Indianapolis Gets No Love / Mod Time
02-10-2015, 10:57 AM
#1
Indianapolis Gets No Love / Mod Time
Hey all,
It's me again. I post rarely, and when I do, it's usually just blabberage about my car wash or how I like blue and not red.
However, today marks the day that I think about going back on my word.
That's right, I'm looking to start modding. I told myself I wasn't going to do it...you know, resale value, cost of repairs, yada yada. But something inside me says "go faster, sound better"...and it's hard to keep telling it no.
I have read up on the "Newbie Modding" thread, the "I've got $ ____what can I do" and some of the threads in other sub-forums like the "modding 411", etc. I have seen tons of stuff, and I have looked at a lot of people's rides...and so now I have to ask a couple of questions as well as give my "desired" results.
Right now I have quite a bit of extra cash to play around with, but honestly I'm only looking to use about $4-$5k of it on mods. I just want to get started with modding doing the basic bolt-ons and then see where we go from there.
My list, and feel free to tell me I'm a moron:
1.) CAI (Takeda most likely)
2.) Exhaust (Some sort of something exhaust related. There are just too many options, too many sounds, etc. I wanted to go GTHAUS Meisterschaft and be a complete waster of money...but I think I've talked myself out of that.)
3.) Tune: UpRev or something similar (This will take a lot of convincing on my part because I know that is for sure the end of my warranty, even if the other things don't kill it. I'm a sucker for security, so I know I'll have a hard time selling myself on that.)
4.) Brakes (Maybe something down the line if I want to track it at all)
5.) Dyno (I would really like to dyno it before anything, after the exhaust and CAI, and then after tune if I do one. We will see how that all works out.)
6.) Wheels/Tires (This isn't as big of a deal to me right now. Yes, the stock xS wheels aren't the most amazing looking wheels out there, but such is life. I'd rather sound better, and "feel" better in my car, than have other people think it looks better since I won't be looking at the wheels much.)
Again, starting out with $4k-$5k....I will probably go with CAI/Exhaust and then see how I feel at that point. If I feel like I don't want a tune right now, I will probably get a set of summer wheels and tires. The all weather's that came on it worked wonderfully in the snow/ice so far this winter.
I guess my two last thoughts:
I can't find a lot of information about good shops in Indy. I have searched over on the Evo forums and apparently Fathouse Fab does a lot of stuff but not so sure if I want to go that route. The only other one I could really find offhand that looked ok was Stage 1 Tuning. Anyone know anything about them? They have a video of a G35 coupe on their FB page and a picture of a G37 coupe as their background image on their website...so I'm kind of curious. I am going to call them of course, but I am NOT going to a shop that doesn't have some "word-of-mouth cred" behind it. I have heard too many horror stories. If I can get everything done at once, I'd be willing to drive to Chicago or somewhere in Ohio on a weekend.
And lastly...if anyone wants a Dyno of a specific chain of items...for instance, with exhaust but no CAI, or with CAI but no exhaust...let me know. I won't say I'm willing to go back and forth 10 times and spend $1,000 on dyno runs, but I'm willing to try to facilitate some reasonable requests for the good of the forum.
I am an ultimate n00b, so please don't ask me techy questions thinking I am some modding guru. I'm not...this is my first car I've modded, and it's my first time I've done anything like this. I'm willing and able to learn, and look forward to continuing to be a part of this community.
Oh, and no, I'm not interested in a Stillen SC or otherwise ATM. I think that's a little TOO much mod for me right now.
Thanks guys/gals, have a great day!!
P.S. If this should be in the "G37 Sedan" or "Engine, Drivetrain & Forced-Induction" forums....feel free to move. Kind of hard to figure out where to post something like this that covers multiple items but also isn't really informative insomuch as it is inquisitive.
~ ID
It's me again. I post rarely, and when I do, it's usually just blabberage about my car wash or how I like blue and not red.
However, today marks the day that I think about going back on my word. That's right, I'm looking to start modding. I told myself I wasn't going to do it...you know, resale value, cost of repairs, yada yada. But something inside me says "go faster, sound better"...and it's hard to keep telling it no.
I have read up on the "Newbie Modding" thread, the "I've got $ ____what can I do" and some of the threads in other sub-forums like the "modding 411", etc. I have seen tons of stuff, and I have looked at a lot of people's rides...and so now I have to ask a couple of questions as well as give my "desired" results.
Right now I have quite a bit of extra cash to play around with, but honestly I'm only looking to use about $4-$5k of it on mods. I just want to get started with modding doing the basic bolt-ons and then see where we go from there.
