Things to know BEFORE you modifying your car

[Spec]

I think for a dd or a semi-dd, you can confortably go headers, hfcs, a good catback, intake, tb, tune, and sports suspension without sacrificing driveability. In fact, it will make the dd more fun....

When you start going cam and boost is where I would draw the line on dd comfortable driveability. Just me though, and this may not be the case for so many others who've got a 700rwhp beast and drive it every day to work on commute.

[Kens ss]

Very well put! I think this applies best for folks on a tight budget who can barely afford one of these toys. The risk of breaking and a voided warranty can be very costly. Also resale value is affected, as most don't want to buy a heavily modified late model car, where the quality of the work cannot be assured.

[JCunningham]

Originally Posted by Spec

I think for a dd or a semi-dd, you can confortably go headers, hfcs, a good catback, intake, tb, tune, and sports suspension without sacrificing driveability. In fact, it will make the dd more fun....

When you start going cam and boost is where I would draw the line on dd comfortable driveability. Just me though, and this may not be the case for so many others who've got a 700rwhp beast and drive it every day to work on commute.

if i had it to do again this is all i would do. Suspension, headers, exhaust, and intake. The suspension was my best mod. Headers and exhaust 2nd. I wouldnt do a cam again. Although my 2nd cam is a custom Pat G Cam Motion so its a great almost stock driveability cam. The worrying if somethings going to go wrong just isnt worth it. Mines a weekend cruiser. I would never do a cam on a DD. Too many horror stories and I saved myself from 1 with the 1st cam.

[Taco Time]

Originally Posted by Badfinger

Spot on but you sound like my dad.

Ha, mine too! I'm 31 and my dad still gives me crap.

Debbie Downer.

[Trob85]

Everyones all taking about warranty and driveability I'm over here like **** that YOU BOYS LIKE MEXICO!

[christianchevell]

The problem with our cams our their high lift and the high spring pressures to use on them result in more failures and more need for maintenance and correct lubrication. Its not just another old Small Block Chevy like I used to build and drive and could just cam and forget...... Even the oil has changed now and its not even good for flat tappet hydraulic lifter cams of old cars engines, and its only getting worse. And the price for a engine is so much more it almost makes a guy want to retrofit an old school engine in...lol

[Moto-Mojo]

Let's face it, we drive thoroughbreds, not barnyard nags. Even if you 'drive it like you stole it' bone stock, daily, it's going to have a affect on its life cycle. I had a an old gear head sum it up for me years ago when I wanted to put a Whipple on a Tahoe. He said, "You never get something for nothing!" (like 100 more HP)

[Rangore]

Excellent! This is why I only do intake and CAT Back...and visual mods. I want my car to be reliable and easy to maintain. I drive mine daily. I don't race it..but may do a track day training with a pro instructor this spring. It doesn't matter to me if I get another .2 or .5 in the quarter since I'm not racing. I run out of road on partial throttle already.

My friends tell me I drive my SS easier than I drove my 2LT. It's probably because I don't have to in order to accelerate at the rate I want...and...I run out of road very fast/get to dangerous speeds quickly.

[sscamaro]

Originally Posted by christianchevell

Amen...... My last mod in my sig is Driven racing ls30 my oil , it should also read trading out /check of springs every 25k, ditch high flow cats @50k, plugs every 10k-15k or so, rear end modified to take the power and not wheel hop or grenade thru suspension and better bushings and cover with fluid changes, all parts chosen carefully and assembled professionally; dyno tuned right! With 500 wear rating aaa traction toyo proxes 4+ because Pirellis are 220 wear rating.... etc etc. I have tried to tell people about using better oil but only the hard core will listen, or think they know the best recipe using what ever oil....and regular dexos standard may last o.k. but its far from being for a built engine.

cam looses 2 mpg mostly, FI would be of course incrementally more by far....

Drivability in my SS is just the same as it was before the mods. Gas mileage on highway driving is 24/mpg, which I didn't get any better than that before the mods. Mods are in my sig.

[qcman]

My L99 is tuned but has nothing else. So it doesn't look modified when the hood is opened. It has improved the cars driveablity if anything as it responds better now. The funny thing is I think I drive it easier now because it feels faster especially with the snappier shifting in the Auto. It also breaks loose a lot easier on me now so I have to pay attention more. So I'm not launching it hard as much as before.

I had used a Range to remove AFM before but it wasn't an ideal solution and did nothing to improve the car otherwise. Tune was a great choice for me but it won't be getting anything else not even exhaust as I like the car quiet actualy.

[MrChrisLS3]

The single most important thing to know about modding your car...it all boils down to this

A) Fast
B) Cheap
C) Reliable

Pick any two.

[Bodywerks]

Ryne, good to see you post here! I'll be seeing you next week to tune my recently modded ls3. Mods are in my signature and I'm fully aware of what increased mx to expect...

[DP Valentino]

I'm staying N/A with V6, and will stay N/A when I go V8 next year. The only mods I have now with my V6 is Headers, Exhaust, Intake, Brakes, Suspension, and Tune. No F.I. And that will be the same way as with my V8.

[The_Blur]

You can either do major car modifications the expensive way or the expensive way.

It either gets done right the first time, including supporting mods and more frequent maintenance or it gets done over.