Thought we could help out newbies and even seasoned owners with "learning lessons" from mod mania and maintenance. Those who have hindsight chime in. Most have some experience in this area of buying than replacing multiple times. Im sure a lot missing.

Clutch –
Avoid having to replace a perfectly good replaced clutch as mods may be done in future!
-If you replace clutch don’t go OEM or stage 2. Spend a few xtra $ and do it once and right and go stage 3

Exhaust –
Get 3 inch/76mill diameter or whatever.
-You will have BHP restrictions after a certain point, maybe 600whp, and youll be scarred having to buy a new one.

Suspension –
Get a real set up. I had springs pushed on me on both ttp-cars I had that dealership likes to sell and price was cheap. While it looks good lowered, its still crap for handling compared to getting real set-up. Spend the xtra $ and be safer at high speeds and cornering

Turbos –
Get the large hybrid ones. Even if you cant do all the upgrades at once like piping, at least you wont have to buy new turbos again. Chances are youll get used to the power level after a while with smaller turbos.

Rims -
With risk of getting shot down, stay with 18s. Whenever I had larger rims they were always a hassle. More issues like constant realignments after hitting a speed bump, more tire side blowouts and flat tires…and no spare.

Flash –
Make sure the tuner will give future discounts on additional tunes when you do other upgrades

Intercoolers -
Intercoolers most important mod from keeping you from losing BHP! When its hot, car gets much slower

Plenum, Turbo Intakes Yada –
To oversimplify, if car is going 150mph more airflow more BHP. There are posts on this.

Diverter Valves
Stock ones need to be replaced ASAP

I know there is other stuff...What else?

 

You may want to prioritize the list, with final goals in mind, as well. There are plenty of people who will find a flash and an exhaust to be more than they will ever need. (Well under 500whp) For them, intercoolers, intakes, plenums, stage 3 clutches and 3 inch exhausts are possibly/probably overkill and a waste of money. There are also other limiting factors like if you have a Tip, or not. If you don't paln to do work on the transmission, too, you can't go beyond a certain threshold in engine power. (I'm told a K24/18G would be the upper bound on a stock tip.) Not everyone needs to pull up cement while chirping all four wheels during a shift from 4th to 5th, but I sure do respect you guys that can.

 

Very good advices hr1s,i wish i've done this way since the begining...but didn't know 6speed

 

If we are to prioritize. it should start with SPEND A COUPLE EXTRA BUCKS UP FRONT AND BUY A MODDED CAR. Plenty out there for WAY less than you will spend...depending on your goals...

 

At the long run i am not sure if buying a modded you're better off because you don't know how long she is going to last.If you knew the ownwer or you can find out from a very good source how the car was treated or how is the car shape then you're in a better position.
You need some luck always eaither way.

 

I just bought a stock 03 X50 with 21K miles... now that I am looking at mods, I am wishing I had bought one already setup with at least an exhaust and flash... probably would have not only been cheaper, but saved me money in the longrun...

 

Everybody has different wants and needs when modding their car. For example you have 7 categories for engine performance and only 1 for suspension. No mention of brakes or interior or exterior mods. IMO a flash and coilovers are the two main things I "needed". Any more power and it will just turn into a straight line car. Been there, done that. I had to put drag radials on my Corvette and that ruined the driving experience IMO. That said, your setup looks great for what you want to do with your car and I'm sure you wouldnt want it any other way.

 

Right, the problem is that drivers may get used to the power & handling, and than when upgrading again, they can avoid replacing. This by no means is a comprehensive list or a prioritized one. I dont know enough about all areas of car, i just know form experience, and if anyone can benefit from this thats the point...for example another point before you buy those expensive tires make sure the wear is even, there are a lot of experiences with uneven wear in the back, and the fix is typically dogbones or something similar...this way driver doesnt go through tires in 4k miles.

 

IMO... The very 1st thing you should do is decide what kind of car is it going to be. A DD, a 1/4 mile, street racer, track car... or a combo.

Then the next thing is to find a great tuner. Guys like Neil and Mark understand how to get you on a path to where you want to end up.

A good tuner will not have you spend more $ then you need, get you to buy things you need to change as you upgrade, and they will always be available to answer questions. They will also have a pedigree of accomplishments to back up their ability.

 

Buy a Gallardo and save yourself some time and in the long run money .... It's what you eventually end up with lol

 

And he mental anguish of constantly listing to see if the car is making "a funny sound"

 

Man.....who doesn't want to get a Gallardo

 

a TT Gallardo! lol

 

This might fly in the face of conventional wisdom but I have heard and read the advice to think ahead when modding, many times and just go straight for the top/best mod you can first time, for many reasons about cost and the fact you will get used to the power. But thats the point start to far ahead and you get spoilt. Power is a drug and I mean it, it really is, you do get used to it. If you had 700 whp to start with coming from say a standard M3 or Evo 9/10 it would seem very very quick ( for a wile) but you would not appreciate the effort to get to that power. If you start of with moderate mods and work your way up through the different stages of power mods you will appreciate the effort that goes into getting that power. I have always modded every car I have had. My Cosworth @ 550 bhp was the most previous modded car and I spent more on it than most would spend buying a 2008 997 GT2. but that was as far as I could go. So I bought a standard 996tt and have now started down that route. I know what the cost in price and time it is going to take to get my 996tt to 600whp and I will, one day. But the point is I do appreciate the effort and it makes me use the power level I have and appreciate it before moving up a level. Lets face it, for most, where do you go once you have hit 800 whp. For the average budget....no where. So I am not in too much of a rush to get there, because once the drug wares off the car will loose some ( not all ) of its appeal.

And before I get jumped on, I do appreciate for eg getting big Turbos for the future and exhausts,onna cost and time basis hey but if you do that first thing your already nearly there so why not just do the tune as well. I do agree when it come to say a clutch, yes put the best that you can, no one wants to have to keep upgrading clutches. The other exception would be ( to a point) the exhaust. It makes sense when choosing one to have some reserve left in it. Having a car for many years and using it as a platform to test your self in fitting the mods and thinking and planning and saving for the next mod is also part of the pleasure of owning one, for me anyway. But...........
Thats just my own personal opinion.
Frank

 

I agree with Sunnyside.
Half the fun is reading, learning, and getting to a final goal step by step.
I love my car with the present minimal mods (chip and exhaust), but am always reading about the next step.
In this case, the trip is more fun than the completed goal.