Alright so let's have a serious topic to combat all the "fluff" lately. I finally decided it's time to let go of my old MR2 that's been sitting around collecting dust and spiders. I figure I'll probably be able to get someone to pay in the neighborhood of $1000-1200 for it. WITHIN roughly this price range, is modding my SVT pointless? In other words, all the little bits and pieces - intake, exhaust, UDP, etc. Enough of a gain to be worthwhile? Should I go a different route and do the suspension? Or should I just save the money towards something more serious, like a turbo/supercharger? Comments welcome, as long as they're not of the pointless variety...

With exhaust, off road pipe, throttle body, CAI and Underdrive pully people tell me my car feels alot different than there cars (SVT Focus owners), and I pull away from stock svt's pretty hard, so I'd say the small things are worth it.

mid 160's with bolt ons seems worth it to me...mod away man.

Originally posted by Kicknzx3
mid 160's with bolt ons seems worth it to me...mod away man.

I'm assuming by mid-160's you're referring to hp measured at the wheels?

yep, exactly [:)]

I think I'm going to go the suspension way.. Bilstein shocks/coil overs, and OZ racing Superleggera's. that'll keep me from voiding my warranty with parts like the CAI, exhaust, etc.

Originally posted by SVTus
I think I'm going to go the suspension way.. Bilstein shocks/coil overs, and OZ racing Superleggera's. that'll keep me from voiding my warranty with parts like the CAI, exhaust, etc.

you wouldn't void your warrenty with such items as those...

Originally posted by Kicknzx3
you wouldn't void your warrenty with such items as those...

You sure about that? The dealer I bought my car from said it would.

SVTus, here's what the SVT Owner's Guide Supplement says:

"SVT does not recommend racing or modifying our vehicles..."

"Repairs are not reimbursable under warranty when:
•"the repairs are required because of abuse, misuse, racing, fire, negligence, accident, MODIFICATION or a natural disaster."

•"the repairs are required due to installation of a non-Ford part."

Here's my understanding of that policy. If they can trace the failure or malfunction of a part on your car to an aftermarket part or a modification done by you, then you get stuck with the bill. But you won't just flat-out void your warranty by installing these parts.

It won't they just want to rip you off. There is a law that prevents it from voiding the warrenty. Samething with the BMW M cars and the Ferrari Enzo. They say you can only use a certain oil or they won't warrant the engine. There is a law that pevents that as well, the oil must be provided for free if they want to require it. The oil for the Ferrari Enzo is like $76 a quart. It's all just a big rip off by the manufacturs and dealers to get your money.

Okay, so within my projected puny budget of around one grand, what are the BEST mods to make to improve power, and still retain emissions legality here in California? I know this has been discussed in the past, but I want a fresh take on this. Maybe minds have changed out there since the last time someone asked this?

exhaust, udp, intake, cam-gear...all for about a grand [:)]

Thanks, Kickn! Sounds good to me. Now I just have to find a sucker... uh, *buyer* to take my old MR2 off my hands.

[driving]

what year MR2?

Originally posted by EuroZX3Focus
what year MR2?

It's ancient. 1986. About 157,000 miles on it. Black, with sport package (body kit, sport seats, "triangle" wheels, etc.) and starting to get to the point where it needs more repairs than I want to do. Timing belt, eventually a new clutch, CV joints, etc.

my dealer told me if I was to do anything I should be ready to pay to play if they can point out that the problem is coming from a mod then you are the one paying[:(] so I am waiting to get it all once the 5 yrs are up and go for it all[:D]

that's my opinion too. Wait the 3 years if ur worried (only 3 yr warranty for me[:(] ) and then hit it with a mid-life rejuventation when u no longer have a warranty to stop you, suck out another 25-30hp. It is illegal for them to void your warranty too under international law, ppl are right in saying what they have so far about that.(ooh look at me, the authority!!! lol)

And SVTus DAMN get thoe Oz wheels, they are THA BOMB!!!!!!!!!!!! BEST rims you can get in my mind. BUt that's just personal [cool]

Okay the SVTF suspension is decent as is... (my opinion) Little things that void warrenties and all... How much are you going to gain by taking your back seat out? 40 pounds? Adding the Offroad pipe at 7 HP but the fine for "messing with enviromental controls" (why I took mine off, Alaska threatened me with a $50,000 fine)... Go with a supercharger (intercooled). I thnk the vortec was supposed to push about 100 extra horses! but at a cost of about $4500!

