Do they reduce the sound? Is the difference audible at idle and high rpm?

BHPian ostrish recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

AEW Silent Baffles

I had installed the AEW TE102 pipes mainly for the looks. The stock pipes are very bottle gourd and I wanted more of a ridge gourd. (There are more macho descriptions like rocket launcher etc. but I think Interceptor owners are mostly vegetable market-type people so this analogy is more appropriate)

Seeing that AEW offered more silent baffles, I was happy to try them as I am always worried about cops hearing the custom exhausts.

I also tested them, here in the background you can see a field recorder on a tripod, meant to simulate a 5'10" policeman standing 6 feet away. Yet to verify if this is truly the median height of Bangalore policemen.

Some highly scientific data of sound at idling RPM. In the screenshot of the DAW, you can see that the waveforms on top (old baffles) have a larger amplitude than the waveforms below (new baffle).

Here's a comparison of the EQ graphs. I think the mids and highs are all engine clatter and most of the low freq in this chart is from the exhaust. This is again at idle.

• So, does the new baffle reduce sound? Yes
• Is the difference at idle audible? Yes, but only if you compare them back to back. So you will not get caught if the police sir has highly trained ears.
• Is the difference at high rpm audible? This is to be seen. My tests were in the basement which is not an ideal place to test for loudness (or to rev one's bike).

Generally comparing loudness academically is a difficult problem for laypeople and audio engineers both. So the next report will be based on "feel" on the open road.

Update

Pipes are almost as silent as stock! There is more grunt in the note post 5k compared to stock RE, but overall the sound is much closer to stock RE than stock AEW. Stock AEW made the bike brraaapp-y and that effect is totally gone. I almost miss it now (easy to bring back though). This baffle is a great option for people who don't want a louder exhaust.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

They feel similar to the OEM ones in design and size and also have precut holes for the screws.

BHPian kaushiksudra recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi all,

It has been close to 10 months since I got the Virtus and one of the most important accessories I was missing was the mudflaps. Tried a lot in different locations to get the OEM one but everyone had the same answer, "VW is not selling this as an individual item and it has to be brought as a bundle of all the accessories".

I was never a fan of it hence passed on buying when I got the car itself. However, after a few instances of getting muck and road debris on the car, I badly wanted to get these mudflaps. Checked Amazon, but wasn't too sure about the fit. Went ahead and checked on my trusted app for car accessories & parts (Boodmo) and found these by MGT.

Was a bit unsure as the holes shown in the same were sure to not match with the OEM ones, but took the plunge and ordered it. Got it for a price of ₹592 with free delivery. Arrived bang on time for a late Saturday DIY.

As it is with all of us auto enthusiasts, we get to work instantly and just want to see how it would look. Hence, no before and after pictures.

Mudflaps are of good quality plastic and they feel similar to that of OEM in design and size, have precut holes for the screws and the indentations slot in perfectly with the car's design and body parts. The front is smaller than the rear ones, also each mudflap is labelled just in case you find it difficult to align.

The front ones were the first to go and 1 hole matched with the OEM and helps in aligning the part perfectly. The other hole was made on the plastic wheel arch cladding (I'm usually not a fan of making unnecessary holes, but let this pass for a good cause). Have attached it with just 2 screws, 1 is the OEM and another silver one that you see was given with the accessory, though wish the screws were black in color which would blend in well, but helps that it's hidden away inside and would go unnoticed mostly.

The front ones took me barely 10 mins to install and with very basic tools. The rear mudflaps are difficult to get to as the rear wheels can't steer like the front ones (wish I had a Merc with rear-wheel steering which would have made this easy).

Anyways, the car had to be jacked up which gave me a good opportunity to get acquainted with the tools of the car. Removing the nut cap was something that I had recently made aware of during my visit to VW and loosened the nuts and jacked her up and it was fairly easy to get the wheel off the car.

The same procedure as the front but somehow there was a slight misalignment and the inside of the mudflap was jutting out without the screw, due to an indent in the wheel arch liner.

Wanted to turn back at this time and return the product, but was too lazy to remove the front ones and tried screwing the flap in place to see if it fits well, though it doesn't fit as great as the front ones, but will do the job really well.

