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Keeping the DD fun?

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fun keeping
4K views 56 replies 25 participants last post by  JadeGRSX 
#1 ·
So here's the deal. I've owned my rsx for over 2 years, put about 30k miles on it (wow really?), and I'm starting to feel somewhat bored with it. I have come to really like the car, it's been reliable as hell (I owned a 98 camaro before), but it's easy to take this car to it's limit in stock form and I'm looking for some more fun. If you had to drive this car to work everyday and then 20 miles to school and back every day, what would be the first thing you would think about doing to make your ride more enjoyable. I've done tint, and put a pioneer/rockford system in it so far and that's it. I'm thinking maybe a short shifter? Maybe hondata tune? I don't want this car to be loud, so I think I'll leave the exhuast stock on it. Car has 90k miles on it, what would be your first thought?
 
#3 ·
This one is easy...

Get a short ram of some sort (dependent on if intake sound annoys you), or maybe a box style intake?
You can get a race header if your wanting to make some hp but if its your daily driver, then I would just stick with stock header... stock header paired with aftermarket exhaust make most exhaust sound real nice... if you add a RH, a lot of exhaust get loud and sometimes raspy...
great sounding DD exhaust in my book include: Greddy Evo 2, Greddy Sp2, Apexi World Sport 2, Apexi Noir, Greddy Spectrum Elite (present day Sp2) or not sure if you can even get it now days but Fujitsubo PG...
and last get reflash, you have an 03 so your good if you decide to get a RH your good

IMO the perfect DD setup

Mugen airbox intake
Type-R header
Greddy Spectrum Elite
Reflash
Tein suspension and lowered a tad
lightweight wheels with uber sticky rubber

Good luck on whatever you decide :thumbsup:
 
#4 · (Edited)
oh yeah, camalot459 made a good point
get a JDM ITR header, if you get a normal race header you would need to upgrade motor mounts, and that isn't very fun for daily driving

a Budget midded DD would be:
Gutted air box
JDM ITR header
Strut king shifter cable bushings
reflash - can do without it
Nexen N300 walmart tires! :laughing:

Damn! i would love this set up sooo much!
i hate my motor mounts! no fun for daily driving!

goodluck
 
#6 ·
Gutted Airbox Mod + Hondata IMG + JDM ITR Header + 05-06 Exhaust + #4 Reflash = Great DD.

(Feel free to swap Airbox Mod for another intake and the exhaust for a WS2 or Greddy SE if you wish

If you want a bit more power, get the JDM ITR Cams + PRC Intake Manifold + Hondata ITR Reflash = epic!
 
#7 ·
short ram and reflash? How much of a difference can that provide together? At the track the car traps 95 mph, it would be cool if those two could yeild 100mph.

Doesn't adding a RH fuck with your emissions? My ls1 camaro failed emissions for having the long tubes...
 
#8 ·
if you can find an ITR header, you'll need a new front sway bar to clear it
again the setup depends on how much money you have but I think a good DD setup is

some sort of Airbox, they all perform the same

Hondata Reflash

Greddy Sp2/Evo2/SpectrumElite
-or-
Apexi Noir/WorldSport2
-or-
05-06 catback

05-06 aspec coilovers

General UHP or Yokohama S.Drives 225/45R17 (I'm assuming you have 17" wheels)(the stock tires hold back the car alot, particularly in braking)

The only short shifter that doesn't seem to have issues is the PSPEC one.
Some people don't like the pedals for heel-toe maneuvers so you could look into Mugen or Autovation pedals because they add a tab on the gas pedal for easier heel-toeing


The car will be much more fun to drive, sound a little meaner, look a little meaner, without compromising comfort, or day-to-day use.

RHs have legal/smog issues and anything other than the ITR header requires motor mounts.
The ITR RH requires you to change the front sway bar to either the EM2 19mm bar or a hard-to-find EP3R sway, or hotchkiss I think clears the ITR header as well.

IMO that'd be the perfect DD. a much more usable low-end, just aggressive enough without attracting too much of the wrong type of attention, most reliable setup that should be totally problem free, very few compromises compared to stock.
 
#11 ·
RHs have legal/smog issues and anything other than the ITR header requires motor mounts.
The ITR RH requires you to change the front sway bar to either the EM2 19mm bar or a hard-to-find EP3R sway, or hotchkiss I think clears the ITR header as well.
That and the price of the ITR header is the main reason I went with the shorty/HF cat combo. I wont make as much power but it uses the stock sway and it only cost me 185bux for the comptech shorty + HF Cat pipe.
 
#13 ·
A-spec or Mugen sport suspensions are very comfy for DD....potholes in Atlanta are brutal but i get over them fine and the hills in NC i can't even describe but its like i rather take an additional 20 min long drive just to take the scenic route lol.
 
#14 ·
:iamwiths:

I had aspec suspension installed on mine, absolutely love it. Definite plus in handling and looks without having to worry about scraping MOST of the time. It's not low enough for some, but I think its perfect for DD. Holds up in all weather.
 
