Thread: Upgrades?

So if I wanted to start out slowly modding my car (understanding I'm a college student with not a whole lot of money), what order and which parts should I go for? I don't want anything too drastic or big yet, especially not something that would void a powertrain warranty, but let's face it: stock is no fun.

read the safely modding your 3800 thread. then come back with questions.

x2 and post in the correct section.

What exactly do you want to upgrade first? Engine, suspension, exterior, interior?

You can add a strut tower brace for pretty cheap. You can also add a drop in K&N air filter, or do a full cold air kit.

Check zzperformance.com for all kinds of other ideas.

Get creative and make stuff on your own. i.e. home made intake instead of $100+ one, flip motor mounts instead of getting 75 dollar ones (you can worry about those polyurathane ones later down the road if you want), and the one thing i love doing it taking parts off other cars, in my case it's taking parts off of Audi TT's to put on my GTI, but any other W-body car woudl work for bigger brakes, strut bars, suspension and different engine parts, and you can get most of them used so it's cheaper. Just go look around online and if you find something you like, think about where you could get it elsewhere or if you could make it yourself. Trust me, it will keep you on a good budget. Being a college student myself, i know how it is.

Originally Posted by Bio248

read the safely modding your 3800 thread. then come back with questions.

110% of win

Originally Posted by toolguy

What exactly do you want to upgrade first? Engine, suspension, exterior, interior?

You can add a strurt tower brace for pretty cheap. You can also add a drop in K&N air filter, or do a full cold air kit.

Check zzperformance.com for all kinds of other ideas.

First part I agree...we need to know what your plan of attack is to help you out. The K&N Drop in's suck IMO...as you can get a cheapo filter and make your own intake for nearly as much.

Originally Posted by Planeboy18

Get creative and make stuff on your own. i.e. home made intake instead of $100+ one, flip motor mounts instead of getting 75 dollar ones (you can worry about those polyurathane ones later down the road if you want), and the one thing i love doing it taking parts off other cars, in my case it's taking parts off of Audi TT's to put on my GTI, but any other W-body car woudl work for bigger brakes, strut bars, suspension and different engine parts, and you can get most of them used so it's cheaper. Just go look around online and if you find something you like, think about where you could get it elsewhere or if you could make it yourself. Trust me, it will keep you on a good budget. Being a college student myself, i know how it is.

Custom CAI/FWI = Win
Flipped Dog Bones = Win
Junkyard upgrade parts = Fail since he has a '04+ car...unless you find a Comp G in the junkyard.

Just wondering...how much of a budget was the hardwood floor? That's just me being a smartass

ZR1Vette09...get in contact with Reptile and I am pretty sure he can tune your car with his DHP powertuner...if not...still, let us know and we can help you out too since were close.

Thanks alot guys. I def. will not be doing the CAI i've been reading around enough to know that those are crap. I would have liked a FWI but it seems TDR is having some problems. I was really looking for some advice as to where people generally start. FWI sounds good to me. Considered mufflers but since I need 2 that would get a bit pricey. I'm looking at the most basic mods that almost anyone on here has

Originally Posted by Bio248

read the safely modding your 3800 thread. then come back with questions.

btw great thread. if i had noticed the price breakdown i probably wouldn't have posted here. so i guess my question now is is there anywhere else to buy the FWI? or am I on my own now. And i'm also interested in this tune but I'll read the details to see when I'm ready for that

Originally Posted by bluegtp91

110% of win



First part I agree...we need to know what your plan of attack is to help you out. The K&N Drop in's suck IMO...as you can get a cheapo filter and make your own intake for nearly as much.



Custom CAI/FWI = Win
Flipped Dog Bones = Win
Junkyard upgrade parts = Fail since he has a '04+ car...unless you find a Comp G in the junkyard.

Just wondering...how much of a budget was the hardwood floor? That's just me being a smartass

ZR1Vette09...get in contact with Reptile and I am pretty sure he can tune your car with his DHP powertuner...if not...still, let us know and we can help you out too since were close.

Whoops my bad. I got ADD when writing that, I was still in 97-03 mode. A comp G or GXP would be a gold mine though if he were to find one.

http://www.grandprixforums.net/f73/m...ke-fwi-20.html Might be a good place to start to get some ideas.

As for the hardwood floor... 55 bucks. 1 box of the cheapest hardwood floor Lowe's had in stock, 1 sheet of 1inch thick Pink home insulation and carpet to cover it up (had to raise the floor 1 inch so that the sub would fit in the spare tire and so that I could keep my jack and wrenches in the floor. I dont' like driving without having a spare). 1 jar of fiber glass resin for the subwoofer enclosure. Not bad I think and I have more trunk room than I did with my sub box in the trunk.

I thought a picture might be appropriate even though it's not done yet.

^Nice, now you just need a oven and some cabinets LMAO

If you just want some cheapo gains over the stock performance...if I only had like 30 bucks to spend or something...Get a 180* T-Stat (even without a tune, it still helps), a cone filter (bolt it to the MAF...better than stock), and then buy a can of WD-40 and flip the motor mounts

You dont need wd-40 to flip the mounts.

Originally Posted by bluegtp91

^Nice, now you just need a oven and some cabinets LMAO

If you just want some cheapo gains over the stock performance...if I only had like 30 bucks to spend or something...Get a 180* T-Stat (even without a tune, it still helps), a cone filter (bolt it to the MAF...better than stock), and then buy a can of WD-40 and flip the motor mounts

Ditto. That's exactly what I did with my GF's 97 the first week she had it. Nice little increase and didn't hurt my wallet. The WD-40 does make things a whole lot easier though. All three of those can be done in under an hour and you'll be happy with the result for now.

Originally Posted by 01GTP

You dont need wd-40 to flip the mounts.

Sorry, I work smarter...not harder...plus you tend to rip them easier without it.

that sound like a good start for me. I read all through that thread a couple times and its probably gonna be a very long term project for me. nonetheless, I don't like ridin' stock so I'll see what I can do for now. BTW I'm also gonna probably smoke the tail lights. Anyone have any pics of their 04+ (preferably stealth gray!! ) with smoked tail lights, and anyone tried the backup lights and 3rd brake light smoked? wanna make sure the lights will show through

Summit = nothing.

Buy from a 3800 specific dealer IMO...as you'll get raped elsewhere for the most part.

ZR1, a local just tinted his tails on KCPMC you might check that out...I think the guys name is huff70 or something.

thanks. I edited a picture in paint to try to see what it looks like

Looks like someone stole your taillights

lol yeah it does.