Performance Mods for the Cheap Bastard - Bang for Buck!!!

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

As many know, I just posted in the war stories section about me getting completely obliterated by a Benz. Now, nobody will deny that Benzs and Beamers are normally fast stock, but this was just a dinky C class, Mercedes's economy car. I would've liked to be able to keep up with him, or at least be able to hold my own.

I'm not looking to shell out thousands, nor am I even looking to shell out several hundred. I just want to know what are the best bang-for-buck performance mods a cheap fuck like myself should consider. I hear a CAI is very satisying, but only if you have the exhaust to support it. By exhaust, does one mean an entire re-piping of the car, or just a muffler? Also, I was browsing the plumbing section of the Home Depot yesterday, and the ideas started soaring through my head. Is there anything wrong with making a CAI out of PVC piping? It would probably be a hell of a lot cheaper, and also, my friend with a Z24 Cavalier with a 3400 motor swap made his own intake from PVC, and he said it worked phenomenally. It could be spray painted silver or black or whatever, and I could make it to go exactly where I want it to.

Also, remember, I have 148,000 miles on my car, and counting. I drive a hell of a lot, and with that kind of milage, something like a turbo would probably be a bad idea.

So, I ask the pros. If my budget is only a couple hundred, what are the most bang-for-buck things I can do for my car to make it somewhat respectable in the speed book.

Thanks!

[galant_got_speed]

Ok i first have to be an ass like everyone else. SEARCH DUDE JESUS LOL!

ok now that im done with that...on a budget of a few hundred you're looking at an intake and possibly a cheap exhaust setup...if you dont care much about name brands just get an ebay intake...i have one and it works great...and no u will gain absolutely nothing with just a muffler...you need to do the whole piping setup to get any sort of gain and even then it wont be much...its hard to gain anything thru N/A parts unless you rebuild the whole engine and bore it out and get new pistons and cams...at that point ur dishing out the same money u could use to buy turbo parts..

dont make the same mistake i did when i first got my car...expecting speed out of cheap bolt ons...not gunna happen man. ull gain a few wheel horsies with exhaust and intake..give u a little better get up and go but nothing huge...they r just fun mods to help u enjoy the car a little more...

hope that helped somewhat.

[pinoyesv6]

why put gas in the tank if you can fill up your tank with tap water for much cheaper??

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

Well that would break my engine, silly!!

[galant_got_speed]

i am not sure i understood pinoy...was that an analogy of some kind? lol

[pinoyesv6]

Well that would break my engine, silly!!

and the corrosive gasses emitted from the pipe won't do the same thing?

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

Doesn't matter. Anyway, I just want to get a little bit of performance from minimal mods. Like I've stressed many times before, speed is NOT extremely important to me. Everyone has their priorities, and mine is looks>luxury>speed. First, I make my exterior look badass, then I pimp the interior, then I make the car fast. I'm just checking interest to see where the happy median is bewteen minimal $$ spent and maximum gain.

[pinoyesv6]

yea, just save that pvc pipe to make a roll cage

[galant_got_speed]

yea, just save that pvc pipe to make a roll cage

ROFL!

yah PVC piping intakes are a no go man..total piece. just get an ebay special and custom build an exhaust and ur good to go.

[DOHCstunr]

luxury.... right.......

if you want the best bang for your buck power you cheap ass,
just get a 100 shot and be done with it.
get yoru damn exhaust made.
get an ebay muffler and have a shop weld you up some 2.5 inch piping from the cat back.
it will literally cost you 150 bucks with the muffler. maybe less if you know te right shop.

[Proto]

i did the full cai and exhaust system. i noticed a big diff. once i wrap these 16" OZ wheels in some 205 50 16 then ill be set 8)

[seth98esT]

If your planning to stay NA get your intake/exhaust bases covered, or at least the cheap ones. Get an eBay CAI, either a NA 1g throttble body or a GS throttle body(PM me if you want a GS throttle body), and get the exhaust done. Those are the cheapest mods and the most basic. If you want an extra boost in power, the cheapest route to go would be nitrous.

Stock throttle body is like 54mm if that, a 1g NA or GS throttle body will be 60mm and would not cause any restrictions.

Also, rewire your fuel pump, it will cost like $10(check vfaq.com no how to do it) and will help your fuel pump push out more fuel when it really needs it.

Other then that, theres not much else you can do without spending some real money. Could get an RPW camshaft/camgear but that will cost you $300-600 more then likely.

[peanotation]

hate to break it to you, but short of going nitrous of FI, all the bolt-ons in the world arn't going to make any real difference in your acceleration. if you ported the head, advanced the timing and started tuning it n/a you could knock a few seconds off your 1/4, but that's stretching it.

[DOHCstunr]

i did the full cai and exhaust system. i noticed a big diff. once i wrap these 16" OZ wheels in some 205 50 16 then ill be set 8)

.
215 won't fit on them?

i had 205 55 15 on my 15's

[mitsuree8thgen]

luxury.... right.......

if you want the best bang for your buck power you cheap ass,
just get a 100 shot and be done with it.
get yoru damn exhaust made.
get an ebay muffler and have a shop weld you up some 2.5 inch piping from the cat back.
it will literally cost you 150 bucks with the muffler. maybe less if you know te right shop.

$150 for just the intake, muffler, and installation, right? not incuding the spray right?

[galant_got_speed]

luxury.... right.......

if you want the best bang for your buck power you cheap ass,
just get a 100 shot and be done with it.
get yoru damn exhaust made.
get an ebay muffler and have a shop weld you up some 2.5 inch piping from the cat back.
it will literally cost you 150 bucks with the muffler. maybe less if you know te right shop.

$150 for just the intake, muffler, and installation, right? not incuding the spray right?

the spray alone will cost him a few hundred...

[mitsuree8thgen]

That's what I was thinking. I thought he had connections or something, but anyway. The turbo setup would be better than the spray simply because nitro can get pricey, although i'm looking for some juice myself.

[Reptile]

i doubt u would be able to do a 100 shot without blowing it, but just do a 55shot like im doing soon, but yeah all that exhaust and intake crap doesnt do shit.. maybe like 2 1/2 hp if that, just unplug ur MAS like i do cuz when i do it, it runs hella rich so i get hella power of the line, only down side is that my mpg goes to like 8

[mitsuree8thgen]

I tried unplugging the MAS before, car couldn't run right for shit. The G hasn't been the same since :cry: .

[seth98esT]

i doubt u would be able to do a 100 shot without blowing it, but just do a 55shot like im doing soon, but yeah all that exhaust and intake crap doesnt do shit.. maybe like 2 1/2 hp if that, just unplug ur MAS like i do cuz when i do it, it runs hella rich so i get hella power of the line, only down side is that my mpg goes to like 8

I would not recommend doing this. Unplugging the MAS will just give you more problems, it is not a performance mod. Reptile is just crazy...