#16 ·
Actually after re-reading the OP, I think this is a better combination assuming this car will always be a DD and this will be the final state of the car. My guess is the car is used primarily for commuting, with some driving for fun on the side


any airbox (mugen, gutted, arc, I'd go with gutted, definitely no smog issues)
reflash
you can look into the 05-06 catback since it's a little bigger but still an OEM part
aspec coilovers
ITR or 05-06 rear sway (IIRC, they're within 1mm of each other)
a new set of wheels, your pick
225/45R17 UHP summer tires mounted on the nice 17" wheels
winter tires mounted on your stockies

I think motor mounts would kill it because it looks like you live in a cold area and theres no real reason to get motor mounts short of a RH, which would fail smog here in Cali.
pedals+short shifter+seats is up to you.

I think I covered all the bases
more power, smoother torque curve
better handling without too much loss in comfort
better tires year round
 
#18 ·


thanks for the input. With an airbox and reflash coupled with the aspec coilovers and short shifter would it be close to a 100mph car 1/4 mile wise? Sometimes on the freeway those 08 altimas and G35s seem to be able to beat me to the punch which is quite sad..
 
#20 · (Edited)
ditto with what others have said


but for a really fun dd

kpro
race header
CAI
buddy club spec 3
cams
rbc
Hondata IMG
coilovers

then wheels, hid's, itr kit, and foglights to stare at your reflection in other peoples cars

But I like to be loud sometimes :)
 
#22 ·
Id go with an Ice box CAI, the Buddy club Race Header, 05-06 exhaust (if you dont want it loud), kpro (reflash makes your car run lean as shit, or so ive heard). maybe throw on some springs and struts if you dont want to go for full coilovers.
my set up is

Injen CAI
Buddy Club RH
HKS Hi Power E
Tein SS-P with pillow ball mounts
(Kpro in the works)
 
#25 ·
from what i've experienced the last last two years commuting from sacramento, I should be trapping at least 100 to be able to keep up with and react to those who feel the need to drive like assholes in order to make up a few seconds on the freeway.
 
#26 ·
well the reflash does give you alot more power lower in the rpm range so you'll notice alot more power from like 2200 but it still isn't fast. you'd probably have to downshift a gear or two to come close to keeping up with a G35 if they're flooring it too. (pure speculation, someone with more experience should answer this part)
If you really want power then you'll have to go forced induction+K-Pro

that said, I/E Reflash is enough power for a DD I think. Definitely wont be the fastest thing on the road but faster than most of the normal commuter cars out there so keeping up with traffic won't be an issue.
 
#28 ·
Just an idea for when your clutch gives, get a stage 1.5 clutch and flywheel installed on there as well over the stock oem clutch. That would make it funner to drive and more of a challenge for the first initial period. its about 250 more then a oem clutch with the flywheel. just an idea
 
#30 ·
sorry its an s . It sounds like a good cai, reflash, s.s, and a-spec may get me to where I'd like the car to be. It's too bad the stock wheels aren't 17s, that would make it that much better.

I appreciate the responses, this really helps out.
 
#32 ·
sorry to jack the thread but I installed the adjustable Progress rear sway on my base and the thing puts lots of pressure on my muffler. it groans and makes noises while driving and sometimes messes with my exhaust note. Is this normal? I don't like the noise.
PS. Thought this was better than starting a new thread. Thanks for replies in advance
 
#38 ·
my perfect DD setup...

CAI
RH
Buddy Club Spec III
Motor Mounts
Gutted Interior
Sticky Tires
Wide ass wheels
K-pro
Cams/Upgraded Valvetrain
K24 Block
LSD
5.0 Final Drive

umm thats about it i suppose...
not sure about you but i like to have a somewhat functional interior on a daily driver, you must not have people you need to drive around from time to time.

We'll see how the short shifter and hondata reflash works out for this car when I get around to it. I will keep this thread updated.
 
#41 ·
Took you 5 yrs? For me it was a downgrade powerwise in order to find a car better on gas mileage but yet still retain some sportyness to it, and the chips fell on this car. 2 years later and you really feel like you know how to pinpoint what you want to do to it. The power this car has is just enough to make you say, "well its not bad for a 2.0L that is n/a, but that 03 cobra just passed me like I was pissing on the side of the road".
 
#44 ·
my mods are listed below and its my dd... had the car for almost 3 years and its a fun car to drive. wish it made more power which is why im thinking about boost. but with my setup i hit a 13.6 at 104mph on shitty dunlop tires. since your just starting to mod i would defitnitely recommend a cai, decent rh, 05-06 exhaust or a quieter aftermarket exhaust like a greddy sp2, and finally k-pro.... the car would be a lot more fun to drive and will be quite a bit quicker than stock. would pull from that g35 but still get spanked by the 03 cobra haha
 
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