Question of the Day: Do You Mod Your Car?
As you may (maybe) know, SEMA is right around the corner. As in next week (whoever scheduled it for November 4 needs their head examined). And what is SEMA you may be asking? Well, no one even remembers what “SEMA” stands for, but the show has come to represent all that’s wonderful and/or dreadful in the simply humongous after market, er, market. More than too many four-door cars with scissor doors, too. And SEMA is big. No, bigger than big. It’s quite gigantic and most of the major OEMs (from Dodge to Hyundai to Daimler) will have radically customized cars on display next to radically customized bikini models. And this fact got me thinking — who is doing all this customizing? Admittedly, my last WRX may have had a mod or two (or ten). But I was a much younger man back then. And not getting press cars all the time. My new WRX? Bone stock save for some fancy pants tires. Might I mod it? Dunno. As I age, I worry about reliability. And more boost sounds… expensive, in the long run. But dear readers, what about you?
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Is this site Firefox unfriendly? I always have the hardest time logging in here. SEMA = Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association Well as you might surmise from my handle, I have an (06) Velocity Red Mazda 3i. Aside from the 17' aftermarket wheels & my Pioneer D3, my add on parts have (& will) come straight from the factory in Hiroshima. There is a striving e-bay trade for mazda parts this way. No warranties, but all OEM so you know it fits/works/won't start fires. I got factory fogs & LED's (real LED's) in my center brake light. Next will be LED tail lights (think 350z) & then to change my standard manual shift lever to the 2" quick shifter. Again these are real mazda parts straight from the factory in Japan. One good thing about this car, is that all of the wiring harnesses/sensors are there. (even the one for the sunroof & the rain sensor, speed wipers etc... ) One just has to get the various switches/& or control modules. ZOOM-ZOOM :)
I do mod my cars, but in these days of marriage, parenthood and the accompanying discretionary spending money shortage, the ability to do so is hindered. I have always been in the quest for more power, so that is where my modding dollars have gone. My previous Prelude had a cold air intake, stainless header and muffler that all woke that car up nicely. My current TSX has the best bang for your buck mod for the car: Hondata Reflash. Stock, the VTEC cam engaged at 6K rpm and you were bouncing off the rev limiter at 7.1K rpm. Post reflash, the VTEC cam comes on smoothly at 5K rpm and runs all the way up to 7.5K rpm and feel much stronger in the process. I wish had the scratch to do a header, exhaust, coilovers, and wheels and tires, but, then again, if I put the $6K into the car to do that, why not just get a better car? CPO 325 or 330, anyone?