Wanna help me make my mod list?
 

Hello, I'm pretty much dead set on getting the Hyper Blue BRZ I have the reserve on at this point, so I'm working on my mod list. :wub:

I have a (minimum) 2 and a half hour commute at least 3 times a week for the next two-four years if I don't move closer by then so the car needs to keep good gas mileage, and a decently smooth ride. I'm getting the windows tinted, and a kicker done as soon as I drive off the lot, and I'm already looking at lowering springs, and wheels.

I haven't done in depth research over the springs yet, I'm currently working on it, but the wheels I REALLY want are the Work Emotion XD9 18x9.0/10.0 in the matte bronze.

I haven't done a lot of research on better tires, but that's something I'd like as there will be some bad weather hitting soon. I do have a truck to drive if the weather gets really bad, but I'd still prefer to drive the car when possible.

Anyone have any other suggestions of mods that might be fun, but not kill my gas mileage or maybe even improve it?

In a few years I am planning on making this a track car when I upgrade back up to a larger vehicle and no longer have an awful commute.

Including the wheels/suspension I think my budget is no more than $4k for mods currently if that helps with suggestions. :thanks::thanks::thanks:

Edited, as I also think I'm going to go ahead and purchase an exhaust as well. This one, I think. http://shopgreddy.com/10118300.html

The wheels will hurt your gas mileage, ride, and performance; it'll also consume most of your budget once you factor in the cost of tires.

This thread has a lot of the spring options:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8739

I don't have a lot ideas for mods right now aside from the wheels, and tires. So I wasn't concerned. If some better ideas are suggested, or as I'm researching come across other things I'd prefer, I'll most certainly alter my list.

If I stay with the stock sizing of the wheels I'm assuming that wouldn't hurt the gas mileage?

Do lowering springs hurt the ride so much that I would regret lowering the car?

I had an SRT-4 ACR at one point, and didn't mind the ride in it, but would prefer a bit looser of a suspension.

Adding weight will hurt gas mileage. Going wide and big is a good way to add unsprung mass. Stick to stock weights or lighter, if you're trying to improve gas mileage. The stock wheel and tire combo weighs in at 42ish pounds per corner, so I'd try to avoid going too much heavier than that.

Tire compound will also affect gas mileage. The stock tires are lower rolling resistance than most, so tire choice is also something to think about. This will probably be slightly less noticeable than adding a bunch of weight via big wheels/tires, but will still make a difference if you go with super sticky compound.

If you like 18s, there are some 18s out there that are lighter than stock, but the Work Emotions XD9s are definitely not. My preference is 17s on these cars, because you can run higher profile tires, which are generally more comfortable.

It's not a great idea to go super-low on springs. There's not a lot of bump travel on these cars, so if you want to drop it lower than an inch, I'd think about getting coilovers instead. With lowering springs, you'll either want to replace the bump stops with shorter ones, or trim the OEM ones. If you don't want it to be harsh, I'd stick to something mild.

Thank you, about an inch was what I was thinking of lowering it, so I don't think I'd need coil overs. If I stick to stock sized wheels/tires I might not lower it at all, and that would eliminate the need for springs at all.

I just wanted the tires to be a bit more flush, but without worrying about tearing off my bumper while parking.

I'll be picking up the car a week from tomorrow, so I'm just trying to narrow things down so I can get them ordered for installation when I pick the car up.

Thanks for the link, but I've already got it bookmarked and have spent a significant (and still more) time reading it.

I was just hoping for some suggestions that might fit my situation that someone that's not super knowledgeable about modding a car (and when I did was always for speed with no worries over mpg).

Thanks for reading, and I'll continue to do my due diligence before I purchase anything.

I guess at this point I'm going to get 17 wheels, with an exhaust, get the car tinted, and have a small sub woofer/amp put in the boost the stereo a bit. I don't really need much else since I'm trying to keep the good gas mileage unless there's a highly recommended mod that might help my mpgs.

Does anyone think that bronze wheels will look good with the hyper blue, or is that just me?

I think the most important factor in maintaining good gas mileage is keeping your foot out of it. . . which is hard to do though.

I've heard the Velox/DWL front splitter and rear diffuser help with mpg's.

TRD springs, Openflash header, stock wheels + tires, snow tires + 16s for the winter, openflash tablet, stock catback, kartboy short shifter, enjoy :) Been doing long commutes with that setup for over a year and a half. Gas mileage is in the low 30s, rides great, never worry about getting stuck in winter, and is nice and quiet on the highway.

Get the car.

Keep it stock.

Mod it when you find things you are missing.

Good gas mileage and any tire stickier/larger than stock are mutually exclusive.

My own advice for anyone that wants to mod cars is, what attribute of the car are you trying to change? If you can't answer that, you're modding for the sake of modding.

-alex

clear bra is essential in my opinion.

I dislike the look of the stock wheels, and have read that stock tires aren't fantastic for winter driving. I also have very light sensitive eyes so I need window tint, and the radio quality, which I tested during the test drive is awful.

I'm also going from a very mean, throaty sounding car to this one, which is why I was looking for a meaner sounding exhaust, to help ease the transition, although that one itself could wait, I'm sure I could acclimate to the sound of the BRZ fairly quickly.

I might go ahead and leave it stock for the first several thousand miles at least and see specifically what I'm looking for, it will also give me more time to look for the mods that are right for me.

I apologize if I'm coming off like I've done no research and haven't thought this through when it's the opposite, but the amount of mods available to this car can be quite overwhelming.

The radio can actually be made to sound reasonably decent with a bit of time fiddling with the settings. Not gonna knock your socks off or anything but way better that when you start out with it.