Have the money go big!

Originally posted by dpm2000bolt
my dealer told me if I was to do anything I should be ready to pay to play if they can point out that the problem is coming from a mod then you are the one paying[:(] so I am waiting to get it all once the 5 yrs are up and go for it all[:D]

Why don't you just keep your stock parts and if something serious does happen reinstall the stock parts and say I dunno what happened?[scratch]

There's a lot of nickel and dime modifications out there that seem to only net you penny and nickel horsepower gains. Actually, "nickel and dime" is really big bucks, I'm seeing...

Yes, I'm already searching for go-fast goodies for my 2-day old SVT--woe is my checkbook balance. But $300 for a throttle body that gets you 3whp? Ack. Multiply that by 10 on both price & performance and you get $3000 for 30whp.

At that point, you could just buy a supercharger or turbo and be done with it. Probably have more horses at the wheels, too.

And particularly for the SVT, because in my opinion, there's NOTHING else that car needs. The handling and suspension... it's nothing short of remarkable.

Believe it or not, the minor 1/4 and 1/2 second gains some of you are looking for at the drag strip (or Ford forbid... street races) you can get from removing things like seats, front swaybar, extra tire, and proper launches. And going on a diet, perhaps. Lighten that thing up and the ETs go down--redneck physics.

Now apparently, the SVT-massaged 2.0 gives up some Zetec-fabulous low-end grunt for overall hp gains. To correct that deficiency (the only glaring one I've noticed so far), I'm looking at superchargers, because a turbo isn't going to fix the low-end torque problem. In fact, even a centrifugal supercharger traditionally won't do it as well as a twin-screw, so I'm leaning towards the Jackson Racing / FRPP kit right now. This winter perhaps?

So umm... there's my two cents on the nickel and dime mods thread. Sorry for all the posts this morning--I'm new and catching up.

Sincerely,

Beetle

IN my experience, its all about the dealer, and how finicky each one is. An intake, throttle body, cat-back etc., should not be a problem. BUT, if they conclude that one of the aftermarket upgrades (suspension included) caused the problem, you will pay. Also, a UDP is a NO-NO. I have never seen a dealer grant warranty work on a car with a UDP. My local SVT dealer has no problem with basic bolt-ons, like intake, cat-back, suspension stuff and the like.

$1200 or so bucks for mods huh? I'd get an CAI, off-road pipe, cat-back, and nitrous. And if you have another 2 bills or so, I'd get some lowering springs.

Originally posted by Jonny Bolt
IN my experience, its all about the dealer, and how finicky each one is. An intake, throttle body, cat-back etc., should not be a problem. BUT, if they conclude that one of the aftermarket upgrades (suspension included) caused the problem, you will pay. Also, a UDP is a NO-NO. I have never seen a dealer grant warranty work on a car with a UDP. My local SVT dealer has no problem with basic bolt-ons, like intake, cat-back, suspension stuff and the like.

$1200 or so bucks for mods huh? I'd get an CAI, off-road pipe, cat-back, and nitrous. And if you have another 2 bills or so, I'd get some lowering springs.

timing belt with a non interference motor...don't understand why they get so bent out of shape w/ an udp.

Everyone keeps suggesting the ORP, but I can't do that, can I? Unless I am seriously mistaken, that part eliminates the catalytic converter - I need that to remain CA emissions legal. This is a "daily driver" of sorts, so I want something I can hop in and drive, without a guilty conscience.