All in all a Saturday evening spent well doing the first DIY on the Virtus. Shall update once I use them for a few days.

A few parting pics with mudflaps.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The car inverter is rated at 200W but the laptop charger is rated at 65W.

BHPian sumannandy recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I have recently purchased a 200W DC to AC inverter from Amazon. I wanted to know if it is safe to use this in EV Max. The adapter comes with a car cable and it has two AC ports and a few USB ports.

I would like to charge laptops while on the move.

Thanks in advance.

Here's what BHPian SKC-auto had to say about the matter:

I just checked the NEV Max review. The watts is not mentioned on the 12V outlet, also checked the Honda Elevate review, the max wattage is 180W on the 12V outlet.

Since you wanted to use a 200W converter, I believe you should know the wattage of the 12V outlet before connecting.

Here's what BHPian GrammarNazi had to say about the matter:

What is the Car Charger Power outlet rated at? Check the manual. Ideally don't think it should be an issue if you're going to use it to charge a laptop or 2-3 phones.

I have been using a Belkin Car Inverter with my ICE car for 8+ years to charge my parent's tablets & my brother's phone while travelling.

Here's what BHPian sumannandy replied:

The car inverter is rated at 200W but the laptop charger is rated at 65W. I checked in the manual and it says the stated load is 12V 10A. So although the DC to AC adapter is rated at 200W, I hope it should be fine to just charge a laptop (65W).

Here's what BHPian Turbanator had to say about the matter:

It's not about your inverter but the point where you will draw that 12V from the car. You should be aware of the load your 12V socket can handle.

However, if the final load is only a laptop charger - 65 Watt, even though your inverter is 200 W, it will draw only 65 Watt, so you should be good. Also, most inverters will have a fuse that should trip before anything goes wrong.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I have installed aftermarket aux lamps. The headlight doesn't have a good penetration at dusk and during rain.

BHPian SupMeteorStorme recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Adding my observations and accessories list after riding in peak traffic in Hyderabad for the last 2 months.

Observations

• Mileage: 22 kmpl (1st service not done yet) with a mix of gentle riding and spirited riding, and heavy traffic half-clutch in 1st/2nd gear.
• Pickup/Acceleration: Excellent at all sorts and in all gears.
• Stability: Excellent.
• Riding position at speeds: Comfortable.
• Riding position in heavy traffic: Little cumbersome due to the feet forward position.
• Riding through speed breakers, potholes and bumpy roads: Go slow. Rear suspension is stiff and will smack your ass.
• Ground clearance: Not an issue; don't look at the numbers.
• Clutch: Light, no pain in left hand even in heavy traffic.
• Braking: Just perfect. Can and does stop on a dime.
• Headlight: Good-looking DRL. Not very good penetration at dusk and during rain.
• Build quality: Excellent.
• Weight: Not felt during riding; definitely felt during reversing.
• Turning radius: Larger than normal.
• Engine heat: Felt near the right ankle in sneakers, and also felt near my right thigh when stopped at traffic lights/signals that are 2-3 minutes long.
• Smiles per mile: Infinite.

Accessories added

1. Mad Dog Alpha LED aux lamps
2. Zana rear brake master cylinder guard
3. Aeedea shoe burn protector
4. AutoEngina bash plate
5. AutoEngina crash guard
6. Bandidos Pitstop LCB Comet Luggage Carrier
7. Bandidos Pitstop LCB Bolide Pillion Foot Rest
8. Covers for brake oil plastic containers (front and rear) from Sans Classic Parts

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Since it is a one-piece mount, it feels much more solid and stable. I tested it at various speeds and it had minimal vibrations.

BHPian WhiskeyTangoFox recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Update: Replacement GPS Mount

Hey Folks! After using the previous "jugaadified" GPS Mount for around 3000kms, I got fed up with the irritating noises it made because it touched the windshield, and also looking at the M Seal just left me irritated every time. Hence I decided to replace the same with a proper GPS Mount this time that'll solve all my woes. Picked up this Solid GPS Mount from Altitude Moto:

Although it is more expensive than the Milachin, the Quality is honestly not even comparable. As this is a one-piece Mount, it feels much more solid and stable and came with all the required washers and screws. It doesn't foul with the windshield or the Lever Guards as well.

