Which Mods to start with???

[lil OH]

I just bought an 03 GT 5speed and can't wait to start modding....car is bone stock and was babied. I'm thinking exhaust first but I am really a newbie so not sure if there is a recommended sequence of mods?

So here is my preliminary list of mods...would love to hear from anyone that has these.

-Magnoflow catback
-Magnaflow TRU X o/r X pipe
-K&N FIPK intake
-SCT tuner W/custom map

Thanks guys and I will be putting up pics soon!

 

[KBExperience]

*sits and waits for kilgore to chime in*







no but seriously..

Exhaust

then

Gears Gears Gears

 

[40oz]

What tires on on it? What do you want out of the car? How many miles are on the thing? Do you drive it every day or plan on trailering it? Are you trying to impress the neighborhood kids on bikes or are you a member of PCA and consider ornage cones your mortal enemy? When's the last time it's been washed and waxed?

[think that convers it, someone chime in if I forgot any relevant questions.]

 

[Deleted member 38176]

Start with a catback. In fact, you really dont need a catback, just weld in some mufflers/

Secondly, the FIPK is a good piece (I have one), but you can get a much better JLT or C&L system for half the price (I honestly would rather have the JLT or C&L CAI's instead)

 

[Winters98GT]

1. H Pipe
2. Gears
3. Tires
4. Pulleys
5. Shifter
5. TA
6. KN

 

[mazen189]

Dam.....I'm prolly one of the only guys on here who would lower the car first.

H/X-pipe first I guess. Since im the ugly duckling. I dunno, intake second?

 

[007]

Gears, tuner, catback.

 

[ninjastang125]

FLSFC then gears then mid pipe

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I just bought an 03 GT 5speed and can't wait to start modding....car is bone stock and was babied. I'm thinking exhaust first but I am really a newbie so not sure if there is a recommended sequence of mods?

So here is my preliminary list of mods...would love to hear from anyone that has these.

-Magnoflow catback
-Magnaflow TRU X o/r X pipe
-K&N FIPK intake
-SCT tuner W/custom map

Thanks guys and I will be putting up pics soon!

Well, that is a pretty good mod list. However I always recommend waiting to mod. Take time to consider the mods, spend that time detailing and maintaining the car. Get it in top shape then do some mods.

If you MUST do a mod right away, consider just welding in a couple of Magnaflow mufflers. I got that done for $250 parts and labor and it made a very nice difference. Doing the full exhaust like you list above will be pretty expensive and it will sound almost as good with the weld-ins, of course it will not flow as good as the full exhaust would but it will be significantly cheaper.

 

[scupking]

The K&N CAI is good but if I was to do it again I would go with the JLT. Also get an Xcal III tune from American Muscle.

1. Gears (3.73 or 4.10s)
2. Exhaust
3. JLT CAI
4. BBK 78MM TB
6. Xcal III with tune from AM
7. lower the car
8. Full lengh sub frames

all the above will get you a very fun stang for not to much money.

 

[Dark04GT]

1. General maintenance: Flush all the fluids, change the accessory belt. Fix any issues.
2. Plan what you want to do with the car (NA or FI?) (straight line, turning, or both?). And mod from there.

NA:
1) Intake, TB
2) lowering springs + CC plates
3) Cat back exhaust, long tubes and mid pipe
4) Tune
5) UD pulley, aluminum drive shaft
6) etc...

FI:
1) Lowering springs + CC plates
2) Cat back exhaust, long tubes and mid pipe
3) Clutch and flywheel, aluminum drive shaft
4) Supercharger kit with all the goodies
5) Tune
6) etc...

 

[GettinThere]

I just bought an 03 GT 5speed and can't wait to start modding....car is bone stock and was babied. I'm thinking exhaust first but I am really a newbie so not sure if there is a recommended sequence of mods?

So here is my preliminary list of mods...would love to hear from anyone that has these.

-Magnoflow catback
-Magnaflow TRU X o/r X pipe
-K&N FIPK intake
-SCT tuner W/custom map

Thanks guys and I will be putting up pics soon!

How much you are willing to spend and how much work you will do on it yourself play a big part in how to go about modding it. I'll assume cash is short and you are not very experienced but are willing to try to do it yourself.

