I noticed you said you've installed headers and dropped the car (nice pics).. are you gunna dyno the car in the near future -- how's the engine sound at full throttle w/ the headers, how's the car handle in tight, fast turns?

How'd your off-the-line performance increase?

 

Thanks for the info.

I plan on doing header/exhaust work soon, and I am a bit uneasy about modding the car since this'll be my first time doing it -- don't really have any idea about the reliability and longevity issues it may bring up.

 

I know what you mean. I've modded every car I've had... and you have to be pretty careful on a car like this. It's reliable, respectable and comfortable; where every car I've owned hasn't quite been.

I can't imagine headers affecting reliability much though. If anything, you'll have to retorque the bolts to ensure no leaking. If you get it done through an Acura dealership that supports comptech parts then you shouldn't have a problem.

Becareful with exhaust, as you will hear it inside the car. I've decided that intake and exhaust aren't worth the increase in sound levels. I might look into getting new tips, but that's about it.

Every change I make to the car is like rolling the dice. With as good as it is now, I don't wanna screw anything up.

 

I'll dyno pretty soon. Just not a lot of free time on my hands. The engine is still
very quiet. You do hear a raspyness to the engine under throttle. I'd have to drive
a stock TLS again to see if it was added because of the headers. Since I had the
car delivered with the options installed, I don't have much of a baseline. The car
handles really well on the freeway with tons of passing power and enough stick to
take the fast sweepers.

90 corners are still a bit boaty though. Once I get wheels and tires, I expect that
to be solved. The only weak spot on the handling now is the tires. Once I decide
on that, more than likely I'll be done with my car. The car can definately take the
turns though. It just doesn't feel very natural because of the tire wall roll.

I followed my friend in his celica gts through some pretty hairy curves and was on
his tail the whole way. Granted it's a bit easier to follow than lead, but he said it
was all his car could do. TLS felt strange and heavy... but could have pulled faster
turns pretty easily, especially since I wasn't using the apex, just staying in my lane.