My list, and feel free to tell me I'm a moron:
1.) CAI (Takeda most likely)
2.) Exhaust (Some sort of something exhaust related. There are just too many options, too many sounds, etc. I wanted to go GTHAUS Meisterschaft and be a complete waster of money...but I think I've talked myself out of that.)
3.) Tune: UpRev or something similar (This will take a lot of convincing on my part because I know that is for sure the end of my warranty, even if the other things don't kill it. I'm a sucker for security, so I know I'll have a hard time selling myself on that.)
4.) Brakes (Maybe something down the line if I want to track it at all)
5.) Dyno (I would really like to dyno it before anything, after the exhaust and CAI, and then after tune if I do one. We will see how that all works out.)
6.) Wheels/Tires (This isn't as big of a deal to me right now. Yes, the stock xS wheels aren't the most amazing looking wheels out there, but such is life. I'd rather sound better, and "feel" better in my car, than have other people think it looks better since I won't be looking at the wheels much.)
Again, starting out with $4k-$5k....I will probably go with CAI/Exhaust and then see how I feel at that point. If I feel like I don't want a tune right now, I will probably get a set of summer wheels and tires. The all weather's that came on it worked wonderfully in the snow/ice so far this winter.
I guess my two last thoughts:
I can't find a lot of information about good shops in Indy. I have searched over on the Evo forums and apparently Fathouse Fab does a lot of stuff but not so sure if I want to go that route. The only other one I could really find offhand that looked ok was Stage 1 Tuning. Anyone know anything about them? They have a video of a G35 coupe on their FB page and a picture of a G37 coupe as their background image on their website...so I'm kind of curious. I am going to call them of course, but I am NOT going to a shop that doesn't have some "word-of-mouth cred" behind it. I have heard too many horror stories. If I can get everything done at once, I'd be willing to drive to Chicago or somewhere in Ohio on a weekend.
And lastly...if anyone wants a Dyno of a specific chain of items...for instance, with exhaust but no CAI, or with CAI but no exhaust...let me know. I won't say I'm willing to go back and forth 10 times and spend $1,000 on dyno runs, but I'm willing to try to facilitate some reasonable requests for the good of the forum.
I am an ultimate n00b, so please don't ask me techy questions thinking I am some modding guru. I'm not...this is my first car I've modded, and it's my first time I've done anything like this. I'm willing and able to learn, and look forward to continuing to be a part of this community.
Oh, and no, I'm not interested in a Stillen SC or otherwise ATM. I think that's a little TOO much mod for me right now.
Thanks guys/gals, have a great day!!P.S. If this should be in the "G37 Sedan" or "Engine, Drivetrain & Forced-Induction" forums....feel free to move. Kind of hard to figure out where to post something like this that covers multiple items but also isn't really informative insomuch as it is inquisitive.
~ ID
Last edited by IntricateDetail; 02-10-2015 at 01:16 PM.
02-10-2015, 04:50 PM
#3
Registered User
Welcome to the dark side! Modding is where the real magic happens.
On a budget like that, I think most people would go with long tube intakes such as Stillen Gen 3's or similar. But that depends on if you are okay with a slightly laborious install.
You have tons of exhaust options on that budget. I am really happy with my Tanabe Medallion axle back as far as looks and sound, but you'll probably be more inclined to do a complete exhaust I'm imagining. Best thing is probably to jump on youtube and listen to some sound clips.
Are you going to try working on any of these mods yourself? If so, I've heard good things about a place called DIY in Indy. Plus there are a couple other G37 and GTR guy's that usually keep some cars there. Might be fun to meet up and learn something from them.
I'm sure BLNEWT will have plenty of insight on his awesome sedan upgrades. Good luck generating new ideas and happy modding!
On a budget like that, I think most people would go with long tube intakes such as Stillen Gen 3's or similar. But that depends on if you are okay with a slightly laborious install.
You have tons of exhaust options on that budget. I am really happy with my Tanabe Medallion axle back as far as looks and sound, but you'll probably be more inclined to do a complete exhaust I'm imagining. Best thing is probably to jump on youtube and listen to some sound clips.
Are you going to try working on any of these mods yourself? If so, I've heard good things about a place called DIY in Indy. Plus there are a couple other G37 and GTR guy's that usually keep some cars there. Might be fun to meet up and learn something from them.
I'm sure BLNEWT will have plenty of insight on his awesome sedan upgrades. Good luck generating new ideas and happy modding!
