what suspension mods do you guys recommend? i am also new and my car currently has springs.

 

It arrived today at my doorstep. We had 4" of snow last night, but the sun came out in full force and melted/dried all the roads. I was out all afternoon enjoying the new car. What a beautiful machine! The car is already filthy. Black will certainly be a chore!

 

Nikolas -

Welcome, and good luck with the car. +1 on the suspension recommendations. I don't know how much track experience you have, but these cars are pretty fast to start with. Mine came with a flash and I added the exhaust, so also +1 to the comment above about waking up the car. The flash and exhaust will run you $2.5-5k, depending on what you choose.

For suspension mods - the issue with these cars is that they push. A lot. The least expensive, most effective, and won't need to be redone later mod is adjustable sway bars and drop links. Tarrett, GMG, TRG, or Porsche GT3 all will work. Some people recommend getting just a rear bar first. I did that, but eventually did both. You'll want adjustable drop links, especially in front where space is kind of limited. This will run you less than $1k.

Your need to get more camber than is available in the stock setup in order to dial out the understeer. Some guys have the JIC package, and say they can get as much as -2.9 degrees camber. My car came with PSS9's, and I could not, until I also installed GT3 lower control arms. You will want adjustable dog bones and toe links in the rear. I have Agency Power (from Vivid), others have Tarrett. Coilovers and these other mods will run another $2.5-6k, or a lot more if you go with top stuff.

I recommend that you take this year and learn to drive the car. I came to mine from an '87 911, and it took me a year to learn how to drive it. (I already had 12+ years experience at DE's and 5 years as an instructor.) If I had to pick one thing to recommend, it would be the sway bars.

Oh, yes, get some track pads. These cars are *heavy* as well as fast. I use Pagid RS19 for the track. Many people here will tell you that you *have to* upgrade to GT3 6-piston front calipers. I tend to disagree, but it depends on how much experience you have. I have the GT3's now, but it was because I stripped out a bleed screw, and the cost was almost the same for the upgrade.

Enjoy your car!

Jon

 

One more thing... the picture looks like a stock air filter. A K&N filter is an easy upgrade that should be done, especially if you get a flash.

 

Thanks Jon:

I agree on getting to know the car first. I've tracked about 15 or so times before with my old Subaru STI. It had similar problems with understeer, that were fixed a great deal by simply installing a much larger diameter front anti-sway bar. That is why I questioned that simple fix. I really don't want to lower the car much at all if any.

Yes the car is bone stock which is why I chose it over many modified versions I found.

Thanks for the suspension insight. For now the car is plenty powerful for me. I'm sure, much like with my STI that will change.

 

Are you talking about a drop in filter, or Cold Air Intake?
If drop-in filter, how does it compare to some of the other intake systems I have seen? % gain of more expensive systems...? Anybody have numbers?

I bought mine 03/12/2010, Metallic Black '01 10.5k miles, Natural Brown Leather, Sport Seats, I'm still pretty pumped about it...

I feel your pain concerning snow/snow melt and dirty black paint...
Colorado has been spilt 50/50 Snow and 55-60 degree days... Can't wait for spring and summer.

 

No, just change the factory filter every other oil change and you'll get the 99.95+% filtration the engineers specified. K&N is crap filtration, as is most of the 'performance' filters.

No need for intake mods until you are beyond 600HP... No intake has been shown to improve performance in any appreciable way under that level.

Congrats to the OP, welcome!

A

 

^+1

What ard said...

Welcome!

 

Slowly getting used to the car. It is much easier to heel/toe this car than my 1991 C4 cab. That thing needs a serious pedal adjustment or surgery on my foot. My garage is getting odd stares from my neighbors. One white C4 cab on the right and a black 996TT on the left.