I finally got the funds together to start modding my MCS. The first thing I'm doing is H-Sport springs and fr/rr sway bars. After that I'm onto the engine. For sure, I'm going to start off with a reduction pulley (M7 16% or Helix 15%) and chip (probably GIAC). But what parts to add to this combo is where I am having trouble deciding. Originally, I thought I'd just do an intake, but the popping sound of the stock MCS exhaust has really started to bug, so I thought maybe I'd go with a nice Milltek system. However, I've been told that an exhaust mod on the MCS is unecessary until you open the breathing more (I would hate to spend all that money on the Milltek for very few or negative gains). Unfortunately, I can't afford both an intake and exhaust at this time, so I have to choose one. Or, I can go with something completely different like a cam or header. Really, I am open to the best combo to start with, keeping in mind that I probably won't be doing anything more to the car for another 6-9 months. Advice?

pulley + chip + intake
pulley + chip + exhaust
pulley + chip + ______

Thanks.

 

JMHO, but I think you should save the coin from the front sway bar and put it into the pulley, intake or something like that. The bar itself isn't needed and won't really help anything from what I understand.

 

light weight wheels with a nice sticky set of tires... that's my recommendation
i second forgetting the front sway bar.... it helps very little,

a nice cheap upgrade i'd recommend after wheels would be some nice brake pads... lower dust would protect your wheels longer!

 

x

 

I'm actually going to be doing wheels and tires in about two months. Even though wheels help with performance I always think of them as an aesthetic mod only to be done after you've got some oomph under the hood to justify the look. So yeah, wheels and tires are coming soon...just feel like I need a little more in the way of power before that.

(I'll do the brake pads when I get the rims...thanks for the advice)

 

Don't bother with the front sway specially if you are running stock shocks. Car will be more balanced with just the rear. If your goal is to run faster around corners, you MUST get a set of lighter wheels and good set of tires. You will see more benefit from that than the pulley. I will do the intake and the exhaust before the chip. Car will run great with 15%pulley without any ECU mod.

My advice
Tires+Rims, Springs, Rear Sway, Pulley, Intake, Exhaust.

Good Luck!