So far i have the following:
Suspension (TRDs)
TRD Springs <---- installed myself and a friend, hard to install
TRD Struts/Shocks <---- installed myself and a friend, hard to install
TRD Rear Sway Bar <---- installed myself, easy
TRD Front Tie Bar <---- installed myself, easy

Engine (Misc, after searching up dyno charts and reviews..)
Injen CAI <---- $150 new :D a company was having a clearance sell, installed it myself
Tsudo Midpipe <---- combo deal with greddy evo2 axel back for $200, installed it myself
Greddy Evo2 Axelback <---- and the tsuo midpipe i got it off craigslist for $200, installed it myself

Near-Future Project:
Tsudo 4-2-1 Header (replica of weapon-r, also half the price) <----- need recommendation for this one
Agency Power Pulley (cheapest pulley, and lots of people got it) <----- need recommendation for this one

Tempting FAR FUTURE:
Tune (megasquirt?)
RX8 Throttle Body <---- don't really know what year i should get.
Weapon-r Intake Manifold <----- expensive as hell

I am aiming for both speed and handling. Mostly for daily driving. However, might consider doing autocrossing.

wasted 300 on HD Head unit and Kicker front speakers...

 

Congrats for mentioning you installed yourself?

Pulley benefits depend on who you ask. I don't suggest them, some do. Tomato-Tomatoe.

Don't waste money on a tune for an N/A scion. A lot of money for minimal gains. If you go turbo, obviously needed.

RX8 throttle body on a scion isn't a mod worth a crap still imo. Even most turbo'd guys that would see a REAL gain from it don't do it. The stock throttle body is more then adequate for what you need.

Intake manifold, you could gain a bit of power, but once again price to power ratio is backwards. It's also a good mod for turbo'd but N/a you're not going to see a whole lot. Plus install is a pain in the butt.

If you want power, save up for a turbo kit. If you want pep, you've already got most of what you need. If you want handling, save money and get a good set of coils with adjustability.

 

I agree with Spicy_McHaggiz for the most part. Honestly, you already have too much for just daily driving. Auto-crossing??? A stiffer suspension may benefit you as I THINK the TRD's are too soft when pushed. Going turbo for auto-crossing in a tC, not really worth it imo; especially if you still plan on daily driving it.

Your car seems to be good enough as is.

 

Forgot to mention, you should look up how auto cross bracketing works. Why doing some "minor" upgrades it can put you in a class that has a lot better cars.

 

The driving question when modding should be, what do you want to accomplish? If your just modding for a DYI challenge then I would go with the header. If you're looking at handling then may suggest some wider and stickier tires. This may not be possible for several reasons but better tires will help handling.

If your contemplating autocrossing with your tC you need to think long and hard about the modifcations you're going to do and what the results will do to what class you'll be put in. For example in the Street Touring class you are allowed to modify your exhaust as long as it remains emission legal. If you lose the cat then you will go to Street Prepared. So you can be fine for a lower class except for one mod that will bump you up and then your running against cars that just outclass you. I learned this lesson the hard way after I turbo'ed my tC and then decided to start autocrossing. The car was bone stock except for the turbo but that one mod still put me in the Stock Modified class. I was no where near prepared to be in that class and the time sheets showed it. So with hind site, I would recommend go try out an autocross or two before you do any further mods to see if you like it. If you do then you can build towards the class you want (gives a better goal than just wanting to improve speed and handling). If you don't then at least you know.

Oh and RS2Blitz, I respectfully disagree with your assessment of the tC turbo for autocrossing. It might not be able to win Nats but you can build (for some the build is just as fun as the race) a very competitive SM tC and daily driver status all depends on what your willing to put up with in your car. I know, opinions and all that. Anyways, I will agree that the TRD suspension can be soft at times but it's definitely a step above the stock setup. I haven't decided what next winters mods will be but the replacement of the TRD suspension is on the short list.

 

"Esh Darkstar", I would agree with you that a turbo would be good when well built and supported. However, in regards to "uhsentc" goal in mainly daily driving his tC, not sure how much commuting or if any passengers/family, but a turbo would actually be quite troublesome for as many reasons as there are benefits. Like in your case, it would bump him into a higher auto-x class as he already has the i/h/e set-up.

I mean if "uhsentc" decided to go hard core and forget about mpg, carpooling, etc. then yes, turbo and all the other good stuff.

"uhsentc", if the tC is your only car, try not to drag, auto-x, race as you may lose it as your dd. Get another car for dd or auto-x instead of the all-in-one deal.

 

I think I might have worded my post a little wrong so forgive me if I seem to be back pedaling at this point. Your right, for him it might (and really for most) make sense to not turbo. I did suggest that he do an autocross event or two on what he has now to see if he likes it. I've heard several other tC drivers have had success at the ST level from what I can tell is not only where he would be bracketed now(don't know what tires he as so assuming stock rim with OEM equivalent tires) but quite possibly could be actually setup nicely for. Turboing is probably not something the OP wants to do at this point. It would delete the CAI, good turbo kits are relatively expensive, and are hard to reverse if you decide you don't like it. That is also not to mention that this isn't a straight bolt on project either.

Like I said, it was turboing and autocrossing, not turboing a daily driver that I took exception with. I still believe though that what someone will tolerate as a daily driver is very subjective. Since I commute with my tC as well I have a hard time seeing it as something that can't or shouldn't be done. But everyone is different and YMMV.

 

Who installed everything?

 

i dunno if that's suppose to be sarcasm or not.

On a side note. I've tried autocrossing before. the one i went to, http://www.capitaldrivingclub.com/index.php, they didn't really group us into classes, unless i was wrong. it was merely time attack on an autocross track.

 

CDC doesn't use the SCCA bracketing system, they use a handicap system. Since everyone gets their own handicap they don't have to worry about grouping by classes. Its an interesting concept, I just wonder how they verify horsepower with all the different dynometers out there or if someone has never dynoed their car.

Anyways, based on that and assuming you try to stay right under 200hp I think I would do the pulley but only if I could get a good deal. At MSRP and if their numbers are to be believed, then your looking at $14 per HP. A turbo kit runs $30 per HP as an example. The Weapon R runs $24-48 per HP if you believe their numbers as well. Of course those are manufacture numbers so they should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

they do basic autocrossing. there's no awards in the end, so you just go out have fun, try your best. You can go with a group of friends and see who's the better driver.

 

That's typically the format for most clubs, out for a fun day of racing, they just use the SCCA rulebook.