Have a small amount of cash. DP, HV3, or PLOG?

**spenc938** · 10-29-2008

Just as the title says. I am looking to spend about $250, and want to know which of those is the best bang for your buck. I know that 250 aint much, but it's not worth it to sink anymore into it. Other than this, it is 100% stock. I also appreciate people suggesting other items that fit within my price range.

Edit: The car has almost 200,000 miles so the stock cat is probably clogged. A downpipe would fix this, and eliminate the U-bend.

**Quicklynx** · 10-29-2008

downpipe

**99prixgt** · 10-29-2008

A tuned Pcm would be your best bang for your buck

**spenc938** · 10-29-2008

Yeah. For the reasons I said in my "edit" I was thinking the same thing.

Now the next question? 2.5 or 3? Is it worth the extra 20 bucks for a stock car?

Edit @99prixgt: What I have heard is that a tune is a waste on a stock car. Anyone else care to chime in on this?

**99prixgt** · 10-29-2008

Originally Posted by spenc938

Yeah. For the reasons I said in my "edit" I was thinking the same thing.

Now the next question? 2.5 or 3? Is it worth the extra 20 bucks for a stock car?

Edit @99prixgt: What I have heard is that a tune is a waste on a stock car. Anyone else care to chime in on this?

The stock PCM is probably the worst component on these cars. For shi*'s, I put on my DP with high flow cat with my 180* T-stat, intake, and the catback before i put in my OVERKILL PCM And it did absolutly nothing. After the PCM it was a different car. It was the best thing i bought. A waste of time? absolutly not. If i were you i would make an intake, get the u-bend delete and get an OVERKILL or INTENSE pcm. If i were to do it all over again, i would never have gotten a DP, i should have just saved up for headers and went catless. If you do decide to get the DP the only way u might find real gains is if you go catless.

**spenc938** · 10-29-2008

Who tuned your pcm? I was looking at Intense, and they charge extra to keep a few things stock. I'm not paying 200 bucks for a tune. ZZP seems cheaper, but I've heard bad things.

**99prixgt** · 10-29-2008

what ever you do just stay away from ZZP pcm's! you will hate it. I had OVERKILL do mine, it was about 200 with the shipping. If you send your factory one back to him it will be a little cheaper. Other than the INTENSE and OVERKILL i would say, stay away from everything else.

**spenc938** · 10-29-2008

That seems like a ton of money just for a tune. And I'm not trying to say that you're wrong, but I swear that I remember reading that it's a waste to tune a stock car. I'll try and find the post.

**99prixgt** · 10-29-2008

Originally Posted by spenc938

That seems like a ton of money just for a tune. And I'm not trying to say that you're wrong, but I swear that I remember reading that it's a waste to tune a stock car. I'll try and find the post.

It does make sense because if you do other mods that require tuning then you might as well wait. If you are definitly going to stay stock N.A id say do the home made intake, u-bend delete and the tuned PCM. Im curious to see this post. But from my N.A expirence I say get overkilled.

**spenc938** · 10-29-2008

In this topic, street wolf says that an aftermarket pcm is not needed for light mods...

http://www.grandprixforums.net/f65/s...ning-6098.html

**99prixgt** · 10-29-2008

Yeah seems like he was worried about leaning out with the intake. Yes you dont NEED to tune for those simple mods. It will not be dangerous for your motor. You however do NEED a tune if you get a turbo or supercharger or other heavy mods. If you get the tuned PCM from overkill, it does remove speed limiter, shift points higher, skipshifts, better air/fuel ratio's, etc..etc..etc... so you tell me how that wont increase performance.

**Blown97** · 10-29-2008

Out of the choices you gave us, the 3" DP is the better way to go. I say 3" incase you decide later to mod more.

But I too would have to agree that a reprogrammed PCM is the better way to go. Even on a stock motor & some light mods, you don't NEED a tuned PCM, but a tuned PCM can enhance what you already have. However, before doing any kind of mods think about tune up first, if you haven't done a tune up lately, money would be best spent there. Good luck!!!

**spenc938** · 10-29-2008

Well, I know it won't be dangerous. But I don't want to waste my money on a downpipe that will do no good. Maybe I'll go read all the reviews and see if other people have tunes.

The good thing about the downpipe is that you get a 50 dollar credit for sending your old cat back.

**Quicklynx** · 10-29-2008

learn to tune yourself though... it's totally worth it in the end

**spenc938** · 10-29-2008

This money that I spend here is the end of modding. Period. I have to sell the car in a year anyway, and am only spending this much because the money was a gift, and I need a present for myself.

So, with NO future modding... Will an Overkill tune give me a more noticeable difference than a 3 inch downpipe?

**spenc938** · 10-29-2008

Originally Posted by Quicklynx

learn to tune yourself though... it's totally worth it in the end

I don't have 500 bucks for a tuner. The car has a salvage title. It's probably not even worth 500 bucks.

**Quicklynx** · 10-29-2008

then it's probably not even worth the bolt ons if you think about it

The tuning is in reference for your future though. It would be worth it to learn yourself, with other peoples help of course, which we all would be willing to chime in for!

**99prixgt** · 10-29-2008

If the car has a salvage title, just keep your $250.00.
as far as tuning goes, the best tuning is done on the dyno.

**Quicklynx** · 10-29-2008

^x2

**spenc938** · 10-29-2008

Why? I know it's dumb, but the money was a gift, and there is truly nothing else I need or want. I know the car isn't worth squat, but it's my first car, and she's my baby.

Edit: I'm not looking to sell it and recoup the money. I know I won't. I probably won't sell the car at all. I'll give it to a family member or something.