I've been talking to my friends and realized how little some of them know about safety aspects of modding. So this is my attempt to get the n00bies especially to really think about what they are buying and how it could affect their car and their life.

So, below (and yes, these are up for debate) are what I tell people never to "go cheap" on, that is, never buy from ebay or get anything less than a brand name. Stick to the big companies with a reputation, and even though it will cost more, it could save your life:

Wheels: Perhaps not as important as some of the other things in this list, but still a worthy mention. Stick to name brands and quality wheels. Cheaper wheels do have a tendency to bend under pressure (pot hole, speed bump) but they can do much worse than that, like the spokes separating from the rest of the wheel. Imagine driving along fast and hard and your wheel just coming apart, definately not safe. There are too many companies to list for good wheels, just stay away from the crappy ones.

Brake rotors: Please, please, please don't go cheap on brake rotors. These are probably the most important thing on your car and can mean the difference between stopping short and causing a huge accident. Crappy cheap rotors can have defects in them or be improperly balanced where they can crack under high pressure and heat, and without the rotor, you have no braking ability. Stick to Rotora, powerslot, brembo, etc

Seats: This is another big one that alot of people neglect. Remember seats and seatbelts are your first line of defense in an accident, they are designed to keep you in place and the regulations surrounding seats and seatbelts are quite strict. Good companies have to test their seats for a long time before they are certified and crappy seats from low budget companies are not certified (because they dont' have the financial backing to do so). In a crappy seat, when you get in an accident, the frame of the seat could bend, bending you and your spine with it. This will not happen with top of the line seats. Stick with recaro, sparco, bride, cobra, corbeau

Suspension: As per Danno's request (and I second the motion) suspension parts are equally important. Cheap coilovers and struts could cause some nasty accidents when they fail suddenly and violently. Remember, this is your car's connection to the ground and if something goes wrong there, results can be real bad. Stick to the big names (far too many to list), but also keep in mind, this means not going cheap on springs either, ie, if you want a lower stance, buy good lowering springs, don't torch or cut them.


If you guys have anything else, feel free to add it to the list.

 

^ Can you add suspention components to that list aswell.

 

+1,000,000

I think brake pads are also important. dont buy some cheap ones cuz you might end up paying in the long run

 

[rant] I personally dont think its really worth it to cheap out on any parts. yes some are not as critical as others, but you get what you pay for and lets be honest. those $25.00 ebay mufflers sound like garbage.

[/rant]

 

thats a good point. unless they are cosmetic parts, i agree with not going cheap on them.


but i did buy some ebay strut bars

 

greenpsycho you are my hero!

 

You should also add not to go cheap on a service!

If you cannot do something by yourself don't go to some guy/friend who can do it for you for 1/2 price. I got burned twice already.

 

Post edited. Yeah, I don't think ebay crap is good for anything, but lets face it, a crappy sounding car isn't going to kill people in accidents like rotors failing. Same with strut bars and those types of supporting mods: if a strut bar snaps, no big deal, you probably won't even notice it until you pop the hood.

I do disagree on cheap brake pads. You can get inexpensive ones (ie the ones from autozone that suck and squeal) cause those will be adequate and wont' fail on you. However, you are correct, don't get cheaply made brake pads (ie the ones made from chinese newspapers and apple cores) like the garbage on ebay.

General rule of thumb: if the only place you can find it is on ebay, its probably garbage (except for ralliart cedia grills )

 

Would you consider the NEX coilover as cheap? They are not a big name brand, and the only coilovers that I know of that will be the easiest to intall on an ES. What do you suggest for good, name brand coilovers for the ES?

 

I woudln't consider the Nex coilover that cheap at all, but Teins are top notch and I love em.

 

no, i think a few people on here (like earslikeanelf) have proved the nex trustworthy, so i would feel safe with them.

I guess I was referring to the cheapo struts that are basically playdough, stuffed inside a cardboard tube, with a wooden dowel rammed in the center of it all.

 

I've seen the NEX's for the 240, and they seem pretty quality. The Teins are nicer though, hands down.

 

i think so too

 

Good deal.

I always did figure that those $99 coilovers eBay specials had to be nothing but recycled Tawian coke cans.

 

Tires would be my #1 item to not cheap out on, because in the end, they are what are really keeping your car on the road. Brake rotors and pads are #2, because they stop the wheels from turning. Suspension would be #3, because they make sure the tires stay in contact with the road. One thing to keep in mind is that sometimes name brands aren't always what they are cracked up to be.