Knurled Rod to Prevent Mount Slippage

I did test it out at varied speeds up to 100kmph, and it had minimal vibrations. Overall a solid upgrade for me.

Cheers!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I paid around Rs 13,000 & my order was delivered to me in less than four days. I am sharing the links to all items for those who are interested.

BHPian Biraj recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The most important accessory (for me) is here.

I saw this design armrest in one of the international (Japanese) reviews and then frantically searched on the internet. I found it on Amazon Japan and ordered it, along with a centre console organiser and a cup/phone holder. I ordered these three items on Thursday evening and received them earlier today. It took less than four days (two working days). The total cost was around Rs 13k, including premium shipping and customs duty. The entire process, handled by Amazon/DHL, was quite smooth. I paid the total fee, including the customs duty, at the time of checkout and had to upload documents for KYC on DHL’s KYC portal.

The armrest feels sturdy and well-built. It’s significantly better than the universal ones I saw at local accessories shops. Even the option I saw online (with multiple USB ports) didn’t seem to be put together very well. This one slotted in flush with the rear cup/bottle holders. It also has double-sided tape attached to ensure a stable fit.

The centre console organiser is made of soft, rubbery material (Urethane, as per the Amazon listing). This should help avoid the clatter that plastic ones may cause.

I will install the cup holder later as I want to try it on the passenger side first. If it doesn’t obstruct the ORVM, I will keep it there; otherwise, I’ll move it to the driver’s side.

Links if anyone is interested

• Armrest
• Centre console
• Cup holder

In other updates, I got the first service/inspection done over the weekend. It was a pleasant experience at Nexa (Motorcraft) Sector 57, Noida. I booked the appointment on the Maruti Rewards App well past midnight on Friday. I reached the service station at noon, was promptly attended to, and the work was completed by 3pm, despite it being a particularly busy day there. They were kind enough to remove the plates from the rear roof bar (I mentioned it as a source of noise in one of the earlier posts) and conceal the wire for the dashcam.

 PS: Beegu loves the rides in this too but remains curious about the destination, always hopeful it’s not the vet.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I installed it on my Hyundai Tucson and I am genuinely impressed with the product although it is on the expensive side.

BHPian Mathan1130 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Viofo A139 Pro 4k Car Dash Cam Installation

I recently decided to invest in a car dash cam. After extensive research, I settled for the Viofo A139 Pro 4k dash camera and couldn't wait to see how it would enhance my driving experience. In this review, I will share my thoughts on the car dash cam installation process and how it has positively impacted my daily commute.

In the box

A close view of the Dash cam

Rear view

Front View

Routing the Power Cable

Connecting the Power Cable

After installation

Key Features

• Sony STARVIS 2 IMX 678 image sensor with 8MP 4K camera
• Good low-light performance
• 4K@30FPS HDR main camera
• Type-C power and thin cabling
• 5GHz & 2.4GHz Dual Band Wi-Fi
• Built-in GPS
• Mobile app for configuring device and downloading footage
• Field of View: 140 degrees & 300-degree rotatable

What I like

• Crisp, clean video
• Simple button interface
• Lots of settings in the app
• Easy to watch videos on the app or download them to phone
• Good Polarizing lens

Cons

• No display screen
• Expensive

Recording Quality

The recording quality of the dashcam surpassed my expectations. It captures sharp and clear video footage during both day and night, ensuring that crucial details are never missed. The wide-angle lens covered a broad area, giving me peace of mind knowing that any incident on the road would be adequately recorded.

Additional Features

The car dash cam came equipped with various useful features. The built-in GPS tracker recorded my vehicle's speed and location, while the G-sensor detected sudden impacts and automatically locked the footage to prevent overwriting. Additionally, the dash cam's loop recording feature ensured that the oldest files were replaced by new ones, optimising storage space.

Night-time footage loop recording sample

Conclusion

The A139 Pro is a new dash cam from VIOFO. I found it to be easy to set up, configure, and install and the videos to be crisp and clear. Saving important videos is simple and viewing videos is easy with the VIOFO app. Overall, I am genuinely impressed with the product. It has become an invaluable companion during my daily drives, providing me with an added sense of security and confidence on the road. If you're considering investing in a car dash cam, I highly recommend this model for its ease of installation and outstanding performance.

