I just got a 2002 acura cl for my first car ( auto sadly :/ ) and need some ideas for some cheap easy modifications , I already have a CAI and am planning on rims and lowering springs. I also have a subwoofer and new head unit. I was planning on plasti dipping the car matte white i think it would look good with some flat black rims. Any other suggestions?

 

please dont plastidip your car.

 

Hm.. cheap & quality don't really go together..

And yes, don't plastidip your car.

 

Reason plasti dip is bad? and i guess i did not mean quality just not ricey... i would use a sprayer not rattle cans to do plastidip

 

idunno. ive seen fully plastdipped cars and they dont look so hawt.

spend $400 dollars for it to come out looking like poo, isnt my thing. sorry.

 

Plastidip is not meant to be a permanent thing, it peels off very easily, even after just a car wash. I would stay away from it especially where covering a whole car is concerned.

 

I know it is not permanent , i just think it would look good matte white and the reason im choosing plasidip is cost and becuase it is not permanent. I want to be able to change every once and awile

 

about $400 for something non-permanent doesnt sound like a wise financial idea.

 

Just save your money for a new trans then after that's accomplished mod the car.

 

Ive seen many that look good.

It doesnt come off that easy, if applied properly no car wash will take it off. I have it on my stock wheels and went thru the car wash, it has wheel scrubbers and it didnt hurt it at all. My buddy has it on his 350z and its been on for over 2 years and still looks great.

 

Kinda like the 200+ dollar a piece tires we buy, but we still do it

 

Touche

But then again, i'm not loooking for "cheap" mods.
if the gentleman wants to do it, go ahead and plastidip your ride.

 

Yeah i dont mean to come off as someone who is cheap and wants to make my car look "fast" im in highschool and ddont have too much money, I just want a car that looks good and is pretty quick my main goal is to increase my 0-60 time becuase that is where most races matter, hopefully some new tires will help. My dad owns a garage so i have some experince working on car but i think a tranny swap is far out of my abilities. but i would love to have a 6 speed in it!!! maybe some day. Honestly i would rather save my money for somthing else i prefer rear wheel drive. ( sorry if i came off as an idiot, i try not to be a typical highschooler. ) "YO PUT SPINNERS ON IT AND UNDERGLOW LIGHTS AND A BOLT ON WING +50 HP BRO" thats the majority of my school.

 

Wat? Plastidip is something you do yourself for just a couple bucks. It's like $10 for a can of the stuff.

I don't see any reason somethings on the car can't be done with it. I've been looking to do the window trim in black plastidip to match the rest of the car.

It's quick and easy and if you don't like the look, it peels right off.

 

I dont think you can get a consistent spay with just the spray cans for a whole car.

if you watch the vids at dipyourcar.com they use a gun sprayer.
also, the 400 covers enough dip to dip your car.

 

Didn't realize we were talking spraying the entire car. Generally you just see people do specific parts here and there. I'd have it wrapped if I wanted the whole car.

 

Don't sweat it bro, that's what the majority of 3G TL owners sound like

 

 

Plastidip doesn't always look bad. Here's a recent one.

Before


After

 

Looks good .

 

Depending on how much you are trying to spend there are some pretty reasonably priced mods that you will see some pretty nice power gains from. You could get some DC sports headers for between 300-400. Combine that with a nice high flow cat and you will be set.

 

To get back to mods that can help performance, try a lightweight crank pulley. You can find them in many places, I actually bought mine new on ebay. Another visual mod, you can make a lower grill very easily and inexpensively. You can go to home depot or Lowe's and they have a diamond cut gutter guard, which is about the correct size. Leave chrome color or paint to preference. Just thoughts..

 

I recommend an automatic transmission fluid cooler since I've read many a post about the inevitable death of the auto tranny, it will hopefully make it last longer. Cheap mods ebay headers (around 150 lucky for auto trans! Manual transmission 260)+ exhaust wrap, throttle body coolant bypass (free), smaller and lighter rims, lighter pulleys I believe the cheap 30 dollar ones are called "razco" "ralco" or "option" pulleys quality is yours to research those are 30 bucks the legitimate xlr8 ones are like 200. Large diameter intake (you can make out of pvc pipe for under 50 (look at my threads looks ghetto as fuck though) or remove the resonator off the stock intake and switch to a k&n drop in filter, thermostat and fan switch to make car cooler and more powerful (that's just the theory of never Personally tried) our exhaust system is pretty much efficient unless you want a louder sound just unbolt the mufflers or weld some pipe in place of the middle mufflers (this might increase hp up top but remove low end torque . Larger piping = less torque at low end maybe higher hp at very top end. Will affect gas mileage since we like to chug around at lower rpms compared to high. Remove spare Tire and uncessary things, 3.7 intake manifold swap (looks very complicated though, but a gain across the whole powerband could be seen. But you're imrc will not work I've read). Good luck

 

Honestly man. Ive used plastidip... I took various painting classes. so i know how to paint and all but Plastidip....Nah.. you can do better. Plastidip for me is like a trial before i apply the actual paint.

 

get a intake & headers & call it a day

 

Don't mod. You will just make the car worse.

 

Save your money and don't take the car racing. Don't mod it right now until you can afford it.
I speak from experience as I got my CL in high school too.

 

I recommend not modding since you have an AT, which means eventually you will be replacing your trans, Save for that.

 

Yeah wait for your mods, for now keep it clean, smelling good and ladies will love it. Your speakers will catch enough attention too.

 

Not only that there is no such thing as cheapish quality mods, either shell out the money or go the cheap route and have something break. But seriously though you have an auto put some money on the side for that tranny, because it will break.