the HU of my car to the Pioneer Z6350BT

More details on this thread

Rear dashcam

While I had installed the front dashcam way back in 2019, the lack of a rear dashcam was always there at the back of my mind. While a dual-channel dashcam would have been the ideal solution, getting a system with the same quality as my front dashcam would have cost me at least 10k. An upgrade in real terms would have cost around 20k. Hence decided to go for a standalone rear dashcam while saving that extra money for a Viofo triple channel in the future. Went for the DDPAI Mini Pro-

This is how it looks from the outside-

This is how it looks from the inside-

Wireless charger

I wanted to complete the wireless trio, i.e. wireless AA, wireless CP and wireless charger.

I ordered it from Alibaba. Can charge a phone with a max speed of 15W. Total cost was 14 USD (inclusive of shipping).

Cupholder with wireless charger

Ever since I had installed the front armrest, my cupholders had become redundant. I tried a couple of cupholders over the last few years but none of them worked until this one.

While I don't sip on a beverage too often in my car but when I did, I had to use the bottle holder which was quite inconvenient and unergonomic. This cup holder has finally solved that problem. The base of it fits in the 1st cupholder and is then tightened. It fits perfectly ahead of the armrest.

It has its cons though. While using the cupholder, the handbrake lever gets too close to it. Also, while having long-sized cups like Starbucks Venti, for instance, the gears have to be slotted meticulously. So while this is not an ideal solution, it is definitely the best I have come across given my situation with the armrest.

The idea of getting a cupholder like this came to my mind after I got myself a wireless charger. If this idea had come to my mind before getting the stand-alone wireless charger, I may not have ordered it. However, I have very recently started using 2 phones- an iPhone and an Android. So it all worked out in the end.

LED Light for rear cabin

The Figo does not come with a light at the rear and this made using the phone's flash a must many times. I went through this thread by Reinhard.

But neither do I have the technical skill nor the heart to take the steps that he took. During my research, I came across this Baseus option.

I ordered it but had to return it for 3 reasons-

The magnetic adhesion wasn't very strong.
There was no way to hang it.
Even if I was able to stick it permanently, the switch to turn it off or on is at the back of it, making it quite inconvenient.

I came across some other light options similar to Baseus but poor reviews kept me away. I also came across some battery-operated options but was apprehensive about having batteries in the car. I finally came across this option:

I had earlier tried to keep it at a fixed place but it gave more of a footwell lighting vibes.

I keep it on auto(it detects motion) and as per my usage, I get around 2 weeks of usable life out of it before it needs to be charged.

12V Splitter

Due to my increasing power demands, I decided to order a 12v Splitter. The reasonably priced ones on Amazon had terrible reviews. Finally decided to order one from Alibaba. Costed me 18 USD but had to pay another INR 744 in addition to customs. The same is available on Amazon for 5k and on Amazon USA for around 20$.

There are 2 ports in the first charger. 1 is connected to the front dashcam whereas the 2nd one has a short USB C cable for charging my phone. The 2nd charger has 3 slots, one of which powers the rear dashcam while the others power the wireless chargers. In addition, the splitter itself has 2 more USB A ports and 1 USB C port. It has a total rated output of 200W.

One other major reason why I went for a splitter is to cut off the power to the dashcams and any accessories when the car is switched off. In typical Ford fashion, the 12V outlet stays alive even after the car is turned off. The splitter has 2 switches on the sides which allow me to cut off the power to either of the chargers which is a boon. While it's still not as convenient as the power switching off automatically, it is much better than having to remove the whole thing after turning off the car and fitting it back in later.

I can't deny that installing the splitter along with the other accessories has resulted in a busy look. There are also the wires which are connected to the HU- USB C, Aux and HDMI. I did choose function over form.

Centre roof lamp

Installed the lights from the Fiesta

LED Lights

No, I am not talking about using LEDs in the reflectors. I am using the good old Osram Night Breaker 200 which is supposed to be Osram's best halogens. I did upgrade the front parking lamps, rear number plate lamps, boot light and the centre roof lights to Osram T10 LEDs. Costs Rs. 387 a pair.

Protective sleeve for camera wire

The power for the rear camera has been taken from the left tail lamp. However, a small bit of the wire was exposed and was getting squished. I also noticed that water was also passing through this while passing from the channel at the rear. Hence, I decided to get a protective sleeve for this exposed bit of wire.