New to Everything Modding/Racing/Turbo...ing?
 

Hey everyone!
Just jumping right on in and letting you know that I have never owned any kind of fast car. I have had a 1990 Bronco.. 1999 Ford Taurus.. and my most recent but still crappy 2010 mazda 3.


I have NEVER done any sort of modding to a car before, be it aesthetic or performance! So I am really excited to get into it!


I am currently deployed for the Air Force, so I have no cars, only a gas saver I bought before I left, a 1990 Suzuki GS500E (naked model).
So while I am deployed, I am not paying for anything at all, and saving all my money to get me a BRZ when I get back in January!


Anyways, I will definitely be looking into this forum for help and support while I try and find me a BRZ (modded or not) to buy, and then of course help to mod it as well!
If anyone has anything for me (pointers, tips and tricks, etc.) it would be awesome!


Thanks!

-Seth

try to find & buy a fully stock one if possible..at least mechanically speaking

Here's a pointer:

drive the car, get a feel for it, figure out what you don't want or dislike about the car, THEN mod.

To mod without actually owning a car is like trying to remodel your kitchen without actually buying the house.

-alex

Good thing you are not starting now. :bellyroll:





You've been warned, this car is slower than a Civic.

You might have never owned a "fast" car, but your 2010 Mazda 3 was probably faster in a straight line than this car, FYI.

Why buy a stock one when I can get one that's already complete? Like some of the BRZ/FRS on the marketplace on this forum?

My old 2005 Camry was faster than this car in a straight line.

Well I my mazda 3 was sitting at 140hp. I am just wanting to get the brz/frs I get to be at like... 310-340 or something like that I guess.... I have no idea really HAHA.

if you have no idea what you want, then NONE of us can help you...

I know I would RATHER have a BRZ over the FRS.... I know that I want more HP than stock.
So I have been looking at some turbo kits... just to browse. I seen one from Crawford Performance? I was looking at the +300 kit.
With the kit I think I would need a new clutch and fuel injectors at least... hm
-Edit
So I would have to replace the engine for that kit. So maybe I just stick with the 100 kit they do.

what is not completed about the stock car exactly?

first you need to drive the car stock and see what you want to improve by modding it..not for the sake of having it modded just because

if something breaks make sure you know how to do the repairs required...don't expect to bring a modded car to a dealership to have them fix a problem on a non-stock vehicle..they will most likely tell you to get lost and bring it to whomever installed the mods

The FRS/BRZ has 170hp.


Sounds like you need a Mustang my friend.

Well, I just feel I could get a better deal just buying the car already modded, but again, I have never done anything like this before haha.

Had a GS Lexus with those kinda numbers. Traded it in on my FR-S. If you are looking for that kind of power, and don't know anything about modding, I'd get a car that performs from the factory. It is a labor of love and obbseion. With much frustration and patience needed to achieve what you are talking about. Oh yeah and a pile of money.

do NOT buy a modded car if you know nothing about it. it will cost you in the long run. most heavily modded cars are less reliable than OEM and will need special care/maintenance. and if anything goes wrong and you need to trouble shoot the car, you will have no idea what to begin with first since you did not modify the car yourself and just have a list of mods to go by.

buy a used car that is mostly stock and stay away from cars that already have a turbo, supercharger, or some other big mod like that. once you buy the car and drive it for a bit, then consider your options. just warning you though, it is a never ending process and won't be easy on your wallet lol

however, if you just want a car that feels powerful, you will get a better bang for your buck if you buy a Mustang. the new generation of Mustangs are really nice with the IRS and can actually go around corners. just avoid crowds of people when exiting a parking lot.

EDIT: you also need to keep in mind that this car was not built to withstand high horsepower from the factory. you will start running into the weak links of the car (likes axles and transmissions) eventually, even if you do build your motor. then it just spirals downhill from there and eventually you will have dropped 2x the price of the car for supporting mods

This.

It's a great car, and it has a great community around it. Every time I get together with fellow FRS/BRZ owners, there's a (friendly) argument about pros and cons of just about every possible mod. Your mileage will vary. So try it out, find the bits you'd like to improve, and mod those.

From what you've written so far, I would not feel comfortable recommending this car to you. You don't sound like the right target audience. No hard feelings; I just don't think your priorities align with the car's.

