Every so often we get the new chance to replace our tires.  Tires can make a huge difference when it comes to providing traction between the road surface and the car.  I chose to go with the Falken ZE-912, since they were based on the highly popular Ziex 512′s which are now out of production.  They were my first new set of tires and I was very happy with them.  The car had much more grip when cornering.  If your in doubt which tires size/brand to go with, start off with the stock tire size (195/55/15 for me).

Modification Pictures

Replacing the Lower Control Arms is one way to ensure you have a stronger chassis.  The OEM LCAs can get old and sometimes rust on the bolts.  Also, the LCA bushings (the 3black parts that the LCA bolts go through, to help reduce the shock of holding it in place) can get old and worn out over the years.  Replacing the LCA, bushings, and bolts, modification.  It is not uncommon for old LCA bolts to snap when the OEM LCA is being removed.  Keep new bolts at your side when doing this modification.

Modification Pictures

When deciding to start modding your suspension, you should have a goal in mind.  If the car is for a track only setup, or a street/track setup, or strictly a street setup.  Depending on your goals, you may require more or less features.  I chose the Tein Superstreets because they make a good street/light track setup.   They are fully adjustable for both ride height and damper stiffness – so I can adjust it change how the car handles on various road surfaces.  When choosing a suspension, it’s good to stick to a reputable name that has tested their products for safety and reliability.

Modification Pictures

The decision to get a HID Kit was rather natural.  Simply put, I wanted brighter lights to see at night.  The OEM lights were doing their job fine, but I thought it could be a little brighter.  I decided to get the 6000k since they offered the whitest light.  Make sure to test them on a wall at night so that the cutoff level is not shining in the eyes of oncoming traffic.

Modification Pictures

AEM Short Ram intake systems are an economical alternative to our Cold Air systems and deliver the best performance, value and ease of installation than any other short inlet intake. Our Short Ram intakes install easily under the hood and cost less because we use less material to manufacture them.

Modification Review

Installing a Short Ram Intake is one of the easiest mods to do in your engine bay.  SRIs are generally designed to increase airflow – aka letting your engine breathe more.  The filters are designed to last long, and can be washed using an AEM Filter Cleaning System.  I chose to go with a SRI over a CAI (Cold Air Intake) since there are heavy rains where I live, and some of the streets flood.  (For those of you that don’t already know, CAI is like a SRI, but it extends the filter lower down away from the engine, in order to obtain cooler air.  Not good if it also means sucking up flood water in the air intake…say bye bye to your engine.)  It is a relatively inexpensive mod and you can’t go wrong with it.  It takes about an hour to install one of these.  Do what you want with the old intake box, and clean your engine bay with engine degreaser while your at it.

Modification Pictures

Made from stainless steel featuring a gun-metal finish. Each shift knob is custom-weighted to 440 grams. When used in conjunction with the Skunk2 Racing short shifter, the combination provides the ultimate in positive shift engagement. APPROX. 440 GRAM

Modification Review

This could be one of the easiest modifications there is (not even sure if it would called a modification).  The added weight on shifter is definitely welcomed.  Was it worth the upgrade?  Most definitely.  It’s hard to go back to the original plastic shift knob once you try one of these.  Not to mention, this skunk 2 shift knob is high quality.  The only con is that it can get really hot if you live in the tropics and the sun shines on it all day.  If that’s the case, put a gym glove over it during the day.  Also note that the knob is a bit smaller than the OEM knob.  The shift boot will appear a bit short, but this is hardly a problem at all – it still looks good.

Modification Pictures