Bang for the Buck Analysis of Recent Upgrades and Mods to my Sc430
06-20-13, 05:12 AM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Bang for the Buck Analysis of Recent Upgrades and Mods to my Sc430
Hi All;
The past few months I have made a number of changes to my sc430. I thought it would be useful to share my experiences with everyone:
1. SRT Chip, Intake, and Heat Shield. At about about $700 parts and labor, this initially seemed like a very expensive intake. However this made a huge difference in power in my car. The owner of SRT says this is proven to add 30WHP and 40 LBS Torque. I beleive it. Bang for the Buck=Medium/High.
2. Sprint Booster. The Sprint Booster reduces drive by wire lag. It makes a nice difference in the sc430. It is $300 on amazon. Bang for the Buck= Very High.
3. Michelin Pilot Super Sport Tires. These tires are fantastic. They make the sc430 much smoother. They also happen to look really nice. I bought mine for $1000 on Tire Rack. This is probably the best thing you can do to your sc in my opinion. Bang for the Buck=High.
4. Lexus Steering Wheel Emblem. My steering wheel emblem was fading. It looked terrible. I bought a new emblem off ebay for $40 off a GS430 air bag cover. I spent hours cutting off one emblem and putting it on my steering wheel. Bang for the Buck=Low/Medium (factoring in time as a cost, since it took so long to install).
5. I-Simple. The 2002-2005 sc430 doesn't have a lot of options to link your ipod to the factory radio. You can buy an I-Simple for $50 at walmart.com, and it will solve this dilemma. But installation is a real pain. You have to dissasemble your entire radio, center console, and even AC unit. You also may have to do some drilling. In the end, if you know what you are doing this is easy to install. But I did't know what I was doing and it took me at least 4 hours. The link to the radio sounds great though, and looks much nicer than the ugly tape deck adapter.Bang for the Buck=Low/Medium (factoring in time as a cost, since it took so long to install).
6. Wifi Obd2 Elm327 Car Code Reader. I bought this for $40 on amazon.com. It is a little stressfull linking your car computer to your iphone, but in the end it works very well. Bang for the Buck=Medium/High (factoring in time as a cost, since it took some time to install).
7. Rev2 I-Phone App. This app is expensive at $40. But it is also very functional and reads all information from you car's computer. You can see real time WHP, torque, instant gas mileage, etc. The interface is also good, but not great. The downside is that you have to spend some time figuring out how to link the App to the Wifi Obd2 Elm327 Car Code Reader. The app itself is also somewhat complicated. In fact, there is a user manual online which I had to study. Bang for the Buck=Medium/High (factoring in time as a cost, since it took time to learn the app and link to Wifi code reader).
8. DashCommand I-Phone App. Dashcommand essentially serves the same function as Rev2, except the interface is more aesthetically appealing. Dashcommand is also a bit more expensive at $50. Another downside of this app is that it doesn't have a 0-60 function like Rev2. Bang for the Buck=Medium/Low.
9. Re-Stalled Torque Converter. Recently I had my Torque Converter re-stalled at SRT. The owner said this modification would make the car faster off the line. The car is a bit faster, but at a $1000, I'd say I didn't get much out of this modification. It is only slightly faster off the line. The owner said he was very conservative with the stall speed, as to preserve the mpg and lifespan of the transmission, which I appreciate. In all fairness, some cars are more ammenable to a re-stalled torque converter so this modification may work better for others. Bang for the Buck=Low.
10. Dynolicious App. I love this app. At $20, you can record your 0-60 graphically. The output is really nice too. It is easy to use. Bang for the Buck=High.
11. MGP Caliper Covers. These caliper covers are terrible. They just don't stay on. I am returning these to get my money back. They are $200. Bang for the Buck=Very Low.