02-10-2015, 06:40 PM
#4
Welcome to the dark side! Modding is where the real magic happens.
On a budget like that, I think most people would go with long tube intakes such as Stillen Gen 3's or similar. But that depends on if you are okay with a slightly laborious install.
You have tons of exhaust options on that budget. I am really happy with my Tanabe Medallion axle back as far as looks and sound, but you'll probably be more inclined to do a complete exhaust I'm imagining. Best thing is probably to jump on youtube and listen to some sound clips.
Are you going to try working on any of these mods yourself? If so, I've heard good things about a place called DIY in Indy. Plus there are a couple other G37 and GTR guy's that usually keep some cars there. Might be fun to meet up and learn something from them.
I'm sure BLNEWT will have plenty of insight on his awesome sedan upgrades. Good luck generating new ideas and happy modding!
On a budget like that, I think most people would go with long tube intakes such as Stillen Gen 3's or similar. But that depends on if you are okay with a slightly laborious install.
You have tons of exhaust options on that budget. I am really happy with my Tanabe Medallion axle back as far as looks and sound, but you'll probably be more inclined to do a complete exhaust I'm imagining. Best thing is probably to jump on youtube and listen to some sound clips.
Are you going to try working on any of these mods yourself? If so, I've heard good things about a place called DIY in Indy. Plus there are a couple other G37 and GTR guy's that usually keep some cars there. Might be fun to meet up and learn something from them.
I'm sure BLNEWT will have plenty of insight on his awesome sedan upgrades. Good luck generating new ideas and happy modding!
02-10-2015, 10:08 PM
#5
Replies in bold inside the quote~
1.) CAI (Takeda most likely)
Can't go wrong w/ Takeda or Gen 3, both are true CAIs, the Takeda is a bit easier to install. If you deal w/ heavy rain you should consider adding the splash guard.
2.) Exhaust (Some sort of something exhaust related. There are just too many options, too many sounds, etc. I wanted to go GTHAUS Meisterschaft and be a complete waster of money...but I think I've talked myself out of that.) Many options here, you've already mentioned the "gold standard" so less costly options would be Fast Intentions, ARK, Stillen, Invidia, even the bargain TopSpeed (which I have and am still happy with it). Just mull over all those setups and others I left out and check sound clips, maybe attend a car meet to see/hear firsthand. High flow cats are another consideration but often come at the expense of adding some rasp or amplifying a bit of drone, again, just have to mull over the info available and come up w/ what you feel is best for your wants.
3.) Tune: UpRev or something similar (This will take a lot of convincing on my part because I know that is for sure the end of my warranty, even if the other things don't kill it. I'm a sucker for security, so I know I'll have a hard time selling myself on that.)
That's something you can put off until the very end, the other stuff should keep your warranty intact although changing to high flow cats may be a problem depending on what warranty work is being done.
4.) Brakes (Maybe something down the line if I want to track it at all)
Plenty of options from a simple pad/rotor change to a full blown 6-pot track setup. But if you do plan on upgrading to big calipers be sure to keep that in mind when you wheel shop. Whatever you decide, BE SURE to do regular complete flushing of the brake fluid every couple years as it's very prone to moisture breakdown that results in lowered boiling points.
5.) Dyno (I would really like to dyno it before anything, after the exhaust and CAI, and then after tune if I do one. We will see how that all works out.)
In case you haven't seen Alfredos excellent build thread, he did exactly that, a great way to keep track of how your parts are working together
https://www.myg37.com/forums/build-t...-dyno-log.html
6.) Wheels/Tires (This isn't as big of a deal to me right now. Yes, the stock xS wheels aren't the most amazing looking wheels out there, but such is life. I'd rather sound better, and "feel" better in my car, than have other people think it looks better since I won't be looking at the wheels much.)
Since you've got a decent budget you might consider some lightweight wheels and sticky summer tires, you can always keep your current wheels to run winter tires. The lighter wheels combined w/ dedicated summer tires will do an amazing job to get the most out of your Gs performance. If you consider a staggered setup you MUST be very careful w/ tire sizing, I can help if you decide to go down that road.
Another addition that you will benefit from would be some aftermarket swaybars and they're easy on the budget. The beefier sways combined w/ the sticky tires will do more than any of the other listed mods.
Ok, that's it for now
Brad
Can't go wrong w/ Takeda or Gen 3, both are true CAIs, the Takeda is a bit easier to install. If you deal w/ heavy rain you should consider adding the splash guard.
