What is the single best bang-for-the-buck mod?

[LarThaL]

So what is the single best STREET LEGAL bang-for the-buck mod?

This doesn't mean what is the cheapest. It means what is the best VALUE.

This question refers to ALL mods, not just power enhancement.

[deletedelete]

Performance driver training imo. I personally can't fully appreciate a stock m3 let alone a modded one.

[beemerdude5150]

Tough question. As preference and personality is a huge factor. For me, i dont track yet so I just want it to look nice for now. So id say 180 headlights.

[S65V8]

I'm interested to hear the analysis on the best "power" mods, and "performance" ones. this should be good.

[beemerdude5150]

Originally Posted by SROC5

I'm interested to hear the analysis on the best "power" mods, and "performance" ones. this should be good.

That will be tune if you dont want to spend too much. And sc if your with it lol. Been on these forums enough to know.

[S65V8]

Originally Posted by beemerdude5150

That will be tune if you dont want to spend too much. And sc if your with it lol. Been on these forums enough to know.

then you also know someone is about to disagree with you...

[beemerdude5150]

Lol well I asked same question and thats what ppl told me pretty much. Thats before I owned one. Its just was informed to me. What do u think it is?

[beemerdude5150]

Chip? Or pully? Or?

[pbonsalb]

If I could have only one mod, regardless of price, it would be an intercooled supercharger. Since I do have to consider price, I don't have one although I do have some performance mods.

[Someone?]

Exhaust, or SC, AN Akra exhaust and tune can net you 30 to 40hp but if bought new it will also cost you 6.5k to 7k, you can find nice used Akra system for around 4k plus 1k for a good tune.
You can get SC for $5900(non intercooled)<$4500 used to 11k+ (intercooled)<$6500 used, But you pretty much need a performance exhaust with most SC kits.

So hence the Best Bang for the Buck is a Akra Exhaust and tune(you can get more power out of Cat less exhaust but at the cost of being VERY loud.

[stevens]

Test pipes and tune are cheaper than akra alone and yield similar power results e.g 1500

[BPMSport]

Test pipes. $400 usually.

Much better paired w/ a tune but for a single mod you probably get the highest net gain per $ w/ the TP's alone.

[CBS]

Originally Posted by Prowess Symphony

Performance driver training imo.

This!

[nullrouted]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Test pipes. $400 usually.

Much better paired w/ a tune but for a single mod you probably get the highest net gain per $ w/ the TP's alone.

Only problem with TPs is that you'd fail emissions in states like NY/CA most likely since you're removing the primary cats. Might not conform to his definition of "street legal" but I agree that these are the biggest bang for your buck.

[Transfer]

Training and BPMSport tune.

[gatorfast]

Bolt on exhaust. Really the only thing the car "needs". Everything else is just gravy.

[GIdriver]

I think a few people here are missing the point. Lar is asking about street legal mods.

I’m going to give my opinion and will talk about getting the mods NEW to reduce price variability. The best bang for the buck STREET LEGAL PERFORMANCE/POWER mod will be the underdrive pulley
(to my knowledge it is street legal). For +/- $400 you get at least 10 solid HP to the wheel. That’s about $40 per horsepower.

Compare that to Akra Evo (not street legal in some and probably in most places) which goes for $6,000 and gets you approximately 20 HP. That’s about $300 per horsepower. Other exhaust systems are more affordable, for example the ESS exhaust. For $3695 it gets you 20 HP. That’s about $180 per HP. You can talk about test pipes/track pipes (NOT street legal), and can net you approximately 20HP for $400 - $500, in other words approximately $20 - $25 per horsepower. One can also argue that a complete exhaust systems also have other benefits such as decreasing weight, better looks, sound, etc. not accounted for in the formula.

A tune goes for $1000 and gets you 10 - 15 HP (for the sake of discussion let’s say up to 20HP). That’s between $50- $100 per HP. And please let’s NOT turn this into a tuner war. A tune may have other benefits (increase RPM’s, delete cold start cycle, can be optimized for specific octane, etc.).

Then you can talk about S/C. The ESS VT1-550 goes for $7995 and claims SAE 550 crank HP (+136 from stock). That’s about $60 bucks per crank HP. I’m not sure where it is or it is not street legal (at least it’s not in California). ESS Intercooled kits maintain more or less a similar $ per crank HP ratio, but probably installation costs more due to increased complexity (intercooler, high performance rod bearings in the case of the 650 kit, etc.)

To sum it up:

Test pipes/track pipes (NOT street legal): $20-25 per wHP
Underdrive pulley: $40 per wHP
VT1-550: $60 per crank HP
Tune: $50 – $100 per wHP
ESS exhaust: $180 per wHP
Akra Evo: $300 per wHP

I’m sure others will provide best bang for the buck on other types of mods.

Disclaimers: None of the costs of the mods described above include installation fees, nor shipping. The brands mentioned were used for illustration purposes only, and prices were given as advertised by the manufacturer when possible. Cost per horsepower is an approximate number. Net power gains of these mods can vary, more so when combined with other mods. Prices of some of these items can also vary. If errors have been made in the above calculations, corrections are more than welcomed.

[FVM3]

exhaust, suspension

[alee0729]

Good analysis GIdriver! Unfortunately there are caps to performance which factor in here ... so a pulley may be good for a handful of HP and a great bang for the buck, but adding 10hp is only adding 3% to the car. That's enough for a good butt dyno gain to let folks sleep well at night, but arguable whether that 3% is actually meaningful.

Anyway, everyone knows the best value mod is a radar detector. 100 mph feels like 40 mph, and that excuse is not really going to get you out of jail.

[vinniechin]

I would say suspension...you can use it in all conditions, at all speeds and at the full RPM range to enhance the driving experience of the car whether you have high or low driving abilities. Its something everyone can appreciate and with the increase travel on some set ups it may not ride any worse than stock but you will feel more in control. With EDC, this is even less an issue.

Exhaust and could be misconstrued as loud by some and a tune could void warranties for some and deemed a concern. Suspension, if it breaks can be returned to stock with stock parts...although tunes can be reverted back to stock, any high rev will be stored and subject to questioning. This is just MHO.

[BLACK OPS]

Clearly the pulley is the value but if starting with a stock car and choosing ONE mod then I'd pick a TUNE.

[Da Hapa]

Originally Posted by Prowess Symphony

Performance driver training imo. I personally can't fully appreciate a stock m3 let alone a modded one.

Best answer here.