Fresh Mods
 

Hi!
I am new to the FR-S world. I have owned Honda Civics, Eclipses, Pick up trucks, and Mustangs. I really like the looks of the FRS/BRZ/86. This is not my daily driver and I am looking to do some mods. As of now my FR-S is stock and I am wanting some opinions on top 5 mods I should do right now. I really enjoy going to car shows and showing my car and hanging with my son and friends. Also can I get some ideas on websites to make purchases for the mods? I really appreciate all the help!

Hello and welcome to the fam! All mods depend on your taste. I would recommend tires, since the stock ones do not grip very well. It's fun to get your tail out, but I prefer a bit more grip and only swinging the tail out when I absolutely mean to.

My favorite sites for mods:
https://www.ft86speedfactory.com/
https://86speed.com/

Have fun!

I think it will depend on what kind of mods appeal to you. Are you into performance mods, cosmetic mods, sound systems, etc? Something to do with your son?

If you've got a stock '13, you might want to change out that headunit.

It is often said that the the most important peformance upgrade you can make are new tires. Which tires will depend on what characteristics you're interested in.

A lot of owners in this forum will tell you to change out the exhaust header to address the torque dip. If you don't care about emissions and live in a state that isn't going to fail your care come inspection time, that seems like an easy mod. Don't forget to get a tune though.

The stock headlights on the '13s aren't the prettiest, and you could change them out for some aftermarkets for an LED or HID look.

yep. step one is to come up with a game plan as far as what you want to do.

considering your past vehicle history, you should have a relatively good idea of what's 'missing'!

@41kart whiteline / perrin positive shift kit gets my recommendation! It will get you started in the right direction for the rest of the mods!

Tires definitely. A max performance summer tire is really nice.

Just based on this sentence, and the fact that it will not be a DD, I would focus on aesthetic mods. For me, this incorporates suspension and wheels since those will affect the looks of the car.

Are you more wild, or mild with the way you like your cars looking?


If you like "wild," I would look into air ride suspension, one of the wide body kits (probably stay away from Rocket Bunny and Pandem if you want to be different), and some wide wheels with the offset to match the wide body kit of your choice. Up to you if you want to do performance mods (engine mods do win points in car shows).

Now if you like "mild," I would suggest looking up various build threads here that are "OEM plus" style. That's the style I went with, but I never made a build thread here.

But for starters, just getting window tints, lowering the car (factor in what I said above for this so that you won't have to do things twice), and wheels really change up how any car looks.

Goals and budget are important.

Plenty to spend on all areas of the car.
Track prep
Performance
Aesthetic

Lots of avenues you can focus on.


FT86speedfactory has a ton of stuff available to browse. CSGgarage has more track/performance oriented parts.

Hi ya, 41kart and welcome to our forum - :)

I reckon you have had enough cars that you are not "new" to cars, so I suggest you ask yourself "what do you figure your car needs, and/or what do you want for your car to make it different/better".

Personally, the only things I did to my 2013 FR-S was to put on all season tires (for when it snows 1/4" here) and a head unit with a GPS (so as I can find my way home).

Tires, suspension, exhaust, headers and tune.

:slap: ..... his car came with all those things.

:D

Thanks
 

Hey guys thank you for all the feedback!! You guys are awesome and I really appreciate all the feedback I can get. I would like to do a 50/50 on the performance/exterior. I think I will start off with a race stripe, headers, and exhaust. Then next thing some wheels and tires. I like to have a little bit of both worlds. I am considering throwing her into a car show but yet do a couple autocross events as well. I use to own a mustang that I used for shows but I didn't drive her much. I decided this time I wanted to get more use out of my car and have it look good. What is the use of having her if I cant use her too. lol...

Thank you! I have tires on my radar soon. Thank you for the websites. I have been to both of them but I didn't know their reputation

But they all can be improved!

But if it’s just for shows, then wheels and body kits or aero.

One of the great things about the FRS is the aftermarket support. The sky is the limit! A nicer looking set of wheels (also can be lighter), and better tires is a great place to start. I wouldn’t change things immediately, I think it’s good to drive the car stock and make changes as you go.

I’ve been going more for the OEM+ route. So I’m looking for TRD wheels, and TRD catback exhaust as next mods.


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Changed. They can all be changed. Many do not "improve" anything except in the owners mind.

Visual mods, that's your taste, so we can only give what aftermarket options you have. For performance mods, before going into buying header and so forth, recommend do some few autox events THEN decide. Not sure your local autox are strict or not, but header alone will bump you up into STX or SSC class (in SCCA). Not sure you've autox/track under the belt, but I've seen new kid w a lot of mods thinking he can compete... but he got roasted HARD at the event and never see him again. Plus you want to drive your car and see what you want/need, so don't need to buy twice.

My point is, go out and race few time. From there, ask yourself what you want from this car.

As I’m sure you’ll see recommended elsewhere in the forums, I am really pleased with the ft86 speedfactory UEL header. It did a pretty good job at flattening the torque dip. This is the only mod I have made so far and it made a significant change, in my opinion according to the butt dyno. Super easy installation as well. And the super easy part is coming from someone who isn’t very good at working on cars and just enjoys the driving part!

Edit: That’s a good point by ichitaka05 regarding bumping you up in class and taking it out and racing a few times first.

Do you feel some extra low-mid range power with the UEL header? And I’m guessing you have a tune also?

