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I installed the front skid plate. For those interested, do yourself a favor and avoid the ebay chinese ones. Installation was going great despite the total absence of instructions thanks to powerful UK youtube video, until the final front bolts that didn’t line up at all with the ‘’easy install’’ brackets. There was a good 3/8 inch difference between the bracket holes and the skid plate holes. Lets say that the easy stopped right there!!!! I had to undo it all and start playing with the bracket location, shave washers and make holes bigger etc….. but, at the end of the day, the result is satisfying.
Last edited by Darover2; Jun 21, 2025 at 09:10 AM.
Front passenger Side bolt?
Mine is slightly angled, I wasn't sure it was only me or actual brakes issue.
Originally Posted by Darover2
I installed the front skid plate. For those interested, do yourself a favor and avoid the ebay chinese ones. Installation was going great despite the total absence of instructions thanks to powerful UK youtube video, until the final front bolts that didn’t line up at all with the ‘’easy install’’ brackets. There was a good 3/8 inch difference between the bracket holes and the skid plate holes. Lets say that the easy stopped right there!!!! I had to undo it all and start playing with the bracket location, shave washers and make holes bigger etc….. but, at the end of the day, the result is satisfying.
Front passenger Side bolt?
Mine is slightly angled, I wasn't sure it was only me or actual brakes issue.
Most likely angled because like me, the holes didn’t align. Remove the bolt and drill a bigger hole in the skid plate for the bolt to have room to slightly move over and sit perfectly flat.
I installed a pair of the rough cut walnut console “hockey sticks”. Found a great deal on a set of gently used ones on Marketplace.
It’s odd how the 4 decorative outside screws are not the only thing holding them on. The whole console side panel has to come off and there are 15!! little screws holding from the back. Best to remove the seat for extra wiggle room when yanking on the side panels.
Simon with Powerful UK does a nice instructive video on the process.
Changed my oil for the first time last night now that I'm out of factory warranty. A friend of mine was kind enough to let me use his lift. Did it the old fashioned way and dropped the skid plates. Was pretty straightforward, and unfortunately I made the rookie mistake of not changing my shirt, and ruined one of my favorite shirts. As you can see below, I was quite thrilled lol. Oh well, you live & you learn. My next oil change I'll use the vacuum pump, and alternate using the vacuum pump and draining every other oil change.
I did attempt to film a video on how to change the oil, but it turned out so badly and filled with bloopers that its not even worth uploading.
I had my oil changed 6k miles ago, and it was quite dark when I drained it last night. 5k oil changes seem to be right for my use case, and that's what I'll keep doing.
I made the rookie mistake of not changing my shirt, and ruined one of my favorite shirts.
Look at the bright side - you now have a favorite garage shirt. When I recently took off all the skid plats in search of my elusive coolant smell, I sure could've used a lift. After finding the leak and buttoning everything back up, I somehow had four extra bolts left over. I think they went somewhere on the transmission cover, but that's for my next oil change to figure out (and my first one not using the suction tube method).
I think they went somewhere on the transmission cover, but that's for my next oil change to figure out (and my first one not using the suction tube method).
