I am never really done modding my car but there is a point where the peak is reached with a feeling of satisfaction. I am there now .The car is a dream come true .

Here are some things I learned - I hope my experience helps .

1) I wish I had the car completed on day one . Some people wait and that timeline plus those miles are fun but not as fun as with the finished project .

2) My shop liked when many items were bought and installed at one time . Buying one item is different than buying five items because the time as well as price becomes one large entity rather than many small ones. It made both sides eager the manage a reasonable outcome .

3) Multiple opinions helped --6speed has been a great source of ideas even when debates revealed different views . It presents a well rounded point of view on each item .

4) I became more attached with each transition to the car and desire to cherish the value of each mile driven more because i have seen the enormous amount of work that went into it.

5) The team -- Choosing quality components, engineers and installers who have their heart into their work is most important . I also feel that many of these guys spend hours with the car and out of all the expenses with the car -- these guys deserve the top pay as well as praise and understanding . I genuinely respect their work .

6) Stock parts -- Now that my garage is filled with them I wish I had not kept them . Some may convert the car back to stock . I won't .

7) Insurance -- I notify the insurance of every modification .

8) Sometimes just having the car and looking at it with low miles all clean is a thrill in itself .

Conclusion and questions - It took me 19 months . How long will it take you ? Do you have a performance goal in mind ? If you went all out as I did would you drive it daily (to the mall or movies ?) or cherish and pamper it like i do ?

 

Mine is now officially 'perfect'. I won't be mod'ing any further.

In order of importance:

1. Wheels
2. Exhaust
3. Powerkit
4. Upgraded suspension

I knew before I picked up the car out of the factory that wheels and exhaust would be added immediately. The others just fell into place. I waited until the car had been run in before I added the powerkit. And I would STRONGLY recommend those with Bilstein Damptronics to go back to the shop a few thousand miles later and adjust the ride height back up to counter the initial sagging. The angle of the car is very important and needs to be pointing about 1 degree nose down.

 

Do you have a before and after pic ?

 

http://www.rennteam.com/forum/thread...html#p20086579

 

Wow Alex --thanks .

 

I had my first set of wheels (RS171's in gloss black) and some other cosmetic bits sitting in my garage 3 months before I even had my car. My car went to SharkWerks at 200 miles for EVOMSit flash, Cargraphics exhaust, and Bilstein B16's. SharkWerks also hooked me up with some P43's is satin black for the winter. I am at 2200 miles now and headed back to SharkWerks for the Cargrapics Airlift and plan to be done (at least for a while - but that is what I always say). I am happy with the decision to mod early and mod often.

 

I had my car schedueled with Sharkwerx before it arrived on the boat for the 600 kit and did all the cosmetic at the get go. It remained that way for about 8 months before upgrading to the evt700 kit, shortly after it became available. I think I'm done modding, may do some suspension work, but I love the car in its current set-up.

 

Sparkill -have you driven an Evt700 ? You are almost there with yoir current setup and the jump is significant.

Subbie -- Have you reflashed yoir car ? I also did mine shortly after you and recently reflashed it along with a race exhaust . I am not sure if its the exhaust or the new software but I am so glad I did it . The car was ferocious before it was done but now its it's even more of a beast.

 

I have not driven the EVT700 and that is probably a really good thing. I am sure I want it but just don't fully realize how badly I want it just yet. I thought about stepping all the way up the 700 kit initially but decided to sprinkle some money around on suspension and driver education instead. One reservation about the 700 kit is that my car is my almost daily driver and I am not sure I want to deal with the obligatory clutch upgrade just yet.

The funny thing is that, normal is quickly redefined and we all feel bad for those who have less power than we do. I think everyone below 580 is crazy for staying stock. I certainly can see the logic of going 700. These forums are just terrible for my Porsche OCD but they are great for the Alex Ross Annuity Fund.

 

Ya we did reflash the car to make a very customized program to my specs. I wanted the non-sport version to feel (pedal wise) as the stock car did and the sport mode to go all out. It's 2 differnt cars, I rally like it

 

I enjoyed reading this and can relate to every bit of it . The clutch upgrade is important but I actually like it more than the stock clutch and unless one spends a great deal of time in gridlock traffic it's not hard to press .

The difference is felt right off the line comparing it to a 600 car but the best part is the how hard it can pull on a roll .

I can't drive the car daily . Miami has too many obstacles to put this type of car on the road ranging from highway construction, to careless people in parking spots , to theives . For me the car is reserved for special drives . The M3 fits in parking spots and looks like a 3 series which detracts negative attention .

My next step is to take the car on the track to really enjoy it and to keep the miles low so each mile is cherished and the car preseved to years to come.

 

with me it took about 1 month (still not done). my goal was to get better performance without a major overhaul of the engine. i wanted output @ 630-650hp, 0-60 in 3-3.2s, and the quarter mi in 11.0s. i also wanted the car to handle a tad better than stock. on delivery my tt was already modded (Tubi cats & race muffler with GIAC retune) so i did not know how stock performed. after i changed the headers (Tubi inconels) i upgraded the suspension as advised by this forum. my final mods will be I/C and Werks1 carbonfiber airbox (will be @ 630hp). i might do coilovers if i decide to track the car.
i do use the car as a DD, but i do watch where i go; "shady" (high crime) areas and parking situations. i think these cars are engineered to driven and are an outright "JOY" to drive i have a huge "GRIN" with every outting in the tt. the "looks" you get; & total strangers engaging you in conversation about the car is like nothing i have ever experienced! as each passing day goes by without me driving it; i feel myself starting to miss it. it's crazy, hard to put into words. i think i need therapy.
just my $0.02

 

We have a lot of similar parts and I started out using the car daily for about the first three months but as time passed and more mods went on the car I decided to tuck it away . Like yourself I understand how hard it is to phrase the many emotions into words . Even a giant Yipeeeee isn't enough .

If I lived in a less populated area of Florida like Boca/Delray I would use my car daily but even the local highways in Miami have construction and park this car at the movies and two hours later the xenon light could be gone . So I let it sit and after two years it only has 8K miles but every one of them have been cherished --even the miles where my girlfriend requests that i drive slower.

 

hi! your car is unreal; the sound @ cold start makes you aware of all the power under the lid! i hope to get there some day; i think i have a good base to build on. i agree with you about Miami, my wife's sister lives there, have been there many times. there is no way i would take out your stellar tt and leave it alone for 1SEC!!!!! (do you have Lo Jack?) i would take Tamiami Trail to Naples or Marco every chances you get (as you already know). i'm kind of lucky (only summer though); i have the rolling/twisting hills of Pa & WV to enjoy my tt on if i'm ever in the area with my tt i'll look you up. stay safe down there!

 

In Miami I have heard stories of the police finding just the lojack (no car) so i decided not to get it . I figured it might be a waste. Since my car is so unique I imagine it would not be stolen outright (too easy to spot) but things like wheels, lights, Techart steering wheel etc .. might disappear . I had issues with my 996 where the front end was torn off for the lights . My first 997S too . My neighbor (forum member Krown05 --doesn't post often) had his lights taken three times .. once while he got a haircut . He uses his 997 as a daily .

The east west roads are wide open in Florida as you describe but creatures like alligators can cross the road .

There are so many tracks in Florida -Sebring/Homestead etc . I haven't taken my car yet because I have wanted to savor it and just enjoy having it first . Sometimes I sit in my garage and look at it .

If in town shoot me a PM . BTW -to make your car a 700 car would not be a tremendous expense . You have many of the parts . I did not have the race version exhaust at first . I had the regular Tubi like you and it was great .