Most Bang for the Buck??

[TitaniumMSPinAL]

****EDIT***
The goal I am striving for with my car is a little of both it has damn good looks (not a show car mind you) and has decent power (nothing over the top).

Ok Uncle Sam finally came up off some of the money he owes me LOL....That gives $900.00 of play money, but the real question for what?? Here are somethings in mind please help which would be the most "bang for the buck" so to speak...

A) HiBoost FMIC

B) Haltech (or something equal)

C) Apperance (tint, wheels, lowing the car etc...)

D) other (if other explain what)

Please note I have CS Exhaust, injen CAI and boost gauge....thanks for all the help..

 

[silverspeed03]

That's hard to say, I mean you need to upgrade the intercooler no doubt. The EMS isn't going to do a whole lot with out other supporting mods. Apperance mods will give zero bang. So I would say go for the FMIC. my .02.

 

[nvmsp]

haltech or other ems.

 

[orng1]

What is your final goal for the car, street cruiser, show, mad horsepower monster? Answer that question and more people will reply. I'd reply but I don't know what you want out of your car. For me I would go a stand alone EMS, if I had that money to spend freely. GL

Orng1/Bob

 

[silverspeed03]

Why get EMS with a stock intercooler?

 

[shane02pro5]

Every car I have ever owned always starts with tint, stereo & alarm, wheels then lowering then performance.

 

[TitaniumMSPinAL]

Every car I have ever owned always starts with tint, stereo & alarm, wheels then lowering then performance.

If I was starting form stock I would say no way (not a fan of all show and no go cars). But considering I could have a the car lowered and tint etc...all done at the same time I have considered it instead of dropping 1k on one performance part..

 

[boostisgood]

Exhaust, best bang for the buck. the stock MSP exhaust is so restrictive its sad. You will free up the most ponies with high flow cat pipe, and 2.5 cat back. 600-700 bucks and still a little left over to start saving for that FMIC or FORGED internals.

 

[TitaniumMSPinAL]

Exhaust, best bang for the buck. the stock MSP exhaust is so restrictive its sad. You will free up the most ponies with high flow cat pipe, and 2.5 cat back. 600-700 bucks and still a little left over to start saving for that FMIC or FORGED internals.

I already have the CS Catless Exhaust...

 

[Moeed]

MPI. Timing and fuel control, cant beat a car that is tuned

 

[silverspeed03]

If I was starting form stock I would say no way (not a fan of all show and no go cars). But considering I could have a the car lowered and tint etc...all done at the same time I have considered it instead of dropping 1k on one performance part..

True, but you asked for "most bang for the buck". I wish I would have not worried about visual mods as much as I have. The MSP is already a striking car. I would go with something more useful like a FMIC. Although the tints and drop do sound good but not neccessarily needed, yet.

 

[NeverSober]

go with ems....youll need a wideband to go along with it though.


Chris

 

[boostisgood]

Well then, I would go either with the FMIC or the piggy back.

 

[wickedjra]

intercooler. i think a side mount alone will free up like 15 ponnies.

 

[sweetlou69]

Ems

 

[Notorious_V.I.C]

shop around and get a FMIC...there are other ones unless you want to get the Highboost. CS is supposed to come out with one and BEGi has one, and save a bit more you can get the Perrin or MAM....Your money...your car chose what you like, just do it right

 

[nvmsp]

just a thought, $900 -$1000 isnt something you come across everyday. (at least for me) Thats about how much I need so i can get EMS......


I think it's better to buy EMS now, because your gonna want it later if you buy the FMIC.

Plus you can get a nice intercooler for like 2-$300 maybe less than $200 off ebay and get all the pipes for like $300-$400, maybe less if you don't want nice LOOKING pipes. That's a big diff. between 5-$600 and $1000.


U see what I'm saying??? and your gonna get the most HP/tq out of Ems than any other mod besides boost. but assuming your getting EMS your boost will be going up and you can up the boost with peace of mind. (glare)

 

[TX Speed Demon]

Get an EMS system first. MPI if you can self tune, Unichip if you don't want the hassle. From experience I can tell you adjusting the Fuel and Timing will give you the most noticable gains you can get.

I went the FMIC route first and then EMS. If I could do it again I would get the EMS first. I have the Hiboost FMIC and while it does help consistantcy, it doesn't really add much power. The Unichip however completly changed my car. 8psi with the unichip (and bolt ons in sig) is as fast if not faster than 11psi without.

I bought in this order:
Greddy Type S BOV and custom pipe - $200
Hiboost FMIC - $900
Perrin SRI - $200 (don't buy this, it sucks and I no longer use it)
Exhaust - $125 (bought a used)
Injen CAI - $125 (bought used)
Front Motor Mount - $75
MBC - free
Unichip - $750
Stage Colder Plugs - $10
----
Awaiting install
Rear Motor Mounts - $85

Non of the parts seemed worth the money to me except the Injen (since the Perrin was actually hurting performance) and the Unichip. Before the Unichip (after all bolt ons) the car still ran pig rich and had retarded timing maps. Fixing the fuel and advancing the timing has made a huge differance.

Don't belive me - look in the street racing section for my thread against the chipped Audi TT. Just by fliping one switch ont he Unichip I went from loosing by 1.5-2 cars to winning by 1 car. There is no other performance part out there can get you a 3 car differance at the same boost level.


If I were to buy again I'd go this route:
1) Catless Exhaust $150-300
2) K&N drop in filter $35
3) Unichip $750
4) Front Motor Mount $75
5) Colder Plugs - $10

That right there will be plenty fast for a daily driven FWD car and very similar to another MSP I raced. Only major differance between our cars is my FMIC. I put 1/2 car on him on a 40-110mph roll at 10psi, and mostly because he shifted early because he thought his car was pinging. While the FMIC helps prevent this, it obviously doesn't make a huge performance differance.

 

[RallyeRedSi]

Front, Side, and Rear Motor Mounts around $220
Turbohoses SMIC - $595

 

[Jeph]

EMS, probably the unichip if i were you