The first mods for any FR-S should be Toyota badges. :)

Honestly, who cares about your financial situation if you're paying your bills on time? Motorsports shouldn't (and definitely isn't) just opened to the rich guys. We all have to pick our poison ;)

If you plan on tracking or autocrossing your car, I would first invest in tires (I pushed Hankook Ventus 12s this past season and got a ton of compliments from my national buddies - they're about $106/tire). I would invest in ATE Brake Fluid (~$15) and Torco A160530CE SR-1 5W30 oil (~$80 for 6 liters). The car doesn't need much more than that to be impressive. You'll see a world of difference with new tires. Next, updated rotors, pads, and brake lines. Do not go BBK until the car is seriously powered (but that's a few thousand anyways).

I have to agree with the people that recommended saving for events. They're expensive if you go every weekend. The reason why I didn't mod my car until this fall was because I was shelling out loads of cash on HPDE and autox events. They ain't cheap, but you'll get a lot of instruction. Driving school isn't a must honestly. It helps, but plenty of people are there to help. You'll always have an experienced driver as your instructor during HPDE/PDX events.

I personally think it's lame to do a bunch of cheap cosmetic changes to the car first. Go with usability first. (But definitely get rid of the Scion logos :D)

As much as I would love to throw money into the performance/appearance aspects of the car first, I think it's a good idea to protect your investment. Which is why the first thing I'm buying is clearbra & Opticoat to keep her looking new for years to come.

If you don't care about keeping gross rock chips off your black paint then I'd probably vote for tires first like stated above.

I've been doing a bit of research on the crank pulleys. I'm not convinced that it's worth it tbh. Even with the more balanced boxer engine, I'm still reading conflicting reports of the necessity of a lightweight crank pulley. The potential damage it could cause doesn't seem to justify the slight improvement in throttle response.

I would imagine that you would be better off getting a simple drop in filter or better intake/exhaust system overall. At the very least, much less conflict regarding their real-world benefits.

That said, myself being a new 86 owner and newbie modder, the first things I've picked up were Toyota badges, a drop-in K&N filter, and a decent cleaning kit. I figured, since the paint is still fresh, I might as well keep it fresh. Plus, it just feels nice to wax and buff every inch of the car. Long term, I'm planning on a Borla cat-back exhaust, a CAI (haven't decided), unichip & tune, and then new wheels & tires. All of these will come after I've given myself time to really appreciate the magic that is this car.

1) Replace OEM Michelin Primacy HP's with Pilot Super Sport tires
2) Gentex Auto-Dimming Rearview Mirror w/ 3.3" Rear Camera Display, Compass, Temperature & HomeLink
3) Toyota 86 Front Arm Rest
4) TRD 86 Sound Changers

I got the car with 7 miles on it and by the time the odometer read 100 it was back at the dealer getting the TRD exhaust. :-) This month, it's an XBox One and January I'm getting the TRD Intake system.

Anomie - Why Opticoat compared to C Quartz finest?

Since you already have the K&N filter installed....I'd suggest you consider not getting a CAI. Just take a peek at where the engine is getting its air from .... ;)

humfrz

Yeah, I noticed that shortly after my post. If anything, I'll just get better piping for it, but it's pretty sweet as is. :D

C quartz will last two years,
Opti-coat, in theory, if the paint is kept well, will last the life time of the paint.

Though, from most of the review it does indicate CQ finest looks.feel slicker and shines brigher than opti-coat

I had CQ applied to my Vette and Tesla - both took 1st place in 2 shows the same weekend after their first refresh. But they had several miles on them. The FR-S is only 2 weeks old, so was wondering.

Put the $400 towards the principal on your loan