I don't want to spark a war here but i have to ask the question, i am selling my old car and am going to invest some of the money into my box, i am used to a modified car and its stockness is driving me a little insane, here is the question. Should i go with the dealer AEM or the dealer TRD exhuast as my first mod? Thanks

 

Personally, I wouldn't limit myself to the dealer options, but I'd say go with intake for a little extra uumph, exhaust for appearance.

 

i second this.....its been tested and proven that exhaust on the xa/xb (axle back anyways) are purely for sound not performance.....a header back w/high flow cat put in on a NA car using the right diamiter might do something and if it happens to be boosted then exhaust allways helps.....personally i like the sound my xa has with the k&n typhoon and the stock exhaust......purrrrrrrr

 

I went with injen short ram intake, then I just bought a megan muffler and had the muffler shop put 2" piping from the cat back. its cheaper than buying a catback or axleback system.

 

I went with the AEM first, then the TRD exhaust. The AEM makes the engine sound throatier, and gives a little power, and a good amount of throttle response. I recommend going with it first. The exhaust is just louder and shinier.

 

AEM CAI would be my choice to do first

 

i started with the muffler (trd), then the header (dc sports) and last i did the injen sri

 

i will also be going with a DC cer. header.....when i do decide to do the exhaust it will be 2' header back with high flow cat,resonator, twin loop muffler

 

Go with Intake first, you'll feel the difference a bit. don't buy from the dealer unless they have a great price for some reason.

 

no gains from an exhaust? I dont know alot about these things since I'm new to the whole tuning scene, but I'd think that there would be at LEAST a 2 hp gain, and if there are no gains, then surely it will at least make gas (or whatever) expulsions better than stock, which in turn I can assume, puts in a little gain? I don't know correct me if I'm wrong, but i jsut dont get how there wouldnt be anything gain besides sound?

 

haha... ditto! there is a nice purrrr at the lower rpms, and it is really throaty through the mid-high range.

as far as the exhaust not making any power, like these guys said its been proven it doesnt do anything to get an axle back but make it sound cool. the stock exhaust works well for a stock engine, unless you are turbo/supercharged. i thought i remembered reading that the stock muffler somehow achieves a variable backpressure?

if you think about it, with only 1.5L and 108bhp, exhaust will give you minimal gains- specially if they did a good job on the stock parts (which can probably be said about everything but the header).

if you ask me, go for the intake first and see how you like it. if you feel like you need a little more umph, go for a full exhaust with the megan headers and a catback of your choice (i'd go custom personally). still though- unless you are planning to go f/i- i think there are better investments for power like fidenza's lightened flywheel, unorthodox underdrive pulley, grounding system, and an upgraded clutch (not to mention a whole slew of things you can do to suspenion to drop those 1/4mi times!)

good luck!

-jon