Best bang-for-the-buck performance upgrades
02-10-2005, 07:32 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Best bang-for-the-buck performance upgrades
What performance upgrades/mods have you guys done that you feel had the greatest impact given their price point?
And as a follow-up question - what's typically the first area of a car's engine, suspension, drive-train, etc... that you look at to upgrade or mod?
And as a follow-up question - what's typically the first area of a car's engine, suspension, drive-train, etc... that you look at to upgrade or mod?
02-10-2005, 08:06 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 1,076
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not always the case. Depends on the person. Some people like to add CAI to their cars. They'll give you the best bang-for-your-buck performance wise. Accords will never be insanely fast. To get even close you'll need a turbo...lotta bang...lotta bucks. Suspension is a good choice...can be pricey at times. Depends on your definition of "big bucks". A good set of tires always helps.
02-10-2005, 08:50 AM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Bethlehem PA
Posts: 6,692
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Intrepid241
Not always the case. Depends on the person. Some people like to add CAI to their cars. They'll give you the best bang-for-your-buck performance wise. Accords will never be insanely fast. To get even close you'll need a turbo...lotta bang...lotta bucks. Suspension is a good choice...can be pricey at times. Depends on your definition of "big bucks". A good set of tires always helps.
You'll benefit more from upgrading your suspension than getting a CAI.
02-10-2005, 08:57 AM
#5
bboy Wesley West
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: six-five-o
Posts: 15,390
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
actually best bang would be to ghetto style your intake, it would only cost like 15 for a fake cone air intake and 1.50 for the adapter at autozone.
but suspension is a pretty good upgrade, look into a rear sway or strut or lower tie bar...also
but suspension is a pretty good upgrade, look into a rear sway or strut or lower tie bar...also
02-10-2005, 10:38 AM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Bethlehem PA
Posts: 6,692
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by wedley2
actually best bang would be to ghetto style your intake, it would only cost like 15 for a fake cone air intake and 1.50 for the adapter at autozone.
but suspension is a pretty good upgrade, look into a rear sway or strut or lower tie bar...also
but suspension is a pretty good upgrade, look into a rear sway or strut or lower tie bar...also
Remember, you get what you pay for.
Those 15 dollar intakes suck. The piping is made from a crappy material ( I know cause I bought one of those and tossed it out that same night ).
It sounded like crap and the hoses it comes with really really suck.
02-10-2005, 10:56 AM
#7
Power of Dreams
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: San Jose Ca
Posts: 1,588
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
well not always true
sure the 15 bucks wont get you AEM quality, but is not the tube that sucks its the filter
a tubes a tube, but if you upgrade to a high quality K&N filter, u would get pretty much the same result as an AEM SRI
sure the 15 bucks wont get you AEM quality, but is not the tube that sucks its the filter
a tubes a tube, but if you upgrade to a high quality K&N filter, u would get pretty much the same result as an AEM SRI
02-10-2005, 11:00 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Miami, FL
Posts: 662
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You wont get much bang without big bucks out of the engine. So suspension will make it feel like it has more peppiness, and be a lot more fun to drive. A decent AIC would be around 100 I think, a decent shop would charge maybe around 150 for an aftermarket muffler and labor. You can get some good shocks and springs for less than 400. I don't know if you know your way around a tool box well enough to change the suspension yourself. The AIC you should be able to install yourself with simple instructions they come with. New wheels will also help like intrepid said.
02-10-2005, 11:51 AM
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by JL95AccorD
You wont get much bang without big bucks out of the engine. So suspension will make it feel like it has more peppiness, and be a lot more fun to drive. A decent AIC would be around 100 I think, a decent shop would charge maybe around 150 for an aftermarket muffler and labor. You can get some good shocks and springs for less than 400. I don't know if you know your way around a tool box well enough to change the suspension yourself. The AIC you should be able to install yourself with simple instructions they come with. New wheels will also help like intrepid said.
And what kind of mufflers do you guys like? Everytime I look at the back end of my car, I love the way it looks, but I can't help but think how those ugly brownish/black factory cans ruin the whole effect.
02-10-2005, 12:00 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Miami, FL
Posts: 662
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, get a free flowing muffler, too restricted wont help gain performance, and restictions that help make it not so loud, would make it louder in the car from the vibrations it creates. I have the aem aic. It's nice, sounds nice too, and at a reasonable price. If you do the two things, you wont get a big bang, but it will be nice enough that you will notice it. If you can, also change the cat, for a free flowing one, you can get one for less than 100 bucks i think, and if you go to get your muffler done you can have them change that as well.