As for nitrous, Jonny I remember you briefly discussing the NOSzle system on the old forum. I like the sound of it, but have found little information about the cost of the kit. From what I can gather, it is considerably more expensive than a typical NOS kit.

I've been thinking about my mod list since the day I bought my SVT (2 weeks or so) and I've basically come to the same conclusion as geekspeed. A supercharger definitely seems to be the most bang for the buck.

If speed is what you're looking for I'd turbo the focus. I think Ford Racing might have a turob kit but it will definately void the warranty. If handling is what you're looking for I'd go with Brembo brakes & probably an Eibach spring & strut kit.

You can get a Jackson supercharger for only $2655.25.

Why waste your money on another one that costs almost twice as much.

http://www.importparts.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=3910

Im sure every little bit counts of modding counts for something
FI is more expensive but what you could do (what I would do) is get a loan for the rest of the money you would need for a turbo or super say you go with a Vortech and in all you spend 5k take 2k off from what you got (this is saying you got 2k) thats 3k then devide that over your loan length whatever you decide say you could actually make it very affordable

Wow, a thread of mine actually got dug up from ancient history! [hihi]

If I had the money to go FI, I would choose against the JRSC - I really haven't heard much positive about them from owners of the products, and frankly the #'s aren't exactly mind-blowing. I'd go Vortech or similar, or else turbo (and I like the "package deal" you get with something like Tom's turbo setup).

Um yah if you want a gain for under $1000, Pull the motor get rods, JE pistons, bore out the cylenders, new valves and springs, retainers. Oh wait a $1K well your could get four con rods. To put serious boost on you car you will need to replace these components So you will spend more than $8K to do it right. But I for got to add the exhaust youll need and transaxle to handle all the power. Oh and the new suspension components. So buy the car twice and you there you have it.All the down stream effects of a super charger done right.

Um, yeah, thanks, LOOK AT THE DATE THIS THREAD STARTED!! Please, people, if you're going to make comments on an ancient thread, would you at least go back and reread the original post. I wasn't asking anyone if I could make obscene amounts of power for under $1000, I was asking what *could* be done for that price, since I was going to be selling a car for around that much money. I'm not an idiot, I know to make a lot of power is going to take a lot of money. Did I ask for advice on how to build a monster motor and how much that would cost? No I didn't. And as it turns out, I wrecked the car I was going to sell anyway, it's sitting in my court right now, so those were mods that never got to be made...

dude, i see your kinda like freaking on everyone here! no one's calling you dumb or anything like that! and actually i find the topic it has become pretty interesting! it's not all about you, you know! if the topic strides off a little then so what! don't get all upset about it!

Explain to me how I'm "freaking on everyone on here." And actually, since I created this thread and it was a question about my car, then it *is* all about me. Shady R's comments came off as very condescending, maybe he didn't mean them that way but that's how it looks to me. I never asked what needed to be done to make large horsepower gains, I asked what mods could be done for $1,000 and would they be worth it. His comment of "Oh wait a $1K well your could get four con rods" is condescending as far as I'm concerned and I have a right to be annoyed by that.

this is a public forum, so NO it's not ALL about you! it's about EVERYONE who owns a Ford Focus (SVT), you might have started this thread but still you should go with the flow with what everyone is talking about! if you want to get back on topic then just say so, you didn't have to make such a big deal about it!

Just put some NOS. That is the biggest bank for the buck hands down and if it blows up your motor just take it out[:D] Some kits (most) dont require madd solenoids, just a management box a couple of wires a bottle and drill a hole in the CAI mount the bottle

Oh my God, forget it! I am not making a big deal out of it, you are. This thread was dead anyway, why did it get dragged up 6 months later?? [scream]

get a mbrp cta back system on sale now 100 bucks off only 229 plus hsiiping get a aem cai front and rear strut tower braces form focus sport and a rear sway from stedda. that will leave u with 250-300 dollars. with those mods your car will sound sick as hell handle a whole lot better and have more hp tourqu and better response. witht hat extra 250-300 i would maybe get a udp also but that coudl easily mess up engien and void all of warranty