So I have a birthday coming up, a pretty good excuse to drop some cash on #1. I'm thinking around $500. Here's where I currently stand:

15% pulley
K&N filter
Rally lights
Blacked out headlight rings, chrome trim, gas cap
Not so legal window tint all around
Stereo is well sorted
55k miles

My question is what's next. I like the car as is, but being a car guy, I feel the need to improve. But...I need a plan. The car is a daily driver, and I have no desire to track the car, so please keep that in mind. Not looking for 250hp+, just a nice(r) daily driver.

 

55k miles,.. Your maintenance things good?,... Are your LCA bushings still in good shape? If you can drop the subframe and do the work yourself then Powerflex LCA Bushings, all 4 ball-joints, some CravenSpeed Strut Tower Defenders, maybe even some Powerflex motormount inserts if a little more vibration and harshness doesn't bother you. That will eat up your $500. (it's what I happen to have in a cart, which is on hold till I fix a radiator problem)

ATI Super Damper would be nice on a DD?

Stainless Steel Brakelines? Tyrolsport brake stiff kit?

Save towards a set of really fun sticky tires that you could put on in the spring?

You're only a couple hundred or less shy of Koni FSD shocks. Super nice on a daily driver.

Rear sway bar I hear is best bang for the buck after the pulley for the fun factor catagory. I always say tires first as they have the most potential to be able to make a real significant difference in handling accelerating braking etc,..

 

Oh,... And happy birthday! Have fun.

 

Thanks! Forgot to mention all maintenance is up to date. I need to replace the wheel sensors but they're in a shelf in the garage waiting to go on. Also, just upgraded the brake system last month. Not ready for bushings yet. Going to wait until they need replacing. Also forgot I have Madness Strut Tower plates on. Suspension is pretty tight. I planned on coil overs when the struts need replacing.

I'll add a sway bar to the list.

 

That ATI super damper is pretty sweet. A guy at our local MINI Club has one. I sat in his car and noticed it feels a lot smoother. Pretty amazing.

 

Happy B Day

-- ATI Super Damper <--- I Second the Nomination on this one. Dont wait for your harmonic balancer to go out. And its an awesome worth every dollar you spend upgrade. I bought mine on ebay and saved a ton of money.

I have one and LOVE IT!

Might do some upgrades on the engine, better plugs and plug wires, coil pack, maybe an M7 air diverter? Header? Go do a one ball exhaust? Maybe a combo of things.

 

Well you can see my mods in my sig and she's a daily driver.

I would skip the coil as no one has ever been able to prove it does anything but look pretty (if you get the red one). As for the dampener if you'rs is having an issue then by all means go for it. My car has just about 86K on the clock and has the factory installed unit. My sons' R53 has 125K and had to have it replaced at about 115K.

Depending on what you want to do with the car I would say find a GOOD exhaust shop and have them fab you up a good "CAT-BACK" or buy a rear swaybar. A good swaybar will do for the suspension what your pulley did for your engine. One of the BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK mods out there.

OR to maximize your investment get the oneball done AND a swaybar.. It never hurts to buy a bunch of the small things you want at once. The last time I did that I spent about a grand on just a TON of small parts and stuff I wanted. I probably felt better about that then getting one big thing. I had more STUFF!!!