Pioritizing upgrades. Advice desired!

[Gravity]

Ok... So I've got some upgrades on the list and as the summer is coming to an end, (and my wallet is getting thinner). I need to prioritize.

Here's the list:

1) Bilstien coil overs
2) Wilwood bbk front and rear disc conversion
3) new tires

There are a couple of caveats here tho. First, my tires are getting down there... I'm down to 1mil over the wear bars on my fronts. I might be able to get through this season as I don't think I'm going to makes it to any track days, but I will need a new set by the spring. Second, I'm still waiting to hear if the Wilwood brake kit for the fiesta will fit our M2 without heavy modification, so that could be taken off the list by default. (if I have to get a generic kit and fabricate, I'll hold off till next year)

So all that said... What would you do first considering the price is about the same for each upgrade?

 

[Racebrewer]

I did the Bilsteins first since the tires and brakes were new.

When the tires bit the bullet, I replaced tires and wheels.

When brake time comes, I'll put in better pads, fluid, and SS brake lines.

I'm cheap and do upgrades as repairs are needed. Except for the Bilsteins figuring the shocks wouldn't wear out for a long time.

John

 

[CRG Racer24]

For your tires, can't you do a rotation and put your rears on the front (assuming they have more tread). If you think you can make it the rest of the season, then get the Bilsteins first, then tires, and hold off and brakes. Bilsteins and quality performance tires will do absolute wonders to your cars handling with the rest of the mods you have.

 

[eyeballs]

I'd say if your not going to do any track stuff soon than go for the coilovers first and use those tires for all their worth. Then do tires, since its a wear item I'd wait longer if its not a necessity. The brakes I don't think will really make a big difference. Better tires will do more for stopping distances on this car than a brake upgrade. Maybe just go to a good high-temp fluid (ie ATE or Motul) and pads/shoes for track stuff. SS lines if you want while your doing the fluid. I would not spend money on a caliper/rotor upgrade until the stock system was fully utilized and brake fade was an issue.

 

[Max Archer]

Tires are by far the most important upgrade you can make to your car. Putting coilovers on the car will do very little without the rubber to exploit them, and in fact might make the car handle worse. Even putting springs on my car with stock tires has totally messed up the handling, and the only reason I did it was because I got a good used deal on the springs that I had to jump on.

I also don't think there's any point in a BBK at this point. I'd get good pads and lines, high-temp fluid, and maybe some aftermarket rotors if any are out yet. The M2 is such a lightweight car that you should have no real problems with brake fade during a normal trackday, I'd only worry about it if you were doing endurance racing.

 

[ROTAg]

but front and rear rotors make you bawssssss

 

[CorkSport]

but front and rear rotors make you bawssssss

I would like to see that rear rotor kit for the 2.

-Derrick

 

[Gravity]

Ok.. so it seems the unanimous opinion is coil overs first!

I should say that the Toyo T1Rs aren't any slouch in the tyre department. I like them quite a bit more than most tyres I've had one the 2 or the RX-8. That said, Toyo doesn't make the T1S in this size anymore... quite disappointing.

At any rate.. it looks like the bilstiens are my next upgrade. Going to EBC Ultimax slotted rotors in a few weeks...


Derrick, the kit from Wilwood is here http://www.wilwood.com/BrakeKits/BrakeKitLanding.aspx?year=2011&make=Ford&model=Fiesta&option=

Just waiting to hear from another forum member on fitment when he does an install this week.

This Bilstien order will likely go to you guys at Corksport... are these in stock?

 

[CRG Racer24]

I dare you to go with Star Specs or the Ventus RS-3's then

 

[Gravity]

I'd hit it... but neither of those come in the sizes I'd need! I'm trying hard to stay in the 195/45r16 size... Even the 205/40r16 that i've look at are a good 1-2lbs per corner heavier...

 

[CorkSport]

Ok.. so it seems the unanimous opinion is coil overs first!

I should say that the Toyo T1Rs aren't any slouch in the tyre department. I like them quite a bit more than most tyres I've had one the 2 or the RX-8. That said, Toyo doesn't make the T1S in this size anymore... quite disappointing.

At any rate.. it looks like the bilstiens are my next upgrade. Going to EBC Ultimax slotted rotors in a few weeks...


Derrick, the kit from Wilwood is here http://www.wilwood.com/BrakeKits/BrakeKitLanding.aspx?year=2011&make=Ford&model=Fiesta&option=

Just waiting to hear from another forum member on fitment when he does an install this week.

