alright so i got my rx8 about 2 weeks ago...and i'm going to go to basic training for the army in july but once i get back..i'll have 20,000 so i was wondering what upgrades i should put into my car...all suggestions are appreciated...i know for an exhaust i was looking at a cat-back borla....oh btw i'm still sorta new to all this car upgrade stuff so small details would help to...also how can i get my car to go faster from like 0-15 because its like someone is pushing it till it gets to 15 then it takes off any ideas? like how to peel out or whatever? thanks a lot much appreciated.

 

I am not even going to try and give pointers on the upgrades im still a nub at it as well.

But how bout some more specs on the car, year, 4 or 6 port, and any other factory upgrades you might have received upon purchase.

As for the 0-15 the best bet I have found is just doin it in manumatic... I haven't had any problems with mine.

And depending on where you live you may or may not want to be peeling out :D


But welcome to the cult... i mean club and I hope you enjoy your 8 like the rest of us do.

 

Instead of just saying "Search" I'll give a few idea's which I'm sure others may chime in later with similar ideas.

First figure out how much your willing to well splurge on your 8 then after that take our idea's suggestions and figure out which works best for ya.


I'd improve handling first upgrade your suspension, those who are more familar with it can give their own opinions on this.

A Feed Final Drive will improve acceleration slightly cost a lil bit but if you want to improve acceleration at the low end this is a decent first step.

If you want more power look into either Pettit Super Charger or Mazsport Turbo. Both are high quality products that give you wads of power. The Mazsport Turbo is the most expensive of the two but from my understanding gives you EVERYTHING!!! you need to do the install unlike other kits that hand you a turbo a manifold and if your lucky a engine management system. Pettit gives you the same plus they just finished a flash to reprogram your ECU so you dont need a engine management. Most will lean you torwards one or the other, myself I'd suggest going in the direction you feel safer with.

After that or before hand look into Bodykits hehe.. for that well follow your heart since everyone has their own tastes.

 

Are you sure you want to use that whole 20K for upgrades? If so, you have lots of options. Since you are probably young, my personal advice would be to use 10K for car stuff and 10K for investments. Open a Roth IRA at Vanguard with 5K, and put the other 5K into a money market fund at Vanguard to get a good start on an emergency fund.

OK, I'll get off my personal finance high horse...

The FEED final drive is nice for low end acceleration, but if I had a 20K budget, I'd just skip that step and go straight to FI (forced induction).

But if you are new to car modding (like I am as well), you either need to find a good local shop or some trustworthy local enthusiasts to help you out. Especially with FI, there is a lot of stuff to consider. I haven't done FI yet, but fortunately I have found a few locals that have ended up becoming good friends as well as helping me out with mods to my car.

Considering you are new to car modding, I'd recommend one of the Mazsport turbo kits. They are pricey (8 to about 10K, depending on the kit you choose), but they come with everything you need, except perhaps gauges. They don't require you to do additions/modifications like the Greddy kit, etc. Plus Scott (Mazsport's owner) is known for incredible customer service.

What is your location? Post it here and we might be able to help hook you up with a shop or group near you. My advice would be to find a local RX club, or a good local shop.

As far as suspension mods go, sway bars seem to be the logical first step for everyone. Best bang for the buck. That is my next planned mod, probably Racing Beat sway bars. But any of them will probably help you improve the body roll if you like to corner aggresively. I don't think any suspension mods are needed, though, unless you plan to do some track days or autocross. The 8 has almost a perfect street suspension stock.

The best handling mod would be good summer tires. I choose to run ultra-high performance all seasons because our weather can be so erratic around here. I've had them to one track weekend and they did fine for a newb like me. I went with a bit wider tire than stock to help make up for some of the dry grip I lost by switching to an all-season tire compound.

If I was in your shoes, I'd be thinking about the cheapest Mazsport kit, which you can see here: http://www.mazsport.net/store/index....ct_detail&p=12

But before you do that, do lots of reading here, books, etc. If you don't have local buddies to help you do the install, you will have to pay a shop to do it for you. By the time you pay a shop to do this turbo kit and some gauges, you will have gotten close to the 10K. Then you can slowly mod your car from there.

I've found it is fun to do one mod at a time anyway, rather than do a bunch at once. That way it feels like you are getting a new toy every so often, rather than just one big new toy

Another thing to consider with your location is if you have to deal with emissions inspections. There are ways to deal with that with any FI kit, but you'd have to be comfortable disconnecting it, or be ok with paying a shop to disconnect it for you. Depending on the kit, it is usually not a big deal to disconnect. But if they do a sniffer test and not just an OBD port scan, you might still run into issues.

Like someone else said, please post what year AT you have so we can help you out more.

Sorry for the long-winded post, but I was in your boat not that long ago. And since I'm a veteran, figure we gotta stick together

Thanks for your service, and stay safe!

 

Also, you mentioned exhaust. If you plan to go FI, I'd probably say just stick with the stock exhaust and get a high-flow cat. Exhausts on this car give you very little power gains. But high-flow cats do give some gains, especially with FI. The best sounding exhaust/cat combo I've heard is Red Devil's. I believe his is the RP Supercat plus the Tannabe exhaust. Thing sounds like a racecar, yet is not obnoxiously loud for highway cruising. But when he gets on the gas, you can really hear the rotary sound.

I'd get the high-flow cat first and see if you like the sound with just that. If not, you can always add an exhaust later.

 

k thanks guys...one its a 1.3 liter rotary..dunno if that helps..but its an 04.

 

also i live in winona, minnesota

 

Might want to check in with the Esmeril guys. They make a turbo kit and they are in your neck of the woods. Somewhere in Minnesota. They have a thread in the major horsepower section.

Yeah, we figured it was a 1.3L rotary - that is the only engine this car comes with. If you have an 04 automatic, you have the 4-port version of the engine.

 

oh ok thanks... sorry i'm really new at this ****....i've always wanted to get into this stuff...but no one has been willing to help me out...does anyone live in minnesota? or near?

 

You still havn't told us if your car is an auto or a manual...And if you want to peel out just rev it to 4k and dump the clutch. Very simple...but not exactually the best thing you can do to your clutch. If you have an auto...well...good luck.

 

sorry...yes i have an auto...hey topgear you live in charlotte...i'll be there for spring break

 

I think everything has already been covered haha -

if i were in your shoes tho - with that kinda cash - i only offer this suggestion

AVOID LOW QUALITY CRAP - if it's cheap and unknown there's probably a reason - do some home work on the products you want versus the products that others have - compare it and research before buying to make sure you get the best possible stuff.

 

k thanks...

 

For spring break you will be in charlotte? What will you be doing here?

 

ya i'll be there...its spring break...lol theres a girl but ya...would you possibly wanna hangout or something..roll out with the 8s

 

I just went to find a MN thread for you, but I see you already found it. Meeting up with those guys will be the best start you can get. Talk to them and get their thoughts.

 

Winona huh? I'm Sioux Falls, SD. That's not too far. I have a AT as well with a few mods. Feel free to PM me and we can discuss.