My first car (Silver 9n3) build thread

[silver9n3]

Hi all,

Seen a few of these around and really enjoyed them, so thought I'd make my own!

I've just turned 17 and got myself a standard 2005 1.2 9n3 in silver. Unfortunately it's the E model so has nasty seats and manual windows, but that will all be changed!

I haven't passed my test yet, I have it on the 4th of July so it's currently sitting in my garage and I'm just tinkering with it.

So far I've done mainly aesthetics, and since I bought it as standard I have;

Oil and filter change, new air filter, pollen filter, fluid change etc.

GTI Honeycombe grill

I picked this up for under £30 on eBay, and simply removed the GTI badge and then dremelled out the plastic backing. This was a straight swap after some penetrator fluid and a few torx screws. I think it really improves the overall look, but it's a bugger to clean/dry.

Window tints

I went for the legal limit on front, dark smoke on back, and darkest black on boot. This actually really enhances the look of the car!

Black badges

I did these myself in matte black with a sprayable vinyl wrap, so that if I change my mind I can simply peel it off. I just removed the front badge and sprayed it as per, and the rear I completely removed, cut off the plastic rivets holding the chrome VW to the plastic backing and sprayed both separately to ensure the best results, then reassembled and stuck back on.

Debadged the boot

I chose to leave just the VW badge on the back and nothing else. This was easily done with some fishing braid. If you don't have any of this (you probably wont if you don't fish) then normal fishing line or dental floss will do the trick. I needed very little heat and then polished and waxed the area.

Restored headlights

This was a big let down for me, the headlights were hazed and scratched with a yellow tint to them and really ruined the look. I wet sanded with 2000 working up to 3000 grit then buffed them and polished and finished them with a clear coat. This greatly improved the look of the front end!

Smoked tail lights

This was something I wanted to do from the very beginning as my car follows a silver and black colour scheme, so I darkened the tail lights using a sprayable light tint I picked up for a fiver off of Amazon. I accidentally did the break light on the spoiler way too dark but the stuff is a bugger to remove so I just left it.

Paint repairs

Being ten years old, it had a few motorway chips and some wear all around, so these were filled in with a reflex silver kit from Halfords, but I filled the holes too much on purpose then used a rubbing compound to level it out, and that made the repairs look so so so much better!

Bumper touchup

The bump strips and basically all black plastic/rubber was starting to fade, so I gave it all a once over with Autoglym bumper care, and the stuff worked wonders!

New cockpit bulb

I decided to swap out the old yellow bulb in the cockpit (the reading light) with a xenon style bright white one from eBay.

New headlight bulbs

I also put in new side, dipped and full beam bulbs which were the Bosch Pure Light ones. These are supposedly an ice white, but they do still have a yellowish tint. When it's dark and you're 25ft + away from them then they look awesome! This was a pain in the ass to do and entailed the removal of the battery and lots of lost skin!

Sticker and tax disk removal

I removed all of the big VW dealership stickers from the boot, and the ugly tax disc holder from the windscreen and any other stickers I could find. I think this just tidies up the look of the car.

Stubby aerial

I decided to fit a stubby black bee sting type aerial as the old one was long and looked awful. The signal is really not all that, but at least it looks good!

New gear knob and gaiter

I fitted a new gear knob and black leather gaiter, thinking it would all look great. Individually, the components looked great, but after doing it (an absolutely nightmare) it really doesn't look very good at all!

VW floor mats

I ordered some floor mats tailored for my polo so that they fit with the clips on the floor and are the perfect fit as I think this is a nice finishing touch.

Black tow ring

I sprayed my rear tow ring black as the covering was all mangled and it looked horrible.



There are still a fair few things I would like to do including

Some 16" black alloys, preferably 5 spoke style or similar. These will give the appearance of it being lowered two inches as my steels are 14"s.

A new stainless back box with a nice zing and sound to it, with a visible exhaust tip from the rear.

All seats from an SE model polo, as these are a soft grey all over and look awesome.

Electric windows and door cards which I will probably get from a higher model polo.

A new rear wiper, as my current one is on its way out.

Aux input as I'd prefer to listen to music from my phone.



I'll add some pictures here! Please excuse the wheels, will be on some 16" black alloys soon!

Window tints









The back







Gear knob and gaiter

[perarduapropatria]

Looks lush. I like your tips on the headlights; mine is only 4 years old, but it looks like the previous owner cleaned them with scotchbrite and a hammer.

Before you buy the wheels, might be wise to check how much it'll increase your premiums by - it might be excessively expensive.

Equally, now you've done the lights you should declare them too. It's just not worth the hassle if someone arse-ends you and then says they "didn't see you brake".

I've had great success with Gtechniq C4 when it comes to faded grey trim.

[silver9n3]

Looks lush. I like your tips on the headlights; mine is only 4 years old, but it looks like the previous owner cleaned them with scotchbrite and a hammer.

Before you buy the wheels, might be wise to check how much it'll increase your premiums by - it might be excessively expensive.

Equally, now you've done the lights you should declare them too. It's just not worth the hassle if someone arse-ends you and then says they "didn't see you brake".

I've had great success with Gtechniq C4 when it comes to faded grey trim.

I'm not going to declare any of it, being my first year it'd put it up by hundreds if not more.

I'll go for the old - it was like it when I bought it!

The spoiler break light is stupidly dark and I'm trying to lighten it.

[perarduapropatria]

Looks lush. I like your tips on the headlights; mine is only 4 years old, but it looks like the previous owner cleaned them with scotchbrite and a hammer.

Before you buy the wheels, might be wise to check how much it'll increase your premiums by - it might be excessively expensive.

