How do I go about modding wisely?
11-11-2008, 04:33 PM
#11
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Merritt Island, FL
Posts: 996
+1.
1) If you purchase a tune from Bamachips, and you upgrade your car with a part that you buy from them, they will update your tunes for free. If you don't wanna buy from them, I suggest that you do some of the custom tune required stuff latter (aka CAI). If you change the gears out (my first perf mod) you will need to get a tuner to change the gear ratio.
2) I went with JLT and it was $200. I don't know if it would be worth it to spend the extra $70 for the C&L intake. I couldn't justify that big of a price difference for the minimal (if any) performance gains that the C&L intake would get over the JLT. Also, you can definitely do this install by yourself.
3) I don't know. I don't have headers and have not looked into them.
4) I know you can change the gear ratio with the SCT tuner. I would ask Doug at Bamachips if he factors in the gear ratio into his tunes, or if he just changes the gear ratio after the fact.
5) $50 a pop unless you buy a package of 3 at a discounted price. I went with Bamachips over Brenspeed because I could choose from an assortment of options tune-wise. I choose to get a 93 Perf, 93 Torque, and 87 Perf. With Brenspeed, you choose Perf or Torque and you get 3 octane levels. When the hell would you use midgrade? It just seemed like a waste to me. Therefore, Bamachips was my selection. If I could go back I would have gotten the 93 Perf, 93 Torque, and 93 Race tunes. Haven't used the 87 Perf yet...not sure if that's a good or bad thing though.
6) Don't listen to WHAThefuk. My guess is that he made lots of poor mod decisions (based on the couple thousand spent) and is a little bit bitter about it now. As for lowering the car, lots of people say that having aftermarket shocks/struts is a must. I don't have them, and my car is fine. I know that the stock parts are wearing out faster, but they do you no good sitting in a garage collecting dust. I'm wearing mine out until I need to get new ones, then I'm gonna get the aftermarket ones. It makes sense to me. Also, have fun with your mods. It's addicting and fun!
Also, my name is Andrew. There is another guy on the board named Andrew. I went to the track and there was only two other mustang owners that night and both of their names are Andrew. No lie. I guess it was destiny to own a mustang...
1) If you purchase a tune from Bamachips, and you upgrade your car with a part that you buy from them, they will update your tunes for free. If you don't wanna buy from them, I suggest that you do some of the custom tune required stuff latter (aka CAI). If you change the gears out (my first perf mod) you will need to get a tuner to change the gear ratio.
2) I went with JLT and it was $200. I don't know if it would be worth it to spend the extra $70 for the C&L intake. I couldn't justify that big of a price difference for the minimal (if any) performance gains that the C&L intake would get over the JLT. Also, you can definitely do this install by yourself.
3) I don't know. I don't have headers and have not looked into them.
4) I know you can change the gear ratio with the SCT tuner. I would ask Doug at Bamachips if he factors in the gear ratio into his tunes, or if he just changes the gear ratio after the fact.
5) $50 a pop unless you buy a package of 3 at a discounted price. I went with Bamachips over Brenspeed because I could choose from an assortment of options tune-wise. I choose to get a 93 Perf, 93 Torque, and 87 Perf. With Brenspeed, you choose Perf or Torque and you get 3 octane levels. When the hell would you use midgrade? It just seemed like a waste to me. Therefore, Bamachips was my selection. If I could go back I would have gotten the 93 Perf, 93 Torque, and 93 Race tunes. Haven't used the 87 Perf yet...not sure if that's a good or bad thing though.
6) Don't listen to WHAThefuk. My guess is that he made lots of poor mod decisions (based on the couple thousand spent) and is a little bit bitter about it now. As for lowering the car, lots of people say that having aftermarket shocks/struts is a must. I don't have them, and my car is fine. I know that the stock parts are wearing out faster, but they do you no good sitting in a garage collecting dust. I'm wearing mine out until I need to get new ones, then I'm gonna get the aftermarket ones. It makes sense to me. Also, have fun with your mods. It's addicting and fun!
Also, my name is Andrew. There is another guy on the board named Andrew. I went to the track and there was only two other mustang owners that night and both of their names are Andrew. No lie. I guess it was destiny to own a mustang...
Last edited by JasperGT; 11-11-2008 at 04:37 PM.
