Best performance mods for under $500? (in order) - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

stt816 · 03-18-2012, 11:53 AM

Newbie here. I haven't even got my 2SS/RS yet but I am thinking of mods already. I know this has been covered before, but there are so many different responses. Between TB to CAI to Pulley to headers to tunes....confusing what to get first and what to progress with....What would be the best performance mods for under $500 (in order)...So excited to be on this forum and can't wait to get my 2ss!!!! thanks guys!

(btw my 2ss is coming with a short throw shifter)

dekan513 · 03-18-2012, 12:14 PM

obx headers

stt816 · 03-18-2012, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dekan513

obx headers

the thing is the headers might be $400 or less but install is like another 300...way over my budget....would a cold air intake really benefit me? how about tunes?

razorduck · 03-18-2012, 12:39 PM

Cold air intake was my 1st. You can really feel the difference immediately.

Fiftydriver · 03-18-2012, 02:01 PM

I would say without question, the very best money spent for under $500 would be to get an SCT tuner and have Ted Jannetty get you one of his custom engine and trans tunes for your car.

I put LTs, CAI, high flow cats, full custom exhaust and all made a difference you could feel but the custom tune from JRE was by far the most significant difference.

Now, this may have been because I have an L99 and the trans tune made a huge difference.

For the money, I would start there. Plus, its moldable with any future upgrades you get so its not something you will outgrow ever with mods.

May not be sexy but I personally believe it would make the most difference to how your car performs.

Remember though that add ons are at their best when used together. The CAI will increase the air flow your car has access to but without LTs, HF cats and good exhaust the engine may not be able to take advantage of the increase in air without the other parts. Plus, even if you get all those add ons, you will not get the most out of them unless you get a tune so that your engine is tweaked specifically for those parts.

In my opinion, $400 is a good start but to make a real difference, you will need to mod ahead and behind the engine to get the best results of the mods and also a good tune.

Warrantee is the main issue with most as far as getting serious performance increases with mods. You simply have a hard time getting good results while maintaining your warrantee. For me it was an easy choice, took about a month to void pretty much every bit of my powertrain and drivetrain warrantee.

Would do the same thing again unless perhaps I stepped up to the ZL1 but even then it would be REALLY hard not to mod it and get crazy performance.

Muscle SS · 03-18-2012, 02:06 PM

A big plastic high-wing spoiler, it adds at least 150 hp

Fiftydriver · 03-18-2012, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muscle SS

A big plastic high-wing spoiler, it adds at least 150 hp

Ricky11SS · 03-18-2012, 02:28 PM

MBS Headers 300 shipped. No need to pay for the install. You can do it yourself

bigsquirrel · 03-18-2012, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiftydriver

I would say without question, the very best money spent for under $500 would be to get an SCT tuner and have Ted Jannetty get you one of his custom engine and trans tunes for your car.

I put LTs, CAI, high flow cats, full custom exhaust and all made a difference you could feel but the custom tune from JRE was by far the most significant difference.

Now, this may have been because I have an L99 and the trans tune made a huge difference.

For the money, I would start there. Plus, its moldable with any future upgrades you get so its not something you will outgrow ever with mods.

May not be sexy but I personally believe it would make the most difference to how your car performs.

Remember though that add ons are at their best when used together. The CAI will increase the air flow your car has access to but without LTs, HF cats and good exhaust the engine may not be able to take advantage of the increase in air without the other parts. Plus, even if you get all those add ons, you will not get the most out of them unless you get a tune so that your engine is tweaked specifically for those parts.

In my opinion, $400 is a good start but to make a real difference, you will need to mod ahead and behind the engine to get the best results of the mods and also a good tune.

Warrantee is the main issue with most as far as getting serious performance increases with mods. You simply have a hard time getting good results while maintaining your warrantee. For me it was an easy choice, took about a month to void pretty much every bit of my powertrain and drivetrain warrantee.

Would do the same thing again unless perhaps I stepped up to the ZL1 but even then it would be REALLY hard not to mod it and get crazy performance.

Agreed, get a tune. Part of that money is a licence fee, as you add mods later getting updates will cost less. While mail in is a good option if you live far from a good tuner, its no replacement for a dyno tune.

The SwiftChancelor · 03-18-2012, 04:35 PM

Headers or a CAI

InfernoSS454 · 03-18-2012, 04:50 PM

Save ur money and get the intake and headers and tune all at once.

Fiftydriver · 03-18-2012, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InfernoSS454

Save ur money and get the intake and headers and tune all at once.

Amen!!

