How to make a cool tuning of a Lada Priora with your own hands

The first Lada Priora rolled off the assembly line in 2007. A couple of years later, this car became very popular among domestic car enthusiasts, mainly because of its affordable price. At the same time, many car owners strive to give their Priora individuality. Make it look more solid and more expensive. Tuning helps them with this. Let's figure out what this procedure is.

• Chassis
• Improved appearance
• Interior tuning

  Video: painting the interior of the Priora black

Lighting system

Trunk

Photo gallery: tuned Priors

Tuning the interior of the Lada Priora

Let's start with the instrument panel. We install plastic plates of different colors into the shield on the back side. For example, green and red. It is recommended to install LEDs instead of standard backlight lamps. The lower part of the panel and console can be covered in light-colored leather or painted to match the color of the seats. For painting you will need to purchase a primer, aerosol paint in cans, a spatula, a respirator, goggles and gloves. First of all, a primer is applied. After it dries, paint is applied in two layers with a break of 20-30 minutes. Avoid paint drips. The third option is to cover it with film. When gluing, it is necessary to degrease the surface. Treat the edges and bends with a hair dryer. The ceiling trim can also be covered with a film with a leather or velvet effect.

We reupholster the seats with eco-leather. This material is durable and does not require special care, and has excellent breathability. Leather will add elegance and practicality to your car. Using this material you can make durable massage ribs for the backs of Priora seats. The second option is to purchase leather cases. Many car enthusiasts prefer to install heated seats. This is not at all difficult to do. We carefully embroider the seats and install the heating. We put the button in the tunnel between the cup holders.

The door trim can also be upholstered in leather with inserts in dark and light colors. We install LEDs in the door handles. LEDs are selected according to the color scheme of the entire interior. We also install an LED or LED strip in the lampshade, since it is no secret that a standard lamp does not cope well with the task. But if in this case there is not enough lighting, then you can install an additional lamp by attaching it to the ceiling cladding. Also, for more comfortable driving, the following is installed:

• an on-board computer that will promptly notify you of a malfunction of the engine control system;
• heated steering wheel for more comfortable driving in winter;
• LED lighting in the feet of the driver and passengers, which turns on when the doors are opened.

Improved appearance

Here's what drivers do to improve the appearance of the Priora:

• New bumpers are installed on the car (sometimes complete with thresholds). You can buy all this in specialized stores. Most often, lightweight kits from the Sniper or I Robot series are purchased from Priora. They are made of plastic, the cost of one bumper starts from 4,500 rubles;
• spoiler installation. The products of AVR, which produces fiberglass spoilers, are very popular. Or the spoiler can be made to order at a tuning studio. But this is a very expensive pleasure;
• replacing disks. On early Priora models, the wheels were steel, and their appearance left much to be desired. Therefore, tuning enthusiasts try to replace them with cast ones, since they are more beautiful and lighter. But for all its attractiveness, a cast disk, unlike a steel one, is very fragile. And its maintainability tends to zero;
• replacement or modification of mirrors. The most inexpensive option is to install special overlays purchased in the store on standard mirrors. This simple procedure radically changes the appearance of your side mirrors. The second option is to install mirrors from other cars. Now that AvtoVAZ has updated its model range, mirrors from Granta or Vesta are often installed on Prioras. But before installation, they will have to be modified, since they are attached to the body differently;
• replacing door handles. The standard handles on the Priora are trimmed with ordinary plastic, usually black. And they look very old-fashioned. Therefore, tuning enthusiasts often replace them with chrome-plated handles, “recessed” into the car body. As an option, the handles can be finished in carbon fiber, or completely match the color of the car body. There is no shortage of door handles today. And on the counter of any spare parts store, a car enthusiast will always be able to choose the option that suits him.

Replacing the steering wheel

Some car owners do not like the standard Priora steering wheel and they prefer to get rid of it, replacing it with something more acceptable. This could be a “sports” steering wheel of small diameter, or a steering wheel of some non-standard shape. To remove the standard steering wheel from a Priora, you need the following tools:

• flat screwdriver;
• crosshead screwdriver;
• set of hexagons;
• 24mm socket and long ratchet driver;
• new steering wheel.

Sequence of operations

The Priora's steering wheel has an airbag. So first you have to get rid of it. And only then remove the steering wheel itself.

• The negative terminal is removed from the car battery. Now you need to wait until the protective system capacitor discharges (usually this happens after 45–50 minutes).
• The steering wheel is turned so that the wheels are straight.
• The cover is removed from the steering wheel, under which there is an airbag. It is held on by 7 screws, which are unscrewed with a screwdriver.