2.) Exhaust (Some sort of something exhaust related. There are just too many options, too many sounds, etc. I wanted to go GTHAUS Meisterschaft and be a complete waster of money...but I think I've talked myself out of that.) Many options here, you've already mentioned the "gold standard" so less costly options would be Fast Intentions, ARK, Stillen, Invidia, even the bargain TopSpeed (which I have and am still happy with it). Just mull over all those setups and others I left out and check sound clips, maybe attend a car meet to see/hear firsthand. High flow cats are another consideration but often come at the expense of adding some rasp or amplifying a bit of drone, again, just have to mull over the info available and come up w/ what you feel is best for your wants.
3.) Tune: UpRev or something similar (This will take a lot of convincing on my part because I know that is for sure the end of my warranty, even if the other things don't kill it. I'm a sucker for security, so I know I'll have a hard time selling myself on that.)
That's something you can put off until the very end, the other stuff should keep your warranty intact although changing to high flow cats may be a problem depending on what warranty work is being done.
4.) Brakes (Maybe something down the line if I want to track it at all)
Plenty of options from a simple pad/rotor change to a full blown 6-pot track setup. But if you do plan on upgrading to big calipers be sure to keep that in mind when you wheel shop. Whatever you decide, BE SURE to do regular complete flushing of the brake fluid every couple years as it's very prone to moisture breakdown that results in lowered boiling points.
5.) Dyno (I would really like to dyno it before anything, after the exhaust and CAI, and then after tune if I do one. We will see how that all works out.)
In case you haven't seen Alfredos excellent build thread, he did exactly that, a great way to keep track of how your parts are working together
https://www.myg37.com/forums/build-t...-dyno-log.html
6.) Wheels/Tires (This isn't as big of a deal to me right now. Yes, the stock xS wheels aren't the most amazing looking wheels out there, but such is life. I'd rather sound better, and "feel" better in my car, than have other people think it looks better since I won't be looking at the wheels much.)
Since you've got a decent budget you might consider some lightweight wheels and sticky summer tires, you can always keep your current wheels to run winter tires. The lighter wheels combined w/ dedicated summer tires will do an amazing job to get the most out of your Gs performance. If you consider a staggered setup you MUST be very careful w/ tire sizing, I can help if you decide to go down that road.
Another addition that you will benefit from would be some aftermarket swaybars and they're easy on the budget. The beefier sways combined w/ the sticky tires will do more than any of the other listed mods.
Ok, that's it for now
Brad
02-11-2015, 09:11 AM
#6
1.) CAI: Can't go wrong w/ Takeda or Gen 3, both are true CAIs, the Takeda is a bit easier to install. If you deal w/ heavy rain you should consider adding the splash guard.
I think I might go with the Takeda if it's an easier install. I did watch a few install videos of the Gen3 last night, and it seemed a bit much, but I guess it's all just what you want. We do get some heavy rain, but I rarely am out in it. I park in a garage at work, and I park in my garage at home, so I'd only be out if it was raining on the way to/from work.
2.) Exhaust: Many options here, you've already mentioned the "gold standard" so less costly options would be Fast Intentions, ARK, Stillen, Invidia, even the bargain TopSpeed (which I have and am still happy with it). Just mull over all those setups and others I left out and check sound clips, maybe attend a car meet to see/hear firsthand. High flow cats are another consideration but often come at the expense of adding some rasp or amplifying a bit of drone, again, just have to mull over the info available and come up w/ what you feel is best for your wants.
After watching tons of youtube videos on different setups last night, some of these exhaust systems are just plain loud. And that's not what I'm going for. Slightly over the OEM system, yes...but this full fledged GTHAUS or some of the Ark systems are burst your eardrums loud and I can't have that. I am sure some of it has to do with some people running test pipes and what not, but I'm not an expert. Either way, I'm looking for an aggressive, lower tone that rumbles but doesn't pop so much and isn't raspy. No super high pitched "ricer" sound. I don't want the person beside me to hear me...unless I WANT them to hear me. If that makes sense. So I guess I still have some shopping to do. If I understand it correctly, I think I can just get the GTHAUS or other muffler pipe setup and just leave everything else as is? Won't help much down the line, where I'm sure I'd need to go and replace a lot of things if I wanted more HP but for what I'm looking to do, I think it would work out. I'm just spouting stuff here, I don't for a minute think it's law or even accurate haha.
Edit: I am seriously just blabbing now...probably will go RHFC and then put FI/Ark something like that on it. As long as it's not super loud. Reading Alfredo's thread is really making me itch and giving me lots of good ideas. Sounds like he's going for much the same end result I am.
