Anti-Rice!?
 

Just a question, and I am sure I am probably going to start a war here. :)

What is the deal with most of the people here being so against anything that looks custom? Like Altezza rears, HID's, most body kits, etc.?

I have been reading the forum for awhile now, and it just seems, IMO, that everyone here berates anyone that wants to customize their car... Why is that? I am sure that most everyone here bought their MP5 because of looks. (God knows it wasn't for power ;)). So, what is wrong with someone wanting to make their car look better in their opinion?

Just looking for reasons why...

I think because most cars today aren't what I would consider custom. (My opinion here). Most 'mods' I see are store bought add ons. Nothing original. To me a custom car is just that. Custom. Hand fabricated alterations to sheetmetal, interior, hybrid powertrains, etc... But that's just me and I'm hard to please.

I agree with that as well. But as a general rule, most people do not have neither the skills nor the time to do "customization" of that type (unless they own a shop or something). I see nothing wrong with bolt-on's. If it gives the owner a sense of pride and some individuallity while driving their car, then more power to them!

It seems lately to be an individual and have a truly custom car is to just leave it alone.

I agree that modifications are in fact a personal statement about changing the look of your car. I think the times we see "Anti-Rice" comments is when the modifications don't make sense. I may be wrong but 3 ft high wings on 120hp cars makes no sense from a performance standpoint. In addition they usually seem to be added in a haphazzard manner. I've seen show cars with big wings and neons and thought WOW!~

I've also seen the neon driving around my home town with a Huge wing and neon windshield washer lights and thought OUCH!

Some people do go overboard with their anti-rice/mod opinions but I think all the posts I have read are pretty supportive of any mod if it is done in taste and well executed.

Of course it's all a matter of preference and power to anyone modding anything. But if you post pics and ask for opinions be prepared to get them.... for better or worse :)

well my personal opinion on this matter is, i think when people "ghetto" their car and just have all the colors clash it makes the type of car look bad (especialy civics). if you like to rice your car at least make it look good. don't use duct tape or rain gutters or any of that BS. BTW girls are allowed to rice their car, this was discussed in great detail with friends, but not guys lol

oh and also my car is rice so i can't say anything bad

my opinion is i dont think rims, side sills, and stuff like that make a car look fast anyway, it's all in the attitude of the driver. me personally. i like i nice clean look for a car. i dont think a protege looks fast. but high wings and all that ish i do think is exaggerated. i just want the MP3/Mazdaspeed wing not high jus right.

I am pretty sure it is all about tastes and flavors. Some people have different preferences for color matching, or things that stand out too much. It is those kinda things that people tend to call "rice". But it is your car, and you do what ever you want or can with it.

Hey, welcome to our forum

Main thing is not to take the comments from other people too seriously. People just offer an opinion about your car, what they think and hey, at least they're being honest. Don't take it personal or anything :)

Anti-Rice is going too far these days... I don't see anything wrong with a bodykit on a car, a part that some people like to bash a lot. But that's just my opinion. As long as you like something it's cool....

Well i dont think putting rims and a system, lowering or making ur car look nice is rice at all. Most Pro 5 owners on here act like painting there dash boards makes them rice.. Not at all .A set of fog lights isn't rice either. I think rice is when people put huge fins on there 120 hp cars trying to make it seem fast . With 2 many fog lights some washer lights that just annoy people . Putting exhaust on ur car that looks cheap is rice to me most sound horrible trying to act like a race car. If u cut ur springs its rice go spend the 200 bucks on real springs do it right and its not rice .I know a guy in CT that has a nice clean 1.6 liter pro with side skirts and hids i think it looks clean now if he put a 3 foot spoiler on the back he would look rice just because its so not needed its like putting a parachute on the back with wheelie bars on a 120 hp car why? ..Just my opinion

i think it might be because alot of it looks like added on crap, not real custom stuff.

People are just being honest. If they don't like the looks of a car and think it looks "riced out", that's their opinion.

You may think adding a giant aluminum wing, type r stickers, neons, and altezza's make your car better, but, umm, most people don't. So don't be surprised if people tell you that and/or make fun of you. Hope I din't offend anyome :eek: .

Edit: I like this article Protegé Menacé posted. Sums it up well.
http://maddox.xmission.com/civic.html

All I can say is make sure if you mod your car that it fits with the features...like what a previous person has stated...If you add a 8 foot bleacher to the back of your car because you wanted a wing....that is ghetto, thus rice...

But if you spend the money and do it right...then it should look awesome...and who cares what other people think...it is your car not theirs!

And if you want to lower your car...don't cut the springs...use lowering springs and some adjustible shocks....

The altezzas I don't really like. The only aftermarket tails I liked were on a civic I was test driving. They were all white. All the others have chrome on them and I don't like chrome anything on cars except emblems.

Aluminum wings I don't think are as ricey as people make them seem. A small aluminum wing that is 4" off the trunk of a car I like. Aluminum wings that are 2 feet off the trunk and wider than the car itself is rice. All the people with the giant wings 2 feet of their car make all the people with sensable(sp) wings look like ricers.

Body kits I don't think are rice at all. However, most of them I don't like because they are too wild. I like clean looking kits. For example I don't like the WW kit but I do like the look of the Mazda kit. I like the Mazda lip even better because I don't care for the giant fog lights.

Badges like Type R and SI are the worst rice ever IMO.

Anyway nobody should care what others think. If you think it looks good then do it. All my friends told me the Matrix type X seat covers looked gay but I was going to get them anyway. But, I didn't get them because sticker4u said the black/gray covers are too hard to get.

I think this is a really good point.. and I'd like to add to it with my own 2 cents.. and kinda go off on a rant.. :)

I work a lot (yeah who doesn't..) but seriously.. I work a loooot.. and I happen to be decent at what I do..and it pays well.. but most importantly.. I love it..

I also love my P5.. it's almost perfect for me.. and I'll bolt on all I can until it IS perfect for me.. I don't get stuff done to my car so other people will think I'm cool.. as a computer geek.. I know I could mod until the end of time and not reach "cool" status.. I do it for myself..

Heck.. I prefer to not even do it myself..for the following reasons..

1. My job doesn't give me much free time to mess around on my car.. and I'd rather spend my free time re-learning my family members faces.. :)
2. I'm a programmer.. not a mechanic.. or a body shop specialist.. I don't have the talent for most of this stuff..and if that's what I enjoyed.. that's what I would have done for a living..
3. I spend all day (and well into the night) hauling ass to satisfy the whims of bosses, co-workers and clients.. when I leave the office, I like to put my feet up and have someone take care of what I want for a change..

So I'll get stuff bolted on until the cows come home.. if I see a 20 foot wing (okay this is an exageration.. I don't like wings much :) ).. and think I would like it on my car.. it'll be on there.. maybe I won't physically do it myself.. but I "paid the price".. just in a different way..

Appreciate people's longing for individuality and the shared interest people have in their cars.. Someone can still be an enthusiast.. without having the time to make a custom windshield out of sand from the beach, knowing how to change their own oil, or having the exact same taste as you..