TL family:

If you could do only a few mods, would you spend it on getting better performance or be more cool looking? I'm thinking of doing some mods next year, but I can't decide if I should go with sways or go with a Mugen lip spoiler. Please help! Thanks for the input!

 

IMO i think styling should come before actual performance mods. when you look at your car you'll be like DAMN that thing is hot. then you will be motivated to make it look even better and eventually you will run out of things to make it look better so you will start adding performance mods. thats just me though

 

depends on how much money you spend. I'd like my car to look better, but not before adding in sways first. The most important performance mods to my opinion is the sways and brakes, since they can actually save your life. after that, put all the money in looks mods if you want. I'd get rims before headers, and I'd get spoilers before exhausts. after a few close encounters, I've come to re-evaluate my idea of form following function.

 

In my opinion the car already has good performance. First styling then handling(springs, sways, softer tires) then performance.

Remember you could do both by adding one thing, for example:

18" rims low profile tires, that would make your car look really good, plus enhanced your handling.

Springs, would make your car look better at the same time make it handle better.

So you could start with this MODs that give you 2 things with one part. Double satisfaction.

 

true true...:p

 

I went for the looks first because our TL is a pretty good performer already.

 

Patrick, between a ww spoiler and sways, I think that'd I'd get the sways first. But that's just me cuz I drive pretty hard!

 

I'd rather make my car "pimp" than fast...

 

i voted for performance first but i think i change my mind...

First 2 things to get:
1. Springs which can be considered performance
2. Wheels if you can afford it...you never know when you'll have the cash to get wheels later...

i don't know if i would get a bodykit or 18 or 19 inch wheels if i didn't lower it...i dont think it looks right...the wheel gap becomes too obvious

and i wouldnt get a bodykit if i didnt get wheels unless i got the TL-S wheels...

 

PERFORMANCE. While the TL is a great performer out of the box I a little more is always better. I believe it was Blaupunkt who coined the motto "Too much performance is never enough."

I like the look of my stock car. I prefer the clean, stock look with plenty of power and handling to go around, a sleeper that can cruise under the radar, so to speak. Unfortunately, I have a harder time convincing my wife to let me modify a $30k car.

My mods would be, in order:
RES - + Good potential gains for minimal $$$s and work (+)
Sways - + Much improved handling, + minimal $$s, +/- little more work
Headers - + Excellent power gains, - only high end power, - $$
Tires - When they wear out

Like they say out in AZ: "If it don't go, chrome it"

 

im doing all styling like kit wing rims rather then performance intake headers..etc cause i rather have the car look nicer then go faster.. but you regret it sometimes when cars beat you.. your just like damn! shoulda got intake instead of these damn taillights looks impress girls, performance impresses guys... think of it that way

 

YES

I was never good at choosing.

 

just like edgalang said, I also figure it depends how much money you have to throw into your car.....IMO everyone who hasn't upgraded their OEM sways to something better, like Comptech, or Eibach, should. mr tl has sways and new tires on stock wheels and he says he can't get his tires to squeal...so there's a good way to go if you want better handling.

 

Holy smokes! As of this post, the poll is dead even - 14 for performance, 14 for styling. I have never seen a poll that's split down the line!

 

I voted happy now???

15 to 14....

 

 

i would go with the look first then performance

 

get a little of both. more styling than perf though b/c our cars weren't meant to be race cars. might as well pimp out the ride.

 

Thx guys for all your comments. From my signature, you can see that I already have done some minor modding (H&R springs, short ram intake, clear corners). I'm planning on spending about US $350 for either:
1) Mugen rear lip spoiler ($350); or
2) sways ($300) and tips ($50?)

I'll keep the poll open a little longer, and then see what the majority votes on! But to be honest, I would be happy with either mod, just can't decide which! Can't afford new wheels, as that's too much money right now. I'll keep my factory tires for now, and swap them out for better ones when my old treads are almost gone. As for mystery mod (RES), it's not available for the 1999 TL (if it was, I would probably get that in a heart beat instead of spoiler or sways). So those of you who haven't voted, please vote! Help me decide what to get! Additional comments welcome!

 

Couldnt agree more, but, look at it this way too. If you get the spoiler, you'd be happy everytime you see the car. If you get the sways, you'd be happy everytime you drive the car. It's not like CAI or headers where you would only see it from time to time. I'm not sure about others since my set if stiffer than most, but I notice it everytime I make a turn, a U, a lane change, you name it. I'm still sticking to my guns and voting for the sways...after that, get all the look mods you want. For me...my next mod is the RES, then tires. The only mods I've regretted so far is not tinting my windows darker, and possibly the CAI (just becuase I'm too lazy to clean it). On second thought, maybe the radar detector cuz I got caught speeding, and maybe the pedals since they dont match the colors exactly (should of gotten silver/aluminum color). Hmmm...the fogs, I should of bought the best from this site rather than getting multiple cheap ones only to not be happy with it later, and the Polarg M2 bulbs since its the exact same bulb as the stocks. I think that's it, the rest of the mods I'd do again.

 

If it is the mugen spoiler against the sways, I have to say the sway bars hands down. I thought you were thinking more like the ground kit. The sways are awesome. I think I just said this, because I don't like the mugen spoiler

 

Patrick,

So far i've done nothin but little low cost cosmetic mods. Cash flow is a problem.....

 

 

OK, so far it's 23-19 for the cosmetic styling over performance. Hmm, I guess I might go with styling...but as Yogi Bear said "it ain't over until it's over (or something like that ).

 

Springs and sways first, make sure you can deal with the drop in height, then go with a bodykit..make sure you can handle it thoug.. I can't which is why I'm kit-less.
Ed