  The cushion cover is held on by 7 screws

• The pillow itself is attached to two screws; they can only be unscrewed using a hexagon.
• The airbag is removed. Provides access to the steering wheel nut.
• The nut is unscrewed using a socket head. As a rule, such nuts are tightened very tightly, so you will have to apply serious force to unscrew it.

  After unscrewing the central nut, the steering wheel can be removed

• After unscrewing the central nut, the steering wheel can be removed and replaced with a new one. The airbag then returns to its normal position.

Video: removing the steering wheel on a Priora with an airbag

Appearance

Currently, tuning for VAZ cars has a wide range of choices. Since Russian-made cars are quite inexpensive, this attracts their buyers. Tuning for Lada cars is also available and can be found in almost any city.

Tinted glass

To give your car a beautiful appearance, the first step is to tint it. Car tinting is relatively inexpensive, ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 rubles. But after tinting, your car will shine with new colors. It is legally possible to tint car windows only from the rear. Since the light transmittance of the film is not so high, viewing in the evening will be difficult.

Lip installation

To give the car a stylish look, you can install a lip on the front instead of the standard fangs under the bumper. There are several types of lips. The rubber lip “Samurai” and the plastic lip from the Chevrolet Cruze fit perfectly on the Priora bumper. The lip should be secured under the bumper with self-tapping screws. The price of the lip is from 500 to 1000 rubles.

Guba Cruz Guba Samurai

Lipspoiler

In the days of the nines, when our fathers raised the rear of the car by installing spacers under the rear shock absorbers and installing huge spoilers like in Need For Speed. Nowadays, it is stylish to lower a car; by the way, you can read how to properly lower a car on our website, and install a small spoiler that is glued to double-sided tape. The price of such a spoiler varies within 1000 rubles.

Alloy wheels

Everyone knows that the wheels of a car are the floor of the car, so the wheels of your car should be beautiful and you like them. On the Lada Priora you can install wheels with a radius ranging from R14 to R17. When installing R16 and R17 wheels, you will have to buy low-profile tires, which is very expensive and not practical, but at least beautiful. When installing disks with a large radius, comfort is lost and the chassis begins to work rougher since the rubber does not “eat up” minor road irregularities.

It is best to install R14 and R15 wheels. Such wheels are relatively inexpensive and the tires for such a radius are high profile. It follows that the comfort of driving a car will not be lost.

SE caps and mirror repeaters

In order to give your car a little luxury, you can install turn signal indicators in the prior mirrors and turn signal plugs in the wings on the SE. This modification is relatively expensive, but it significantly changes the appearance of the car and gives it a certain “richness”.

Sabers and bars

This is an amateur modification and is most often suitable for cars with a dark body color. The rear chrome-plated trunk saber and the front chrome-plated hood saber are painted matte black. This modification is very cheap and simple, but it has its own zest and is relevant when the chrome on sabers begins to swell, which is very common on Priors.

Antishildik

This modification consists of removing all nameplates from the car, but it also falls under the category of amateurs. Some car enthusiasts like their cars to look like they came from the factory. The nameplates must be removed using a hairdryer; they are glued with double-sided tape. After removing the nameplate, the remaining tape must be removed with gasoline or solvent.

Manufacturer's modifications

Air intake mesh in frill

To ensure the supply of clean and fresh air to the interior of the Priora, the manufacturer has provided a cabin air purification filter. But since the holes in the frill for air intake are very large, which contributes to the fact that foreign objects and debris get into the filter and render it unusable. In order to correct this ailment, it is necessary to solder a metal mesh into the frill, which will protect the filter from debris. This will extend the life of the cabin filter.

Interior noise insulation

As you know, Russian cars are not famous for sound insulation, so domestic Kulibins do the sound insulation of their cars themselves. In order to make sound insulation in the Lada Priora, it is necessary to completely disassemble the interior and glue all the necessary places such as the floor, ceiling, doors, trunk and engine compartment. Sound insulation is glued in. several layers such as vibration, heat, noise. After which the car will be unrecognizable

Acoustic shelf

In a hatchback body on a Lada Priora, it is best to replace the rear parcel shelf with an acoustic one made of wood. Since the original shelf simply loses its shape and bends at extreme summer temperatures. In addition, a standard shelf creaks quite often.

Installation of the 5th gearbox support

On 16 valve engines, 4 engine mounts are installed from the factory. Two guitars and two props. On 8 valve engines there are 3 supports. Two supports and one gearbox cushion. Most owners of 16-valve cars prefer to install such a support on their engines. This support allows you to reduce the rattling of the gear shift lever, its jerking when moving and simply helps to securely secure the engine in the engine compartment. It should be noted that after installation, some vehicles experience increased vibration at idle.

