Fawkz

iTrader: (1)

Let me start off by saying I've been doing alot of searching, I'm not the most mechanically inclined person and where I live there is not a whole lot of room for me to work on my car for anything that requires more then just ramps and basic tools... Theres also 0 evo shops/tuners/dynos within 4-5 hours and any mechanical related stuff I pretty much have to use the dealer...

That being said, right now I have a completely stock 08' MR I'm looking to do some basic bolt-on mods to (I never really plan on going past bolt ons anyway). I wanted to originally start with the Injen intake + UICP (with new couplers as I'm aware the stocks can be to small), and an ETS V2 catback. I'm working with a sort of tight budget at the moment (just had to spend $1100 on a new timing chain, blah) and cant really go all out on a million parts right now, and posts I've read on modding kinda make it seem like you have to do everything at once or its not worth it.

I've read that some people say even with just intake and catback I should get a tune (would have to be Etune), but I see most tuners want you to have a wideband gauge. But if I understand, the gauge sensor for one of those has to be mounted in the downpipe so I might as well just get a new one with a bung and if I'm doing that then a testpipe also, so the catback is essentially useless and I may as well just get a turboback which basically doubles the price of the exhaust. And THEN if I'm getting a tune I might as well get a boost gauge and 3port EBC. Oh and tack on the tactrix cable or cobb AP to that.

So my $1200~ upgrade plan kinda turns into a $3000+ one fairly quickly which unfortunately was more then I wanted to spend right now after just paying so much for the repairs I had to do.

So I guess my question is, right now is it even worth buying any parts at all? Could I run the intake/UICP/Catback with no tune safely for a while until I get some more money to do the rest of the parts? or should I wait until I can get everything and do it all at once. I'm guessing most people are going to say get the wideband and boost gauges before any performance parts at all (Which would be about $600 for the two gauges and hardware, almost half my budget right now)

nemsin

iTrader: (19)

Buy some nice lower springs (like GTWorx) and maybe some new wheels and call it good.

If you do not have a good local tuner you are just going to give yourself headaches if you start down the modification path.

TxFAkuma

iTrader: (17)

I was just going to put ETS inake and a GFB blow off valve and call it good. I don't think you NEED to tune your car if you did that and a exhaust.. Only if you wanted the max power gains.

MercuryMR

I have a 2010 Mr I will probably do all the bolt ons later or I'll just get rid of my car and buy something better.I was worried about problems with doing all the bolt ons Transmission cooler etc,instead I purchased an AMS STX 300, the car drives much better no rev limiter more power 1st gear is actually good to downshift when coming to a stop.Cost is around 900.Second alternative take a look at Cobbtuning Stage 2 I like the look of the quad tips cost is roughly 2400.Both of these do not require an E tune since they are in your accessport.

Tampavw

Here is my evo with this mods cost is around $1500

I went and got a custom tune

Final numbers are Torque 385.8 ft-lb & HP 338.9

338 hp at the wheels =
Guestimated Horsepower 405 hp at the crank

Mods V2 quiet & Ets HFC resonated test pipe and K&N drop air filter ....Amazing Car ;-)

Is my every day car Run smooth and I don't have any issues took the car for the first oil to the no problems



http://www.mk5cortinaestate.co.uk/calculator4.php

shekaar

iTrader: (3)

You don't need a tune for a CBE and UICP. If you get an intake that uses the stock MAF housing (ETS is a good example), then you don't need to get a tune for that either.

Napalm_Enema

Just get some parts together, then make the roadtrip to get it properly tuned. I drove 5 hours to get my STi tuned, and it ran perfectly for over 80k miles with that tune on it.

barrman

People will tell you to get a lot of parts, not because "its not worth it" to do it piece-by-piece, but because many parts require a tune, and getting multiple tunes adds up. Its cheaper to get all the parts and one tune.

From what I have seen, the tune gives you the best performance of any mod, because the factory tune is not that great (very rich, lots of timing,etc). Additionally, as I said before, adding parts in the future will necessitate more tunes. If your going to keep the car and build, I would start your mod list with: Tactrix cable ($169), AFR gauge/AFR+boost ($169-$280), test pipe/hfc ($250-$400) (depening on emissions requirements local to you), panel filter ($50), ECBS ($90), E-tune $200.

On the cheap side your at $928 before shipping/tax.

Those mods would add up to a heck of a lot more performance than an intake/UICP, and cat-back with no tune. Down the road, when your ready to add more parts, you'll already be set to get another e-tune. Also, having the ability to look at logs of your car is a great way to know when its running well, and when something may have gone wrong (like the FPR hose popped off). I would rather have the performance or the above, than the change in noise you get with the intake/uicp/catback.

P.S. I have the Injen intake and UICP, it is nice and I like the way it makes the re-circulation valve sound louder (ricer in me), but I think its a little too expensive. I had issues with the couplers blowing off as every one does. I eventually switched to the ETS one piece UICP (still using the intake). Its heavier because its steel not aluminum, but fits better and is less finicky trying to get couplers to stay put.

elkazX

try getting used parts if thats an option..like if you want a cobb ap i have the v3 i would sell if you are interested