Escort 9500 install, Champion paddles and Xpel
#1
06-14-2012 | 03:58 PM
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Escort 9500 install, Champion paddles and Xpel
Just got the car back from Project Two Customers here in the Milwaukee area. I had my Escort 9500 reinstalled (was installed in another car previously), the Champion Motorsport PDK paddle shifter conversion and Xpel installed.
Lets start with the Escort. After a couple of suggestions from this site. I decided to put the controller in the ashtray. It is a perfect fit and closes with no issues. Perfect spot so you can hit the mute button. We could not find a good spot in or around the gauge cluster. So seeing someone else on this site put it down (thank you!) by the bottom of the dash gave us the idea. Ideally, I would like to be over left about 1 inch to better see it thru the wheel. But you can see it thru the wheel and your knee is no where close to hitting it. A great spot and easy to install and remove. Thanks for the idea. The radar receiver is under the plastic bumper up close to the headlight. Preferably I would like it higher for better reception. I thought about putting it to the right of the rearview mirror. The installer thought under the bumper would be fine. I will send him a bill if I get a ticket
The laser shifters are mounted under the top black plastic fin. I would prefer that they were moved out further. Again, my installer disagreed. He stated that they borrowed a laser gun and tested it on another customers car. The rear laser is on the license plate. Nothing exciting there. All in all, pretty straight forward. Cost to install $720.
Campion paddles. I have made it very clear that I HATE the buttons. That being said they were starting to grow on me. I was still accidently downshifting when I meant to up shift. I really like the wheel controls and did not want to give those up to get the paddles (yes yes. Cake and eat it too. But it is my car, damn it). So Champion has a solution. The build quality is excellent. The design is OK. They feel solid and look good. From the top, they do look a little awkward but I cannot see it from my seat. Two issues and one observation. Issue #1 - There is barley enough room to fit your fingers between the turn and wiper stalk and the paddle. I have skinny fingers. Guy (or gals) with sausage fingers need not apply. If I have my finger on the paddle and making a smaller turn with the wheel, I could easily see putting on the turn signal by mistake. Issue #2 - If you are sitting your thumb on the black part like you would with the button there is no issue. If you "hang" your thumb over the top (sorry should have put a picture) the top outer corner of the thumb rest is pointy and uncomfortable. Observation - Pulling the paddle has a good feel. It feels like quality but there is no "click". It is more of a squeeze. I would prefer a click. Soooo would I recommend it? No sure yet. I really like shifting with the paddles. I was doing my best (crappy) Patrick Long impression on the way home. Time will tell if the upside out weighs the downside and the tremendous cost ($1,500 paddles and $180 install with overnight shipping).
Xpel - If you are going to put 3M on your car (and I recommend that you do), use Xpel Ultimate. The ultimate is a 20% up charge and worth it. It is thicker, more shiny and has a "self healing" property. I had it on my black X5M and it look great. I had it on the rear fenders. I pulled into the garage one day and dragged the left rear fender across the garage door. With some buffing, no damage to the car. The garage door did not fair so well. So Project Two order the Ultimate for the front bumper, front fender and entire hood (cost $1,700 installed). I recommend the entire hood so there is no line across the hood. I did the fenders also so they matched the hood. But in reality Xpel is so good I would challenge you to see the difference (on a grey car). My installer has Xpel custom cut it. So they have a 1/4 inch or so that they can roll it under the front and side part of the hood. This offer protection on the front edge of the hood and also hides it better. They also do not have Xpel cut out the Porsche crest. So they can "tuck" it around the crest. All in all it looks fantastic. Should last three years until I turn it back in.
Will update as I continue to use.
Marc
Lets start with the Escort. After a couple of suggestions from this site. I decided to put the controller in the ashtray. It is a perfect fit and closes with no issues. Perfect spot so you can hit the mute button. We could not find a good spot in or around the gauge cluster. So seeing someone else on this site put it down (thank you!) by the bottom of the dash gave us the idea. Ideally, I would like to be over left about 1 inch to better see it thru the wheel. But you can see it thru the wheel and your knee is no where close to hitting it. A great spot and easy to install and remove. Thanks for the idea. The radar receiver is under the plastic bumper up close to the headlight. Preferably I would like it higher for better reception. I thought about putting it to the right of the rearview mirror. The installer thought under the bumper would be fine. I will send him a bill if I get a ticket
The laser shifters are mounted under the top black plastic fin. I would prefer that they were moved out further. Again, my installer disagreed. He stated that they borrowed a laser gun and tested it on another customers car. The rear laser is on the license plate. Nothing exciting there. All in all, pretty straight forward. Cost to install $720.Campion paddles. I have made it very clear that I HATE the buttons. That being said they were starting to grow on me. I was still accidently downshifting when I meant to up shift. I really like the wheel controls and did not want to give those up to get the paddles (yes yes. Cake and eat it too. But it is my car, damn it). So Champion has a solution. The build quality is excellent. The design is OK. They feel solid and look good. From the top, they do look a little awkward but I cannot see it from my seat. Two issues and one observation. Issue #1 - There is barley enough room to fit your fingers between the turn and wiper stalk and the paddle. I have skinny fingers. Guy (or gals) with sausage fingers need not apply. If I have my finger on the paddle and making a smaller turn with the wheel, I could easily see putting on the turn signal by mistake. Issue #2 - If you are sitting your thumb on the black part like you would with the button there is no issue. If you "hang" your thumb over the top (sorry should have put a picture) the top outer corner of the thumb rest is pointy and uncomfortable. Observation - Pulling the paddle has a good feel. It feels like quality but there is no "click". It is more of a squeeze. I would prefer a click. Soooo would I recommend it? No sure yet. I really like shifting with the paddles. I was doing my best (crappy) Patrick Long impression on the way home. Time will tell if the upside out weighs the downside and the tremendous cost ($1,500 paddles and $180 install with overnight shipping).
Xpel - If you are going to put 3M on your car (and I recommend that you do), use Xpel Ultimate. The ultimate is a 20% up charge and worth it. It is thicker, more shiny and has a "self healing" property. I had it on my black X5M and it look great. I had it on the rear fenders. I pulled into the garage one day and dragged the left rear fender across the garage door. With some buffing, no damage to the car. The garage door did not fair so well. So Project Two order the Ultimate for the front bumper, front fender and entire hood (cost $1,700 installed). I recommend the entire hood so there is no line across the hood. I did the fenders also so they matched the hood. But in reality Xpel is so good I would challenge you to see the difference (on a grey car). My installer has Xpel custom cut it. So they have a 1/4 inch or so that they can roll it under the front and side part of the hood. This offer protection on the front edge of the hood and also hides it better. They also do not have Xpel cut out the Porsche crest. So they can "tuck" it around the crest. All in all it looks fantastic. Should last three years until I turn it back in.
Will update as I continue to use.
Marc
#7
06-14-2012 | 07:39 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 594
From: Milwaukee
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Thanks. I thought so as well when I show it on this site. But I can assure you, there is no way you can hit it. (unless you are having sex in your 991 with nadia komenich).
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