Do you ever feel that your car is Fast Enuff? or is it a never-ending quest?

I've been a honda guy for 6 years and got an FD about 6 months ago.
And i don't mean a prelude or a turbocharged civic, or even a H22 swapped accord. Just plain 4-cyl 4 door accord sedan. Heavy as **** and slow.
I modded out. headers, pulleys, intake, exhaust, cam, just your everyday bolt-ons.

When i got my FD, it was more than enuff speed for me (no mod). And now, I'm starting to look for a little more power. Would I not satisfy until i get more than I can handle, or are some people just fit to be satisfied with less power?

 

I thought my FD was fast enough for me, ya 9k later i was 2-3 parts away from 10's....

I'd get a mod, then i thought that it was fast enough, got used to it, then modded it again, again again again....

its like crack like someone said...

 

welcome to the world of endless money pit

 

Obviously, since most FD owners are young men (at least, those on the forum), there is a lot of testosterone and egos involved, so for many, the race to higher hp never ends. However, I see a lot of the high hp cars rarely being driven or sold after a relatively short time.

So, while it seems cool to hit the high hp numbers, many of the concessions to do so make the car less fun to actually drive (at least in anything less than straightline runs from freeway speeds).

No, I don't have 400 rwhp, not even close. No, I can't outdrag new Vettes, or Z06s or Vipers. But I drive my car every day, take it to the track as much as I can, and enjoy the hell out of it.

In other words, since you are new to the game, I would move patiently with adding power. Take the time to learn about the potential cons of upgrades that increase power but may decrease drivability or the "fun" factor.

Just my 2 cents.

 

Yes, you reach a point where it is too fast. That point is when you cant really drive the car at WOT anymore on the street.

 

Yeah, when my car grows-up...it'll be just like yours(20B) Modding is like crack.

 

That's you with 600hp+++ FD talking. lol. I'm sure I'll never get to the point where its too fast unless I'm rich like you.

 

Then you buy a RaceLogic traction control system, and...

 

and buy this...and that and....make it faster.

 

I agree with you.. My first FD had about 325-350 RWHP and I thought that was perfect.. after I blew my water seal.. I bought another FD so, I could still drive something.. Its probably making 300 or so ( by mods) and you know, its a lot more fun to drive. I think part because the wheel/tire combo and right amount of power. I get in that car and it just grips it.. and I never have to worry about traction.

I think if your FD is a daily, I'm not sure excessive amount of power is good.
Just asking for trouble..

 

welcome to the world of endless money pit

I second that !!!

I personally believe there is an optimum power to weight/capabilities ratio for every car - also it is not all about power but on delivery as well
When you mod your car you need to do it allround, ie. engiones, brakes, tranny, suspension etc etc.

I am willing to bet that a properly modded FD (allround) with a very smooth delivery curve that delivers in the range of 300 - 330 hp can probably outblast 99% of all roadgoing cars
on any particular route that contains both straights and all types of twists and turns

PS the C6 has got really bad reviews in Europe

 

Really?? What did they say about C6??

 

Much better than the C5
Much more fun to drive than the C5
Much faster than the C5

But, still not involving enough, not precise enough and ultimately not as fast, at least against European competition in its class

In any case it is a major improvement over the C5

 

rynberg, i so agree with you. we built, i mean BUILT our first drift car and it had high hp #'s. But man was it a pain to drive! all show an go but no fun....we just started our next fd project for a corporation in new zealand, and it is a stocker 94 touring. we modified the basics, turbo system, added some gauges intake and exhuast. no we are not removing the power steering or a/c... it is sooo much fun to drive! i forgot how just a basic FD was fun to cruise. dont mod too much if you don't wanna get bored or park her enjoy!

 

everything looses its shock value over time, especially if you daily drive it.

 

i think the most fun street fd would be a 330ish whp sequential fd. That low end umph is all the fun in the world.

Mine is single turbo, for ease and for crazy power, I still drive it every day and i still get 18mpg. but i dont think ill ever have enough hp

 

Yea I remember when I was making a little over 300 sequential and that was alot more fun on the streets than single turbo. I think your right, I really miss the low end too.

 

I allready going 340-350hp on my car, and I want more. Once you get the taste of power, you want to cranck any mod that will give you the hp. The only thing I can tell is be smart when it comes modding your car, and aso don't let the hype of hp get to you. Because what you really want is a reliable car that wont make you go bankrupt.

 

Well, if you're saing that you miss the Low end how big's your turbo (Single)!?

Personally I'm upgrading from pooly functioning Non Seq. Twins, where I get boost @ 3500 Hp maybe... to a Ball Bearing Gt35/40 where I hope to see full boost @ 3000-3200 !???
With a top end of 380-410 hp to the wheels.... with pump gas @ 14-15 psi which for me should spell "Fun To Drive"...

 

im aiming for 350whp. is that still fun to drive and easy to control?

 

I currnet have single at 380rwhp and I don't think it's laggy at all. I even took it to autox and it did well. My goal is 425 and all i am waiting on is my Twin Power and a retune and I will be there. I have gotten used to the power and driving it around. However, it's hella fun! I don't belive I will want much more once I hit over 400.

 

Every time you do a little modification ot the FD, the extra power feels soooooooo good!! Then you get used to it, and you want more. The problem is when to say "thats enough". I have not dyno'd my car, but I expect that it is 300-310 rwhp, and that is enough. Sure, it would be nice to have more, but I don't need it. I'm very happy with my car the way it is. I don't think many FD owners can honestly say that.

 

I get criticized all the time by fellow "tuners", I hear something like, you own a FD there for it should be fast. Or why don’t you mod your car. Back when it was completely stock it ran 13.8-14.2 (where it should be) and people kinda where disappointed by that, I just don’t understand there mentality, when they would approach me I would have to explain that the car is stock and that I am leaving it stock right now for drivability reasons, and they still wouldn’t grasp the concept. Id rather run 13's at the track all day long then run 1 or 2, 10 second passes like mostly everyone that runs in the 10's does, before something breaks.

 

Take the car to an auto-x or an evolution driving course and get a co-dirver who know how to drive a third gen quickly to run you through the course. If you are like me (lots of room for improvement) then you will see that driver skill level is keeping you from fully utilizing both the HP and handling potential of the car (regardless of the level of car prep you have done).

Repeating a recommendation that had been made on the forum countless times - Make sure that you spend a bunch of your time, money and energy on "seat time" before you build a monster that requires a "pro" to get the cars full potential.

 

If hp is what dives you then you will never have enough. Once you start modding it will never stop because you will always be one more mod away from feeling fast again. You will always get used to it if you drive it daily. I drove my car daily for about a year with over 400rwhp every day. It would trap 125mph at the track on 93 octance and drive great on the street. It was my daily driver and after about 3 months it didnt feel all that fast anymore. By the end of that year I was starving for more so I tore it all down to spend more money.

Its like drugs, once you start your GOING to get addiceted and its very very hard to stop. The best way to not get addicted on drugs is to never start them. Just drive the car and enjoy it. Dont go around racing other cars. Ignorance is Bliss

If you do want to jump into the high hp never have enough scene then you need to get a daily driver. You might not need it yet but you will eventually and when you "need" it you wont want to spend the money on it cause you'll need that money for a engine or mods or something. Get the daily driver now while you can before the mods take over.

Or remember, like I said before...ignorance is bliss. Dont race anyone, dont ride in any FD's with more mods than yours, and you should prob stop getting on the forum lol

Stephen