I received my Stillen splitter yesterday. Impressions:

1: Quality and fit are very good - overall.

2: It's stupid that they designed the splitter to cover over the bolts that hold the bumper cover on. Since the splitter is designed to be permanently attached, I guess they expect us to never again remove our front fascias. This can be fixed - but still.

3: The turn buckles seem reasonably well made - but they provide you with the cheapest bargain bin Phillips head screws imaginable, which are intended to attach the buckles to the car and are very much visible. I intend to replace mine with some nice hex head machine screws.

4: I'm considering some sort of finish for the turn buckles. They come sporting a very industrial-looking dull metal alloy color that matches nothing on our cars. Maybe I shouldn't care, but I think that since they are so visible they should look like someone at least tried to do something with them.

I'm having mine painted body color this week and I'll install it myself.

 

Just a thought... Since you are going to be changing the color anyway, why not include a little red somewhere to tie in your stripe?

 

I thought of that, actually. But I think I've pushed the boundaries of added color already. I was thinking body color for the splitter, and dark gunmetal for the turnbuckles to match the grills.

 

Nice review. I am thinking about picking one of these up. I wonder if the paint shop can do the body color, but with the undercoat type finish that will resist rock chips. I hear these things take a beating down there.

Also, see the thread about adding more reinforcement bolts to the splitter. There were a few guys that had theirs fly off at high speed. :-/

I really like your stripe also. I have to say, it is one of the most original modifications I have seen and it actually compliments the body lines. I think I saw in another post that you are a designer. It all makes sense!

 

Nice man, I rocked a Stillen splitter for over a yr. Fitment was great and with the extra screws I added underneath it was firmly attached. Glad you like it

 

the stillen splitter was my only mod i did and it was worth every penny. Love the way it looked, i nevered install the turnbuckles though.

 

Thanks for the comp! That stripe has been controversial, but I love it. When I bought this gray car instead of a red or blue one, my first priority was to bring some color into it (I did this paint the night I brought it home). Matching the tail lights was an obvious choice (work w/ the car's own color palate), and I did try to work w/ the car's natural lines. I think it does strike some people as 'Fast and Furious' in the negative sense - but I suppose it's a matter of taste.

I dropped my splitter off today and it'll cost me $70 to shoot it w/ paint I provided. I might cover the leading edge w/ black vinyl to protect it.

I also might try 'bluing' the turn buckles before painting them (using old-fashioned gun blue), as that etches the metal and is pretty impervious to chipping, then lightly painting w/ my dark gunmetal - which is a near perfect match.

 

You double posted.

I gave you a warning on the other post about painting!!

 

You mean the post where I asked about the wisdom of painting the splitter? How does that post about painting have anything to do with this post - which is my hopefully helpful review of Stillen's product?

Anyway: Thank you for the painting advice. I passed on the 'no heat lamps' directive and they promised to let it air dry.

 

I was also referring to #2's solution.

 

Here's my Stillen splitter install:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/colesaircraft/7552569284/http://www.flickr.com/photos/colesaircraft/7552569284/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/colesaircraft/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/colesaircraft/7552570880/http://www.flickr.com/photos/colesaircraft/7552570880/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/colesaircraft/, on Flickr

I had to trim the right side to get it to fit, but it wasn't a major job. The turn buckles are not very functional in my opinion. You can use them to warp the splitter into an unattractive 'W' shape, or an equally unattractive 'M' shape - one or the other. I'll probably eventually paint mine dark gunmetal to tone them down and match the grills.

 

What do you guys think of the body color treatment? These guys in a barn who looked like the cast of Swamp People painted it for $60.

 

It looks great painted. +1 for the bluing the turnbuckles, that would look great.