Hope this help! Feel Free to comment! -Lex
The past few months I have made a number of changes to my sc430. I thought it would be useful to share my experiences with everyone:
1. SRT Chip, Intake, and Heat Shield. At about about $700 parts and labor, this initially seemed like a very expensive intake. However this made a huge difference in power in my car. The owner of SRT says this is proven to add 30WHP and 40 LBS Torque. I beleive it. Bang for the Buck=Medium/High.
2. Sprint Booster. The Sprint Booster reduces drive by wire lag. It makes a nice difference in the sc430. It is $300 on amazon. Bang for the Buck= Very High.
3. Michelin Pilot Super Sport Tires. These tires are fantastic. They make the sc430 much smoother. They also happen to look really nice. I bought mine for $1000 on Tire Rack. This is probably the best thing you can do to your sc in my opinion. Bang for the Buck=High.
4. Lexus Steering Wheel Emblem. My steering wheel emblem was fading. It looked terrible. I bought a new emblem off ebay for $40 off a GS430 air bag cover. I spent hours cutting off one emblem and putting it on my steering wheel. Bang for the Buck=Low/Medium (factoring in time as a cost, since it took so long to install).
5. I-Simple. The 2002-2005 sc430 doesn't have a lot of options to link your ipod to the factory radio. You can buy an I-Simple for $50 at walmart.com, and it will solve this dilemma. But installation is a real pain. You have to dissasemble your entire radio, center console, and even AC unit. You also may have to do some drilling. In the end, if you know what you are doing this is easy to install. But I did't know what I was doing and it took me at least 4 hours. The link to the radio sounds great though, and looks much nicer than the ugly tape deck adapter.Bang for the Buck=Low/Medium (factoring in time as a cost, since it took so long to install).
6. Wifi Obd2 Elm327 Car Code Reader. I bought this for $40 on amazon.com. It is a little stressfull linking your car computer to your iphone, but in the end it works very well. Bang for the Buck=Medium/High (factoring in time as a cost, since it took some time to install).
7. Rev2 I-Phone App. This app is expensive at $40. But it is also very functional and reads all information from you car's computer. You can see real time WHP, torque, instant gas mileage, etc. The interface is also good, but not great. The downside is that you have to spend some time figuring out how to link the App to the Wifi Obd2 Elm327 Car Code Reader. The app itself is also somewhat complicated. In fact, there is a user manual online which I had to study. Bang for the Buck=Medium/High (factoring in time as a cost, since it took time to learn the app and link to Wifi code reader).
8. DashCommand I-Phone App. Dashcommand essentially serves the same function as Rev2, except the interface is more aesthetically appealing. Dashcommand is also a bit more expensive at $50. Another downside of this app is that it doesn't have a 0-60 function like Rev2. Bang for the Buck=Medium/Low.
9. Re-Stalled Torque Converter. Recently I had my Torque Converter re-stalled at SRT. The owner said this modification would make the car faster off the line. The car is a bit faster, but at a $1000, I'd say I didn't get much out of this modification. It is only slightly faster off the line. The owner said he was very conservative with the stall speed, as to preserve the mpg and lifespan of the transmission, which I appreciate. In all fairness, some cars are more ammenable to a re-stalled torque converter so this modification may work better for others. Bang for the Buck=Low.
10. Dynolicious App. I love this app. At $20, you can record your 0-60 graphically. The output is really nice too. It is easy to use. Bang for the Buck=High.
11. MGP Caliper Covers. These caliper covers are terrible. They just don't stay on. I am returning these to get my money back. They are $200. Bang for the Buck=Very Low.
Hope this help! Feel Free to comment! -Lex
06-20-13, 05:54 AM
#2
Lexus Test Driver
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Nice review...
How long did it take you to receive the intake after purchase? I'm on the fence as I've heard both good and bad (although mostly negative) about SRT's customer service.
But.... $200 for caliper covers? For that much, you probably could've picked up a set of used LS400's in the classifieds.
How long did it take you to receive the intake after purchase? I'm on the fence as I've heard both good and bad (although mostly negative) about SRT's customer service.