• Dash Cam Price: Rs 27,000
• Memory Card - SanDisk Extreme Pro - Rs 2650
• Where to buy : VIOFO’s online store

Thank you!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Parts for this model are quite limited. Either you import them & pay customs or buy at very high prices from the vendors here.

BHPian nbhat24 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I recently posted my review on Tiger Sport 660 after completing 10,000kms. Here I'm posting on accessories available for the same. I hope it helps other TS660 owners and those who are planning to buy one.

Triumph recently hiked the prices of TS660 models. A 9.34L ex-showroom from 8.95L for the colours other than red and 9.47L for res one from 9.08L.

There are about 30-35 Tiger 660s in Bengaluru itself. I wonder how many are there totally in the country! There's a very low response on accessories available for this particular model. Either you need to import and pay the customs or buy at very high prices from the vendors here. I thought of sharing about accessories I bought and installed which could help people. I'll straight away skip to the accessories.

Accessories/additions I've got on my baby Tiger:

• Dash protector (odo display protection)
• Engine crash sliders
• Touring Visor (taller & wider than stock)
• Radiator guard
• Aux lights
• Hand guards
• Top rack, top box
• Front mudguard extender
• Paint protection film (PPF)
• Rim stickers

1. Dash protector

I bought the dash protector from here. This was not a hard screen guard. It was basically PPF. Application process was also the same as that of PPF. Application is not as easy as they mention on the website. But it's worth the price, applied a year ago and it's still looking clean and protected the display very well till date.

Pricing is just fine. I spent 1.2k on this.

2. Engine crash sliders

There are only a few companies with crash guards & sliders for this particular model. Even Triumph offers only an engine frame protector which I don't prefer.

Currently, in India, buyers can get engine crash guards from Sw-motech, Motousher & PUIG. A few vendors import and sell these accessories. Can't place the orders directly on the company site though. Not sure if any vendor is importing Evotech sliders yet, they're available in foreign markets. I've been following the Philippines pages where they have a very good number of options for various accessories for this bike.

Price for crash sliders starts from 20k and goes upto 50k for the available ones, as of now. I bought the PUIG sliders from a vendor in Delhi. Although it said "Out of stock" for TS660, the same one as that of Trident 660 is compatible with TS660. Hence, I mentioned Trident 660 while buying from that vendor and it was delivered within a week after placing the order. These sliders cost me 20k.

Let me tell you again it's not as easy as it looks to install these! You need to loosen the radiator first to access the nuts & bolts which are inside the hollow pipes coming from the chassis/body! I felt strange about this design. I spent almost 2hrs to fit these sliders. It can be a "DYI" stuff if you have time and patience. Let's move on to the next one.

3. Touring visor

If you ask me, "Wasn't the one from the company sufficient?", I would say, "Yes, it was, with an extender probably". However, as I mentioned in my previous write-up, the front plastic quality is very poor and there's too much noise and vibrations coming from the visor junctions and odo joints plus the existing visor wouldn't completely block the wind blast.

I was continuously checking & following up on the new visors and finally found one from PUIG in Europe. But there was no export until last month. I finally was able to place an order at a shop in the UK as they were ready to ship to India. I paid 19.5k for the new touring visor plus 5.5k for customs at the time of delivery.

Process is simple and hassle-free. You just have to place the order by paying the vendor. When it arrives in India, India Post takes over the order and delivers it to you by collecting CASH for customs. They'll call in advance so that you can keep the cash ready. Currently, GIVI is gearing up to sell their touring visors for this bike. Do check and compare if & when you plan.

PUIG offers two types of visors as of now, Sport screen and Touring screen with three different colours, Smoke, Dark smoke and clear for touring screen. I placed an order here.

They also have a frame which supports the front plastic portion behind the visor because of which I've experienced a huge reduction in vibrations. The PUIG visor is 110mm taller than the OEM visor and wider too. I'll show you the difference in stock and PUIG visors.

