Cant decide which mod to do first

CivicSiNJ · Jan 6, 2020

Hey guys! I'm recalling indecisive when it comes to buy new mods/parts for a car. Right now I'm looking into buying either a PRL Cobra intake, Acuity short shifter, or coilovers (which I still don't know what brand to buy. Could someone give me a good idea as to which one I should buy first.

Civic18 · Jan 6, 2020

If you are looking for power, KTuner with TSP stage 1 - best bang for your buck!

86salmon · Jan 6, 2020

If you get coilovers they'll flash an error from the adaptive suspension. Can't beat custom adjustments though. Some have error cancel bung or one can be purchased separately

Neddih · Jan 6, 2020

Ktuner+tsp stage 1 and a prl or 27won downpipe. literally the best 2 things you can do with the car even if everything else is stock, if I could go back I would have purchased the cai after the downpipe. Worlds difference with just those two things if you are going bang for buck

CanadiaegeanBlue · Jan 6, 2020

Here's my comment on a post on a Facebook Civic group where everyone was pushing the tuner agenda, including vendors trying to make a sale:

"Too much noise about ECU tuning, not enough mentions of lighter wheels and grippy tires. I have a heavily modified Si, and maintain that wheels and tires are at the very top of most worthy upgrades, then it's between an ECU tune, and if you have a manual transmission the Acuity Short Shifter. Added now: Intake, Intercooler, and rear sway bar follow after those 3.

Without that [wheels and tires] you're spinning most of the power at the start, missing out on acceleration that could be better with lighter wheels, trying to attain higher speeds without having the confidence that your only contact with ground isn't the best it could be, and you're not able to enjoy this car's characteristics as a fun handling chassis.

Added now: I bet if even half the people did this rather than chasing power you'd get way less people trading up for a Type R because they never got to change what the biggest limiting factor of the Si is - lack of grip due to those garbage economy tires, made worse by 28lb anchors that lead to a sluggish accelerating vehicle which pushes wide in the corners.

Neddih · Jan 7, 2020

CanadiaegeanBlue said:
Here's my comment on a post on a Facebook Civic group where everyone was pushing the tuner agenda, including vendors trying to make a sale:

"Too much noise about ECU tuning, not enough mentions of lighter wheels and grippy tires. I have a heavily modified Si, and maintain that wheels and tires are at the very top of most worthy upgrades, then it's between an ECU tune, and if you have a manual transmission the Acuity Short Shifter. Added now: Intake, Intercooler, and rear sway bar follow after those 3.

Without that [wheels and tires] you're spinning most of the power at the start, missing out on acceleration that could be better with lighter wheels, trying to attain higher speeds without having the confidence that your only contact with ground isn't the best it could be, and you're not able to enjoy this car's characteristics as a fun handling chassis.

Added now: I bet if even half the people did this rather than chasing power you'd get way less people trading up for a Type R because they never got to change what the biggest limiting factor of the Si is - lack of grip due to those garbage economy tires, made worse by 28lb anchors that lead to a sluggish accelerating vehicle which pushes wide in the corners.

I should have mentiioned wheels and tires also but overlooked that. Also another world of difference.

CivicSiNJ · Jan 7, 2020

86salmon said:
If you get coilovers they'll flash an error from the adaptive suspension. Can't beat custom adjustments though. Some have error cancel bung or one can be purchased separately

Yeah thats true Id probably just buy a cancel bung either way so i dont get the light on

CivicSiNJ · Jan 7, 2020

Neddih said:
Ktuner+tsp stage 1 and a prl or 27won downpipe. literally the best 2 things you can do with the car even if everything else is stock, if I could go back I would have purchased the cai after the downpipe. Worlds difference with just those two things if you are going bang for buck

If i get a catted downpipe would I need to tune my car like when you get a catless ?

Neddih · Jan 7, 2020

CivicSiNJ said:
If i get a catted downpipe would I need to tune my car like when you get a catless ?

Yes you will have to use the tuner to disable the slow o2 response code, at least i did with my catted prl

CivicSiNJ · Jan 7, 2020

Neddih said:
Yes you will have to use the tuner to disable the slow o2 response code, at least i did with my catted prl

Cool thank you sir, appreciate it.

fenix-silver · Jan 7, 2020

IMO shifter upgrades are a great first step since it's something you interact w/ constantly. I don't have the Acuity shifter, but I have the CTR shifter w/ all of the Acuity pieces and I love it so much. And as others have said, upgrade the wheels/tires. The stock wheels weigh a ton.

si_well · Jan 7, 2020

You’re the only one who can decide which is the best sequence of upgrades for YOU. Start with determining your priorities with you want to focus on first and what is in your budget.

I recently bought a 2020 and I wanted to enjoy the car for awhile in it’s natural form for what it is, so my first priority was/is to modify the exterior to my liking (I’m almost there).

Next is handling, which is important to have as solid foundation before adding power and will improve the looks of it as a bonus. I want to modestly lower it with a pro kit, get some decent wheels that are wider and lighter than stock, true performance tires, strut bar, and maybe sway bars.

Last is performance, mostly because Im content with stock for now but also because im nervous about tuning with my warranty. Plus it’s a slippery slope that leads to a never ending quest for more power, and my budget can only handle so much at a time. For this, tuning is key, but adding a front pipe/downpipe combo and a intake make it even better followed by an upgraded intercooler as a supporting mod to help your turbo keep up.

Most importantly, have fun with it and enjoy your car’s progression!

shibles · Jan 7, 2020

Make an excellent point on wheels tires, which is something I honestly didn't even notice was missing in these forums but absolutely is. Tires and wheels are one of the few things that improve both straight line acceleration and handling in one neat package.

If you do choose to go with improving straight line acceleration, just remember there's only so much you can ask from a 1.5 turbo. So I suggest not going too deep down the rabbit hole there.

And don't forget small, cheap, easy things like oil catch cans and stuff like that. They might not make much of a difference but those little things count for longevity and engine health!

gtman · Jan 7, 2020

For under 2 grand total...

Shifter upgrades, better tires, bigger rear sway, a base tune, a performance drop-in and call it a day.

You'd have a helluva nice driving car.

Cant decide which mod to do first

CivicSiNJ

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86salmon

It's Hedley, Hedley Lamarr!

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