Mods: Best bang for the $$

I'm considering my next mod but I want to field some opinions first. Which of the following produces the best performance for the money on an 01 Corolla?

Rear disc conversion

Unorthodox power pulley kit or other underdrive pulley

Cold air intake


I'm leaning toward the pulley kit.

Thanks for the input.

Cai Ftw

Exhaust and CAI for sure as you actually get "some" hp gain out of that.

under pulley

Type-R stickers, M3 style mirrors.

Very funny. I think a Civic sticker would do the same.

Use the money you save for driving a reliable Corolla to buy a faster car. Keep Corolla for when faster car breaks down :)

I'll chose option D) None of the above.

Use the money you save for driving a reliable Corolla to buy a faster car. Keep Corolla for when faster car breaks down :)

Exactly! Someone on here that I can agree with.

However, you could mod the crap out of your Corolla, make it a 16 second car instead of 17 seconds (or whatever). Mustang, Camaro, and Corvette (and other actual fast cars) guys need something to laugh about. :lol: A-Pillar gauge stickers are always a great idea!

- Amber

You can do the basic i/h/e to make it sound feel more fun. But just face it, your corolla wont be a 1/4 hero.

If you really want to have fun, pull the motor apart, put some higher compression slugs in, port the head, get some cams along with you i/h/e and your cooking.

Or just spend the money on suspension wheels and tyres. That way you can laugh at all the mustangs and camaros when you get to a corner.

You do have corners in america don't you:lol: (J/K)

Yeah. I have the suspension under control. Everything is just right including wheels and tires.

Exactly! Someone on here that I can agree with.

However, you could mod the crap out of your Corolla, make it a 16 second car instead of 17 seconds (or whatever). Mustang, Camaro, and Corvette (and other actual fast cars) guys need something to laugh about. :lol: A-Pillar gauge stickers are always a great idea!

- Amber
different strokes for different fokes :lol:
Bang for buck, CAI and Exhaust for sure and A TOYOTA IS RELIABLE WITH MINOR BOLT ON MODS :smokin: without pushing da envelope

Thats because those minor bolt on mods dont really do anything. Your engine will still be as slow, sometimes even worse than the stock engine.
Mods are good, but bad mods are just horrible. A corolla sucks air from the fenderwell = cold air intake, filter placement is irrelative. Now you stick the cone into the enginebay and next to the exhaust pipe. Sure it has its good points, but its not better than stock.

Best bang for buck... do a real mod, not just some intake exhaust crap. Turbocharger/supercharger is the way to go.

Thats because those minor bolt on mods dont really do anything. Your engine will still be as slow, sometimes even worse than the stock engine.
Mods are good, but bad mods are just horrible. A corolla sucks air from the fenderwell = cold air intake, filter placement is irrelative. Now you stick the cone into the enginebay and next to the exhaust pipe. Sure it has its good points, but its not better than stock.

Best bang for buck... do a real mod, not just some intake exhaust crap. Turbocharger/supercharger is the way to go.
Flashm is basically right, however, the stock airbox snorkle (which is kind of convoluted) isn't the best. It actually sucks air from the grill by the battery so it gets pretty "cold" air.
The best thing to do right off to an '01 is to remove the intake resonator box from the fenderwell. Then the snorkle sucks air from the grill and the fender well, without the puddle-sucking effect of a CAI that sucks air down by the ground.
The air box itself, minus the snorkle, flows plenty of air. the tubing is actually bigger than the tubing of some CAI's.
The stock exhaust piping on an '01 is also big enough at 2.5 inches unless you go forced induction. I recomend removing the intake resonator, installing a TRD axle-back exhaust and a high-flow cat. That should net you a wopping 5-10 hp. Your car will still be slow but it will sound cool;)
Basically, you can spend 2,000 dollars in bolt ons and still only end up with 135-140 HP to the wheels. As Flashm says, get a turbo kit and tune it, or forget the power and spend the money on a Tein coil-over kit and swaybars.:thumbup:

Dont do gimmicks, like ground wires, plug wires, plugs, they dont do anything for performance. The real power is in the head, compression, timing and how much air/fuel you can shove through it.

I read into the turbocharging route, just way out of my knowledge and budget. I/H/E and some other bolts will make it more fun

This is by no way a generalization. This is just my observation, some poeple don't have a well laid out plan for their car and they just get carried away. Some people get emotionally attached, some people think they are at a point of no return (ie I already spent X dollar invest in car, might well spend another $3000-4000 heads, cam, pistons), and/or they just modify what they have out of convience. In some of these instance when poeple spend $5k, 8k, 10k+ on a car and its still relatively slow (meaning a quick stock car they dreamed of could beat it) and still are not satisfied. I have found some of these owner regretting they spend that much money when the realize they could have the car they dreamed of with money they spent on their car.

On the flip side, some people might want a fast sleeper, really a particular body style, or to race in specific class, all lots of good reasons to modify your car. However, iIf you want to surprise your buddy with the F-body, a Corolla going to take a lot work and $ to beat him (hopefully he doesn't start going crazy either), and especially if you don't want to still driving a Corolla in couple of year and would rather have a Supra, Lexus, etc...

Making a well laid out plan is a good idea and not just jump on mods because they're said in a tuner magazine.

Exactly! Someone on here that I can agree with.

However, you could mod the crap out of your Corolla, make it a 16 second car instead of 17 seconds (or whatever). Mustang, Camaro, and Corvette (and other actual fast cars) guys need something to laugh about. :lol: A-Pillar gauge stickers are always a great idea!

- Amber

Ever seen the 9 second geo's? You laugh but anyone that can only drive in a straight line can't drive at all!

and american cars dont corner? Heck, camaros and mustangs corner shitload better than that econobox corolla. Not to mention a solid-axle AE86.:lol:

and american cars dont corner? Heck, camaros and mustangs corner shitload better than that econobox corolla. Not to mention a solid-axle AE86.:lol:

My stock IROC camaro pulls .91G's. Much better than my geo.
Now take that same iroc, put 2 inch lowering springs, new shocks, struts and 255/50s all around, it handles quite well, even at a piggish 3600 lbs

Exactly.

Thats because those minor bolt on mods dont really do anything. Your engine will still be as slow, sometimes even worse than the stock engine.
Mods are good, but bad mods are just horrible. A corolla sucks air from the fenderwell = cold air intake, filter placement is irrelative. Now you stick the cone into the enginebay and next to the exhaust pipe. Sure it has its good points, but its not better than stock.

Best bang for buck... do a real mod, not just some intake exhaust crap. Turbocharger/supercharger is the way to go.
This is all very true...It just depends on what you are looking for...The best way to do it to start is building from the bottom up ie. suspension and sway bars...Then go for the things that may cost a bit but if u put a few things thogether that cost quite a bit like cams, pistons, fuel pres reg, and fuel managment system...its better than doing a bunch of low cost things like cold air, wires, plugs, injectors, and the whole exhaust set up...If you're willing to spend a bit more on a few less mods...you're going to get a bunch more than spending less on ton of small basic mods...

My stock IROC camaro pulls .91G's.
Not to take away from your car, but all you need to score high on a skid pad test is wide tyres, its says little about the cars actuall handling.

My levin has more handleing potential than most large cars, and even stock it is a well rounded package.