[strat61caster]

This has been posted elsewhere but fuck it lets throw it in this thread too; budget recipe for an STX build imho

17x9 Wheels
Tirerack brand, ~$668
245/40/17 RE71R
Tirerack $742
Mounted and balanced from TR to my door ~$1410 + taxes

ProParts STX Megan Coilovers (comes with camber plates and front end links)
~$2k shipped with taxes iirc
Whiteline rear subframe inserts ~$50
SPC rear LCA's + Diftech bushings ~$300 (or Whiteline LCA's)
Perrin 22mm Front Swaybar ~$240

Header
$700 name brand short tube header (UEL for da torques n burbles, Tomei/JDL/etc.)
OpenFlash Tablet
$500

Total: $5,200

Buy used and you can cut your total down to <$4k (wheels, first set of comp tires, coilovers, header, OFT).


People will prioritize differently "gotta have X, Y is crap don't buy that" and there are absolutely more expensive parts with measurable gains, but I think that they're in the noise unless you're capable of extracting 99.99% of the cars potential and you're trying to beat someone also capable of extracting 99.99% of the cars potential.

I could easily make a build list >$15k (without resorting to $10k Penske dampers or $4k wheels), but I don't think it's worth it, if I get beat with the above basic parts it's probably because I got outdriven, not outspent.

That being said I'm probably going to plop down $700 for a Karcepts front sway bar (because I don't think my 20mm bar is stiff enough and I can afford to spend an extra $500 on a swaybar) and a $900 set of A052's, might even go for a catback if the right one pops up coincidentally when I find some cash burning a hole in my pocket.