500 pounds to spend...

[triplexke]

Hey, i've been saving up a little for my car, and now i have 500 pounds to spend on the little bugger. I want to spend it on performance parts as in make it accelerate faster. Question is: what would you buy? My first thoughts are going to chiptuning, but i havent really heard much about it on this site? any ideas on chiptuning or better ways to spend the 500? I already have an airfilter (hks style). The car is a V6 btw...

Thanx in advance!

greetz trip

[Wodjno]

2nd hand VR4 engine ??

[I-S]

Brakes first.

[Kieran]

Brakes first.

Sounds boring, but I must agree. Upgrade the brakes first - the difference is amazing when you get grooved/drilled discs and some pads.

An upgrade of discs & pads will cost about £300 and is one of the most 'cost effective' upgrades you'll do.

With the remaining £200, you should be able to get a K&N-style induction kit, and a reasonable exhaust back box. Depending on how much that costs, you can then put yourself down for a de-cat pipe when BDA does the next batch.

Don't bother with a chip untill you have sorted the engine's breathing - You won't get much benefit.

[triplexke]

I already have an airfilter (hks style).

[Kieran]

I saw that, honest!!!

[triplexke]

no prob

i know the brakes are the sensible thing to do, but i reaaaaally want to make it faster first to ease your minds, let's just assume i already have the upgraded brakes, and now i can make it faster safely The second hand vr4 engine is not an option though

[I-S]

You might want to have a look at this: http://www.max-boost.co.uk/max-boost/intake/intake.htm

[triplexke]

thanks for that link, read it with mouth wide open. Was actually already consdering to put the oem filter back on, because of not really feeling any difference, and even had the feeling the car had lost some torque. I made a heatshield out of 2 mm thick aluminum plate, but that made it even worse (or at least i had that feeling). After reading this article, i'm going to put back the original filter first thing tomorrow....

[Kieran]

You might want to have a look at this: http://www.max-boost.co.uk/max-boost/intake/intake.htm

Hmmmm........... I think a lot of the information in that page is utter moo-poo and has been written from a 'I don't see the benefit, so there can't be any science behind it' standpoint. Some of what he says makes sense, however a lot of it is tosh.

The other thing to remember, more importantly, is that drawing conclusions on air intakes from other engines is very foolish - No two engines and intakes are the same. Certainly on the V6-24 and the GLS, those who have fitted Induction kits feel that they've made an improvement.

I guess the proof will be when I fit this HKS Super Power flow I've had kicking around and then measure the power output and 0-60 times with my Apexi RSM...

[triplexke]

what i definatly noticed was that when driving with another passenger in the car, it did loose power, comparing to the oem airfilter. that was something i noticed right away. and the powergain when driving alone, it really wasn't noticable (the sound gives you the illusion you're going faster, but looking at the meters, i really don't think it won anything....) not going to take the risk at the moment, and put the oem one in for now... maybe with chip and so on, i'll put it back to see if i notice any difference then, but for now...

[triplexke]

any way, back to the original subject: what performance upgrade (not brakes ) would you buy with 500 punds to spend

[I-S]

I haven't got an answer to the question other than brakes. Especially since yours is a very early V6, before they increased the size of the front disc. At the very least I would put some cross-drilled discs and fast road pads on the front, which will come in around £200. Then you've got £300 to play.

[Nick Mann]

It is a difficult question for the V6. Seeing as how comments are good for the de-cat, I'd probably go for an exhaust. There must be a chip for the car somewhere - anyone spotted anything?

The other thing would be wheels. What have you got at the moment? [edit - just looked at members cars - you don't need wheels!]

[ThEbIrDmAn13]

do not do anything with the chip....at least not yet...that should be the absolute last engine performance modification you do. What the chip does is it incorporates all the mods you already have done to the engine and tunes the engine for those mods. If you add something afterward, the mod you just did won't do a thing because the chip programs the computer to the mods that WERE installed...you would have to keep getting the chip upgraded in order for it to work properly... i personally would upgrade the plugs, wires, exhaust, clutch, and flywheel for acceleration...but that's just me, and if you have a manual

[ritch_w]

the only chip i'm aware of is the dastek unichip - this would use your500bucks to fit & program - but would be a waste of dosh without first sorting induction & exhaust first.

BTW there is a user on here from germany that changed cams and stuff and got 200bhp out his v6 sport wagon..............

cams would cost more than your 500 as well


induction / exhaust & brakes is your first steps!!!!

[Big Ian]

you could (for not much ££ more).....get nitrous ..not a big BHP one just a nice +25:BHP shot .....suppose youd need good stopper first though
but worth thinking about?.......(i am )

[triplexke]

guess i'll be doing the brakes first then i know it's the safe way to go, but i'm so anxious to make it go faster i bet i'm not the only one with that feeling in here

[ritch_w]

guess i'll be doing the brakes first then i know it's the safe way to go, but i'm so anxious to make it go faster i bet i'm not the only one with that feeling in here

probably - but with better brakes you can turn in corners faster and brake later etc - basically you will be able to use more of the performance you already have for longer with better brakes!!!

you knows its makes sense!!!

get an exhaust with the rest of the cash as well

[triplexke]

does an exhaust really make that much of difference performance-wise? i'm really afraid it will make incredably lot's of noise, wich i reaaaaally don't want. the intake is already loud to my standards.... I was considering the remus exhaust for a while...