Fitting this visor is easy, DYI. You just need the right tool for it and a torque wrench in case you're too conscious about it.

4. Radiator Guard

Evotech was the first supplier of radiator guards for this bike priced at 10k. Quality is good too. Placed an order right away after buying the bike. This guard is compatible with Trident 660. That's one of the reasons why it was readily available when I bought the bike in 2022. Currently, there are some additions in the market and price starts from 6k onwards. Google the links to buy the same.

Fitting is easy again but takes a bit of time as you need to remove the side bottom panels which are mounted on either side of the radiator to access the bolting space. It's a DIY too.

5. Aux Lights

As you're aware, there's a huge competition in the Indian market for aux lights for vehicles. I personally liked Maddog Lights which is a Bangalore company. The lights are too good and high-quality materials/components are used. Pricing is good, starting from 3.75k to 10k. I had Maddog Scout-x mounted on my Fz25 earlier and they're pretty good lights. I bought the same again for Tiger and it's been serving well.

As I mentioned in my previous post, there's no proper provision for mounting the aux lights on this bike. I had to buy the clamps for the forks since I didn't find any other option. Again, clamps from Maddog were not compatible as the diameter of the forks is high compared to that of the clamps. Mounting the lights was easy but need to adjust the alignment properly so that they don't touch the front mudguard or side panels on either side when the handle is turned. Scout-x lights cost 5.75k plus another 600 for the switch. I didn't buy the wiring harness, instead, I opted for normal wiring to complete the circuit.

6. Hand/knuckle guard

Hand guard by Triumph is of very poor quality! A simple fall can completely break it. It's too delicate compared to many other Chinese quality guards available in the market. The one I'm using is from Acebis and bought from Amazon. This is not for wind protection, this is for clutch/brake levers protection. These are of very good quality and don't spoil the look of the bike as well. It recently took a fall but no damage to the clutch lever. Price is around 1.5k-2k, totally worth it.

7. Top rack, top box

Top rack from OEM looks just fine and I bought the same without doing much of research. Loading capacity is mentioned as 6kg which gets violated almost every time during the trip. Price is 13-14k. There's a catch! OEM top rack is not directly compatible with the SHAD mounting plates. However, you can always make it compatible by buying another plate and sandwiching it in between OEM top rack and SHAD mounting plate. Yes! That's what I did, I bought a mounting plate from Amazon which is actually compatible with Himalayan and XPulse and made 2 holes on it to fit it on OEM top rack. That was easy! Now it was all about adjusting and aligning SHAD mounting plate with the new plate. Process was simple and clear! Fitted properly without any major issues.

Sharing the link of the sandwich plate to make OEM top rack compatible with SHAD mounting plate.

8. Front mudguard extender

I'm very much disappointed by the short mudguard given by the company because of which the radiator fills with dirt every time I ride. Keeping it clean was a challenge until I got the extender fitted. There are imported extenders available for this bike whereas universal extenders from amazon at low prices serve the same purpose without any issues. Hence, I thought of saving some bucks and buying from Amazon. Cost was just around Rs.300/- for a universal extender.

Making simple 2 extra holes on the OEM guard doesn't require any rocket science. It fits well without touching the radiator on bad roads which is important.

9. Paint Protection Film (PPF)

Is protecting the vehicle with all the accessories sufficient without keeping its body safe from all kinds of contamination, minor scratches, swirl marks etc? Answer is definitely a, "No". I did some research and thought of getting the PPF done which self-healing, anti-yellowing TPU PPF. There's huge competition in this sector and many options in Bengaluru. But choosing the right brand and installer is a must and I chose CARJAX auto care. They did a good job on my TS660. A 200microm thick, self-healing PPF was done in June 2022, just 15 days after I bought the bike and it looks new every time I wash even now!

10. Rim sticker and beautification

Last but not least, in addition to the beauty of the bike. Thought of getting some stickering done. Added a bit more beauty to the baby Tiger.

My upcoming addition will be front fork protectors. OEM costing is around 4-5k whereas lower price options are available in the market.

I hope I'd be helpful with this write-up to some of the people who are interested in either buying or improvising by keeping this as a reference.

Post query, if any, will be happy to help/assist. Cheers!

