Letsride

Well guys, I wanted to post a little update on the IS. Its slowly transforming into a daily driver that I can thoroughly enjoy......

First off this was at the meet in Charlotte where it sports the rare 16" wheels, drilled and slotted rotors and painted calipers.....




Now if you look closely here you can see the new HKS Hiper......love the exhaust ...not too loud ....




Now there was this staggered setup to be installed......



And here it is as it sits now....



So let me know what you guys think....


Future upgrades include....

Injen 3rd gen intake....(on the way)
Clear side markers w/led bulbs ....(here)
Several underbody braces......
An Optima Blue top......


So lets see what everone else is doing......

bchau_gt

Looking good, seems like a nice start to the modding bug.

However, I'm curious to know why you have a staggered tire setup on the stock 17" wheels? What size are you rear tires? Why didn't you just put 225s all around?

Also, why are you getting an Optima blue-top battery? Aren't those really made for marine applications?

As for me, no plans for my car, I've already spent enough.

Letsride

Well I am running 225's up front and 235's out back.....

I want the blue top to match some couplings that will come with the intake. I have used the blue top in the past with my show Accord.....so I know what they can provide


BTW...thanks for the props.....I also bought a geniune Wald lip which I have since put up for sale in the classifieds. I really want the RMM one now.....

bchau_gt

Oh, I see. I just thought having 235 on the stock 7" wide wheels was pushing it. And I guess a battery is just a battery, haha.

I like the RMM front lip as well, but I would be too concerned about the carbon fiber splitter cracking.

I would also suggest getting some nice sway bars to help with handling. I don't have underbody braces, but I'd suspect that sway bars would help out a fair bit with the "sporty" feel around corners.

Letsride

Its funny you mention sways as I am looking at the Eibachs now.... Definitly on the list. After the handling is completed, I am thinking about doing the NAV retrofit just to see if it can be done

bchau_gt

The nav retrofit would be cool. There are parts lists and general instructions on IS300.NET on how to do that.

I've heard the Eibachs are decent, though they're among the soft sways available for our car. Personally, I'm pleased with my Hotchkis sways; they're adjustable and I just have them on the "soft" setting, which is much better than stock. However, I can't really comment on how well they compare to others because I haven't owned any other sways.

bchau_gt

BTW, you seem somewhat "performance-minded", so... when are you going to boost it?!?

Letsride

Well...when I say NAV retrofit I mean like it came from the factory...(not doing the screen housing with aftermarket nav ). I did the factory retrofit on my GS so its time for something new and exciting!

I have read about the Hotchkis bars but still undecided. What the price difference? Are both front and rear adjustable?

Boost will come......I am researching that now. The way that I may approach this is to do the v160 wsap fistr and then tackle the engine......not quite sure yet. I hope to have something in the orks next year though

bchau_gt

The Eibach sways are not adjustable, but the Hotchkis are adjustable in the front and the rear. The rear Hotchkis sway bar is a lot beefier than stock, so even on the soft setting it makes the car feel much more neutral IMO (no understeer like stock).

If you get the factory nav retrofit into a non-nav car, then I'd be really interested in learning how you did it. As far as I know nobody has done it.

Regarding boost, why get an intake if you plan on boosting the car? And have fun with the v160 swap; if I had the money and time, I wouldn't mind doing that too, but it's even more difficult when swapping into an auto IS.

flipside909

That's false. The rear are 3 way adjustable i.e. L-Tuned.

flipside909

Here's something important I learned about sways. The thickest or the most expensive isn't the best for handling despite the fact people are so dis-illusioned on that age old myth, especially if you're gonna lower it. Read here:

http://www.is300.net/forums/showthread.php?t=147250

bchau_gt

Thanks for the clarification Ryan. I did not know the rear sway is adjustable. Was that always the case?

flipside909

Yeah it's always been a rear 3 way adjustable.

irv_usc

you never know brian, maybe he got sportcross rears?

bchau_gt

That's a good point.