Hey guys,

What would you recommend for a guy that hasn't done anything to his car engine in the 3 years he's owned it, but is looking for better performance? Intake (Comptech, Weapon-R, AEM)? Short ram? New Mufflers? I'm not looking to go broke either.

Thanks for the help.

-the new guy.


Stock 03 CL Type S
San Marino Red / Ebony Parchment
AT
18 Mille Miglia EV-S

 

since you're a type s, you already have a good amount of power. i would work on handling. suspension, sways, strut. just my

 

Let me say it before everyone else says it...drop the 4x4 (if you are not already). World of difference!

 

I figured that'd be the first respone I got. What kind of springs do you recommend? Keeping in mind, I live in Upstate NY, and I travel fro time to time with a full car....

 

Let me help you out here buddy...




I say drop it and tint it and it will look great.

If you want more performance from the engine, search headers, CAI, pulleys, TB spacers, S/C'er, and so on. Good luck!

 

and id loose the window wind guard thing...

 

Window guards are the shit. Drop that best with a dark tint. If you get rid of the window guards hand em over to me. Ill put em to good use

 

Thanks for all the input (sorry, window guards are there to stay fellas). What should i use to drop it? I've read quite a bit of Anti-Eibach postings. I meantioned above I live in Upstate NY and make quite a bit of trips with 4 people.....

 

just get coilovers, they don't end up costing much more than springs and strut/ shocks, and they are adjustable incase you need to raise the car later on.

 

Welcome to the forum !!

It's always nice to see another SMR CLS owner around

Oh, is your interior Ebony or Parchment ?? Can't be both, and it's deterimined by the color of the seats...

 

Sorry about that, its Ebony.

 

drop it on some D2 coilovers or Teins, those are the 2 best for the CL-S

 

start with a comptech intake, then headers. If you want a loud exhaust, then put the comptech catback. but if you dont' care for it, dont' bother, it only adds 3 hp anyways.

then go to your suspension.

 

I can agree with the above

The comptech icebox "feels" a little quicker, at the very least the gas milage is up. I highly recommend getting the K&N filter for it too (unless you want to clean the filter every oil change).

And dropping the car helps quite a bit with the handling (and gets rid of that horrible fender gap).

 

Depending on the area you live in, you can possibly get away with not cleaning the foam filter that comes with the Comptech intake to probably every other oil change. Just depends on how bad the air quality is in your area.

I've been bad about cleaning mine every oil change. It usually ends up being every other oil change and I live in so cal.

But it hasn't been bad. <knock_on_wood>. My car's got 130K miles, and over 100K of those miles have been with the intake. My car can still average 350 miles before the gas light comes on and that's in about 60-75% stop and go traffic on the freeway, the rest cruising speed.

 

Springs will probably be my first mod (I'm thinking the H&R Oems), but those damn xs power headers look tempting at the price...

Headers, springs and intake are probably the most popular mods for the CL...

 

Do it, Greenie, do it! :wink:

 

When you say performance, are you talking strainght line or handling? Some of the suggestions above are more directed for looks which is fine. Just start with what your goal is and go from there.

I personally would go with the suspension first:
1) Rear Comptech Sway bar for 3rd gen TL
2) Springs and Struts. Not sure how much of a drop you can tolerate with 4 people and bad roads. Consider H&R. If you go coil overs - do it right and get a corner weight alignment. Most people don't do so.
3) Good tires.

 

Tein Htech has the most conservative drop from all the springs, they look / sit just right. I live in Danbury, CT....and probably the roads here are worse than NY....well...maybe ...

I have Htech with 18" wheel, and the ride is only a tad stiffer than stock (with 235/40/18 rubber). If you're not planning to raise or lower car in the future, go with shocks / springs setup...it's cheaper, and definitely improve handling. My , make the exhaust your very last mod....it doesn't add anything...other than looks and noise

have fun....(oh...and DIY your suspension, it's cheaper...and you get the satisfaction out of it)

 

I'd say Tints, Icebox, Springs & Shocks, Headers... Probably run you around $1800 - $2000 after installation and all said and done. Provided that you go with DC or Xs Headers and not Comptech.

Enough mods to improve performance and looks IMO. Unless you're going to race I don't think it's worth going much further...