Okay... I honestly did a search to try and find the answers to my questions. The problem is that there are far too many hits when you try and find any of this information. Some of you are going to hate on me for asking this stuff. Sorry!

I am considering buying a tC, and I'm trying to figure out what I would want installed on the car before delivery. I’m sure some of you have brands other than TRD that you would recommend. For right now I’m just trying to get a baseline of information, so my questions apply to the TRD stuff.

1) I used to be a professional motorcycle mechanic. When I did Stage I upgrades on bikes, I always did three things: hi-flow intake, jet-kit (or ECM performance download) and hi-flow exhaust. Does the same hold true for cars? If I order the Supercharger, is it pretty much a necessity to also install the performance exhaust? (I think the Supercharger kit comes with the hi-flow air filter)

2) Why should I pick the Cold Air Intake over simply installing the Performance Air Filter?

3) Are there any common problems with a Supercharged engine? Does the extra strain on the engine manifest in any sort of breakdown (more so than a non-supercharged one)?

4) Does anyone know what the installed price is for the TRD supercharger and performance exhaust? The prices on the website are just for parts.

5) What sort of MPG would I get with the supercharger and exhaust?

6) How strongly do you all recommend I do this? I test drove a Scion, and it seemed fine for most of the driving I'd probably do. But, I do like to have some power on tap. Forty horsepower seems like a pretty big jump for a car the size of the tC.

7) How would you characterize the change in the power band? Do you notice much difference at lower RPMs?

8 ) Has anyone else noticed that the Supercharger is not on the Scion website with the other accessories?

9) With the extra HP, would I also want the perf clutch, suspension goodies, etc? I start to wonder if this is like a slippery slope, and that I'd constantly be discovering I need something else. I'd like to at least try and do everything before delivery. Some people enjoy the process of saving money and adding mods over time. I don't think that would be fun for me.

10) Would the immediate installation of all this stuff change the way I broke the car in?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

1) Yes - the big 3 still apply - Intake/Header/Exhaust. In a N/A setup, you won't see much gains - about 20-30 HP max.

2) A performance air filter still uses the stock airbox. If you look at the design of the air box, there's a small snorkel that fits down into the wheel well area. It's short and small in diameter - that's the bottleneck.

3) The only problems have been with the superchargers themselves - but they're under warrantee.

4) Depends on your dealership

5) People have been getting about 25mpg highway. it depends.

6) S/C is a nice jump - there's some other things you can do to boost it (search for IceNine's 311 WHP S/C'd tC).

7) Since it's a supercharger, the gains are steady throughout the power band.

The S/C is not currently available for the new 2007 model tCs - they changed several things with the new model.

9) It's not necessary, but your car will be much nicer when it's all done.

10) Shouldn't - but you won't be able to. The 2007s are not compatable with the supercharger.... yet.

 

why go TRD with all the upgrades on the car, when there are so many better and cheaper options....

 

Thanks for the info, krdshrk. I do appreciate the help.

malibuboy54, I guess the TRD stuff is more attractive because of the warranty. But, I'll probably end up cross-shopping some other options.

 

1) The supercharger would include the ECU reflash. A high-flow exhaust isn't a bad idea for a higher-output engine. Stock, it's not a HUGE restriction.
2) The SC includes new intake piping. Getting a CAI now would likely be a waste of cash later. I've not heard of anyone with a SC and a different airbox. That doesn't mean they're not out there, though...
3) Common problems aren't with the engine itself, but the SC kit is currently having some issues. There are some issues with bearings going bad. Some others have noticed the mounting brackets for the SC bending or breaking. These two events may be related. Until TRD adresses these, you might want to hold off on the TRD kit, warranty or no. All in all, this engine has a lot of headroom (Camry motor = bulletproof stocker), so the mild boost provided by the SC is hardly anything for it to sneeze at. The compression ratio is also suited for mild boost. The pre-det sensors seem fairly adept at their job and the ECU is proving to be VERY smart. Too smart for some. :-)
4) Ask a dealer. Seriously. The price on the kit is pretty standard fare (est $3200). Even though it's bolt-on, the kit warranty improves if installed by a Toyota house.
5) Should be little different than stock, if you can keep your foot out of it. Good luck with that. :-D
6) Our girl is heavier than you think, but you're right 40hp is 40hp. Still, for the dollar, something like the ZPI Stage 0 turbo kit is more like 90-100hp for roughly the same money (after you add in a few gauges and extras). And one might argue, in light of the SC issues, that it's a more reliable setup in the long run. Your mileage may vary, as they say. :-)
7) Can't help you on that one. :-D
That's because you can't order it (and thus finance it) on a brand new car.
9) The SC is mild enough that the stock clutch is likely sufficient, though you'll likely need a replacement sooner than a stocker. As to the other mods, it all depends on your driving habits and the duty cycle. If you're a corner carver, sways & springs. If you're 99% a commuter, I'd stay stockish. It's a personal preference thing. Do LOTS of reading.
10) No. Still be kind to it. I wouldn't install the SC until after the break-in period, because the mechanic, even if he's the godfather of your first-born, is going to take that car out for a shakedown that one could only describe as "spirited".

And as to the search, for any given part of the vehicle, I recommend just hanging around in the proper forum for a week or so. Odds are the info will become self apparent.

 

As long as the dealership installs the blower by the book, don't worry about any of the problems some of us have had. Some mechanics just want to bolt the thing on go on to the next car. I know a guys who has been running a ZPI pulley, header, and K&N intake for well over a year with out a single problem. These guys have pretty much said what I would have. The only thing I'd recommend doing would be some better tires if you haven't done so. You'll have problems keeping the tires planted in 1st gear even after a rolling start. A new clutch wouldn't hurt, depends how hard you plan to drive it.