This Bilstien order will likely go to you guys at Corksport... are these in stock?

They are available.

-Derrick

 

[Max Archer]

Oh, I didn't catch that you were already running on T1Rs, I thought you were still on stockers, haha. You're definitely ready to go for the coilovers then. Have you figured out what you're replacing the T1Rs with, by the way? Everybody seems to love Star Specs on this car.

 

[Gravity]

It looks like when the time comes its going to be Yokohama s-drive. Unless I change sizes it's pretty much my only option!

 

[Ryno666]

Yokohama makes very good tires they just don't last long I went to a ride and drive testing all there tires on closed track driving BMW's and by the end of the day we managed to burn them all up. Plus I sold a lot of these to customers over the years and noticed them coming back halfway through mileage warranties worn out. Although this is a great choice for someone who wants to get a premium tire without the price tag. Just make sure to use there warranty whenever applicable because they stand behind it were as others might not.

 

[ROTAg]

It looks like when the time comes its going to be Yokohama s-drive. Unless I change sizes it's pretty much my only option!

I agree, suspension/tires. Star Specs, RS-3 ect... S-drives are a great Daily option if you don't wanna spend 400-600 on tires every year. Most BMW's shred whatever tire you put on them due to their weight and torque, so tire wear won't exactly relate. After that you might start to notice your brakes not keeping up with how hard you bite into the pavement. Then when someone scoffs at your 0-60 mark, have 'em hop in and try to peel their face off your dash when you drop 60-0. Let's not forget to pack some windex either for the face grease they will leave on the passenger window through the bends

 

[eyeballs]

I say try the porterfeld r4s pads in front and shoes in the back when you get to the brakes. I'll probably go that route myself. I've ran the r4s shoes on a forester, but with hawk pads up front. The dust on from hawks ate away the paint on my discontinued superleggeras, which I was not happy about. I loved those wheels.

 

[racercentral]

Started with stock tires and brakes. A couple of hard track days finished them.
Went to S-Drives (stock size), Porterfield pads, high temp brake fluid. All good for 1 year.
Car stopped & turned well in autox & track days. Tires good at end of year & pads surprisingly little wear.
Switched this year to Star Specs (195x50x15) & CarboTech pads. Good before, better now. Absolutely no fade on brakes, very good modulation, great grip. Street, track-time & autox. No other changes. Rear wheel drums fine.

 

[eyeballs]

I wasn't aware carbotech made pads that fit the 2. Which compound did you use? I was less than impressed with the bobcats when I used them on my wrx.

edit - Carbotech's product line looks much different now. The AX6 looks promising, as does the 913 if they ever decide to make a shoe for the 2.

 

[racercentral]

Believe the CarboTechs are the 8s. When Willow Springs ate the stock pads on a couple of hard track days, some of the Miata drivers told me they liked and used CarboTechs. Talked to CarboTech, sent them the original now non-existent pads, and they made the first set for me. Early 2011. I used the Porterfields while I waited, and then kept using them because I liked them. But the CarboTechs are better for track use, and yes they squeak, but not too bad. There is dust but not too bad.

 

[Andy Hollis]

You don't need a BBK for the track and certainly not for the street. We have 2 at our local track that we use as a school car. It gets used a TON. H&R spring & tires is all the prep, plus maintenance. Stock brakes work just fine. In fact, if you are braking that much, you aren't carrying speed through the turns. The car just doesn't accelerate very quickly. As others have said, if you want to do anything to the brakes, put a dual-use pad on it (Hawk HPS / HP+ or equiv) and put good fluid in it (ATE Super Blue is a great dual use, since it is not so hygroscopic as most track fluids). Anything more is total overkill and a waste of money. The rear brakes aren't doing a whole lot as the weight all shifts to the front under braking. No need for improvement there.

Now take that money you saved on the BBK and spend it on the exhaust. Preferably start with a catless header like the one Andres & Font are selling. That's the biggest choke point in the whole vehicle. If not that, then swap everything out beyond the stock exhaust manifold. You need to at least get rid of the second cat and resonator, and the tiny pipe connecting them. Just replacing the muffler sounds great, but isn't gaining a whole lot of performance.

This assumes you want the car to go faster. If you just want to park it and look at it, then get the BBK and a shiny muffler, and call it a day.