Hi,

I found a used RX-8 with low mileage and in good condition and I will have it in about 2 weeks. It's the low power version (192 HP) - don't know what is called in the US. It has pretty much everything except for navigation - it's even lowered from factory with Eibach springs. The car is 3 years old and has about 10 000 miles.

Let me give you a bit of a background: I live in Switzerland and here major aftermarket power upgrades like turbo are not allowed. You can increase the engine power by maximum 20% I was told. Police stopping you on the street is not a real problem but there are scheduled checks with the authorities that are mandatory. The first one is after 5 years then every two years until the car is 9 years old then every year. They would look at the car in detail and check emissions but being state employees I am assuming there is only so much effort they will put into it.

So my question is: what are your top 5 mods to increase performance on this car? They have to be easy to hide or easy to remove before the check and the car needs to stay emissions legal.

Thanks,
catalin

 

if you're going to stay emmisions legal theres about squat you can do.

light wheels, light PP/clutch, thats about it for usefulness....

otherwise you could get rid of the CATand cut a bunch of fuel out OR go turbo.

 

wait, you could do nitrous....

 

don't buy automatic.

 

It may not be an auto. They sell them with a 5spd outside the US

 

get headers, cat back, super high flow DTM cat, lightweight flywheel, light weight rims (enkei rpf-1)

 

Midpipe, nitrous, accessport. All easily reverted for inspection. If you seriously mod the car, it is likely that any cat you put on it isn't going to be functional come inspection so just keep the stock one in the basement nice and safe.

Then, get a nice set of tires and save money for gas!

 

That's right C Ya L8r, it's a 5 speed manual.

Thanks to all for the hints. I guess everyone says get rid of the cat, at least until the inspection. Then maybe headers and light flywheel etc. The Cobb device looks nice from what I see in the posts. Does anyone know if it's available for Europe? Mazdamaniac sais he only sells them for America on his website.

Another question is if the midpipe works with the stock muffler or if I sould change it and if it's any advantage in that. Oh yeah, and can a nitrous system be hidden?

Thanks,
catalin

 

+ light weight seats, light weight pulley, light weight body parts (carbon fiber doors, bonnet & etc), Odyssey battery PC680 and etc. Maybe the 4.777 final drive as well. If you have extra money, you can think about the light weight rotors.