My dilemna: I've been weighing buying the TSX and pushing myself over $30K to get better suspension, tires, etc. it should've had from the beginning; buying the cheap but rather questionable Mazda 3 which has the goodies and handling I want, but not power or the same quality/reliability as Honda; or, very recently, buying a new 2006/07 Accord EX 5-speed 2.4L as a compromise car that has quality/reliability but not the power or handling I want and dumping it in 3-4 years when I don't have to commute as far and some better choices appear on the market.

Going with the latter situation, what's available that will tweak handling (other than tires) and performance on a budget for a budget-oriented commuter who doesn't want to hurt later resale?

I admit not having researched beyond checking Comptech and AEM's respective websites and "search" on H-T was inconclusive. I don't see anything worthwhile on Comptech's site other than a rear sway that might be too big at 22mm. AEM has some intakes that are stipulated for the 2003 model year (which might be interpreted as gen 7) for 2.4L cars w/o a MAF (mass air flow sensor?).

What I would probably be looking for are A) a CAI and B) a rear sway that splits the diff. between OEM 14mm and the Comptech 22mm - C) might be a header, if there are any.

Suggestions?

 

TSX BECAUSE I HAVE ONE!
Good commute car. Excellent freeway miles too

 

I'm not sure what's available in regards to intakes. I think Injen might have one, but I'm not sure. As for a rear sway, you can pick up an Acura CL-S or TL-S rear sway + brackets and bushings. It's inexpensive and works well. The current TL rear sway works as well.

No matter what you do, if you return the car to stock before you try to sell it, it shouldn't hurt the resale value. Oh, and 2003 models are the first of the 7th gen Accords.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by philadd &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm not sure what's available in regards to intakes. I think Injen might have one, but I'm not sure. As for a rear sway, you can pick up an Acura CL-S or TL-S rear sway + brackets and bushings. It's inexpensive and works well. The current TL rear sway works as well.

No matter what you do, if you return the car to stock before you try to sell it, it shouldn't hurt the resale value. Oh, and 2003 models are the first of the 7th gen Accords.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks. I found a gen 7 related website while searching here and saw the TL sway mod and that all '05 and newer 2.4L accords have a MAF and that Fujita is the only CAI that works currently. Also see DC makes a 4-2-1 header.

Anyone know if AEM's dryflow filter would work with the fujita? I assume the diameters would be the same.

 

i have an 03 K24 accord with bolt ons;

20mm TL rear sway bar - $50
6MT front strut bar - $90

DC header - $300
Fujita intake - $200
TSX intake manifold - $75
hondata intake manifold gasket - $50


The power mods add around 20 WHP. So far so good.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by outersquare &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i have an 03 K24 accord with bolt ons;

20mm TL rear sway bar - $50
6MT front strut bar - $90

DC header - $300
Fujita intake - $200
TSX intake manifold - $75
hondata intake manifold gasket - $50


The power mods add around 20 WHP. So far so good.</TD></TR></TABLE>

How's oversteer with the 20mm bar? I'm leary of going ~400% stiffer than OEM 14mm, but I guess there's always the 17mm from the auto TL.

Does the strut bar make a noticeable difference and is it a simple bolt-on to the towers or are there clearance issues to be dealt with?

 

there's no oversteer, it's still just an OE part from the 6MT TL. It does reduce body roll, otherwise hard for me to remember how it drove stock since my car has had it for something like 50K miles now. I'm not sure you can get true oversteer from a large, fwd car with any remotely sane setup. I can get the back end to kick out a little with very aggressive cornering, but that's the worst it will behave.

The strut bar does help, no cutting/modification needed for install. Install is about 30 mins if you use a good DIY guide. It does help, makes steering inputs faster/cleaner.

 

Different springs, there is a few setups that you can use as far as comfort, for what it seems like you are looking for. Could use, Tein H-Techs, a small drop (1.2 front, 0.7 back if I'm not mistaken). I think if I dont end up investing in this turbo kit (which I probably will) I'll end up doing cams/spring upgrade along with complete suspension upgrade along with cstyleaccords' kpro.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by msedacca &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Different springs, there is a few setups that you can use as far as comfort, for what it seems like you are looking for. Could use, Tein H-Techs, a small drop (1.2 front, 0.7 back if I'm not mistaken). I think if I dont end up investing in this turbo kit (which I probably will) I'll end up doing cams/spring upgrade along with complete suspension upgrade along with cstyleaccords' kpro.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Roads suck too bad around here for me to want to go springs this time around. I think the person I'd end up selling to wouldn't appreciate them and I probably wouldn't either. I think the type R springs make my GSR more prone to lose alignment - probably something to do with increased camber and the age of my bushings.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by outersquare &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">there's no oversteer, it's still just an OE part from the 6MT TL. </TD></TR></TABLE>

True, but stiffness is irrespective of who made it. Go too stiff and you get oversteer or snap-oversteer and wheel lift, but there may be other issues here like hollow vs. solid construction, wall thickness, bushing material and endlink changes that mitigate this.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bps2799 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How's oversteer with the 20mm bar? I'm leary of going ~400% stiffer than OEM 14mm, but I guess there's always the 17mm from the auto TL.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I upgraded to the 20mm bar (brand new) on my 6th gen (stock 16mm), and at first, I felt the back end coming around on hard turns; not enough to countersteer though (I was on the gas the whole time). Now that I put some miles on the car, the bar isn't as stiff and the back end doesn't come out anymore.


Modified by 02 accord at 10:39 PM 6/18/2007