There are so many different ways to go with the exhaust system, it’s a little overwhelming. If I went for a header back system, I think I would go with a EL header because of the way they flow. No boxer rumble though, and I do miss that from my WRX.


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As I frequently point out, much like an aftermarket CAI, changing the headers in these cars has a very limited effect on performance. Unlike changing out an old school flat (and usually rough cast iron) exhaust manifold on the family sedan there just isn't that big of an improvement in flow. The stock designs are already built for performance.
The real improvement comes in the tune. The manufacturers tune is limited by emissions and mileage constraints that don't take full advantage of even the stock components. Sure you may get a small bump by changing the header but you can reach almost the same with just tuning stock.
Now if we were talking 1992 Neons...

Just to supplement what TCoat noted, I personally felt a difference specifically around the torque dip. As TCoat mentioned, you can probably get just as much or more of a benefit from tuning the car. I however did not go that route as I didn’t want to be kicking myself in the rare off chance something would go wrong and the dealership won’t cover it because of my tune. For the OP, a tune would likely do more, I just wanted to say Howe much I like the header. Nothing drastic but it did make a correction. I haven’t nor intend to dyno my car but below is Ann image from their sight of the impact of the header without a tune.

https://images.jbautosports.com/imag...a7uchk05exssug

I got the impression that the stock cats are the main thing that aftermarket headers "solve". People got similar performance gains (torque dip flattening, etc.) with breaking the cats in the stock header. Plus the 2017+ headers are improved over 2016- in that regard (was a thread a while back with the conclusion that aftermarket headers don't contribute as much for 2017+ Twins).

Well since the sum of the total changes in 17 came to 5HP it is debatable that the header alone is much of an improvement.
Getting rid of the cats is probably not even giving a measurable improvement within the margin of error of a Dyno. It all goes back to the tune not the system itself. All in all we are probably looking at single digit numbers when talking headers in these cars not the huge increases you see by replacing a collector manifold.
No doubt people's butt dynos will argue that but they are usually calibrated by the Confirmation Bias Metering and Measurement Company.

I just can't find a picture of a production 1992 Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth Neon - :iono:

I think you slipped a year or two, in your old age - :iono:

Oh, BTW, you still haven't shown me a picture of a non-modified, 1955 Chevrolet 4-door hardtop - :confused0068:

OK,OK sooooo it's past ma nap time - :bonk:

It was a random year model and make for emphasis and was not intended to be taken literally.

I still have not found the picture.

Prius tires!!

I’m pretty sure Tcoat will say this, but so called “Prius tires” actually ran in Lexus GS 430, Mercedes E-Class and Audi A6 as well. So it’s better off saying “luxury sedan” tires

:D

For cheap performance I made typical power to a full aftermarket 2.5" catless UEL header and exhaust with the OEM exhaust with the cats punched out.

The most important part is the tuner and tuning software.

Ecutek worked well for me, as for your tuner, well, there was only one place that I was happy to take my Subaru's due to years of experience in building and racing.

90% of people who say they can tune are below average.

You will pay a premium for expertise, but I feel the additional cost is cheap insurance.

Or, drop some real coin and get a little boost, but you gotta risk it for the biscuit.

Shop smart

Have fun

Shop S Mart

This town is only big enough for one asshole, and that asshole is me.

This is a nice upgrade :thumbsup:

The dude abides!!

Speaking of the headunit, is that a direct plug & play exchange with the non-touch screen unit?

So I'll just tell you what I've done since I've had mine,but ultimately,it depends on your end goals for the vehicle.

First thing I did was get wider wheels. The stock wheels look like trash to me,plus,I don't like how easy it is to break the rear end loose.

Got a Raceseng Ashiko weighted shift knob. I LOVE this thing. going from stock to a good weighted shift knob makes going through the gears a joy. I can't even imagine if/when I put a Kartboy short throw shifter in with it.

More cosmetic,but I added a TRD style trunk spoiler. I think without a spoiler or lip,the cars back end looks incomplete.

Recently got a HKS Hi Power spec II catback exhaust and a Grimmspeed CAI. Butt dyno feels a definite reduction in the torque dip,plus the sound of the exhaust isn't obnoxious.

Other stuff is tints,carbon fiber roof wrap,and smoked Valenti tail lights.

I'm not going for show car,nor track car. I just wanted something more than stock that's a little more fun to drive and is looks more interesting than stock. Probably the last things that I'll do is the aforementioned short shifter and headers & tune.

Ultimately I would like to at least reduce the torque dip (it honestly doesn’t even bother me that much), and add a nicer exhaust note in the process. Stock it’s just too quiet. But I don’t want anything obnoxious or with drone. So I planned on just getting the TRD catback and leaving the rest alone. I also have the TRD intake (I know I know it doesn’t add any power), but at least I can hear some induction noise. And of course I ditched the sound tube a long time ago. [emoji106]


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I'm actually wanting to go the other way. My car came with a Borla axle-back. It has a nice low rumble sound, but is just louder than I would prefer. I like the stock sound. If your stock muffler is in good shape, I could make you a great deal on a swap.

If you want to hear induction noise, why did you ditch the sound tube?

:iono:

I’m interested for sure! I will send you a PM. And my stock exhaust is in great condition. My FRS has been a California and Texas car, so no salt. [emoji6]


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I didn’t like the way the sound tube sounded. [emoji28] I know it’s real induction noise, not fake like some cars. [emoji1361] It just sounded weird.
The TRD intake sounds good, but not too loud. [emoji106]


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