3.) Tune: That's something you can put off until the very end, the other stuff should keep your warranty intact although changing to high flow cats may be a problem depending on what warranty work is being done.
I honestly don't think I'll do HFCs right now. If anything, I might go RHFC since it's "quieter". Of course, I do want everything to play nice so I will need to do a bit more research with what items go hand in hand. I don't want to mess something up.
4.) Brakes: Plenty of options from a simple pad/rotor change to a full blown 6-pot track setup. But if you do plan on upgrading to big calipers be sure to keep that in mind when you wheel shop. Whatever you decide, BE SURE to do regular complete flushing of the brake fluid every couple years as it's very prone to moisture breakdown that results in lowered boiling points.
Thanks for this. I think that I will look into a full setup in the future, and will definitely keep that in mind when I wheel shop.
5.) Dyno: In case you haven't seen Alfredos excellent build thread, he did exactly that, a great way to keep track of how your parts are working together
https://www.myg37.com/forums/newbie-...-dyno-log.html
I had not seen that thread until you mentioned it, but that is some good reading. Thanks for the link. If only I could find a place that did 3 runs for $20. Holy cow, that's cheap. Oh well, if I can find a place that does 3 for $75 I will be happy.
6.) Wheels/Tires: Since you've got a decent budget you might consider some lightweight wheels and sticky summer tires, you can always keep your current wheels to run winter tires. The lighter wheels combined w/ dedicated summer tires will do an amazing job to get the most out of your Gs performance. If you consider a staggered setup you MUST be very careful w/ tire sizing, I can help if you decide to go down that road.
When I said I didn't care about the wheels/tires that much, it was a bit of a lie. Realistically, I do care about them. I'd love to get some nice Vossens or whatever and put a nice set of PSS's on them...although, in the grand scheme of things, I would just try to find something that is actually going to be smart performance wise and not necessarily as much aesthetic based. I don't know much about Vossen, but they seem to be extremely aesthetic based. All being told, if I can do everything and have money left for that, I probably will get a set of wheels/tires. I am seriously considering a set of swaybars as well.
Thanks so much for your input, and hopefully it warms up here soon so I can get started.
I think I might go with the Takeda if it's an easier install. I did watch a few install videos of the Gen3 last night, and it seemed a bit much, but I guess it's all just what you want. We do get some heavy rain, but I rarely am out in it. I park in a garage at work, and I park in my garage at home, so I'd only be out if it was raining on the way to/from work.
2.) Exhaust: Many options here, you've already mentioned the "gold standard" so less costly options would be Fast Intentions, ARK, Stillen, Invidia, even the bargain TopSpeed (which I have and am still happy with it). Just mull over all those setups and others I left out and check sound clips, maybe attend a car meet to see/hear firsthand. High flow cats are another consideration but often come at the expense of adding some rasp or amplifying a bit of drone, again, just have to mull over the info available and come up w/ what you feel is best for your wants.
After watching tons of youtube videos on different setups last night, some of these exhaust systems are just plain loud. And that's not what I'm going for. Slightly over the OEM system, yes...but this full fledged GTHAUS or some of the Ark systems are burst your eardrums loud and I can't have that. I am sure some of it has to do with some people running test pipes and what not, but I'm not an expert. Either way, I'm looking for an aggressive, lower tone that rumbles but doesn't pop so much and isn't raspy. No super high pitched "ricer" sound. I don't want the person beside me to hear me...unless I WANT them to hear me. If that makes sense. So I guess I still have some shopping to do. If I understand it correctly, I think I can just get the GTHAUS or other muffler pipe setup and just leave everything else as is? Won't help much down the line, where I'm sure I'd need to go and replace a lot of things if I wanted more HP but for what I'm looking to do, I think it would work out. I'm just spouting stuff here, I don't for a minute think it's law or even accurate haha.
Edit: I am seriously just blabbing now...probably will go RHFC and then put FI/Ark something like that on it. As long as it's not super loud. Reading Alfredo's thread is really making me itch and giving me lots of good ideas. Sounds like he's going for much the same end result I am.
3.) Tune: That's something you can put off until the very end, the other stuff should keep your warranty intact although changing to high flow cats may be a problem depending on what warranty work is being done.
I honestly don't think I'll do HFCs right now. If anything, I might go RHFC since it's "quieter". Of course, I do want everything to play nice so I will need to do a bit more research with what items go hand in hand. I don't want to mess something up.
