What top 10 mods would you do first with money being tight?

Brand, performance gain, price

 

Right now, I'd be looking into a set of headers. Prices vary wildly from shorty to long tubes. If emissions are a concern (like me), then the best compromise is going to be a mid-length header with 1¾" primaries. Your cat remains where it is, your AIR/EGR connections will remain, and you'll have a huge improvement over the dinky manifolds. That's the only thing holding you back as far as breathing.

If the emissions aren't of concern, then you can go long tubes. Jet Hot and Pacesetter both have very reasonably priced headers. Some searches will reveal mor info on these - and others for that matter. There are tons of header posts.

If you have 2.73 gears, a numerical bump up to 3.42's or 3.73's will match up with that stall very well too. If you've got the 3.23's, personally, I'd just leave them for later.

 

1. CAI...all the same basically ~200
2. Hooker Catback ~300 shipped
3. !Cat ~Free
4. Gears
5. LT's
6. Pro 5.0 if M6

 

BY FAR... and I mean BY FAR, I would do gears first.

Then I would do:

1. Homemade Cold Air Intake
2. Longtubes
3. Tuning
4. Cutout

 

Good recommendations above, I would like to add quality 9.5" TC to the list for A4 cars, a good one can drive almost like stock even if it has a 2800stall or so.

 

Wheels(something light and looks good) 500
Tires, nittos DR's, 156/each
Jet hot long tube headers, 500
CAI, any kind 125(used)
Stall, midwest, 465
Electric cutout(so much fun), DMH, 200
3.73's/torsen diff, motive gears, 350 including install kit
pcmforless tune(w/ own laptop/cable) 140 including cable
LCA's, any brand, 80
Last but not least.....all the free mods.

 

Your signature shows you are already set up with some of the best early mods... (but you show 2 mufflers???) but as stated before gears will make a big difference -get .373. If you don't already have one get a shift kit when you do the gears. Get a tranny cooler too. About $350 for all.

Your intentions with the power will change what you want. I'm sure you can already tell with your stall, traction is big issue off the line. A good set of drag radials on the rear will help. I have the Nitto 555R and still spin a lot sometimes. About $300.

Lower contol arms w/relocation brackets and a panhard bar are also supposed to help. About $250 for all.

Subframe connectors should help too. $100-250 depnding on brand.

After you can put the power to the road- headers, throttle body, cam, lifters, pushrods, rocker arms, gaskets, plugs, wires, heads, intake, dyno tune. $$$$!?

I have tires, gears, 2800 stall, shift kit, electric cutout, PCMforless OBD1 and I can barely get it to hook with a 8.50 1/8 mile.

Warning to you... once you start, you can't stop. I told my wife I was just going to spend $1,500 on my car. Now 6 months later I have $5,000 in parts sitting in my living room!

For brands and what to use just keep reading and use the search function. Read posts from the big guys here, you'll learn a ton! Best free mod is knowledge

Good luck and welcome!

 

1. 3.73 Gears (im running richmonds, but any brand will do)
2. CAI (im running morosso)
3. Cutout (if your on a budjet, its great)
4. LT or Midlegth Headers w/ORP or True Duals (preferably LT's, I suggest Jet-Hot's, if you cant go LT, then go MAC mids)
5. Drag Radials (Nitto 555R's, good bite, work well in the rain)
6. Subframe connectors
7. LCA's
8. 2800-3000 converter

As far as bolt-ons go, this is what I suggest. Any questios feel free to ask.