Confession time. What mods have you done to your car that you wouldn't do again?
- Thread starter cbpldc
- Start date
Natesriv
Lead Foot
The dash cover (looked like a toupee)
The chromed sill plates (crappy Chinese crap)
Bolt on fake muffler tip (1.8's and 1.4 have different size...)
Center armrest off eBay, just wasn't for me
Vinyl wrap on fog lights... too hard to keep clean, I'm just going to paint them amber
The chromed sill plates (crappy Chinese crap)
Bolt on fake muffler tip (1.8's and 1.4 have different size...)
Center armrest off eBay, just wasn't for me
Vinyl wrap on fog lights... too hard to keep clean, I'm just going to paint them amber
Swordsmith
242hp/252 ft-lbs BNR EFI
Most of them. But honestly, this was my midlife crisis car, and I really got a great deal of joy and satisfaction out of doing all this crazy stuff.
A much shorter list would be the things I would do again.
The #1 mod I would do again is the tune. Huge difference, easy, no down side.
I would also get the shark antenna again. Cheap, easy, and lets me put a walmart roof rack on to carry lumber without having to worry about an antenna in the way.
I would also plastidip the spoiler and "diffuser" again. Easy cheap and looks good (to me)
And the window deflectors, which let me park with my windows open a little bit and never get a drop of rain? Cheap, easy, effective. I think there's a trend here.
And finally I would get new tires again. But I would spend more time and effort picking the tires instead of just going with whatever the NTB folks reccomended. Still, practically anything is better than the crap the Sonic comes with.
OK, trying to answer the question you asked though... lets see. Lower engine mount. I drove around with that thing on for most of a year before I finally went back to stock. So much better. I know I probably sacrificed some power, but that's OK with me.
And I got an exhaust system with resonator delete. Mistake. Resonator doesn't cost much power at all, probably the least effective delete possible, and all you get from it is a droning sound, no "improvement" in sound output or power output. It's not bad enough for me to go to all the effort and expense of getting in a resonator and installing it... but I regret it.
The rest of the stuff I did, I feel did improve the car, it's just that for the most part, I no longer really care, the way I did. The 1.4T really has all the power I ever use, other than every now and then tearing up on-ramps for fun, once it's tuned.
A much shorter list would be the things I would do again.
The #1 mod I would do again is the tune. Huge difference, easy, no down side.
I would also get the shark antenna again. Cheap, easy, and lets me put a walmart roof rack on to carry lumber without having to worry about an antenna in the way.
I would also plastidip the spoiler and "diffuser" again. Easy cheap and looks good (to me)
And the window deflectors, which let me park with my windows open a little bit and never get a drop of rain? Cheap, easy, effective. I think there's a trend here.
And finally I would get new tires again. But I would spend more time and effort picking the tires instead of just going with whatever the NTB folks reccomended. Still, practically anything is better than the crap the Sonic comes with.
OK, trying to answer the question you asked though... lets see. Lower engine mount. I drove around with that thing on for most of a year before I finally went back to stock. So much better. I know I probably sacrificed some power, but that's OK with me.
And I got an exhaust system with resonator delete. Mistake. Resonator doesn't cost much power at all, probably the least effective delete possible, and all you get from it is a droning sound, no "improvement" in sound output or power output. It's not bad enough for me to go to all the effort and expense of getting in a resonator and installing it... but I regret it.
The rest of the stuff I did, I feel did improve the car, it's just that for the most part, I no longer really care, the way I did. The 1.4T really has all the power I ever use, other than every now and then tearing up on-ramps for fun, once it's tuned.
hammrdwn510
Member
Mine would have to be my super budget delux GPS system
Thesoccerone7
New member
Using engine enamel on my shifter chrome.....
Why is that?
Blue Moon Sonic
New member
For me it was doing the RAW charge tubes. Those things suck ass. I've had too many issues with the tubes popping off and oil blow by seeping out the couplers even when tightened as much as I can and over the beaded lip and it was all on the drivers side on the turbo's intake outlet where it goes into the hot side. They work great once they are in but are a pain in the ass for keeping them on and holding 22psi when trying to pass someone after 3 weeks of them being re-seated. Going to hit up MPfab in the next coming months and will probably save for the turbo kit.
ScarabEpic22
Member
Poly engine mount on my Sonic. Way too annoying for a DD, for racecar mode yes.
2014 Blue RS
Active member
The short ram intake. Can't stand the noise and didn't notice much improvement.