As someone else already mentioned, are you really willing to deal with headaches, heartaches, and walletaches? It's better to buy a stock or lightly modded (as in intake, exhaust, etc.) twin instead.

It's not just the engine you would have to replace... You would have to replace a whole lot of other components as well. You would be dealing with a money pit just the same as you would when buying a heavily modded car.

If you have no idea, go drive one first and see how you like it stock. Take it to a canyon or any similar winding road, where the fun factor of this car shines. If you still aren't satisfied with the power then, I would honestly suggest looking at a 370Z or a current-gen Mustang GT or Camaro SS.

1) Test drive the car.

2) Buy a Camaro SS instead.

You will want an OFT forsure, so add about $400-500 to your price of the car.

more like add $10k for his FI and supporting mods lol

Just like you, I had a build thread/notepad text file listing everything I wanted to do to the car (including FI) before I even bought the car. Spent hours upon hours searching up almost anything that can be replaced.

A year and a half later, the car is still mostly stock with only a few little personal touches done - just to make the car feel like its mine.

Please, please listen to everyone in this thread. Buy the car, drive it, keep driving it, and drive it some more. Then, after some seat time, proceed on whichever route you plan to take.

LOL at the thread tags

Playing the other side of the coin,

We could just let him get whatever he's comfortable with and let him learn from his wins and mistakes himself.

I wanted to post this originally but you said it more eloquently than I would have (and in a more respectful manner!) :P

I hired a poet just for this situation. I could not have written it, I'm still dizzy from how many times I shook my head after reading the two pages that is this thread. I prolly lost it at the first page.

Still on topic, Thanks Op for Serving, hope you get the car of your liking, and if something breaks or you need tips on modding. Then come to us, but first use the search function.

Thank you.

As has been said, get the car, drive the car, THEN decide what YOU want to do to the car (if anything). Don't let these guys, Facebook, car meet crowds, blog reviewers, YouTube commentators or anybody else make up your mind for you before you have even driven it for a while.


Read up here (many questions will be answered): http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96158


And sign in here (if you wish): http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76061

I can tell you right now, I know forced induction, and I still have headaches every other day.

If you're just looking for something fast and don't want to take the time to learn what makes it fast, you should probably buy something fast from the factory, or have a really good friend that can fix your car when it breaks once a month. I recommend a WRX/STi, Fiesta ST, or Focus RS if you want something turbo and still reliable.

From one vet to someday another...Thanks for serving...Car is a blast...heed the advice of those in the know...Good luck man

Yea, this. OP if you are looking for a fast car, in a straight line, the BRZ/FRS is not the optimal choice. There are much better options for the money, if all you want is a point and shoot loud pedal.

I agree with those that say this is not the car for you. From what you say you are not a car guy, very young, little money in military, etc...

My 86 is very fast, but it cost me a lot to do it, and I am very fortunate that I am at a point in life where I can fix my car with one finger. I take it and point and say "fix that".

Get a good civic and save your money for a house.

Now with that said, I did none of that as a kid. I bought a 911 at 22 when I got my first job out of college. Very stupid, but I already had 4 years experience with the SCCA, but financially the dumbest thing I could have done.

So glad I did.

Good luck to you and stay safe. I have two military kids, one a disabled combat vet, please be safe.

I logged out for 24 hours, and came back to alot of advice on this. After reading everything here, I have finally made up my mind. I am getting this BRZ. It will be somewhat stock. Hopefully I can pick one up that has mods on it like one of the posts here mentioned, an exhaust, intake maybe, just little things. I dont want it ridiculously fast... I have an yamaha R1 for that haha. I want a sporty look (the brz has that for me). After all these replies to this thread, I just love the community here. Thanks for the help in making up my mind guys! Everyone who told me thanks for serving, Thanks for your support, and thank you for everyone who served as well!

Hope to see some people out on the road come January/February !

I'm in a similar boat, knowledge wise. I bit the bullet and bought my BRZ with intents of future modification. At this stage I'm racking up seat time and researching everything I'm interested in. Learning loads in the process. I still change my mind between turbo vs supercharger on a weekly basis so I know I still have a lot more research and driving to do.
Good luck now, and when you get back.

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