What would you get for your 8 if you had that money?
Let's say installation extra, I'm trying to pick between a Greddy exhaust (or suggestions for exhaust around that price?), a set of underbracing or should stop dreaming and save more for a set of light weight SSR wheels or save a little less and get a set of adjustable tein coilovers?
Would underbracing do anything if you haven't modified any other suspension parts?
Thanks

 

Racing Beat exhaust, and front and rear sways. With shipping, that may put you just a bit over...but worth it

 

Exactly what Spazm said if it's an 800 limit. Or save and get the SSR's and the sways, that's what I'm doing.

 

oh you can get front and rear sways AND exhaust for that price??
would sway bars do more for handling or a set of autoexec underbrace?

 

If you want a great sound (and the pipes are bigger and look better than the stock exhaust too) and better handling I would agree with Spazm. For better handling the sway bars are the best modification you can make. I would place the underbody brace about 4th behind sway bars, springs/shocks, front/rear strut bars. Racing Beat has a discount on their sway bar (F/R) & springs set on their website (www.racingbeat.com) and I just put it on (along with a Mazda Speed Front Tower Bar) and all I can say is that they make a big difference in the handling of the car. This package with the front sway bar endlinks will probably run you around $600. Save up for the cat back and you won't be dissapointed.

 

I see... OK cool think I'll go with the sway bars first then!
Thanks guys! =D

 

What about mazdaspeed shocks and springs? I would like to keep my warranty. Has anyone tried these? Impressions...

Also... how come you guys didn't mention the RB springs?

 

I want to keep my ride height stock.... have this phobia of scraping or going too fast over a hill... =P
anyone know if there's spring/shocks out there that doesn't lower the car but still has better performance than stock? can you set adjustable ones to a normal ride height?

 

The MS Shocks and Springs will drop your ride about 1". I would highly recommend that you get both together as people who have just gotten the MS springs alone have had some really strange effects (ride got bouncy). The RB Springs drop your car about .5" and are designed to work with your stock shocks. The reason I like them is because the ride is pretty much the same as stock, and the handling is much better. Some of the people who have gotten aftermarket springs that drop your car 1" or more have reporting hitting their bumpstops and as a result had to cut their bumpstops.

Overall I would get upgrade swaybars before swapping out the springs/shocks. I still have my stock swaybars and the difference between the RB units is massive. The rear RB sway bar is literally 3X bigger than the stock unit. Same with the MS front tower brace.

 

cool wheels

 

Theres so many options... My preference would be...

Greddy Exhaust and RP midpipe... Power over flash

Saving up for SSR wheels is also a good idea.

 

Yes Go with the EB springs and exhaust.

In fact if you want performance go with RB exhaust and a mid pipe.

You don't need suspension mods. The car will out drive you as stock.

If you must go suspension go RB springs as the 1/2" reduction in height is better than the 1 to 2 " you get over other systems.

 

I would do anything that takes weight directly off the crank. This will improve low end response also. Thus I would do an aluminum flywheel 1st, or a light weight aluminum underdrive pulley. I have a 1992 300ZX and did both of the mods. I noticed a large difference with the light weight crank pulley and the low end launch....I think that took ~ 16 lbs of weight off the crank. I have not had any issues with cooling or charging...and I am running with an after market electric fan also (Stock is clutch) I think doing the aluminum flywheel would be great also...I think that this mod would take ~18 lbs of weight off the crank. These are mods with results that you can feel and bank on.

I am always leary of exhaust mods, especially headers, because I read that different people get different results...ie no change or drop in HP (unless you have forced induction)...removing weight off the crank avoids this whole question and gives you a real result that you can bank on.

Also CPU upgrades are good, but once again some people are not getting the results that they expect, can't bank on that buck just yet.

My two cents......

 

whatever you do, don't blow it on the Canzoomer mod...seems like people are getting much too frustrated with it, as it doesn't provide the advertised gains for everyone out of the box.

 

1st i would Wait for a S/C or Turbo...... then i would get a high flow cat or downpipe.

 

Even if you do pure drag you need a strong body - so sway and struts for me first then brake pads and coilover. You can jump on the exhaust first but I WILL put a sport oil cooler and radiator before (perheps the gauges) EVEN thinking of turbo or S/C it. CLEAR? Not to mention the intake and ECU need to be retuned for the car.

 

Car is fine bone stock. Invest your money.

 

C A N Z O O M E R ! !

...and i dunno, whatever other stuff you wanna get.

 

Haha. I'd get suspension stuff; hold off on getting power.

 

air intake , exhuast

 

now see, this is what i don't understand... the car is already a serious performer around corners, and unless you're going to go to a road course for track days (with a seriously powered up motor or much more aggressive tires) or are a hardcore autocrosser, a stiffer suspension is not universally better and completely unnecessary outside of those circumstances, not to mention extremely undesireable for a street driven vehicle. acceleration at this point is still the car's biggest weak spot from my point of view, and wasting (that's right, wasting) money on uber expensive exhaust systems or useless intakes is stupid. if you want a different sound, have a shop cut and weld you in a different muffler or tips (DIY even, it's not rocket science). if you want power, which is what i think it really needs, tune the car.

 

A one-day driving school at a quality driving school, if the money is burning a hole in your pocket. Forget the flash modifications (like "COOL WHEELS") or even performance mods (the gains are incremental at best at that price tag, and you'll be disappointed in the results). Learning how to be a better performance driver will deliver infinitely more fun. It may not impress the rice boys down the street, but you'll enjoy the difference.

 

Any suggestions as to who has the best training?

 

Well, depending on where you are, there's likely a number of choices. I highly recommend both Bob Bondurant and Skip Barber. I've done both the Bob Bondurant high performance driving course and the Skip Barber introduction to racing course. Either are teriffic, although you learn more for everyday driving at the Bondurant course.

I'd also check with your local SCCA chapter - they frequently have one-day course. For example, the Chicago and Milwaukee region chapters are hosting a track day at Blackhawk Farms road course outside of Beloit, WI in a few weeks, and that starts with "have you ever driven on a race track" and goes from there. And you drive your own car!

 

AGREE 1000% on this !!! Track day with instructor guys!