Rig Build Log: The Early Mods

Before I knew I was building a rig, I was already building a rig. Meet Astrid.

Astrid arrived via Carvana in mid-2021, a pristine Blue Flame 2020 Toyota RAV4 XLE, and I immediately started making her mine. Not because I had a grand plan. (I didn’t yet.) Just because stock is never quite right and I have opinions.

These are the mods I made in those early years (2021-2025), before the adventure build had a name.

What I Added

Functional Upgrades

Cosmetic Updates

  • Gloss Black Door Handle Covers [eBay] – surprisingly great addition that hold up well
  • Black 17″ Wheel Skins/Hub Caps [eBay] – much less expensive than black wheels; can be a little noisy at low speed, but I don’t mind
  • Hood Bug Deflector (rigid glossy plastic) – what I currently have on Astrid

The LED Interior Lights

The Fyre Flys kit is a simple swap. No wiring, no cutting, just pull the old bulbs out and push the new ones in. The 6000K color is clean and bright without being harsh. This was the first tweak I did after taking delivery and I consider it mandatory. I found the stock lighting inside the 2020 RAV4 depressingly dim. 

The Sequential Turn Indicators

Subtle enough to look factory, distinctive enough to get noticed, these sequential LED turn indicators go in the side mirrors, replacing the static turn signals with a sequential sweeping animation. The SUPAREE kit fits the 2019-2021 RAV4 directly. Installation is straightforward. This is one of my favorite mods, and I think it adds meaningfully to vehicle safety.

The Speakers

I purchased the aftermarket dash speakers shortly after taking delivery of the vehicle, and then let them sit for a year. (I blame the pandemic.) I also convinced myself the stock sound wasn’t that bad.

Post-install, I was instantly reminded why this is such a popular upgrade. The Kenwood Dash Speakers sound fantastic. Honestly, installation was easier than removing some of the interior light covers for the LED swap. 

The Fog Lights

Top: With new fog lights; Bottom: Stock lighting

Like many 2020 vehicles, Astrid arrived with (white) LED headlights and (yellow) incandescent fog lights. The color temperature mismatch irked me from day one. The LED fog light swap brings the color temperatures into alignment and improves overall illumination as well.

The Tires

The stock tires were worn and it had become a potential safety issue. The Falken Wildpeak A/T3W (P235/65R17) was a noticeable upgrade. A popular light all-terrain tire, they’re far more capable than stock without the aggressiveness (and road noise) of going full off-road. They look incredible on Astrid and handle deftly on and off-road in all weather.

The Window Tint

In May 2024, I had the windows tinted by XPEL San Antonio, including an eyebrow strip across the top of the windshield. In the work bay, they discovered Astrid already had aftermarket tint and removed it before applying their own. Living in Texas, this might actually compete with the tires for most useful mod. The heat reduction alone is significant, but an unanticipated bonus was greatly reduced glare on night drives. (Hallelujah!)

XPEL San Antonio treated me and Astrid exceptionally, even letting me walk the active service bay to compare tint values before deciding. I greatly appreciate their customer service and attention to detail and highly recommend their work, which I am not receiving any compensation for. 

Cosmetic Touches

Not every mod is functional. Some are just about making Astrid look like mine. Here are some of the main ones –

The Door Handle Covers

Gloss black door handle covers are a simple, affordable way to add a more intentional look to the RAV4. Mine came from eBay. No tools required, just clean the surface with alcohol or clean water and press fit them on.

The Wheel Skins

Same philosophy. The stock silver wheel covers on the XLE are fine, but gloss black gives Astrid a more cohesive, purposeful look. Also from eBay. Easy install. (They come off with a little bit more… finesse 😉 I always remove them when taking the vehicle in for tire rotations and such.)

The Hood Deflector

Part cosmetic, part functional. Protects the hood from road debris and bugs while adding a more finished look up front. My current deflector is the glossy version, but if I were buying again I’d try the TripleAliners TPE deflector instead. It’s a more rugged, “trail-ready” design and it’s less expensive. 

Why This Matters Now

Initially, all of these were just upgrades to improve comfort, sound, and aesthetics. But somewhere between loading Astrid to the gills for coast runs and realizing Lily’s crash-tested crate had basically become a permanent fixture, something shifted. Astrid stopped being just a vehicle. She became a RIG.

The Adventure Build has a name now. And Astrid, Lily, and I are ready.

Next up: Hitch & Cargo Basket

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