But.... $200 for caliper covers? For that much, you probably could've picked up a set of used LS400's in the classifieds.
06-20-13, 06:30 AM
#3
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Srt
Thanks for your response. Indeed, the caliper covers were a poor investment on my part. Plus they don't even stay on the sc and can present a safety risk. I too should have purchased a LS400 instead :-)
In terms of SRT, my suggestion is to pull the trigger and get the intake. You will be happy. My car is a lot faster with the intake, chip, and heat shield combo.
It is true that the customer service is not great. The owner is really busy, and sometimes over extends himself. But he is a good guy and really knows these cars. Don't be surprised if your order takes much longer than expected. It will be well worth the wait though.
Does that help? Feel free to email questions.
Cheers, Lex
In terms of SRT, my suggestion is to pull the trigger and get the intake. You will be happy. My car is a lot faster with the intake, chip, and heat shield combo.
It is true that the customer service is not great. The owner is really busy, and sometimes over extends himself. But he is a good guy and really knows these cars. Don't be surprised if your order takes much longer than expected. It will be well worth the wait though.
Does that help? Feel free to email questions.
Cheers, Lex
06-20-13, 05:03 PM
#5
You did a lot good things to your car. I was surprised about the SRT numbers. Was that a difficult install? I am not sure, but maybe I read wrong: is there a chip involved to work with the existing ECU?
06-20-13, 05:37 PM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
06-20-13, 07:20 PM
#7
I suspect the cold air intake gains are more mental than real. The car sounds faster so it feels faster. It's a good mod for that alone, but you can get the same effect for a lot less with an InJen cold air intake.
Also, the Sprint Booster doesn't give any actual performance gains. It makes the throttle more sensitive. Basically, it's the same as stomping on the gas. But again, it's a nice mental effect.
The best bang for the buck performance-wise would probably be headers and exhaust.
Also, the Sprint Booster doesn't give any actual performance gains. It makes the throttle more sensitive. Basically, it's the same as stomping on the gas. But again, it's a nice mental effect.
The best bang for the buck performance-wise would probably be headers and exhaust.
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06-21-13, 10:55 AM
#8
Lead Lap
Regarding the caliper covers, just paint them. Mandyfig did an excellent tutorial on doing that a while back.
06-21-13, 12:06 PM
#9
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
I suspect the cold air intake gains are more mental than real. The car sounds faster so it feels faster. It's a good mod for that alone, but you can get the same effect for a lot less with an InJen cold air intake.
Also, the Sprint Booster doesn't give any actual performance gains. It makes the throttle more sensitive. Basically, it's the same as stomping on the gas. But again, it's a nice mental effect.
The best bang for the buck performance-wise would probably be headers and exhaust.
Also, the Sprint Booster doesn't give any actual performance gains. It makes the throttle more sensitive. Basically, it's the same as stomping on the gas. But again, it's a nice mental effect.
The best bang for the buck performance-wise would probably be headers and exhaust.
All very well could be correct. The car is a lot more fun to drive and that what matters to me. SRT installed a chip and heat shield and said they used a dyno, and that it is proven to give more HP. The car does really feel like it accelerates faster!!
06-21-13, 12:14 PM
#10
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
06-21-13, 02:15 PM
#11
Lead Lap
Mandyfig did his in black, as did others.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...and-decal.html
Others red
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...-calipers.html
It seems like I remember one done in blue also.
I'm not sure if I remember any silver cars with the painted calipers to compare with though.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...and-decal.html
Others red
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-...-calipers.html
It seems like I remember one done in blue also.
I'm not sure if I remember any silver cars with the painted calipers to compare with though.
06-21-13, 03:22 PM
#13
If Mandifig sees this post, could you give us an update on how your caliper paint and Lexus sticker are holding up? You painted them in 2011 so I'm wondering if they still look good.
Thank you
Thank you
