The point is not to discourage anyone, but to make a point that these exhaust bolt-on's really don't gain much power for ya. I totally agree that it's a fun hobby and it's been fun to hook up all these parts by myself.
I forgot to state though, I am very satisfied with the status and the sound of my car. It sounds very powerful, although it really isn't. When I first put on that intake myself and drove it out to the streets, I was happy as hell and turned off my radio to hear that little noise that came from the front. And I've been getting into this fantastic car modifying world ever since... I am just disappointed that I didn't know these things didn't give much HP's, and was just changing the low-end torque to mid-range or high... all that.
Overall, it wan't that meaningless because I had fun (that's all we care, isn't it?) and I've learned. I just wanted to post this up so people who just started modifying their cars don't make the same mistakes as I did, thinking these will make the Accord their parents bought would be a super car. (No offense, I really like Accords, both of my cars in my life are Accords.) But again, if I knew and didn't believe on those "advertised" power, I could've saved the money for something more efficient maybe like suspension. IMO lowering the car to transfer them faster to wheels and buying lighter, reasonablely big rims help out more than my header and muffler. But hell ya, regardless of the money, the process of modding cars is fun!