I have an automatic 1997 LS (100k). I have read many of the threads here and I was looking for some advice for street performance. I don't plan to take this to the track, or time a 1/4 mile. I also don't plan on selling it to get a gsr or typer or changing the tranny. I am just looking for some more enjoyable street driving. This is what I had in mind, tell me when I go astray...

Order of upgrades:

1) AEM CAI
2) 16" sticky tires and some decent wheels
3) H&R OE Sport Springs & some shocks

From there I was wondering if you think it would be worth it to get headers, exhaust (rs-r ex mag), intake manifold, etc...

If it is really worth putting a turbo or supercharger in it too for just street driving?

Brand names for non-track performance parts would be greatly appreciated.

OR would it be more worth it to save the money and just get a new rsx type-s or aspec or type-r (if they ever get here) later down the line?

Thanks for the help guys.

 

yeah working on suspension is pretty good.. many people got the H&R Springs and the KYB AGX shocks.. I would like to suggest a comptech rear tie/sway bar.. heard it was really nice.. neuspeed 4 pount mount tower bar..

if you have the extra money id get ONE header.. since you only have one.. rs-r has some great reviews.. and get a hi-flow cat.. Carsound..

 

Whether or not you start saving up for a new car depends on how much money you want to invest in the current one. An intake, header and exhaust will make your car a bit quicker but not very noticeably so. The automatic really slows it down. I would concentrate on making it handle better which will make it far more entertaining when tooling around town.

Sticky tires really should be the first step. If you want to upgrade to 16" wheels that's fine as well. Keep in mind that if you go to a true high performance tire they will not have any kind of snow traction so you will need to at the very least keep the stock wheels and tires or even better, put winter tires on the stock wheels.

Once you have the tires taken care of, a good set of shocks and springs will make a noticeable improvement in the handling of the car. A thicker rear sway bar will help to reduce some body roll and decrease the tendency towards understeer. A front strut tower bar can stiffen up the structure of the car and make the front feel more solid. It will also make the steering feel a bit better.

From there I would upgrade the brakes with fresh rotors (if you want some bling get slotted ones, not drilled) and performance pads like Hawk HPS. Braided stainless lines will help improve pedal feel. Flushing the system with a good performance fluid such as Ate Super Blue would also be a good idea.

After all of this stuff the car will turn and stop much better than stock. There's really not much that can be done to make it accelerate any better but if you go with the standard route of an intake, header and exhaust that will provide perhaps a bit more pep.

 

Thanks a bunch guys. Your advice is very helpful. This forum is great.

 

You want some street performance? How about a nice nitrous setup?

 

I don't know too much about NOS. Do you have a website I can check out that explains how it works in detail? Will it destory my engine? Does it make the car run faster constantly or is it like the videogame concept of nitros (push a button and go real fast for a short period of time)? I hear you have to get it refilled, do you have to do that often and does it cost a bunch? Anyone else got an opinion on NOS?

 

dont waste your money on nitrous if youre not going to race it.....get intake and better suspension

 

go for a custom t25 turbo kit setup. It'll be very nice for street performance. How often are you going to spray n2o on the street?

 

first things first...its called nitrous, or n2o if you wanna get technical. NOS is a company that makes nitrous kits. secondly... http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question259.htm

 

First of all the car is an automatic so even with a turbo it's not going to get much quicker. Secondly this hypothetical custom T25 turbo kit of yours would require a manifold to be fabricated and all of the other custom work would end up costing too much. This guy is talking about basic, basic, basic, (oh by the way did I mention basic) modifications to the car.