1 As said above, get all maintenence up to date, and fix anything that needs fixing. Do all of the maintenance yourself.
2. Skip the CAI / FIPK and just get a drop-in K&N filter replacement and remove the silencer. Do this yourself, very easy, gotta start somewhere.
3. Shifter (you can do this yourself, fairly easy).
4. Full-length subframe connectors properly welded on (you'll probably get a shop to do this).
5. By this time, you're probably itching to do the exhaust. Do it. Not too expensive, and you can do it yourself. BTW, living in the People's Republic of Massachussetts, you might reconsider the offroad midpipe and get one with high-flow cats.
6. Gears. Great sotp improvement, especially 4.10 gears. About $500 for gears and install.

 

[97predator]

I think, and this is a humble opinion of course, get to know the car over a few weeks/months and do any maintenance that shows up during your driving. From there, I would:

1) 3.73 or 4.10 gears depending on how much driving you do and a Steeda Tri Ax. I really think this should be done to any GT out of the gate

2) Catback/JLT intake for sound, little bit of performance

3) Lowering springs, rear upper control arms, full length sub frame connectors, CC plates

From here, it really is a decision of standing pat, going to forced induction, or building up an N/A car. Once you go to long tubes, you're(unless you dump them) out of the turbo market. If you go S/C, get long tubes to get the most out of the blower. If you are happy with what you have, add in a pro chamber or any mid pipe and pass on the long tubes, etc.

It really is a matter of priorities. Do you want a straight line beast, somehting that handles, something all around, and how important are cosmetics. For the cost of a blower you can do wheels/tires, full exhaust, and a bundle of suspension mods. It's really a matter of what you want the car to be, and how high your tolerance for financial pain is.

 

[32ValveRom]

Really it depends on what plans you have on the car for example supercharger, turbo or N2O. You don't want to buy one thing just to find out you have to replace it when buying a turbo. If your plans are to keep it NA than I'd recommend LTs, X-Pipe, and some Magnaflows then either 3.73s or 4.10s.

 

[Moon]

No reply from the original poster

Get to know the car first by driving it around for a few weeks. It's also a good time to save up money. At the same time, you can be planning what you want to do with the car. No matter what you do, get these first:

Gears
Tint
Exhaust
Springs

These will make it feel like a different car after having driven it for several weeks.

 

[lil OH]

What tires on on it? What do you want out of the car? How many miles are on the thing? Do you drive it every day or plan on trailering it? Are you trying to impress the neighborhood kids on bikes or are you a member of PCA and consider ornage cones your mortal enemy? When's the last time it's been washed and waxed?

[think that convers it, someone chime in if I forgot any relevant questions.]

First off...thanks for all the responses!

-79000 miles
-Every day driver but will be driving a truck in the winter
-Want a nice rumble at idle but not loud until i get on on it...thats what got me to the magnaflow
-It's getting a full detail and tune up this week which is going to cost me $500-600 so no mods for a month or two after but I have to start planning

 

[lil OH]

Well, that is a pretty good mod list. However I always recommend waiting to mod. Take time to consider the mods, spend that time detailing and maintaining the car. Get it in top shape then do some mods.

If you MUST do a mod right away, consider just welding in a couple of Magnaflow mufflers. I got that done for $250 parts and labor and it made a very nice difference. Doing the full exhaust like you list above will be pretty expensive and it will sound almost as good with the weld-ins, of course it will not flow as good as the full exhaust would but it will be significantly cheaper.

I am going to get it tuned up and detailed this week...got a nice hookup from a friend.

I also got a friend that can get me the Magnoflow catback and Magnaflow TRU X o/r X pipe for $830 shipped so I think its worth it, right?

 

[lil OH]

No reply from the original poster

Get to know the car first by driving it around for a few weeks. It's also a good time to save up money. At the same time, you can be planning what you want to do with the car. No matter what you do, get these first:

Gears
Tint
Exhaust
Springs

These will make it feel like a different car after having driven it for several weeks.

I know man...been crazy at work! It's going to take probably two months to get money saved up for mods...I was hoping to get all the mods listed installed for around $1500-$2000 (a lot of help from friends).

 

[ran260gt]

GEARS GEARS GEARS !!!!

Dont wait like I and so many did on getting gears first , going back the 4.10s should have been the very first mod I did !

 

[Moon]

I know man...been crazy at work! It's going to take probably two months to get money saved up for mods...I was hoping to get all the mods listed installed for around $1500-$2000 (a lot of help from friends).

Don't worry, you got around that much time before it gets hot out and you'll want to cruise every day. The mods I listed will make it feel like a different car. Regardless, they are pretty nice cars and you'll probably enjoy yours a lot.