4.) Brakes: Plenty of options from a simple pad/rotor change to a full blown 6-pot track setup. But if you do plan on upgrading to big calipers be sure to keep that in mind when you wheel shop. Whatever you decide, BE SURE to do regular complete flushing of the brake fluid every couple years as it's very prone to moisture breakdown that results in lowered boiling points.
Thanks for this. I think that I will look into a full setup in the future, and will definitely keep that in mind when I wheel shop.
5.) Dyno: In case you haven't seen Alfredos excellent build thread, he did exactly that, a great way to keep track of how your parts are working together
https://www.myg37.com/forums/newbie-...-dyno-log.html
I had not seen that thread until you mentioned it, but that is some good reading. Thanks for the link. If only I could find a place that did 3 runs for $20. Holy cow, that's cheap. Oh well, if I can find a place that does 3 for $75 I will be happy.
6.) Wheels/Tires: Since you've got a decent budget you might consider some lightweight wheels and sticky summer tires, you can always keep your current wheels to run winter tires. The lighter wheels combined w/ dedicated summer tires will do an amazing job to get the most out of your Gs performance. If you consider a staggered setup you MUST be very careful w/ tire sizing, I can help if you decide to go down that road.
When I said I didn't care about the wheels/tires that much, it was a bit of a lie. Realistically, I do care about them. I'd love to get some nice Vossens or whatever and put a nice set of PSS's on them...although, in the grand scheme of things, I would just try to find something that is actually going to be smart performance wise and not necessarily as much aesthetic based. I don't know much about Vossen, but they seem to be extremely aesthetic based. All being told, if I can do everything and have money left for that, I probably will get a set of wheels/tires. I am seriously considering a set of swaybars as well.
Thanks so much for your input, and hopefully it warms up here soon so I can get started.
Last edited by IntricateDetail; 02-11-2015 at 10:42 AM.
Trending Topics
02-11-2015, 11:05 AM
#9
Speaking of which...and I'll upload some pictures later...the previous owner of my car must have LOVED to get rock chips in the hood because there are plenty. Also, the front bumper has holes in it because the state they were in requires front plates. And then to top it all off...there is white stuff all over the black sealing area around the top of the car where the door closes. You can see it from the outside when the door is closed and it pisses me off. Ultimately, it's easy to see the guy didn't take care of the aesthetics that much, even though he was overly cautious about the maintenance on it. Anyway...going to have to go through the forum and figure out my options there, but might have to add a new hood/bumper to my list. :P Only problem would be paint dissimilarity. Which would also irk me...
02-11-2015, 01:37 PM
#10
I might have missed something but the first thing I would do is coilovers. That alone will change they way the car drives and handles and is by far the biggest difference maker, both performance and aesthetics. Wheels and tires is another one of those things (low on your list) that definitely changes the way the car looks and drives. An excellent set of tires is often overlooked for minimal HP gains. Next would be sway bars, then finally, intake, exhaust, tune.
With $5K, you could easily get a nice set of coilovers ($600-1200) and nice set of wheels and tires (1-4K depending on type) and aftermarket sway bars ($300). I'm a Vossen hater because everyone has them and they are super heavy (and pricey). I would rather go JDM (Volk, Work, Weds, SSR). A good set can be had for as much as a set of Vossens.
If you noticed, my list went from handling, then to HP gains. Bolt-ons have minimal HP gains for the G's and won't be nearly as noticeable as tight handling. Just my $.02.
With $5K, you could easily get a nice set of coilovers ($600-1200) and nice set of wheels and tires (1-4K depending on type) and aftermarket sway bars ($300). I'm a Vossen hater because everyone has them and they are super heavy (and pricey). I would rather go JDM (Volk, Work, Weds, SSR). A good set can be had for as much as a set of Vossens.
If you noticed, my list went from handling, then to HP gains. Bolt-ons have minimal HP gains for the G's and won't be nearly as noticeable as tight handling. Just my $.02.
02-11-2015, 02:15 PM
#11
I might have missed something but the first thing I would do is coilovers. That alone will change they way the car drives and handles and is by far the biggest difference maker, both performance and aesthetics. Wheels and tires is another one of those things (low on your list) that definitely changes the way the car looks and drives. An excellent set of tires is often overlooked for minimal HP gains. Next would be sway bars, then finally, intake, exhaust, tune.
With $5K, you could easily get a nice set of coilovers ($600-1200) and nice set of wheels and tires (1-4K depending on type) and aftermarket sway bars ($300). I'm a Vossen hater because everyone has them and they are super heavy (and pricey). I would rather go JDM (Volk, Work, Weds, SSR). A good set can be had for as much as a set of Vossens.
