thick sway bars.
Reduced my lap times greatly, IMHO best bang for buck mod on the 8

 

1. Short Shifter. This is the 'best bang for the bucks'
2. PSS9 + Michelin PS2 235/35/19
3. Two pieces brake rotors

 

realistic and available mod: Axial Flow shifter. You appreciate it every time you drive!

Actual personal best mod: Pettit Supercharger... (WOW! Car transformed) - but no longer available... 8(

 

With the stock shifter, if driving hard, you can easily smash into the gate doing 2nd to 3rd gear shifts.
Missed shift = fail
Axial Flow = problem solved.

Plus the short throw means its much nicer feeling changing all the time, not just driving hard.

 

The RX_8 sticker in the 3rd brakelight.

 

1. BHR Midpipe
2. Konig Deception wheels

I have BHR coils to install but I need to order new plugs. I have slotted and drilled rotors to install but I need to order brake pads.

 

Free rebuild.. Thanks Carmax!

 

Racing beat mid pipe with factory exhaust and manifold. Nice and quiet until you floor it then it sounds like sex

 

IMHO replacing my stock ignition coils with BHR coils is the best mod for a daily driver. Acceleration is solid all the way to redline without misfires or hesitation.

 

Muffler delete / replaced with a Y pipe

 

RP Supercat, but thats all i have done right now. I just order RB intake and AP pulleys tho

 

High performance driving school - driver mod is best mod

Also coils

 

best cheapest mod - main drive pulley, i dont remember the aftermarket brand

best mod - full exhaust. RB headers, catless mid and RB cat back

 

Mods that I have done on the rx-8.
Bhr Ignition Kit
Hollowed out Catalytic converter
BHR Flywheel and Stage 2 clutch
Airbox Mod
Racing Beat RACE tune.

hollowed out cat, BHR ignition and tune has delivered by far, the best result. Almost 10k rpm on the tach (I know it does not actually go to 10k) had the biggest performance gain for this car. Even though I posted the same times before and after the tune at the 1/4 mile which was 14.5 @ 96.5 mph, the extra rpm and power did make a difference.

Only reason the 1/4mile time stayed the same was due to the prep, before the tune it was very well prepped and I could squeak out a 2.2 60ft time, the second time it was impossible to get under 2.4 and I shifted at the end of the track where I couldve let it stay in 3rd gear and hit 98ish mph. My rx-8 couldve squeaked out a solid 14.0 maybe a 13.9 at the track. Only reason I say this is due to the cars I have raced and beat, (2011 WRX, g35 auto, dead even with manual g35 coupe, s2000)

in order
Bhr ignition,
Midpipe,
Tune.
That is probably the most you get out of this car, it will net a solid +15whp depending on how well your car was maintained previously.

 

This might be a thread revival. But just to share my opinion.


I am hypersensitive to driving the car and I like these mods the best on my fully modified rx7. It's a EFR 8374 single turbo with just about everything done to it.


Polyurethane bushings all around.
wide wheels


A lot of modifications are done for reliability and performance to push the car and are somewhat needed. The mods above can be performed to almost any car and increase the enjoyment of the car.


In fact, you can put a set of really nice bushings on a stock vehicle with stock springs and completely makes the car fun to drive and much more controlled.


I am modifying the rx8 in the same manner. I used Superpro bushings on the rx7, but Whiteline are also designed very well. avoid energy suspension and powerflex as they don't make the center collars long enough or chamfer the ends of the bushings and prevent the suspension from moving freely.

 

Bushings are a PIA and a waste of time. My buddy wasted two weeks of his life installing all new bushings and there was no tangible difference. The only reason to replace them is if they are just worn out and falling apart.

 

I still say better ignition coils and 2kw starter... never flood again unless your plugs are fouled.

 

If you think that is good, get the S2 starter, it is life changing.

 

Isn't that the 2kw starter? What's it rated at?

 

The updated S1 starter is 2KW, I'm not sure what KW the S2 starter is but it's physically much larger. best purchase I have made and I got one when they were like $400.00, now you can get them for $190.00 shipped.

The S2 starter turns the engine about 50-60RPM faster than the 2KW s1.

Evolution.




S2 versus last S1

 

Well then.... good to know.

 

I think that is the reason I like them so much is I purchase older cars where the bushings are bad and worn out. I put the new ones in and the car is oh so tight again.


I don't buy new cars so that is typically what I do first.


wide wheels and tires make the car feel damn good for everything. if you put wide wheels and tires on old bushings its yucky.

 

One reason I bought my particular RX is that it already had some desirable mods - Bilsteins, Koseis, Hankooks, exhaust, etc.

The only mod I've done to my RX in the short time I've owned it is I've raised the driver's seat about 1 1/2". Weird and unglamorous mod, I know, but at 5' 8" I felt like I was sitting too low even with the seat at it's highest position. I'm very happy with the change.

I've had a few modded cars. What are considered the best mods depend on how the car is used. If the car is going to be autocrossed and/or tracked, tires for sure.

If the car is a sportyish daily driver that isn't going to be driven beyond 7/10 ths much, stuff like an intake and cat back that improves the sporty feel of the car but doesn't necessarily make it faster can make it more fun to drive.

 

I'm only 6ft tall, but I can barely get helmet on for track work.

RX8 seems to be perfect for smaller people.

I had to get rid of left foot rest so my leg could be there.

Also, the electric seat is ridiculous; it's a power hog, and should be left alone after adjusted.

If I could have ordered car with how I like, I'd trade drivers seat for good adjustable sport seat, chunk the heater on it, and while at it no sun roof which also ruins headroom.

But best mod is for sure the BHR ignition kit to give a little better spark, and save the engine, cat, and melted carpet some can get.

 

Best mod? Improved the nut behind the wheel.