"Living life in the fast lane"

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

What has completely surprised me is the level of fit and finish some of these car accessory dealers are showcasing on YouTube.

BHPian A777R recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Well I am in the market for the new Fronx and due to the atrocious pricing on the top end version, doing extensive research on after market additions - some of them cosmetic and some of them functional.

What has completely surprised me is the level of fit and finish some of these car accessory dealers are showcasing on YouTube. They offer discounts on Maruti genuine accessories and the fit and finish looks on par or in some cases even better than the OEM fittings.

For example they are offering piano black finish on the centre console with a smaller touch screen that even Maruti does not offer. Maybe this has become the norm in the last few years but I was still surprised by the kind of options being offered for relatively reasonable prices.

Now obviously the electronics such as ICE and LED lightings could be of suspect quality but everything else that these dealers are fitting looks really good (at least in the videos).

If this trend continues, I genuinely think it would not be such a big risk to buy the lower variants and get them upgraded.

I suspect a couple of big reasons for this trend are:

• A vast and updated catalogue of genuine Maruti spare parts and accessories.
• The modern car is much more modular and easier to modify than the older ones.

This is just a random video from a dealer in Delhi who claims to accessorize 6 Fronx(s) every day amongst many other cars. (I am in no way associated with this dealer but he has been putting a lot of Fronx videos lately).

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Years back, I had thought of the car accessory shop as a declining business. And to some extent, I stick by a lot of those opinions. Today's top variants (and many mid-variants) are very well-equipped & come with practically everything! Even the OEM sound systems have improved (it was a must-have aftermarket accessory at one time), sunfilm has been banned and dealers throw in freebies for mandatory stuff (e.g. floormats).

But there are a lot of buyers of sparsely equipped lower variant cars keeping the business alive. Plus, the sheer size of the market! Today, more 15 - 25 lakh cars are being sold than at any point in the history of the Indian car scene. These customers have a bigger wallet for accessories than an Alto customer.

And I must compliment the after-market for responding with truly high-quality, tempting upgrades. If you are willing to spend, you can get top-quality body wraps, PPF, LED headlamps, leather interiors, 18 - 22" rims, ICE etc. in the market. These have replaced sunfilm, Autocop security systems, horn upgrades, blinking Pioneer stereos etc which were mandatory accessories from 1990 - 2010.

For my 530d, Superb & Sunny, I never visited the auto accessory shop. But for my Thar, I practically raided the after-market with an F16.

Due to manufacturers also overpricing the higher variants, there are splendid options in the aftermarket to convert your base variant into a top one.

Here's what BHPian Mr.Boss had to say on the matter:

Adding a bit:

Growing technology & tools for reverse engineering. We spent hours or even days to measure and develop a 3D CAD models a decade ago, not that's done in seconds with 3D scanners.

Base & mid variants are loaded with basic features and provision for additional features these days (earlier that was not the case, pre-wiring, mounting provisions will be missed).

Market (people) is encouraging or moving towards these accessories.

Change in business model. Earlier accessories means sun film, audio, park assist, seat cover, wheel cap, alloy wheels, aux lamps. Now majority of these are either OE fitment or illegal to use. So we move towards something else.

Here's what BHPian Samba had to say on the matter:

In the earlier years, we used to visit the car accessory shops for fitting accessories like stereo, seat covers, floor mats, sun films, upgraded headlight bulbs and horn with a relay.

The experience was mixed. I never liked the way the mechanics handled the car. There was always a chance, you end up with a shoddy low quality wiring job, or they do not pay attention on the fuse ratings, or cutting/tapping the original wiring. Few inexperienced mechanics used to end-up breaking the plastic clips while opening the door pads, or any plastic panels. I also hated when they cut or remove the oem seat covers while installing the aftermarket ones.

So, I always had to be present and monitor their work thoroughly. Right from inspecting the fuse ratings to the quality of the wires they used, the way they were installing the seat covers, etc etc. My presence and intervention used to irk the mechanics as I used to resist them whenever I found their work to be shoddy. I absolutely hated it.

Am happy I do not have to visit the accessory shops anymore!

