View Poll Results: What performance mod would you buy it it were available?
Headers
41
20.71%
Header back exhaust
44
22.22%
Nitrous
9
4.55%
Underdrive pulley
23
11.62%
Gears
13
6.57%
light weight drive shaft
16
8.08%
supercharger
52
26.26%
turbo
51
25.76%
Performance chip
84
42.42%
All of the above
29
14.65%
None of the above
47
23.74%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 198. You may not vote on this poll
What aftermarket product would you buy?
10-03-06, 08:03 PM
#16
Lexus Test Driver
i fully understand and respect those who don't wish to mod their cars. My main reason was to set mine apart from other ones, but I guess the mod bug has bit and stuck...
10-03-06, 08:43 PM
#17
I could see this happening ONLY if your original driveshaft were made of concrete adn you hade a set of 1:25 gears. I doubt that you would see any difference in a lightweight driveshaft, the gears on the other hand can net you some decent results but thinking that you are going to get a full second reduction with the both of these is a pipe dream.
10-07-06, 01:46 PM
#19
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I created this poll to show the aftermarket that there are a lot of people that want aftermarket products. I don't really like the fact that people are posting about how they wouldn't buy anything aftermarket. I also don't like the fact that someone added a "none of the above" option to my poll just out of a request by a member. That totally changes the reason for this poll. I'm trying to get the aftermarket interested for the people looking to mod there car. For the people that don't want aftermarket then shut up and say nothing and nothing will come to you. But don't screw it up for the rest of us. Notice my thread says "What performance mod would you buy it were available". It does not say "Would you modify your car if these parts were available".
10-08-06, 10:04 AM
#20
You need to lighten up a bit. 
If you think that all threads stay strictly on the original topic and never wander a bit, then you really don’t understand the nature of internet forums.
If you think that all threads stay strictly on the original topic and never wander a bit, then you really don’t understand the nature of internet forums.
10-08-06, 04:28 PM
#21
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It looks like the performance chip so far is what people want the most. If I could get a 10 hp gain and better shifting I would be game.
Last edited by Xelvic; 10-08-06 at 04:32 PM.
10-08-06, 04:53 PM
#22
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None of the above. It is a wrong car to start with if you want modifications. If you want the luxury, a BMW 335 Ci would be a much better start and easier to deal with. If not, a car like Mitsubishi Evolution or Subaru STi will do the job much better.
A forced induction car is much easier and cost effective to modify. Plus, there are multiple tuners/vendors that compete against each other to provide customers with the best and reasonably priced products.
I am not against anybody modifying their ISes (it's your hard-earned money, so it is up to you), but thousands of dollars for a catback pipe and air intake don't strike me as a good solution. The best you can get is a trivial amount of rwhp. The wrost you can get is just more noise.
For me, the IS is the family car. So, I am more interested in such things as iPod or XM integrations, etc.
What I'd do for the IS is probably drop-in K&N filter, 1.3bar radiator cap, and Redline Waterwetter. If I have more money to burn, probably I'll wait for companies like HKS to make higher duration camshafts. Four cams are probably not going to be cheap, but at least they make real power and the car is still quiet and reliable for daily driving. I haven't checked IS's cams' specs yet, but from what I hear from the engine, the lobe duration is high enough from the factory.
For the record, I've never been a big fan of cold air intake. First, it is noisy. Second, it might not do a really good job filtrating. Third, it might suck hot air from the engine (which is a big avoidance for a naturally aspirited engine). Four, it attracts an unwarranted attention from law enforcement (psychologically, it is like a declaration of guilt).
I have a different car that makes about 420 hp at the wheel. Yet, I still keep the factory airbox since it is not a restriction, anyway.
A forced induction car is much easier and cost effective to modify. Plus, there are multiple tuners/vendors that compete against each other to provide customers with the best and reasonably priced products.