Masses

On modern cars, it is becoming more and more common that manufacturers reduce the cost of the production process. Also in Priora, the plant saved on the cross-section of ground wires. Experienced prior engineers advise transferring redundant masses from the generator to the ECU. This is necessary to ensure reliable voltage on the on-board network without sags.

Technical tuning Priora Sedan

Previous tuning options for the Lada Priora Sedan help improve the appearance of the vehicle and increase its internal comfort. Technical tuning of a car is considered more serious and difficult to perform. To increase the power of a car and its technical characteristics, owners most often turn to the help of professionals. However, some craftsmen, if they have the necessary tools and a garage, carry out technical tuning with their own hands.

The Priora Sedan is equipped from the factory with a 16-valve engine, the power of which is most often increased by installing a compressor. The compressor is installed on standard fasteners, so its installation can be done at home. Due to this modernization, engine power will increase by up to fifty percent, however, fuel consumption will increase significantly.

The second option for increasing engine power is to install a turbocharger, which is more efficient than a mechanical compressor. The most popular way to improve engine dynamics and reduce fuel consumption is chip tuning. As a rule, such engine modernization is carried out by specialists in service centers.

At the same time, the vehicle's chassis is being modernized. To do this, the car is upgraded with a double-diaphragm vacuum booster. The quality of the brakes is approximately doubled. At the same time, new brake discs and stiffer springs are installed in the clutch basket.

A lightweight flywheel is installed to increase the acceleration speed of the vehicle, reduce fuel consumption and reduce clutch load.

Gadgets

Automotive electronics is developing by leaps and bounds. More and more new gadgets are appearing on sale, designed to improve the driving process itself. But in reality, sometimes we see the opposite. So don't get carried away. Try to get by with only the most important and necessary things that really improve the quality of your ride.

These necessary things probably include a good on-board computer, a powerful multimedia system, high-quality sound from speakers, a video recorder, and climate control.

Improve performance:

It may also be a good idea to flash the engine, install a compressor, rework the crankshaft, strengthen the transmission, install a spider for a smoother exhaust, and strengthen the brakes. Here everyone already makes modifications to the Lada Priora with their own hands, based on the available funds, skills and strength.

Interior tuning

Here are typical options for tuning the Priora's interior:

• change of upholstery. The standard upholstery on the Priora is regular leatherette with fragments of plastic. This option does not suit everyone, and drivers often remove almost all plastic inserts, replacing them with leatherette. Sometimes carpet is used as upholstery material, although such upholstery is not durable. Interiors are very rarely decorated with genuine leather, since this pleasure is not cheap. Such finishing may well cost half the cost of the car;
• replacing the braid on the steering wheel. In any tuning store, the driver can choose a steering braid to suit his taste, from almost any material - from artificial leather to genuine leather. There is no need to make this finishing element yourself;
• dashboard trim. The most popular option is vinyl wrapping. Cheap and cheerful. Although the service life of even very good film does not exceed six years. Much less often the dashboard is trimmed with carbon fiber. To apply such a coating you will need a specialist with the appropriate equipment. And his services will cost the driver a pretty penny;
• interior lighting. In the standard version, only the driver and front passenger have lamps. But even this lighting is not very bright. To somehow correct this situation, drivers often install lighting for the feet and glove compartment. It is performed using ordinary LED strips, the cost of which starts from 500 rubles. Some car enthusiasts go even further and install floor lighting. It can be useful if you urgently need to find some fallen thing in the dark.

Trunk

Many people prefer to install speakers complete with a subwoofer in the trunk. This is done with both sedans and hatchbacks. And this is the most preferred option for lovers of powerful sound. There is only one problem: it will be impossible to use the trunk for its intended purpose. There simply won't be any room left in it.

Powerful audio systems are installed in the trunks of both hatchbacks and sedans

Not everyone is ready to make such sacrifices. Therefore, instead of powerful audio systems, LED lighting made from the strips mentioned above is often installed in the trunk. This is a very common phenomenon, because the standard lighting in the trunk and rear parcel shelf has never been bright.

Engine change

The Priora engine provides ample opportunities for tuning. Most often, car enthusiasts bore the cylinder block and install shortened pistons in the engine. Such pistons, in turn, require replacing the crankshaft. As a result, the characteristics of the engine are completely changed, and its power can increase by 35%. But there is a minus: fuel consumption will also increase. Therefore, not all car enthusiasts decide to undertake such radical engine tuning. Many people limit themselves to installing mechanical compressors in the engine, which can increase engine power by 10–15%.

Cylinder boring is one of the most labor-intensive engine tuning options.