Equally, now you've done the lights you should declare them too. It's just not worth the hassle if someone arse-ends you and then says they "didn't see you brake".

I've had great success with Gtechniq C4 when it comes to faded grey trim.

I'm not going to declare any of it, being my first year it'd put it up by hundreds if not more.

I'll go for the old - it was like it when I bought it!

The spoiler break light is stupidly dark and I'm trying to lighten it.

Might want to delete this thread then.

Your choice, but getting points for illegally dark lights will cost you far more in the long run. Also, if you have an accident - as most young drivers do in their first year - and they find stuff you've not declared than you'll have invalid insurance. Ignorance is not an excuse, in law.

Why risk it?

[silver9n3]

Looks lush. I like your tips on the headlights; mine is only 4 years old, but it looks like the previous owner cleaned them with scotchbrite and a hammer.

Before you buy the wheels, might be wise to check how much it'll increase your premiums by - it might be excessively expensive.

Equally, now you've done the lights you should declare them too. It's just not worth the hassle if someone arse-ends you and then says they "didn't see you brake".

I've had great success with Gtechniq C4 when it comes to faded grey trim.

I'm not going to declare any of it, being my first year it'd put it up by hundreds if not more.

I'll go for the old - it was like it when I bought it!

The spoiler break light is stupidly dark and I'm trying to lighten it.

Might want to delete this thread then.

Your choice, but getting points for illegally dark lights will cost you far more in the long run. Also, if you have an accident - as most young drivers do in their first year - and they find stuff you've not declared than you'll have invalid insurance. Ignorance is not an excuse, in law.

Why risk it?

They aren't illegally dark, there are factory lights darker than mine.

My insurance will not be invalid for modifications which I have not done to the vehicle. For all I know, it came from the factory like that.

[perarduapropatria]

My insurance will not be invalid for modifications which I have not done to the vehicle. For all I know, it came from the factory like that.

Actually it will, but you seem to know best - which is understandable because you're 17.

Just remember that a check can be performed to see what did not come fitted to your car using the VIN, should it need to be inspected. As I eluded to before, it's a whole lot of money to lose if (when) something happens.

What, perhaps, you could do is run a few checks on Confused to see what any modifications do to the price before you decide whether or not to declare. I found Adrian Flux were a good insurer because you can get an "agreed value" which encompasses all the things you've added to the car. They also do a discount if you're a member of an owners club.

You'll find that adding genuine VW wheels increases the premium less than aftermarket wheels.

[silver9n3]

My insurance will not be invalid for modifications which I have not done to the vehicle. For all I know, it came from the factory like that.

Actually it will, but you seem to know best - which is understandable because you're 17.

Just remember that a check can be performed to see what did not come fitted to your car using the VIN, should it need to be inspected. As I eluded to before, it's a whole lot of money to lose if (when) something happens.

What, perhaps, you could do is run a few checks on Confused to see what any modifications do to the price before you decide whether or not to declare. I found Adrian Flux were a good insurer because you can get an "agreed value" which encompasses all the things you've added to the car. They also do a discount if you're a member of an owners club.

You'll find that adding genuine VW wheels increases the premium less than aftermarket wheels.

You spoke about ignorance in law, I'm not legally obligated to declare modifications which a previous owners has done if I am unaware of them.

You actually seem to think you know best. If I bought the vehicle like this, and the previous owner told me it was standard then how can I be at fault in a court of law for things which I was unaware of, and was told were standard.

[perarduapropatria]

As I said: You know best. I wish I was 17 and knew everything.

You've done the modifications.

It's like a five year old child breaking something and saying "it was like that when I found it" - we all know the truth.

[silver9n3]

As I said: You know best

Typical response from a grumpy old fart who has been proven wrong!

[perarduapropatria]

As I said: You know best

Typical response from a grumpy old fart who has been proven wrong!

An expected response from a child.

I'm not wrong - just speak to your insurers if you're so confident.

Thought not.

[silver9n3]

As I said: You know best

Typical response from a grumpy old fart who has been proven wrong!

An expected response from a child.

I'm not wrong - just speak to your insurers if you're so confident.

Thought not.

Funny thing is, I have just done so.

They said, "declare any and all modifications which you know have been made or have made yourself".

For all they know, I don't know of any modifications which have been made and did not make them myself.

[perarduapropatria]

Funny thing is, I have just done so.

They said, "declare any and all modifications which you know have been made or have made yourself".

For all they know, I don't know of any modifications which have been made and did not make them myself.

Ok.

By law they also have to read out something along the lines of "anything you do not declare may invalidate your insurance and / or lead to your policy being cancelled"

[silver9n3]

Funny thing is, I have just done so.

They said, "declare any and all modifications which you know have been made or have made yourself".

For all they know, I don't know of any modifications which have been made and did not make them myself.

Ok.

By law they also have to read out something along the lines of "anything you do not declare may invalidate your insurance and / or lead to your policy being cancelled"

Indeed.

"may invalidate", not will invalidate.

They will have a hard time proving I knew that the modifications had been made if I argue I was told it was standard.

[perarduapropatria]

Indeed.

"may invalidate", not will invalidate.

They will have a hard time proving I knew that the modifications had been made if I argue I was told it was standard.

"May" is legal speak for "will"

They won't - they'll pull the VIN

[silver9n3]

Indeed.

"may invalidate", not will invalidate.

They will have a hard time proving I knew that the modifications had been made if I argue I was told it was standard.

"May" is legal speak for "will"

They won't - they'll pull the VIN

They can pull the VIN, but can't prove that I knew of them, and as I was told otherwise they'd have a hard time invalidating my insurance as I obliged with what I was told.