If you noticed, my list went from handling, then to HP gains. Bolt-ons have minimal HP gains for the G's and won't be nearly as noticeable as tight handling. Just my $.02.
With $5K, you could easily get a nice set of coilovers ($600-1200) and nice set of wheels and tires (1-4K depending on type) and aftermarket sway bars ($300). I'm a Vossen hater because everyone has them and they are super heavy (and pricey). I would rather go JDM (Volk, Work, Weds, SSR). A good set can be had for as much as a set of Vossens.
If you noticed, my list went from handling, then to HP gains. Bolt-ons have minimal HP gains for the G's and won't be nearly as noticeable as tight handling. Just my $.02.
When I want something, I'm willing to spend a bit on it. I don't need a huge justification for it if it's something that appeals to me. Right now, more HP appeals to me, so as long as it's reasonable and doesn't completely destroy my car...I'm all about it.
I actually plan on getting a set of swaybars and maybe even coilovers. I'm not sure I agree that the HP gains won't be noticeable. Seen a few build threads talking about 40+ HP gains with bolt-ons, a tune, and set of light wheels/better tires. They also mention a very noticeable difference in throttle response and shifting for the 7AT. That seems to be the quickest/cheapest way to fix things that bug ME about my car. Go faster/faster when I want to, better sound/throttle response, and better manual shifting.
Of course, better handling is great and I would definitely want that, especially if I start tracking. A good set of coilovers might dissolve the need for a set of sways if I understand correctly, but I could be wrong.
All in all, if it comes down to it, I'll just raise my budget to $6k if those are items I "desperately need" to be effective in my day to day life. This is still a DD for me...if that makes any difference. That means I'm not looking to drop it 6", have insane negative camber, etc. If anything, I might lower it a bit using the LEAST obtrusive method possible, that would allow for the most OEM feel possible.
Again, thanks for your information and I hope this helps understand what my end goal is. Of course, what my end goal is now...might change in 6 months haha.
02-11-2015, 03:43 PM
#13
I've read this comment several times and can't make heads or tales of it. Take a picture.
02-11-2015, 04:17 PM
#14
TBH, if it were me w/ a $5k budget I'd go w/ lighter wheel/sticky tires, and go 18s or at the biggest 19s, swaybars~drive it a bit to see if you want to drop it.
Also keep an eye on our private classifieds, many nice used wheel sets come up for real good deals, you can sometimes find very high quality lightweight forged wheels in nice condition for the price of new heavy cast sets.
If you decide to drop the AWD limits you w/ coilovers, the best option right now it seems would be the Fortune 500 sets, just do a site search on those and read up a bit to see if that might be of interest. There are NO upgrade shocks at the moment for the AWDs, only the RWDs have Konis as an upgrade so if you want a mild spring drop such as Swifts you'll still only have OEM shocks to mount them on
Allow about $1k for a spring drop (springs, camber kit, alignment & tax) if you DIY the install, and another $800 or more on top of that if you go coilovers.
As far as coilovers negating the need for sway bars, sicne you have an X I'd at least upgrade teh factory rear bar, it's pretty puny. The coilovers will help w/ roll (depending how firm you dial them in) but not as much as beefing the sways. Like I said, I'd get the sways first and see what you think prior to lowering, and if you stick w/ 18s or 19s the gap isn't as obvious as would be w/ 20s.
Then I'd go w/ the "performance" bolts ons, and as long as you're current on Alfredos' thread you can have a realistic expectation for what those will, or won't do HP wise.
Also keep an eye on our private classifieds, many nice used wheel sets come up for real good deals, you can sometimes find very high quality lightweight forged wheels in nice condition for the price of new heavy cast sets.
If you decide to drop the AWD limits you w/ coilovers, the best option right now it seems would be the Fortune 500 sets, just do a site search on those and read up a bit to see if that might be of interest. There are NO upgrade shocks at the moment for the AWDs, only the RWDs have Konis as an upgrade so if you want a mild spring drop such as Swifts you'll still only have OEM shocks to mount them on
Allow about $1k for a spring drop (springs, camber kit, alignment & tax) if you DIY the install, and another $800 or more on top of that if you go coilovers.As far as coilovers negating the need for sway bars, sicne you have an X I'd at least upgrade teh factory rear bar, it's pretty puny. The coilovers will help w/ roll (depending how firm you dial them in) but not as much as beefing the sways. Like I said, I'd get the sways first and see what you think prior to lowering, and if you stick w/ 18s or 19s the gap isn't as obvious as would be w/ 20s.
