pop the hood, take of the 4 bolts on the latch, put on the new hood, and bolt it on h:

 

You want to get straight in a fast line for least amount of money? NOS.

You want to go fast on a circuit and have some fun legally? Suspension, tires and spend the rest upgrading your driving skills.

 

let's be honest here people, i drive an accord...so i'm not headed for the fast line. i'm just asking for general knowledge, this car is my learning car...do's and don't. but i would be interested in doing affordable and sensible things. i don't know, what exactly does lower and suspension do for me? because i feel it does not do anything to the "performance" of the car...or am i wrong? other than better stability, easier corner cuts, and a nice look, what comes out of getting a better suspension system. i'm assuming when you mean suspension you include:
springs
shocks
struts/sway bar

 

Let's be honest here...because you have an Accord, it's pointless buy a CF hood for "weight reduction". It'll make about 0.1% difference in the weight of the car.

Since you do realize that the car isn't going to fast in a straight line...that's the reason to work on the suspension. You can make the car fast in the corners much easier than making it fast in a straight line. And I don't know about you but I'd rather go have fun tearing up a backroad, etc than running a 17 second quarter mile.

And yes, springs and shocks/struts and swaybars would make the difference. Or instead of a spring/shock combo you could go with a coilover system like Tein, Apexi, etc. Springs like H&R and Eibach, Koni and Bilstien shocks. Sway bars...Eibach, or for a budget a rear TL-S bar by itself will make a nice difference for the money.

And sticky tires, preferably on a 16-18" wheel that can accomodate some wider sticky tires will make a big difference. Good tires alone on stock wheels will help immensely.

Don't do the suspension if you don't want to...but IMO there is much more value in investing in the suspension instead of trying to make it go fast via weight reduction with CF peices.

For a given amount of money you can make your car either:
A: Be a bit faster, but still slower most new cars, or
B: Handle better than 80-90% of new cars on the road.

If you like a soft cushy ride, then just leave the car alone, but if you want it to be more fun to drive and are willing to give up a bit of ride quality, do the suspension.

Do what you like, but it's good to have all the info to make your decisions.

 

i still cant emphasize how much tires make a difference.

 

i think i'll take your word (jschmid) on the suspension, you make a very valid argument. like i said, the whole point of THIS particular car is to learn about cars in general, not necessarily how to go fast. from this board and stuff that i've done because of the DIY and threads, i've learned a lot, more than the average joe. so, i think suspension is a way to go. but i'm confused. what do you mean when you say
"If you like a soft cushy ride, then just leave the car alone, but if you want it to be more fun to drive and are willing to give up a bit of ride quality, do the suspension."

 

aftermarket suspensions result in better handling due to the lowered stance, at the cost of ride quality, since the new suspension will be slightly stiffer. i.e youll feel more bumps on the road

 

and what exactly do you guys mean handling? because when you say handling i always assumed i WOULDN'T feel those bumps

 

you kinda lost me but when i mean handling, i mean cornering at fast/high speeds.

 

Toss out yur rear seats, put nicelly fabricated sound bourd or plexi-glass there. take out all that fabric lining and crap outta the boot . take out yur sunroof if yu hab that. Just put a peice of clear plexi glass up there wiff weather strippin and racing style rivets to hold it up.take out the window washer jug, thats usless weight.Throw out the A/C condensor, thats air restriction and weight, if yu HAB 2 have A/C just convert to a small condensor frum like a ..m 93-96 Civic coupe or sum shiet like that. Put in smaller and less weight costlly cooling fans. take out teh spare and jacking utensils in teh boot of the car and replace them wiff a tire plug kit and compact air compressor. If yu have a wing on the boot of yur car, take it off and put a small deck mounted plexi-glass one.add a front air dam, it will alow the air to move at a lower angle under the car thus coming with less obstructions as it passes under the car.Hoods are heavy, replace it wiff a large sheet of plexi-glass, be sure to put , heat material on the side near the engine.remove the center console, so heavy, and does not add much function.Glove box also, put a false cover over it.remove the rear door panels and replace it wiff painted / carpeted - plexi glass. yu can easilly make a hole for the window switch.the headliner is also heavy, and dun add protection in case yur car rolls over. remove that also. The lower knee bolster and kick panel also yu can remove and replace with nice plexi-glass.All this weight reduction yull need to put yur battery in the boot of the car.It can be placed where the tire plug kit and small charger adapter air compressor with light, in the space once occupied by a spare.Remove the rear windowds and regulators(if a 4dr) and replace the windows wiff plexi-glass gut the shape of the factory windows. Yur car is sooo much lighter now.