First, sorry if this topic has been covered already. To be perfectly honest, I didn't feel like spending a lot of time searching the archives in the off-chance it had been discussed previously when it's equally possible it hadn't. So, if it has indeed been covered, please feel free to tell me to sod off. If it hasn't, I'd appreciate any feedback any of you could provide. I recently acquired a '97 Civic DX Coupe (has about 125,000 miles on it now--I use it to commute) and I was considering turning it into your standard-issue ricer. But, I was wondering where I should start and what upgrades I should consider to get the best performance out of this particular car. My first priority when I got this car was putting a decent sound system in it. As I commute 45 minutes to work each morning, it was vitally important to me to get a respectable system operational in my little heap. So, I put in a Pioneer DEH-P8500MP head unit, two Alpine Type-S 6.5s, two Alpine Type-S 6x9s, a 1200 watt Rockford-Fosgate 2-channel amp and two 12" Rockford subs. (The system's kind of a mish-mash of things because I got most of it for really cheap from a friend.) Now, my concerns regarding the mechanical performance of the car really kicked in after the install of the amp and subs, since that added about 120lbs of dead weight to the ass-end of the vehicle. I immediately noticed a difference in the way the car handled and response times. The Heap (as I call it) was already dragging-ass going up sizeable hills before I even thought about putting the subs in, but now it's a battle to get it to maintain a reasonable speed uphill. So, obviously, something needs to be done. Originally, I had planned to just install a cold-air intake and call it square. But, I really don't think that's going to satisfy me. I was already frustrated by the performance of the vehicle before I installed the system, so just doing a band-aid fix just isn't going to cut it. I want a car I can be proud of, but until I can afford one, I'd like to at least fix up the one I have so that I'm not left huffing my friends' exhaust fumes. I realize this is becomming a much longer story than necessary, so I'll try to get to the point here. I wanted to put a turbo in the car, but from what I was told, this would also mean putting in re-enforced rods and pistons (which would amount to another $500 worth of parts, in addition to the turbo itself) which doesn't sound too appealing. Now, was this accurate? Would adding a turbo really require that much extra work/parts to keep the engine intact? Would a supercharger be a better alternative? If so, why? Also, what other options do I have in addition to the turbo/supercharger that would help improve the vehicle's performance, in terms of engine tuning? Also, what would be the best way to get better handling out of the vehicle with the added weight in the trunk? What sort of suspension system would be ideal? I've heard many complaints that Civics don't handle as well as they could going through corners at higher speeds (think going through S curves at 60+ mph), and that the ass-end tends to spin out. (My ex-husband actually cut an '01 Civic EX Coupe in half going around an S curve at about 40 mph when the ass-end gave out and he slid right into a small tree...) How could I compensate for that, if at all? I realize I have a lot of questions, and I'd appreciate any suggestions anyone could provide. I'm not terribly mechanically inclined, which is probably why I haven't a clue as to the best way to go about getting the best possible performance out of my car. Also, I'm on a bit of a budget, so if you could suggest which upgrades would be best to do first (i.e., prioritize) that would be a great help, too. Thanks in advance for any help you could provide! I appreciate the help a lot. ~BlackValentine