I've got a hook up with a local shop here that's going to get me a good deal on the window tint with the small amp/sub woofer. It'll be about the same as the Subie upgrade but cost me less, and take up about the same amount of room.

I will try messing with the settings today when I go see it.

Aside from waiting a bit, if I do decide to get wheels decently soon, do you think that bronze wheels will look good with the bright blue? I know it will be different and not to everyone's taste, but I'm really digging the bronze. Maybe I'll take it by a wheel place after I drive it a bit and hold up a bronze wheel to it and see if I like it in person.

Sorry I'm coming off a bit weird, I'm just hyper excited, and over researching, and asking a ton of (mostly dumb) questions is just how I cope. It doesn't help that I've been ill, and so I'm spending a lot of time not moving around a lot, and more time than usual on the internet. I'm very grateful for the replies, you guys have really helped keep me from making rash decisions on modifications.

I think you and I are the same in that regard. Even when we think we have spent a lot research into the vehicle, there is still much to learn about the car, some of which can't be achieved simply by reading about.

This community is actually rather helpful and informative and is willing to share info with you aside from basic questions that a quick search can already accomplish. If you want an example of someone who hasn't thought it through, just ask the guy who thinks that not owning a race car disqualifies them from giving any suspension advice.

... but Emotions in 9" and 10" wide? You'd not only kill your gas mileage, but you can also kiss your ride quality goodbye too if you are just using springs.

My point is that there is a lot of unknowns at this point for what you want to do, you really need to start driving the car first before you determine what is good or bad.

-alex

How the majority of the people on the forum who mod do it.

From order of first to last:

1) Drop in Filter/ "CAI"/Stickers/diffuser/canards/tow hooks/mad CAD diffuser/hella horns/illest stickers/plasti dip everything/shift knob/random bushing

2) OFT/ECUTEK

3) Rims/lowering springs

4) Cat back

5) Header

6) front pipe

7) over pipe

Usually at this time they bitch about the car being slow still, then proceed to part out NA mods

8) purchase turbo kit (contemplate supporting mods but don't get them)

9) buy EBCS and turn up boost

At this point they either blow the engine, and or grenade the trans, chasing more and more power. If not they decide to either part out or sell as a whole.

Those who sell as is ask 40k for their 2013 frs with 20k miles on it and a $3,000 turbo kit, and knock off RB kit. Which results in them slowly lowering it until it's actually reasonable, or them parting it out anyway.

Those who part out state how amazing every single part was but that they want to go a different route.

Disclaimer: I made many poor choices myself when I had my FRS and if and when I have the opportunity to get one again, I will know that a lot of what is on this car shouldn't be "fixed" in the first place.

With that said if you do decide you want power, either get a different car (best option) or go FI from the start and save yourself a bunch of money. Realize this car will never be a great drag car. It suffers from a poor HP-TQ ratio, has issues getting grip, and has a glass transmission. Not because it's a crappy car but because it was built with the exact opposite in mind.

Don't listen to the people telling you not to get new wheels, especially @Tcoat, the stock ones are ugly.

Preferences in wheels looks are personal, but if you are looking for a wheel/tire combo that will be the same weight, or maybe even slightly lighter than stock, take a look at the Enkei PF01 in 18x8. It will take a 225/40 tire and looks very snazzy.

I have it in 18x8.5 with 225/40 on it right now, but I got 8.5 because I will be going wider for the track. For commuting you should be fine with 18x8 and 225/40. There are literally tons of tire options in that size.

Hey! I never said not to get wheels!
Wheels, exhaust, tint and other cosmetic mods don't require driving the car to learn you want them. Suspension changes (unless just dropping for looks) engine mods or other performance stuff does however.

They're not the best looking OEM wheels, but I think the stock wheels look fine, especially since the Series.Hyperblue comes with the same wheels in black.

Have you considered the fog lights?
 

I noticed you said in your original post that this will be a daily commute car and that you seem to have some potential weather issues as well. The first thing I did was upgrade the fog lights on my BRZ because I noticed when I took it up in the mountains at night or in the morning on my drive over the hill, the stock fog lights were pretty much useless. Just my opinion.

As far as lowering it, be careful, as I have noticed the car is pretty low to begin with and I am notorious for scraping on driveways, and parking curbs. I have had to be careful with this car at stock level.

Hope it helps. I will keep reading, as I am looking to do some of the same to my car. :thumbup:

Reliable DD?

Keep stock honestly.

If you must, mild lowering spring (< 1"), spacers to flush stock wheels.

x10 if you really want to make this your track car in the future. If you stance it now you and convert it to track later you will have tossed so much money down the toilet. If the money isn't an issue well I guess do whatever lol

I am planning on only doing cosmetic upgrades at this point. IF and that's a big if, in a few years when it's completely paid off and I'm done with this very long commute I might make it a track only car, in which I will dump a crap ton of money doing only the best for it as a drifter. If not I'll probably trade it in to get a mommy car, as I'm assuming at some point I'll end up with a family.

I was considering coil overs, but I like the feel of stock ride, and don't really want to mess with it. The only reason I was considering springs was if I changed wheels and didn't like the gap. They were always going to be no more than 1.5" at the very most. I don't see that being an issue if I stay close to stock size, which I am scouring the web for now.

I might have some weather issues, but I also have a four wheel drive truck that I usually drive if it gets snowy/icy out as no one here knows how to drive in that kind of weather and if someone's going to plow into me because they didn't keep their distance, or were going too fast for weather conditions, I'd rather be in my truck. (haha /cry)

I'm supposed to go talk numbers with the guy at the dealership tonight, but it's getting a bit late and I'm still not feeling well so it might have to wait a few days. I have a pre-approved loan, money already down on it, just waiting to make sure we can come to an agreement on trade in value, and out the door price.