I am not against anybody modifying their ISes (it's your hard-earned money, so it is up to you), but thousands of dollars for a catback pipe and air intake don't strike me as a good solution. The best you can get is a trivial amount of rwhp. The wrost you can get is just more noise.
For me, the IS is the family car. So, I am more interested in such things as iPod or XM integrations, etc.
What I'd do for the IS is probably drop-in K&N filter, 1.3bar radiator cap, and Redline Waterwetter. If I have more money to burn, probably I'll wait for companies like HKS to make higher duration camshafts. Four cams are probably not going to be cheap, but at least they make real power and the car is still quiet and reliable for daily driving. I haven't checked IS's cams' specs yet, but from what I hear from the engine, the lobe duration is high enough from the factory.
For the record, I've never been a big fan of cold air intake. First, it is noisy. Second, it might not do a really good job filtrating. Third, it might suck hot air from the engine (which is a big avoidance for a naturally aspirited engine). Four, it attracts an unwarranted attention from law enforcement (psychologically, it is like a declaration of guilt).
I have a different car that makes about 420 hp at the wheel. Yet, I still keep the factory airbox since it is not a restriction, anyway.
04-30-07, 12:16 AM
#25
I created this poll to show the aftermarket that there are a lot of people that want aftermarket products. I don't really like the fact that people are posting about how they wouldn't buy anything aftermarket. I also don't like the fact that someone added a "none of the above" option to my poll just out of a request by a member. That totally changes the reason for this poll...
i might get flamed for this but I just have to get it out of my chest!!!
...please understand why some of us prefer to keep our cars stock. Advantages include:
• We save the money otherwise spent on expensive mods.
• We don’t have to throw away or store perfectly good replaced parts, like OEM rims.
• We never run into operating difficulties due to a mod not engineered well for the car.
• We never void a warranty caused by a mod.
• We never get pulled over for an illegal mod.
• We’ll never flunk a smog test.
• Our un-tinted windows never squeak, bubble or cause radio reception problems.
• In a related sense, we never compromise safety stemming from an illegal mod (e.g. dark tints).
• Our cars’ resale value is often higher unless the mods are removed before the sale.
• We believe aftermarket instrument mods, like GPS units or additional gauges, have a cluttered and tacked-on look, spoiling the designed beauty of the IS dash.
• Let’s be honest, we’d rather watch football on Sunday rather than get our hands dirty.
• We save the money otherwise spent on expensive mods.
• We don’t have to throw away or store perfectly good replaced parts, like OEM rims.
• We never run into operating difficulties due to a mod not engineered well for the car.
• We never void a warranty caused by a mod.
• We never get pulled over for an illegal mod.
• We’ll never flunk a smog test.
• Our un-tinted windows never squeak, bubble or cause radio reception problems.
• In a related sense, we never compromise safety stemming from an illegal mod (e.g. dark tints).
• Our cars’ resale value is often higher unless the mods are removed before the sale.
• We believe aftermarket instrument mods, like GPS units or additional gauges, have a cluttered and tacked-on look, spoiling the designed beauty of the IS dash.
• Let’s be honest, we’d rather watch football on Sunday rather than get our hands dirty.
- I am saving money compared to my previous car (CL600), it just had a ridiculous running cost and of course purchase price.
- I know that replaced OEM parts can be sold easily.
- I would like to know all the nifty details about my tuned car... it's a valuable learning experience than can be applied later on to my future cars
- Not all of us would like to go extreme so that we'd get pulled over by police, run on non-street-legal parts, fail smog tests…etc
- (Arguably) some mods enhances safety as well as the driving experience
I am on the same boat as the OP... this is my first non-German car and I specifically chose the IS because:
- I wanted to (just for once!) tune a Japanese car and the IS's predecessor's reputation in modification got me sold.
- It was not a big compromise in the luxury department
- I assumed that it would get its fair share of aftermarket parts
Of course I got it way worst than you guys because the new IS300 is completely neglected at the moment
but I was hoping to at least see a big collection of mods for the ISX50 and then see what can be applied to the IS300.