Another inexpensive way to increase the dynamic parameters of the Priora is to work with a carburetor. In this device, the jets and acceleration pump are changed (most often, parts manufactured by BOSCH are installed in place of standard spare parts). Then fine adjustment of the fuel level is performed. As a result, the car accelerates twice as fast.

Braid on the steering wheel

Initially, the steering wheel on the Priora was trimmed with leatherette, which has its drawbacks. Firstly, it is very thin and short-lived. And secondly, this material seems slippery. This, in turn, can have a very negative impact on driving safety. Therefore, a responsible car owner, after purchasing a car, first of all strives to install a new braid on the steering wheel. Its size is M1. Purchased at your local parts store, placed on the steering wheel and sewn together using a clamp needle.

The braid on the steering wheel is sewn together with a clamp needle

Working on dashboard lighting

The Priora dashboard looks the same on hatchbacks, station wagons and sedans. The outside is finished with “Soft look” plastic. The instruments are located on the panel quite well, they are informative and the steering wheel does not interfere with the driver’s seeing them. But the dashboard lighting in the Priora is very dim. This is especially noticeable at night. The standard panel uses 6 conventional incandescent lamps, which not only produce poor light, but also burn out quickly. Therefore, at the first opportunity, drivers try to replace them with bright white LEDs (and some car owners do not stop at this with an easy modification, and additionally enhance the lighting with LED strips glued along the perimeter of the dashboard).

Sequence of operations

To replace the light bulbs in the Priora panel, you only need a short Phillips screwdriver.

1. First, the screws located above the speedometers are unscrewed.
2. There is a plastic panel under the steering column. It is held on by three latches, which you just need to turn and the panel will come off. There are 2 bolts under it (one to the right of the column, the other to the left of it). Unscrew with a Phillips screwdriver.
3. Now the steering wheel is set to its lowest position, and the unscrewed plastic trim is carefully pulled out. There is no need to remove the steering wheel.
4. On the instrument block, on the left and right, there are mounting eyes with screws. They need to be unscrewed. In this case, you need to make sure that the washers under the screws do not fall out - it will be difficult to find them later.
5. After unscrewing the screws, the instrument unit is pulled out of the niche approximately halfway. Access to the electrical wiring harness is provided. It has a plastic block with a latch. You can open this latch by pressing on it with a screwdriver. But people with thin fingers can do this manually.
6. The instrument unit, disconnected from the wires, is removed from the niche. Turning it over, you can see the sockets for the light bulbs. Incandescent lamps are unscrewed and white LEDs are installed instead. Then the instrument unit is reassembled.

Lighting system

First of all, the headlights are modified:

• replacement of standard lamps. Initially, Priora is equipped with conventional halogen incandescent lamps, which cannot boast of either particular brightness or long service life. Therefore, instead of them, drivers install more durable and brighter LED bulbs;
• replacing lenses in headlights. Usually new lenses come with xenon illumination. On the one hand, it looks very beautiful. On the other hand, too bright headlights may raise questions among traffic police officers. Therefore, car owners prefer not to take risks, and after installing new lenses, they darken them slightly using special sprays that can be purchased at the same store.

Sound insulation of the Lada Priora interior

So, let's prepare the interior for tuning. We unscrew the seats, completely remove the driver's panel and the headliner and door trim. It is advisable to remove the factory sound insulation. If desired, the floor and lower inner part of the doors can be treated with an anti-corrosion agent. Don't forget about the luggage compartment. It should also be glued to soundproof the interior. It doesn't hurt to insulate the glove compartment lid, as over time it begins to rattle. Upon completion of the soundproofing work, we move directly to the interior. If you have a Priora sedan, then you should glue the space under the rear parcel shelf. For station wagons and hatchbacks, it is better to purchase a wooden shelf. It makes less noise and squeaks.

Front of the car

To make a car bumper, you can use your own project, or find something suitable on the Internet. The manufacturing material is fiberglass with epoxy resin, or polyurethane foam, or polystyrene foam - working with them, you can achieve very impressive results. The photo below shows an example of what any car owner can do with his own hands.

There is one more important detail that catches your eye when viewing this picture - cars look much better with tuning the Priora radiator grille. Complete engine cooling is achieved due to the increased grille area, and protection from dust and dirt is effective due to the small cells. You can buy such a mesh on the market and use it to make a grille for a car radiator.

Radiator grilles currently come in many types and shapes.

Below are a few more ideas for designing a radiator grille – each of them is interesting in its own way. Of course, the possibilities in this regard do not exhaust them - these are just a few options from an infinite variety.

Using ordinary LEDs, you can install “angel eyes” on a car’s headlights, which significantly change its “facial expression”, giving some individuality.