Lack of red

As you know I don't think that design of 2022 Kia Forte GT-Line is comprehensive. Before I was looking for the way to add red accents to distinguish GT-Line from non-GT trims. I wish I could change the rear bumper to GT one, as this would solve the issue, but it's not an affordable option.

In pursuit for cheaper alternatives, I was browsing AliExpress for small additions and came across extensions for the rear bumper. There are several variants of them: glossy black, "carbon" and glossy black with a red line. My choice was obvious, the one with the red line, even though it was the most expensive at $12. The installation shouldn't be difficult, just a couple of screws...

When these extensions arrived I was surprised by the low quality of the painted red line. As you can see, it's an extremely thin line of paint, barely visible and didn't adhere well. If I had known about this quality issue beforehand, I would have either ordered the glossy black option and saved $5 or not ordered anything at all. As my initial decision was not to install these things.

So I opened a dispute on AliExpress to get a refund and to my surprise I got it. AliExpress didn't ask me to return the item to "improve my shopping experience". Now when they cost me $0 I've started to consider ways to improve them and possible use on my car.

As you may recall I applied the red vinyl on the side skirts and had some left. Long story short, I decided to use the same vinyl line on the sides of these plastic pieces. And the result looks great! Now need to figure out how to install them. The seller included 6 screws with the package, assuming you just need to screw them directly into the plastic bumper.

However, as you understand, I'd prefer to have an installation close to OEM standards. I don't want to drill any holes in my bumper. Luckily when I saw the underside of the bumper, I noticed 3 clips that hold bumper to the plastic bottom cover. This seems like a ideal spot to attach the extensions.

So instead of screwing the bumper, I removed the clips, and used U-nuts on the OEM holes. Then, secured them with screws and washers. This way, If ever decide to remove these plastics, I can easily revert everything back to the OEM state. This was a perfect solution!

Of course the rear GT bumper does looks better, and I'm still not sure if I really need these extensions. I like how they look from the sides, with the red line running from the front bumper, through the side skirts to the back. But I'm not sure about the rear view. At least they are barely visible from the back, so I'll have to see how it goes.

The next thing I would like to add to GT-Line trim is GT or GT-Line emblem to the front grille. As you know, there are no GT-Line emblems specifically designed for the front grille, only for the trunk lid. Nevertheless, looking through the Kia OEM catalog I've found the front GT emblem available as a standalone part for $40. Its parts number is:
- 86315-M6610

But when I received the emblem, I realized that I can't simply attach it to my grille. Because the emblem is nothing more than just a sticker. The GT-Line and GT grills are different. On the GT grill you have a plastic base where you affix the emblem.

Therefore, if you want to place the GT logo into GT-Line grille, you'll have to replace the entire grill. This would cost about $200 with shipping for a new one. I've found the photos of the GT-Line and GT grills, so you can see the differences:
- GT-Line grille: 86350-M6600
- GT grille: 86350-M6610

The used GT grille should ideally cost around $100, but I haven't found it anywhere. GT grille comes with emblem included, so you don't need to purchase it separately. Thankfully, I was able to return the OEM GT emblem to the seller without any fees.

Despite the initial disappointment, I decided not to give up and began brainstorming the ways to apply an emblem to the front grille. The problem is that the emblem is very thin and there is nothing that can hold it in place. I didn't want to drill anything or modify the front grille. If only the emblem were thicker...

So I ordered a couple of GT-Line emblems on AliExpress for my experiments. Since they are priced 10 times lower that the OEM GT emblem, even if I accidentally damage them, I'd only lose $8. But how to make them thicker? Additionally the location on the grille where the emblem goes is not flat, so the emblem's back should be soft enough (and self-adhesive) to stick to the non-flat surface. To address this I also purchased the 2 meters of 20x20 mm black foam strip.

When the emblems arrived, I noticed that the chrome tier was very thin and could be easily damaged, so to protect it I decided to apply lacquer on top. Then I sticked together the self-adhesive side of the emblem and the self-adhesive side of the foam. Along the perimeter of the emblem, I applied Loctite super glue. Once everything dried, I shaped the foam using a paper knife to match the contours of the emblem. To ensure the smooth finish I applied black electrical tape along on the perimeter. As a result I got a thick "sandwich" with soft back. Before applying the two sided tape on the back of the "sandwich", I used a paper knife to slightly reduce its thickness. The final thickness of the "sandwich" ended up around 6-8 mm.

Now, the emblem has survived one touch-free wash, so I believe the solution is reliable enough. Not to mention, I saved $200 and have one extra GT-Line emblem for further improvements if any.

I made an effort to explain every step in detail. Hope this solution will be helpful to somebody. Thanks everyone for reading this and safe travels. Love your cars!

Total:

- Rear bumper extensions: $12.08
- GT-Line emblems: $7.62
- Foam strip: $5.11