Last edited by kattanh3; 04-30-07 at 02:50 AM. Reason: a silly typo :")
04-30-07, 10:54 AM
#26
04-30-07, 01:48 PM
#27
I was referring to strip yards
they take anything and everything for, let's say, quarter of its price and sell it for half. This way you would be reducing the net amount of money spend on modifications but of course you will also lose the luxury of switching back... It's interesting that you have picked OEM rims as an example, they are actually the easiest part to sell that I can think of and you can get a good price on them as well -half the original price is a very realistic target even with 17"- they are (semi)universal and for some reason (all Lexus rims) are very popular among Toyota Camry's and Corolla's... I guess they look at it as going one class up or something...VIP perhaps lol... Anyways, here in Saudi, we have basic garages at every single petrol station (I am not sure if it's the same case in the USA or not) typically they have a huge collection of OEM rims... especially of Germen cars (mostly Mercs and Beemers).
Last edited by kattanh3; 04-30-07 at 01:49 PM. Reason: typo!!!
04-30-07, 04:07 PM
#28
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I really want to get a short shifter for my IS250....
I test drove a bunch of cars before the 250 that had short shifters, and they were dreams... They throw with the manual transmission isn't painfully long, but still... To have shorter throws would be WONDERFUL
I test drove a bunch of cars before the 250 that had short shifters, and they were dreams... They throw with the manual transmission isn't painfully long, but still... To have shorter throws would be WONDERFUL
04-30-07, 05:13 PM
#29
Kattanh3,
I picked rims because, as I said, I assumed they would only be of interest to IS owners who already have them. I pictured their taking up space and collecting dust in someone’s garage or storage space for years until they’re finally thrown out. But if they’re that easy to sell, that’s OK, I’ll take your word for it.
Now all you have to do is explain to me is why, when considering OEM rims are designed for the car by experienced design engineers to enhance its good appearance, so many of you can’t wait to take them off and opt for aftermarket rims that IMHO are put on just to be different but do nothing to improve the car’s appearance. In fact it strikes me that many times they look worse. Yes, I can open up any car magazine and see pages and pages of ads for aftermarket rims, so business must be good. But as a true stock advocate I still don’t understand it.
I picked rims because, as I said, I assumed they would only be of interest to IS owners who already have them. I pictured their taking up space and collecting dust in someone’s garage or storage space for years until they’re finally thrown out. But if they’re that easy to sell, that’s OK, I’ll take your word for it.
Now all you have to do is explain to me is why, when considering OEM rims are designed for the car by experienced design engineers to enhance its good appearance, so many of you can’t wait to take them off and opt for aftermarket rims that IMHO are put on just to be different but do nothing to improve the car’s appearance. In fact it strikes me that many times they look worse. Yes, I can open up any car magazine and see pages and pages of ads for aftermarket rims, so business must be good. But as a true stock advocate I still don’t understand it.
04-30-07, 10:33 PM
#30
...Now all you have to do is explain to me is why, when considering OEM rims are designed for the car by experienced design engineers to enhance its good appearance, so many of you can’t wait to take them off and opt for aftermarket rims that IMHO are put on just to be different but do nothing to improve the car’s appearance. In fact it strikes me that many times they look worse...
You got me there, it's defiantly a personalization issue
. Still, there are two things to consider: design and size. IMO the 18" double 5 spokes & the 17" 10 spokes OEM rims look absolutely beautiful. To me, the IS is a very attractive looking car, very sleek, very concept-like... to complement it's design lines most of us would (want to) fit bigger wheels & drop the car a bit to reduce the gap between the rim lips and the arches/fenders. This defiantly gives the car a better look but of course compromises some of the ride comfort & quality. I think it's unfortunate that those OEM wheels are not available in bigger sizes.
Personally, I need the 17" rims at the moment for its ride quality, especially that the IS is my daily driven car. I would have gone for aluminum brushed staggered 19" 3-piece rims if our roads were ideal.