D Car — July 2004

Summer means lights! And lights mean neon tubes! They’re essential for a sport compact. So how much does it cost to have them installed? It varies by shop, so we asked several shops that do installations. Below are their labor charges and recommended products from the brands they carry. Use this as a guide. Incidentally, neon tubes and LEDs cost the same to install. Labor often depends on the vehicle and whether it has aero parts.

A car should make people think, ‘Whoa, that’s amazing!’ and be fun for everyone to see. Even if you can’t spend much, a good idea opens up possibilities. You also need to catch the staff’s eye: send photos to the editorial department or go to events and sport-compact gatherings, where the D-Car reporters are likely to be. We can’t have promotion that gets in the way of reporting, but don’t miss the opportunity. And don’t worry—you don’t need a personal connection.

It’s embarrassing to ask for a moment, but not to go your whole life without asking. If you’re stuck on a question you can’t bring yourself to ask, write it on a postcard and send it in! We’ll answer quickly!

‘Sport Compact 110 Q&A’ Dress-Up Car Magazine Editorial Department, Naigai Publishing Co., Ltd. Yamaguchi Building, 4-19-9 Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8578

How can I get my car featured in D-Car? Should I send photos and specifications to the editorial department? Do I need a personal connection?

How can I get featured?

(Pinky, Saitama Prefecture)

…and many others

Do something different… then promote it!

Sportamin Z

I’m thinking of installing neon tubes under my car. How much would the installation labor cost?

How much does neon-tube installation cost?

Budget around ¥20,000.

(侍貴族, Tokyo)

80743-56-8452

Serious Automotive

Brands carried: Light Glow. Light Glow Co. (USA) has focused on lighting products for over ten years, offering a wide range of items. The company continually develops new products and is known for friendly prices.

They carry Light Glow and Euro Light products…

Serious Automotive installs Light Glow and Euro Light products for ¥15,000 (Civic or Integra) to ¥25,000. Installation on FR cars such as Supras and Silvias, or imported cars, is more expensive than on Civics and similar cars.

…and the price goes up.

¥35,700

Seven-color-changing LED underbody neon kit

Labor: ¥15,000–¥25,000

8042-777-7123

Speed & Graphics

Success Speed & Graphics

Brands carried: Euro Light

The shop is known for bodywork and graphics…

Success Speed & Graphics, known for bodywork and graphics, charges from ¥25,000 for installation. The shop is also an authorized importer of Euro Light, a well-known lighting brand.

EUROLITS

…for underbody lighting.

Euro Light Industry (USA) makes neon products. It also offers interior parts under ‘Lactive’ and racing parts under ‘Evolution.’ This is a multicolor LED underbody kit…

CUROLITS

¥35,490

Car kit

Labor: from ¥25,000

80568-31-0823

Kids Garage

Kids Garage is skilled in luxury styling as well as sport compacts…

Brands carried: Street Glow. Street Glow Co. (USA) sponsored the film ‘The Fast and the Furious 2,’ equipping many of the cars featured in it. The brand became hugely popular in Japan and the U.S. It even offers a product warranty, unusual in the neon-tube industry.

Kids Garage specializes in custom styling based on its own expertise. Neon-tube installation starts at ¥20,000. In addition to Street Glow, they also carry Plasma Glow. Labor: from ¥20,000

¥59,850

LED multicolor underbody car kit

052-902-8995

Victory

Brands carried: Plasma Glow. Plasma Glow Co. (USA) developed the world’s first automotive LED products. Its lights are said to be the brightest among neon brands. The photo below shows a Fusion-series underbody kit.

I want to stand out with car audio and set myself apart from my friends!

Victory can help make your car-audio ideas stand out! Installation starts at ¥20,000, but the labor charge varies by vehicle, so contact them for details.

Installation from ¥20,000.

LNSMNGLOW

FUSION

¥67,200

Fusion underbody kit

8045-895-0911

Sound OG Style

Brands carried: LEDPRO. Sound OG Style handles the full seven-color LEDPRO range (red, blue, green, yellow, orange, white, and sky blue), with 14 lighting patterns.

Sound OG Style specializes in audio and charges from ¥25,000 for installation. Labor varies depending on the vehicle, whether it has aero, and whether the aero must be cut to embed LEDs. Their LEDPRO underbody kit is very popular!

LEDPRO

LED underbody kit

Underbody LED kit: ¥35,700

D Car — July 2004

About this issue

Page 152 — English draft translation