future plans

[sixhex]

I know we all have future plans for our pros, some quite long term at that...
I've had my pro for about 9 months, and i thought i was so original for wanting to mod an early 90's economy sedan...
then i discovered forums like this a couple months ago...
before, i just had far off ideas of what i wanted to do, but now i think, with reading this forum all the time, and reading several of your sites and how to's and etc, i have a pretty good idea of what i want to do...

so i made a big list of options i could do: interior, exterior, engine, intake\exhaust, suspension, etc...
but then it got me thinking...
most of what i want to do has to be spaced out between a couple years, due to money... but my car is just over 10 years old now... how much longer is anyone going to want to make parts for it..?
i know a lot of our group buys and custom offers won't last forever...
like strut and tie bars... oh, i'd love to get all four, but they are nowhere near top of the list... but i fear once they are, they won't be around anymore...
almost makes me wonder... if i should just keep this car around for a couple years while i move out and save up for a new pro... something that will last a long time...
:shrug: i love my first gen, but as with any old car, i am paranoid of major unexpected\costly 'old-age' issues...
thankfully the pro is really reliable, and mine is well maintained\mostly freeway miles...

if i had it my way, i'd get:
- gunmetal 17's, 205/45r17s
- tokico struts\lowered 1" or so
- glossy sparkly black paint job, -nice- clear corners
- dark tinting
- CAI (well, once i pay brock for the one i ordered, i'm guaranteed this at least) and good complimentary headers\exhaust, plus some internal work (miata stuff,etc) ... OR
- KL-ZE swap, OR
- BPT or something...(i like the idea of turbo, but it seems like such a hassle)
- countless cosmetic mods (glass sunroof, spoiler, custom tails, sidemarkers, all black interior, indiglos, etc...
- good sound system

ah i'm sure there is more...

first gens never die, right?

heh, well what does everybody else think?
what is everybody planning?

[Identity_X]

There will most definately be parts made for the car in a few years. That should be the least of your worries. You seem to be on a low budget like most of us here, so I would suggest you concentrate on one thing. It would be *impossible* to replace everything on the car, from interior/exterior, to suspension, to engine, sound system....etc. You have to know what you want from the car or at least what your priority is. Do you want a car that handles great, a car that is fast in a straight line, or a slow but a good looking first gen Pro?

As for my plans......too many to list. It's been a few years now and the 'to do' list keeps on getting longer and longer instead of the other way around. Go figure!

[sixhex]

well yeah, i'm on a pretty low budget...
i just paid off the car loan in august, ($3k in 7 months...)
now i have more money to put into the car...

you're right, it is a good idea to narrow my approach to my car modding...
but before all that even, i have to factor in, how long do i want to keep the car? and how much money is too much to put into it...?

since i won't be doing extensive replacements, i drive a lot, and it's already at 127k; transmission failure or something equally expensive is an ever increasing risk...
not something i really want to deal with, as much as i love my pro.

i'm not necessarily looking for the works...
mostly, a cleaner looking, smoother ride...
i'm looking for more punch to the pedal, but not necessarily speed...
smoother acceleration, i guess...

i know i'm definitely going to tint it... a new paint job would be really nice(i like the white, but it i want something darker, more mature)... and not too hard to get... new rims sound like a good idea, but i decided 16s are about as high as i'll go...
i have a CAI ordered, i need a new muffler... (looking for something quiet.. but with more flow than stock)
i've always wanted a car with a glass sunroof, and a low spoiler(stock EGT probably)... plus i want some 90-91 tail lights to nightshade (if i paint the car)... so i want to junkyard dive sometime...
and i don't know if my struts are weaker now, or if they are stock like this, but even going over simple train tracks is like "CRUNCHCRASHSHAKEJAR" if that makes any sense...
i kinda want to smooth that out...
road noise... agh, i wonder if i can fix that too...
no music, windows closed, it's still hard to talk on the freeway... just from wind...
ah, oh yeah, music...
i have some old equipment... well two old kenwood amps from my honda... i had pioneer speakers and headunit to go along with them, but my friend dropped one of the speakers and crunched in the inside cone, and my dog chewed up the face...
music wise, not too concerned about it right now... just as long as i get something to play mp3 cds...
i'm sick of carrying around so many damn normal cds...

[skr33t_rac3r]

search ebay got some good stuff theres a company called Bomz that makes strut bars and cai the also have mufflers for our pros but i never heard of them till i bought the strut bar but it worked wonders so good luck

[sixhex]

hm, but the trouble with ebay is sorting out the rip offs from the good stuff...
i see a lot of things for proteges on ebay that i wouldn't dare touching my pro with... people just trying to make a buck with ****ty universal pieces...

i would be much more into buying something from a group buy than a one of many mass-posted 'performance' item off of ebay...

[skr33t_rac3r]

try not to go to universal crap and only order from the companies on ebay. look at ratings and if their an ebay gold member that way u dont get ripped off

[jgoertzen]

The nice thing about an aging car is that it gives you excuses to upgrade...i've had my pro for about 2 and a half years now..and i've done more to it than i thought i would have done...

i bought the car for $2600 CDN in 2001 with 213k on it....since then ....some of the typical thing have gone wrong.....i replaced a tranny @240k...then ....the suspension went last march (one and a half years ago) and it was CHEAPER to upgrade my suspesion with the tociko struts and eibach springs... than it was to replace it with canadian tire stock struts and springs.. then small upgrades on my stereo as i went along here.... you know...$200 here..$400 there.....just do it as you can afford it... same with the little things...intake...strutbars... 6 months ago exhaust went...so did cat back with stainless steel custom made muffler... and now...my engine needs to be replaced..so instead of dropping the stock sohc in my car....i did some research ...mostly on this site (thanx guys) and now i'm doing the DOHC swap

Just look at things breaking down as a chance to upgrade..

Now....my car has :

-Apline 9813 competition deck ($700 CDN)
-Kicker 702 amp ($350 CDN)
-Boston Competitor 15" Sub ($400 CDN)
-Custom Box ($8 - B/c I work at home depot in the lumber dpt. )
-Lighting Audio Wiring 4guage and misc. ($110)
-Infinity Comp series fronts ($140)
-Panisonic Rears ($130)
-Phenow GOld Cap ($40)
-Vibrant Front Strut Bar ($70 CDN)
-Custom Exhaust cat back ($340 CDN)
-Ractive intake ($60 cdn)
-Izusu Rims ($300)
-Fogs ($40)
-Struts and Shocks (tociko and eibachs) incl. shipping, duty, bushings, taxes, and install ($960 CDN)
-NOW SOON TO COME --- DOHC ENGINE ($350 + misc parts = $550 CDN)

so i've done suspension, exhaust, intake, stereo, rims (kinda) and soon to be engine swap .... all kinda as i've gone along... and i'm a student...so it can be done...

keep it man...if anything... the after market for these cars is kinda picking up more from when i bought the car...b/c the popularity for these cars is growing b/c the p5, mp3 and now the new mazda 3....

the market is only going to get bettter...

[limpgtx]

my future plans are easy:

IHI t3 turbo
apexi s-afc
550cc injectors
n/a p/p head
co2 spray kit
mx-3 seats
16" adr rs limited wheels (gunmetal)
full gtr body kit
dark tint
twm shifter
momo knob + boot
grant steering wheel
and most expensive crimson red paint