RX-8 Mods and the Regular Guy/Gal
 

I like cars. I like fast cars. That said, in no way can I claim myself a car enthusiast in the way that many on this Board are enthusiasts. Truth be told, the last time I got grease under my nails working under the hood was on my '68 Camaro during college.

But, even though the 8 goes like a bat out of Hell, it's hard not to get swept up with all the excitement. Ooh, ah, gotta have a Borla exhaust. Ooh, ah, gotta have a Canzoomer stage one. While not rich, just because I can afford these upgrades, is that reason enough to get 'em? (I know, you can't have too much horsepower in the same way you can't be too rich or too thin). So, no disrespect to you gearheads, but how do us regular folks make a decision about enhancements? And, how long do you drive it to decide what you gotta have?

If you are looking for more hp because are actually feeling the need for it I think that your money is best spent with Canzoomer. For like $750 you get quite a bit extra hp. You could easily spend that much money on exhaust and not get more than 5-10 hp difference (if that). After you add Stage 1 ECU upgrade you can always add the CAI and exhaust if you feel the need. With Canzoomer's upgrade you can then upgrade other parts of the system and it will continue to improve as the rest does. So as I suspect, but it hasn't been proven yet, if you add exhaust on top of Canzoomer's mod you get more hp out of the exhaust as the system learns the new flow levels. The same would go for the CAI. All three of these items are fairly simple to add to the car and anyone with the ability to figure out how to use a socket set and other basic tools can probably figure out how to put these on themselves.

These type of mods are what I consider the average joe upgrades. The more serious being Turbo or SC systems, NOS, brake & rotor upgrades, and serious suspension systems. There are more but these are the most common.

So if your question was what is the most simple and most beneficial I would have to say go with Canzoomer IMHO.

A lot of the time, upgrades are just a way of maintaining the excitement a car provided when new, but inevitably began to lose with time.

We all have to learn this lesson the hard (expensive) way, and I surely have. The 8 I will buy sometime in the next few weeks will stay clean and lean.

That said, I'd definitely invest in an ECU that brought the car back to its ORIGINAL state of tune: 250 hp and improved mileage and driveability. I wouldn't look upon an ECU swap as an upgrade so much as a return to normal.

What are the warranty issues with an ECU upgrade? Couldn't the dealer void engine warranty...due to new ECU (obviously) influencing all aspects of how the engine runs, fuel mix, etc.

Just wonderin'

Cheers

The engine warranty would be voided instantly if you showed up at a dealer with an aftermarket ECU and engine troubles.

What you do, of course, is swap the chip for the stock one whenever you go in for servicing or repair work. Never let them know you have it!

Mixed feelings, but tempted.

I love the idea of more horsepower, but I don't often use what I have. I like twisty back roads more than drag races. More punch on the highway dealing with darting traffic is always nice and passing on those backroads is better done expeditiously.

Conservative though I am, the Stage 1 is appealing in that voiding the warranty is avoidable and it also helps with gas mileage.

TM45,

Do a search on Canzoomer's Stage I mod. There is a whole discussion about warranty and the benefits of the upgrade. I think that opinions going both ways will help you decide.

i agree with 93rd!! Canzoomer all the way!!

Isnt there another ECU upgrade besides Canzoomer?

I heard about one from Australia I think.