I have a plan but I need a sensei
 

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Making sure I'm reading this correctly,
You want power, but you don't wanna kill the mpg.
You wanna keep this car long time, but you wanna boost it.

Let me be the first person to break it to yeah. That's not gonna happen. Having better airflow can help w mpg... to certain point. After that, you start loosing. If you want to drive your car for a long time, don't boost it. Just don't.

Here is a tip. Few bolt on w tuning w decently grippy tire (grippy tires & wider tires are different) and improve your driving skills. From there, you'll see what you need to do next (ex: suspension & brakes)

This car needs better brakes more than it needs more power.

I'll be the second to give Ichis stance: High HP, boost, and bigger heavier wheels/tires are not how you get decent mpg and a car the lasts.

And have you ever driven a 300whp car? Or one this light? That is a crap ton of HP that will never be fully usable on the street. My advice would be get a true tune and see how you like it. Mid range power is more important for a DD due to the torque dip anyway. If you are not satisfied with the tune get a full exhaust and that should honestly be a great DD/weekend canyon car.

And you have trouble in heavy rain but want more power? That is a very bad idea. What you need is more seat time and maybe some good all season tires. Tires will not magically solve that, especially with such a big jump in power at low rpms with s/c or sudden kick in boost with turbo. (You know grippy tires have a short tread life too right? Not DD friendly on the budget)

That sounds like a recipe for disaster. How are you going to hide new wheels and tell her why your car sounds different? You've gotten good feedback here - exhaust, intake, tune, maybe a header.. will make it feel more alive.

Well, welcome to modding, MonkeyBoy ......http://www.runemasterstudios.com/gra...mages/wave.gif

Like several of the folks up above, the way I read your "desires" ...... I would suggest you just slap a cat/axle back exhaust on the rear end; a free-er flowing air filter on the front end and some slightly grippier tires in between.

I reckon with that set up (and some honed driving skills), you and your car will be able to stay ahead of 98% of the vehicles up in them thar hills.....and you will have dependable, trouble free car for many ah mile ..... ;)

humfrz

Factory built boosted engines are not the same as making an n/a engine boosted... they have completely different internals

Like Luis have stated, factory turbo engine vs NA engine turn into turbo is totally different story.

13.1CR already & going to boost it is asking for engine block to crack.

...but again, this is your car, do whatever you want.

I can promise you, if you're really pushing the car you'll find the weak points.

Now, I'm not a pro, I'm a 26 year old that has been driving since age 14 and spent my formative years on the curvy back/dirt roads of NWA.

My experience with the BRZ has been that the brakes (in the hands of an amateur who wants to play it "safe") Are the first thing to degrade when pushed hard. The tires may not be brilliant but the brakes are waht will catch you out, throwing on grippier tires and adding more power will only exacerbate the issue.

They need cooling and different pads mostly I think.

That's crank HP. WHP is different. Plus that car weighed 800lbs more than the FRS. Coming from an STi the 300 crank hp (240-250 whp) stock was slow compared to the HP after a full exhaust and tune (I road tuned so no dyno numbers, but cars with similar mods were generally in the 350ish crank, 285-310 whp range). Power to pass is nice and sometimes I do miss it but for now dropping two gears instead of one works, and riding in tuned cars I know that will be more then enough for a DD and keep reliability and better mpg than boost (I was gonna go SC myself the whole way, but have changed my mind after experiencing different setups and a ton research)

But anyway if you want answers to your questions specifically you could install the vortech yourself in a weekend. I think there may be a diy on here, but the install instructions are pretty good (I know a local who did it themselves).

And Ichi hit it again, factory boost is different. There are 4 locals who are boosted that I know. 3 of them have issues. Ymmv., but just putting it out there.

Otherwise all I can say is you gotta pay to play. Its a balance of how much are you willing to pay versus a shop/tuners reputation. Just because they do the work doesn't mean they are good. Ask the people who use it as a regular track prepped car would be a good place to start.

One of the locals here got 199whp with full muffler shop exhaust, intake and tune on a mustang dyno

No offense brother.

But it sounds like you shouldn't spend cash on mods and instead put it towards a marriage counselor. If you can't buy the things you want with your money and have to hide it then there's a pretty serious problem.

That's very "wise" of you.

OR @MonkeyBoy ...... maybe learn the "art" of "presenting" mods to the wife:

First, timing is everything .... catch her in a good mood.

Second, preface the conversation with something like "I got a raise/ bonus/ saved money on ____".

Third, have on hand a "gift" for her - the size and expense depends on what you paid for your mod.

Fourth, put it all together: Hey, sweet pea, guess what .... since we have a little extra, I was thinking of you and got you a little gift (present her with the gift).

While she is excited about the gift, mention ... and I got a little something for our FR-S/BRZ.

This _____ will, (pick one), (add safety, increase gas mileage, improve handling or increase power - so we can pass more safely).

If she still yells at you, you either picked the wrong time or your gift wasn't big enough - or it plugged in .... ;)

humfrz