Best mod under $500?

[jxl00]

a drop in filter cost 50 and slightly improves performance

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by soulreapersteve

Don't let that stop you! :P

Traveled this far last year for auto-x. Going again later this summer a few times (hopefully).

Be careful driving your FR-S down around Packwood ........ there are some good ol boys down that way, with green teeth and driving pickups, that might just want to play with your toy car ...... and YOU ........


humfrz

[Impureclient]

Everybody with the 4.88 final drive swap say it's the best thing you can do for the automatic. It's gonna be about double your limit but
other than the header/oft tune, it seems it is consistently called the best bang for the buck when somebody gets it done. I read this below and it convinced me to make it my next purchase for the car.

Originally Posted by Lunatic

I went to 4.88s in my automatic FRS. I got the gear set from Weir and had a local shop install it. Can't be happier. Best mod I have done to my car for performance. Reduced my 0 to 60 times a full second and reduced my 30 to 70 mph times 1 1/2 seconds. And I still get 30 mpg at 70 on the freeway.

[gramicci101]

Originally Posted by RichardJ

Honestly I have no idea what you suggested, but few words like 'better handling' I recognize. Will do my research. Thanks!

Racecomp Engineering (RCE) makes yellow springs that are designed to work with OEM struts and shocks better than the OEM springs do.
http://www.ft86speedfactory.com/race...rings-475.html

Camber bolts have an eccentric lobe on them, allowing you to adjust front camber. More negative camber results in sharper handling. Camber bolts can get you some for very little money. Strut top mounts can get you more, for a lot more money.
http://www.ft86speedfactory.com/spc-...kit-front.html

The diff outrigger bushings get inserted into gaps in the OEM bushings. The OEM bushings are soft rubber, so when you shift or floor the throttle the diff flexes significantly. Watch this video and look at the two big round black bushings right behind the diff above the swaybar. The inserts fill those voids so they don't flex nearly as much.
[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IDfJ_zYFPcs[/ame]
http://www.ft86speedfactory.com/whit...nsert-846.html

If the trans mount insert fits auto transmissions (not sure), then this bushing does the same thing for the transmission that the above bushing does for the diff.
http://www.ft86speedfactory.com/whit...t-kit-307.html

A performance-oriented alignment will go a lot way to improving the handling. Lowering springs will induce some negative camber naturally, as a consequence of lowering the suspension. That will do for the rear for now. The springs plus the camber bolts will let you get negative camber in the front. Ideally, you want a little more camber in the front, but get what you can with what you have available. Mine is -1.7f/-2r with RCE yellows and SPC camber bolts. I would like to get the front to -2.3 to -2.5 if I can, without dropping hundreds on camber plates. Set your front toe to 0, your rear toe to about 1/32 in on each side. That will give you a responsive car without feeling darty.

Any suspension changes you do will need an alignment done to make sure everything is still good.

[humfrz]

Heck, now that spring/summer is here, I'd suggest you pack up your favorite co-pilot and take a 3 day weekend drive upcountry. Take the long way around on the backroads. This car was made to drive ...... not just to look at or make go a wee bit faster ......


humfrz

[FX86]

backup camera

[finch1750]

Camber and seat time

edif: this is a good read on adjustable suspension for this car

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103609

[Impureclient]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Heck, now that spring/summer is here, I'd suggest you pack up your favorite co-pilot and take a 3 day weekend drive upcountry. Take the long way around on the backroads. This car was made to drive ...... not just to look at or make go a wee bit faster ......


humfrz

That's crazy talk. The point is to spend as much as possible in as short time as you can. Of course $500 in scratch off lottery tickets would be the easiest way but spending it on car parts is more fun. A vacation is a good time too.

Originally Posted by FX86

backup camera

That's only $20 at Amazon: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Esky-EC170-11-Smallest-Waterproof-Rearview/dp/B00H3ZN3JK?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui _detailpage_o01_s00"]http://www.amazon.com/Esky-EC170-11-Smallest-Waterproof-Rearview/dp/B00H3ZN3JK?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui _detailpage_o01_s00[/ame]
I have the exact same one and it works perfect.

[FX86]

Originally Posted by Impureclient

That's only $20 at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Esky-EC170-11-...ilpage_o01_s00
I have the exact same one and it works perfect.

Did you wire it to the stock head unit? Any complications?

I'm still using my little blindspot mirrors for backing up

[solidONE]

OFT

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by RichardJ

Hmm. That is definately something I need to get on with. The sad fact is that the nearest track in my area is well over 100km.

It's still well worth it. Before you do anything to the suspension including wheels & tires, get to know it. Realize that it's already a brilliant machine. Use it to learn how to be a better driver.

[Impureclient]

Originally Posted by FX86

Did you wire it to the stock head unit? Any complications?

I'm still using my little blindspot mirrors for backing up

I think you can. I have it going to the Ca-Fi Dashlinq4. At first I had issue with wiring (Here) but that was just due to never having installed one before. Install took a hour or two but I was very neat about install. Works perfect, very worth the $20.

Afterwards:

Originally Posted by Impureclient

I have the same camera and you are good for mounting it.


There is a removable rubber plug to the left of the left tail light inside under the carpet. I think there was one on right also. You make a hole in that rubber plug and the wiring squeezes through and drops down to that spot I have pictured. I used a zip tie to keep the wires away from the muffler. I had unscrewed the lens part and reversed the way the camera is on the little mount. Then used a very sticky, 20 lb, double sided tape and mounted it in that spot. The tape is above the plastic so the little feet are not visible. It almost hangs there if that makes sense. No screw holes had to be drilled anywhere. The camera is not coming off unless I pry it off. Probably would have to use a razor blade to scrape between the tape and plastic as it is really sticky stuff. I can take a better pic if you need to see how I did it up under there.

View on camera: The top of the image has a little dip coming down. That is the middle of the bumper in case that's not apparent from the picture. In that position, I can see about 6" on the ground back from the end of the car. So I can back up to something that is only 6" from the car and be safe.

[BRZHarley]

My experience.... Whiteline rear suspension bushings completely changed the feel of rear of the for better and you can do it your driveway!

Take remaining cash to buy better tires for the factory wheels and custom alignment...

Then drive the hell out her!!!

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by RichardJ

Hmm. That is definately something I need to get on with. The sad fact is that the nearest track in my area is well over 100km.

lol that's nothing, @Tcoat commutes longer just to get to work. It will be well worth spending three hours driving to the track and back for the fun you'll have. This handy site exists too:
https://torontotrackdays.com/
I'm 1.5 hours away from Laguna Seca and Sonoma Raceway, 3 hours away from Thunderhill, all one way and the driving distance is the least of my worries.

Looks like you could hit at least 2x autocrosses per month in the warm season at the Powerade Center in Brampton:
http://www.pitl.ca/seriesinfo.php
http://trillium-bmwclub.ca/content/autocross

Not sure who else runs in the area, could probably ask around here instead:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=19