1FAST SS · 03-18-2012, 05:36 PM

Cold Air Induction and then Hi flow cats.

pistolgripcopo1 · 03-18-2012, 05:48 PM

Cold air induction, ADM. scoop

03-18-2012, 11:53 AM	#1
stt816 Drives: 2012 Black 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Stamford, Connecticut Posts: 672	Best performance mods for under $500? (in order) Newbie here. I haven't even got my 2SS/RS yet but I am thinking of mods already. I know this has been covered before, but there are so many different responses. Between TB to CAI to Pulley to headers to tunes....confusing what to get first and what to progress with....What would be the best performance mods for under $500 (in order)...So excited to be on this forum and can't wait to get my 2ss!!!! thanks guys! (btw my 2ss is coming with a short throw shifter)

03-18-2012, 12:14 PM	#2
dekan513 chevy pride Drives: 2ss/rs Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: pikeville ky Posts: 2,141 View My Garage	obx headers __________________ check out ky speeds fb page https://www.facebook.com/kyspeed

03-18-2012, 02:01 PM	#5
Fiftydriver Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SSRS RJT L99 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Fort Shaw, Montana Posts: 1,242	I would say without question, the very best money spent for under $500 would be to get an SCT tuner and have Ted Jannetty get you one of his custom engine and trans tunes for your car. I put LTs, CAI, high flow cats, full custom exhaust and all made a difference you could feel but the custom tune from JRE was by far the most significant difference. Now, this may have been because I have an L99 and the trans tune made a huge difference. For the money, I would start there. Plus, its moldable with any future upgrades you get so its not something you will outgrow ever with mods. May not be sexy but I personally believe it would make the most difference to how your car performs. Remember though that add ons are at their best when used together. The CAI will increase the air flow your car has access to but without LTs, HF cats and good exhaust the engine may not be able to take advantage of the increase in air without the other parts. Plus, even if you get all those add ons, you will not get the most out of them unless you get a tune so that your engine is tweaked specifically for those parts. In my opinion, $400 is a good start but to make a real difference, you will need to mod ahead and behind the engine to get the best results of the mods and also a good tune. Warrantee is the main issue with most as far as getting serious performance increases with mods. You simply have a hard time getting good results while maintaining your warrantee. For me it was an easy choice, took about a month to void pretty much every bit of my powertrain and drivetrain warrantee. Would do the same thing again unless perhaps I stepped up to the ZL1 but even then it would be REALLY hard not to mod it and get crazy performance. __________________ Fiftydriver 2010 SSRS, RJTC, L99, Maggie 2300 SC, 3.4" pulley, Roto-Fab CAI, Dynatech Supermaxx LT headers, Dynatech High Flow cats, Corsa Cat back exhaust, Dual Elite Engineering catch can, MSD wires and Jannetty custom tune, JRE custom diff w/ posi mod, 3.91 LPE gears, Pfaht trailing arms, Pfaht trailing arm and Diff bushings, drop springs and sport sway bars front and back, Fesler dual guage pillar pod w/ AM Cobalt Boost and A/F guages. More to come!!

03-18-2012, 02:06 PM	#6
Muscle SS All blackkk Drives: 2010 2SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 871	A big plastic high-wing spoiler, it adds at least 150 hp __________________ Drivin it like I stole it.

03-18-2012, 02:28 PM	#8
Ricky11SS Drives: 2011 Camaro SS L99 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Hidalgo Tx Posts: 249	MBS Headers 300 shipped. No need to pay for the install. You can do it yourself __________________

03-18-2012, 12:39 PM	#4
razorduck Self Made Thousandaire Drives: 2011 SS/RS RJT Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 323	Cold air intake was my 1st. You can really feel the difference immediately.

03-18-2012, 04:35 PM	#10
The SwiftChancelor Drives: SGM, 2011 2SS/RS, L99 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Wildcat Country Posts: 593 View My Garage	Headers or a CAI __________________ K&N air intake, Solo w/Jpipes axleback, SP 1 7/8 LT headers

03-18-2012, 04:50 PM	#11
InfernoSS454 Drives: 2010 camaro ss Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: houston,texas Posts: 382	Save ur money and get the intake and headers and tune all at once.

03-18-2012, 05:36 PM	#13
1FAST SS Drives: 2011 Camaro SS Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Greeley, CO Posts: 769	Cold Air Induction and then Hi flow cats. __________________ 2011 Camaro SS Synergy Green CAI Cold Air Induction, ADM Race Scoop, Apex Washer Bottle Kit, Vengeance Racing Kaotic Cam, DOD/VVT delete and LS3 conversion, American Racing LT Headers, American Racing Headers Off Road pipes, Borla S-Type Catback, FTI Billet Triple Disk 3600 rpm Torque Converter, DSS Aluminium Drive Shaft, AAC Plasma DRL's, Showstopper LED Sidemarkers,Carbon FIber Bow Ties, 35% Window Tint, Llyod's Floor Mats, JBL MS-8 Sound Processor, 2 Alpine PDX-1.600, Alpine PDX-4.100, JL Audio C5-650, JL Audio C5-650x, Alpine T10 Type R Shallow Mount, Stinger Dry Cell Battery

03-18-2012, 05:48 PM	#14
pistolgripcopo1 pistolgripcopo1 Drives: 2010 SS Camaro Carbon fiber gray Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Corona Ca. Posts: 403	Cold air induction, ADM. scoop

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