Now most of the cars come with 6 air bags- So installing an after market seat cover is not even an option for me. If I want to install one, will get one from the dealer, as an OEM accessory.

The accessory shops do offer seat covers which are compatible with the airbags, but I won't trust them where safety is involved.

Most cars come with projectors and leds, so upgrading the headlights are not anymore required.

Now I use the horn as less as possible, so upgrading the horn is not required either.

Sun-films got banned in many states of India. So it's no more an option for me too. Few cars come with factory fitted tinted glasses, and they are actually nice.

Regarding the ICE, now almost every cars come with a decent factory fitted music system.

In today's date most of the base model cars also come equipped with a decent level of features.

Lastly apart from installing few basic accessories, if the original wiring is touched/tampered by the accessory shops,the factory warranty gets void. And now with the extended warranty schemes, most cars are covered for 5-7 years.

Now the car owners are much more well versed, and safety conscious than they were a decade back.

These are the main reasons I feel for the down-growth of car accessory shops.

Here's what BHPian ashis89 had to say on the matter:

On a related note, a decade ago the dealers and service centres used to offer a small range of accessories - a couple of seat cover options, rubber mats, perfumes and a bunch of chrome kits. Today they are trying to catch up with the accessory shops with OE branded tyre inflators, dashcams, LED bulbs, HID kits, touchscreen units, a variety of mats and even in house ceramic coating. They even entice us with knowledge that their accessories will not hamper warranty. IMO, the accessory market and the options available for each model, has grown leaps and bounds and that gives each of these players the room to grow further.

Here's what BHPian PrideRed had to say on the matter:

Other than standard cosmetics and electronics, the car accessory dealers have diverted their attention to more profitable options like tuning, performance upgrade and mechanical modifications. Overlanding, offroading culture has taken interest in country and OEM's are providing hardly any options. Take example of Thar, while cosmetic/electronics may get accessory dealer a sum of 50K per car, aftermarket suspensions, tires, winch, offroad protective gear and we are talking a bill upwards of 2 Lakh.

While the sub 10-15L rupee cars go to accessory shop for HU, trims, chrome, LEDs etc. the offroad oriented cars, SUVs, performance cars are going for mechanical upgrades which I believe most accessory shops have started focusing on.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Summit Seeker Collection costs Rs 28,190 and is only available with the manual version.

Maruti Suzuki recently launched the Jimny 5-door in the Indian market. The carmaker also offering several accessories to spice up the off-roader.

There are three accessory packages on offer, including the 'Ultimate Lifestyle Collection' which costs Rs 5,280, while the 'Adventure Lifestyle Collection' is priced at Rs 18,950. The 'Summit Seeker Collection' costs Rs 28,190 and is only available with the manual version.

The aforementioned accessory packages include several add-ons, including door cladding, body graphics, a metal finish garnish for the bumpers, fenders, ORVMs and bonnet.

For the interiors, customers get leatherette upholstery in dual-tone black and tan colour, tan grip cover and floor mats with tread metal patterns.

Besides the packages, customers can also purchase specific accessories of their choice at the dealer level.

Maruti Suzuki Jimny accessories list & prices:

• Body cover - Rs. 1,700 - Rs. 3,300
• Spare wheel cover - Rs. 12,990
• Roof carrier - Rs. 14,990 - Rs. 21,990
• Front skid plate - Rs. 2,350
• Door cladding - Rs. 3,699
• Fender garnish - Rs. 1,150
• Seat covers - Rs. 9,400
• Fog lamps - Rs. 4,800
• Mud flaps - Rs. 899
• Door visor - Rs. 1,990
• Floor and boot mats - Rs. 1,650 - Rs. 3,300
• Window sunshade - Rs. 1,050
• Illuminate door sill guard - Rs. 2,999
• Grip cover - Rs. 390
• Expedition tent - Rs. 6,999
• Portable chair - Rs. 1,710
• Portable table - Rs. 2,199
• Sleeping bag - Rs. 1,200 - Rs. 3,299
• Portable stove - Rs. 2,400
• Umbrella - Rs. 899
• Digger Shovel - Rs. 930
• Multi-purpose knife - Rs. 479
• Duct tape - Rs. 435
• Rain Poncho - Rs. 749