New Car, Same Tired Questions---Got $1500, What Should I Buy?

[Tommy3O3]

Before you guys hammer me, I've been reading on Stangnet for hours. I still have a few questions, however...

I just bought a new '05 Legend Lime GT 'vert; new as in no miles on the odometer. I didn't have to put anything down so I figured I'd modify it a bit. What parts should I get?

I was checking into intakes. Most need to have a tuner with them, correct? I've seen that the AirRaid and K&N don't, but the C&L and Anderson do. I live in Denver where NO ONE knows how to tune ANYTHING. Are the intakes tuned from the shop where I purchase the intake?

I was checking into exhausts. What's new to me is that there are alot of exhausts that are just axle-back instead of cat-back. I've got Magnaflows on my '99, and was going to choose them again; then I noticed that there are a few choices. Someone please school me on this. Is there a difference between going with a full cat-back instead of an axle-back?

What are some other good choices. I'm not going to modify this one like my '99, (I can't afford another $50k in mods) and I don't want to supercharge this one---it's for my fiance.

What do you guys recommend?

Finally, I read something about serializing the Legend Lime cars? Can someone point me to the correct source?

Thanx for your responses, I'm all ears... :SNSign:

 

[Edbert]

If it were me I'd take that $1500 and pay down the principle. When the things is actually owned by you and not the bank then mod away. But that is just me.

 

[bigcat]

tuners like BRENSPEED and BAMACHIPS have had great success with a mail order tune and intake combo. check them out if you are worried about local tuners.

if you are looking for drag performance, get this:
tuner/CAI intake
gears
wider tires
LCAs

if you are looking for handling, get this:
roush/saleen suspension kit
or any other springs and toxico adjustable shocks

it depends an your ability to install your own parts too. labor is expensive.

 

[XStanger]

JLTII/XCAL2 Combo with tune by (brenspeed/bamachips)
4.10's
Pypes OffRoad H
Flowmaster Axlebacks

That should come to about $1500 and should give you a high 12 sec. car that you can beat on daily and not have to worry about braking.

 

[wbr351]

Braking is considered pretty important to most of us! Breaking, however, sucks!

 

[blackonblack06]

Depends...if you want looks or performance.
Looks...tint..rims and wider tires
Performance...
XCAL2 Tuner with tune for following first...then:
underpulleys...Motoblue or Steeda
CAI...my preference is C&L
gears 3.73
LCA's
Good luck I know its such a hard choice with all that is available out there and so many opinions!!!
Bottom line...YOUR opinion is the most important

 

[NorthwestGT]

All good advice. I agree with most all of what was said, but I'm not so sure about axle backs. That recent test in MM&FF showed there really wasn't much gain with any of them over the stock exhaust. If you want a different sound, now that's another story.

 

[Tommy3O3]

Thanx for all of the info, guys. I've been reading all of my back issues of MM&FF as well as 5.0.

I'd rather read what everyone on here is going with, however. Thanx again!

 

[jim1000]

Also, consider how far you are going to want to go. If you are going to end up with a supercharger then you may want to consider saving for one instead.

 

[mash2k]

I'd go first with one of the CAI/Tuner combo's. Then I would go with a Corsa exhaust (sounds great, flows well, NO resonance). I would then throw on some Roush or Eibach springs and top it all off with a Hurst short throw shifter. That would be a nice start.

Keep in mind what everyone has advised you of. It is your car and your VISION of what you want the car to be in the END STATE. That said, you should plan your mods accordingly based on your cash flow.

Good luck!

 

[Tommy3O3]

Thanx again, everyone! I dumped over $50k into my other Mustang, (http://tommy303.stangnet.com) and I can't afford to do the same here.

I purchased a Ford Racing, (Borla) axle-back exhaust and will buy one of the CAI's and tuners. The JLT and C&L are both nice, but I'm a bit worried about the tuning aspect. I live in Colorado, (5300' above sea-level) and the cars are VERY difficult to tune up here. I've had SOOO many problems with my '99 GT that I'm really not happy thinking about going the same route on the '05.

I'm debating...