OK - here's the deal. I am probably going to budget five thousand ($5000) dollars for upgrades to my RX-8. Mine is silver, 6MT, black leather interior (I really wanted the red interior) with stock spoiler, 1-cd unit, wheels and tires. The few things that I have added are the chrome rotors to the front and aft lower spoiler area, the strakes on the front wheel wells (which I think are on of the things that make the car stand out). i am pleased with the sound that I am getting although it could be better. I do not plan on racing it - but some extra horsepower would be nice to eat even more beemers on the way home. I love some nicer wheels - but except for the extra low profiles rims - i haven't seen something that I really would buy.

So I am looking for some suggestions from you guys out there!

Should I go turbo?
Wheel/tire combo?
Body Kit?

What do you think?

 

Put the money into something that has worth. i.e not a car.

 

That's exactly what I was thinking.


....or a down payment on a Cayman S.

 

Just wait a while. PTP's turbo looks promising, assuming it ever comes out.

 

5k downpayment? thats kind of small?
i would go suspension and wheels

 

it tottaly depends on your style.
you want show, go with the wheels and body kit... ect
you want go, get the turbo pullys... ect
you want it to handle good, go with the suspenssion work.

it's all a matter of what YOU want. not what others want. sounds liek you are more of a show person.... I would get the body work and wheels done.

my $.02

 

Take a trip around the world.

Or buy a motorcycle.

 

Re-read his post I don't see a question in how to invest his money .

I go with what speeddemon said.

 

^Agreed. If it were me I'd go with new wheels/tires and suspension. Maybe a body kit.

 

Turbo it and give it some *****!

 

this is the right way to go, put your money in the stock market, spiders are scary.

then when the ptp kit is done. you can sell your porsh gt and get a turbo kit for the 8.

just my opionion i could be wrong.

beers

 

MS Kit.
Rims/tires
Clear Corners
Strakes

That's what I'm going to be adding soon.

 

Obviously if he has the money to put 5k away in upgrades, he doesnt need to save it for something else..... I'd turbo the bitch and then get some nice rims, thats just me though

PS The strakes MAKE the car!

 

Nice Wheels and tires is going to be in the 3k+ range. No real room for the turbo or bodykit.

 

$5K will get you pretty much a Greddy Turbo kit, Labor, BOV, Gauges, and Gauge Pod.

 

why not do a little bit of everything?

 

I am glad that some of you ARE getting my question.

I am not rich, I live a comfortable life, the car is paid for, I have money in investments, and a safe savings account - so this $5k is just an amount that I thought I'd throw into the car without affecting anything. Yes - I know that it is money down the drain - but so is buying (just about) any car. I could had just kept on driving my '85 RX-7 if I didn't want to throw money away.

But you look at the cars that a lot of you have pictures of on this site and many of you have spent many thousands of dollars extra to make it special and unique for you.

I am just trying to see what out there is worth it and not. It looks like the turbo's are not quite ready yet. I didn't consider myself to be a "show" type - but maybe I am. But i appreciate the ideas and - at the end - it will be my decision based on your comments.

So thanks!

 

If it were my money I would wait to see what the other turbo/SC kits are gonna be like.. they all sound promising, but if you just gotta do somethin! i say get a set of sick rims, one of the best mods you can do to any car!! IMO

 

Performance Driving School for a week would be how I'd spend that. Mods don't add any value to the car, depreciate faster than the car (in many cases accelerating depreciation), and often can't be recovered by insurance if you crash. They don't care that you spent $1000 per wheel/tire on your cool wheels - it's just part of the overall cash value of the car, unless you buy a separate insurance rider. Check your insurance carefully, you mod guys!

 

$5k is only enough to do one decent upgrade.

For my 8 I have the following budget over the next several years
suspension $3.5k
tires+wheels $4k
supercharger + guages $6k
stereo upgrades $2k
interior enhancements $2k
body kit $5k
paint $10k

so you tell us what you wanna do, why are you asking us what to do with your car?

 

Dude- I am just asking for opinions - you know - best bang for the buck. But I'll make the final decision. Thanks for your estimates!

 

If you are looking for a hard $5K cap and want to do everything.

Engine :
Hi-Flow Cat : $400
Air Intake : $500 (Racing Beat Revi + Ram Air Duct or AEM)
Maybe nitrous for $1,000

Suspension :
Mazdaspeed Suspension & Sway Bars: $2.5K
or
Racing Beat Suspension package : $800 (Only springs & sway bars)

Appearance :
Rims & tires : $2K

 

This is what I would do:

RB instake w/ram air about 500 bucks
RB Exhaust about 650 bucks
Tanabe GF's w/konis 600 bucks (not sure on that)
Bridgestone s03's 900 bucks
BBS Rims 1500 bucks
The last bit would be spent on trackdays and lodging.

 

If your garage is big enough, buy a car lift

^^ I agree with Fanman on the mods

 

Yeah, I agree, add that one to my list. It's one I really ought to do myself.