Then I'd go w/ the "performance" bolts ons, and as long as you're current on Alfredos' thread you can have a realistic expectation for what those will, or won't do HP wise.
Last edited by blnewt; 02-11-2015 at 04:25 PM.
02-11-2015, 08:37 PM
#15
TBH, if it were me w/ a $5k budget I'd go w/ lighter wheel/sticky tires, and go 18s or at the biggest 19s, swaybars~drive it a bit to see if you want to drop it.
Also keep an eye on our private classifieds, many nice used wheel sets come up for real good deals, you can sometimes find very high quality lightweight forged wheels in nice condition for the price of new heavy cast sets.
If you decide to drop the AWD limits you w/ coilovers, the best option right now it seems would be the Fortune 500 sets, just do a site search on those and read up a bit to see if that might be of interest. There are NO upgrade shocks at the moment for the AWDs, only the RWDs have Konis as an upgrade so if you want a mild spring drop such as Swifts you'll still only have OEM shocks to mount them on Allow about $1k for a spring drop (springs, camber kit, alignment & tax) if you DIY the install, and another $800 or more on top of that if you go coilovers.
As far as coilovers negating the need for sway bars, sicne you have an X I'd at least upgrade teh factory rear bar, it's pretty puny. The coilovers will help w/ roll (depending how firm you dial them in) but not as much as beefing the sways. Like I said, I'd get the sways first and see what you think prior to lowering, and if you stick w/ 18s or 19s the gap isn't as obvious as would be w/ 20s.
Then I'd go w/ the "performance" bolts ons, and as long as you're current on Alfredos' thread you can have a realistic expectation for what those will, or won't do HP wise.
Also keep an eye on our private classifieds, many nice used wheel sets come up for real good deals, you can sometimes find very high quality lightweight forged wheels in nice condition for the price of new heavy cast sets.
If you decide to drop the AWD limits you w/ coilovers, the best option right now it seems would be the Fortune 500 sets, just do a site search on those and read up a bit to see if that might be of interest. There are NO upgrade shocks at the moment for the AWDs, only the RWDs have Konis as an upgrade so if you want a mild spring drop such as Swifts you'll still only have OEM shocks to mount them on
Allow about $1k for a spring drop (springs, camber kit, alignment & tax) if you DIY the install, and another $800 or more on top of that if you go coilovers.As far as coilovers negating the need for sway bars, sicne you have an X I'd at least upgrade teh factory rear bar, it's pretty puny. The coilovers will help w/ roll (depending how firm you dial them in) but not as much as beefing the sways. Like I said, I'd get the sways first and see what you think prior to lowering, and if you stick w/ 18s or 19s the gap isn't as obvious as would be w/ 20s.
Then I'd go w/ the "performance" bolts ons, and as long as you're current on Alfredos' thread you can have a realistic expectation for what those will, or won't do HP wise.
Honestly, even though I know that you are going to lose "some" comfort by dropping, if there aren't a lot of options to counter that or at least make it a 20% loss vs. a 50% loss, I doubt I'll go that route. Despite buying the car because it was "fast"...I did/do love the luxury feel to it and I don't want to lose all of that by putting a super loud exhaust on it and giving it a really harsh ride.
Think I might just do the sways, strut bar "for extra hp's due to looking cool", wheels/tires, CAI, CBE, RHFC, M370 (mehbe), and UpRev tune (still iffy about the Ecutek since the forum seems to have died on valuable information mid-fall of last year)
For the exhaust:
Both of these sound pretty good. I'm a fan of the lower growl...so I know I need to pair it right. Obviously the "growl" is going to get higher pitch at WOT, but it still shouldn't sound like a 1.5l 4cyl. :P
Thanks again everyone for your input. Like I said, I'll get better pics this weekend...and they will definitely include the "white stuff" on the car haha. I guess the easiest way to explain it would be like ashy skin. It's like a black rubberish lining that goes along the top of the outside of the doors. Either way, I'll quit confusing everyone haha. Pics to come!
P.S. I am willing to go to $6k at this point...in an effort to squeeze as many mods in at once and try to call it quits. At least for the bolt-ons. I'll still do some other stuff like LEDs and what not...but that will just come out of my paycheck, and not my car account haha.
P.S.S.S.S.S.S.S.S
Is this the Takeda people are using?
http://thmotorsports.com/i-1680936.aspx
Last edited by IntricateDetail; 02-12-2015 at 11:15 AM.