11-11-2008, 04:55 PM
#12
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Newark, Delaware
Posts: 1,259
yea the FI problem for me is voiding my factory warranty. I can't say that I haven't looked at the Stage 3 blower package from Brenspeed (saleen series VI @ 9.5 psi) for a little over $7,000 installed. However, with almost the entirety of the 3 years left on my warranty, i am having trouble weighing the pros and cons of putting a blower on so early.
I should have gone pre-owned, but at $25,000 for my new '08 GT, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to buy new at the used price.
Back to the headers, does 1 3/4" vs 1 5/8" make a huge difference either way depending on whether you're blown or not? Should I pick up the 1 3/4" headers now and be ready for a blower later? are the 1 5/8" headers really that much worse for FI?
I should have gone pre-owned, but at $25,000 for my new '08 GT, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to buy new at the used price.
Back to the headers, does 1 3/4" vs 1 5/8" make a huge difference either way depending on whether you're blown or not? Should I pick up the 1 3/4" headers now and be ready for a blower later? are the 1 5/8" headers really that much worse for FI?
11-11-2008, 05:04 PM
#13
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Coatesville, PA
Posts: 932
1. Depending on where you get your tunes, when you get a new power adder they might modify the tune for free if you also get the part there.
2. I would definetly get a tune from a place like Brenspeed or Bama over AM, I think they are just canned tunes.
3. Have to? No. Would it help? Dyno tunes are always the best when they are done at a reputable shop that knows mustangs.
4. I'm pretty sure you can do all that w/ the hand held tuner yourself.
5. Tunes tend to run about $50 each.
6. Check out Tilman Speed. I think they are right in Aston and I've heard very good things about them including their dyno tunes.
2. I would definetly get a tune from a place like Brenspeed or Bama over AM, I think they are just canned tunes.
3. Have to? No. Would it help? Dyno tunes are always the best when they are done at a reputable shop that knows mustangs.
4. I'm pretty sure you can do all that w/ the hand held tuner yourself.
5. Tunes tend to run about $50 each.
6. Check out Tilman Speed. I think they are right in Aston and I've heard very good things about them including their dyno tunes.
+1 on Tillmans - it is literally right across the street from Evolution and CR (the guy who does the tuning there) it awesome to work with. They can do any/all of the mods you are thinking about. I wouldn't trust my car to anyone else. PM me if you want to know anything else about them.
11-11-2008, 06:44 PM
#15
S197 Section Modder-ator
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Orlando FL
Posts: 13,373
Usually, if dealer installed with parts sold by Ford, the warranty won't void.
Some dealers are easier to work with too.
11-11-2008, 07:36 PM
#16
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Newark, Delaware
Posts: 1,259
11-11-2008, 09:11 PM
#19
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Newark, Delaware
Posts: 1,259
Is getting a stock motor blown a bad idea? I figure there's about a ton of other things I need to upgrade under the hood (fuel pump, plugs, etc) in order to have a blower work well...not to mention new gauge pods etc.
I figure if I'm going to drop:
$1300 - Kooks LTs + catted H
$200 - FRPP 4.10's
$250 - Sportline/Sport springs
$600 - CAI/Tuner
$700 - Aluminum D/S
$210 - UDP
$210 - LCA's
$500 - Shocks/Struts (maybe)
PLUS
$500 (at least lol) - Installation of Headers/gears/springs/struts
i'm up to $4500...that's almost 2/3 the cost of a saleen series VI 425+ RWHP blower kit + install from brenspeed...
talking this through online is immensely helpful if only to see exactly what I'm trying to do and how it works out on paper...
I figure if I'm going to drop:
$1300 - Kooks LTs + catted H
$200 - FRPP 4.10's
$250 - Sportline/Sport springs
$600 - CAI/Tuner
$700 - Aluminum D/S
$210 - UDP
$210 - LCA's
$500 - Shocks/Struts (maybe)
PLUS
$500 (at least lol) - Installation of Headers/gears/springs/struts
i'm up to $4500...that's almost 2/3 the cost of a saleen series VI 425+ RWHP blower kit + install from brenspeed...
talking this through online is immensely helpful if only to see exactly what I'm trying to do and how it works out on paper...
Last edited by East87; 11-11-2008 at 09:13 PM.
11-12-2008, 09:01 AM
#20
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Newark, Delaware
Posts: 1,259
I have almost completely arrived at this decision...ROAD TRIP!
http://www.brenspeed.com/saleenstage3.html
http://www.brenspeed.com/saleenstage3.html