orangealpha

Only someone who doesnt have their ride lowered would say that. I think its unfair to label a person an idiot just becuase they want their car looking as good as it can be. I didnt lower it to improve handling but to get rid of the wheel gap, whats so idiotic about that And i bet all the mods you have planned or have done to your care are strictly for performance

RebelRacing

First off...NOS is a crutch...go motor or go home!

A K&N cone filter on an intake tube (3" dia x approx. 6") attached to MAP/MAF sensor so as to locate cone above hole in left front frame member (behind drivers side headlamp). Rotate coolant overflow bottle bracket 180-deg. and install (you will have some left over bolts...keep them for something else). Fabricate shield from plastic or sheet metal to keep hot air from rad away from cone filter. Cost --> $100 canadian for K&N filter and tube.

This is where I went in the wrong direction...
(I didn't) Spend the rest on rims and tires. You get show, but you get excellent go. Traction, Cornering and Braking(factory tires are hockey pucks!). Get 16" with Toyo Proxies or Yokohamas, don't go overboard!

Then when you get the next $1000, get exhaust! full-flowing, not just a header or catback or fart muffler (I went wrong here too!) My exhaust flows great from the firewall back that's it...I didn't know about the out-pipe from the cat!

This makes a good base for basically any other mods...cams, springs, brakes!

protetype

do a search on intake sizes... lets see what rants of jesse's you can find. as for lowering for performance only.. i agree. why lower it for looks? that's what all the good rice mods are for like tail lights, clear corners, etc. ;D lowering for looks imho is stupid.

orangealpha

Omg you put all those "rice" mods on your car and your tellin me you only lowered your ride for performance. Looks had nothing to do with your decision on putting on your h&r's? gimme a break

protetype

ok.. 1.3" drop. that's not exactly a huge difference in looks there bud. i was running the stock wheels with hub caps. yes.. for performance. if i wanted looks, i wouldve saved myself the $400 total, for the springs and installation and just cut the ******* springs if i wanted looks. everyone whines about the h&r's and how there's mad wheel gap still. research my posts pal, and see that i disagree about the wheel gap. how am i into looks over performance?

1fatEs

ok I have cut spring and the only reason i did it at first was to be one of the first 3rd gen Proteges in oregon with a big drop and also there was nobody out there made coilovers that i know of at the time..... because oregon suck for shops and everyone over here mostly has a hondas like me

orangealpha

Wow truth hurts dont it? And im sorry but although 1.3" is not a huge drop it definitly is a noticable drop. And it is common knowledge that cutting springs is a no no so of course u didnt do that, instead you went the right route and used springs for that purpose. And im not saying that your only into looks, but to say that ppl are stupid for putting springs on their ride to make it look better is not right IMHO. So Ill ask this question again, Looks in no way had anything to do with you putting lowering springs on your car?

PS. Im neither your BUD or pal

roxit2dabone

i agree with the people who say n/a but for a grand you want the cheap speed of nitrous, if you had alot more money then you can build up your car with some cams, pistons, springs, street slicks, turbos or whatevers out there for our cars, if i were you i would make my own 2.25" exhaust, get a cold air intake and a fifty shot of nitrous, that will let you burn the rice thats everywhere now-a-days. . . but as rjakobs said, thats my own $.02 and i dont know anything about cars

Makaveli

Nothing wrong with lowering for looks. I never thought that lowering makes your car look that much better, but it's crucial if you got bigger rims then stock.

Same thing with wheels.... you get nice wheels that will give you better handling (wider tires), but you also care what they look like.

Sir Nuke

oh come on people....if you lower your car, and do it PROPERLY...as in with parts that were MENT to accomplish this...you are not only getting the looks...but you ARE getting a better handling car....so the end result is two fold, whether or not you USE the new handling upgrade or not. The same goes for putting 17's, or 18's on your car....AND performance tires. NOT everyone takes their car out and pushs it through corners, or autoX's, or drag races......its all personal choices and how we want our rides to look/perform.

OZProtege

After dumpung over $3000 dollars into my car, I have some suggestions.

If you are intersted in improving the looks and handling, lowering the car should be your first priority. If you get bigger wheels and tires, the wheel gap becomes more obvious without lowering. If you do lower it, I suggest that you buy the shocks as well so you can install thicker sway bars later.

If you want better acceleration first, an Injen CAI followed by new cams would be a good decision. Although I don't have cams yet, they are going in sometime after I install the MP3 sway bars.

txzoomr

agreed....

txzoomr

so now that they make lowered springs...why would you still run with cut springs??

You attempting to be a ricer or what?

Seriously...you would not believe the difference in proper springs on a lowered care...your car would be much better off lowered correctly

1fatEs

to tell you the truth I have been in lots of cars with springs and coilovers and to tell you what my car rides just as good and takes corners just as good..........but anyways im going to get skunk2 coilovers as soon as i get the money.....all the stuff i have on my car now is just stuff i've had or my friends had just sitting around but coilovers and a lot more stuff is going to be next because i have a job now
(haven't had a job the hole time i've had the car and look how much i did)

mazdapro2002es

i don't think i've heard anyone improving acceleration, i would first get a lighter flywheel and a heavier duty clutch first, then i would go with exhaust, wait for the turbo, cause the cold air intake you possibly would have to wait for depending on the turbo (am i right). get better strut package, lower the car, but of course the first thing i did was change tires. but definetly next i'm changin the fly wheel