Rep Power: 0

Okay so this is my first civic experience,dad just brought home a semi-banged up black 2004 Civic Lx 4 door. First thing I thought of was how customizable a civic is, because there was no way I was leaving it in that condition. I've grown up around really well done vehicles and actually was handed down my fathers lifted 2003 Ford F-250 diesel with just about everything possible done to it. I've also been used to my mother's 2010 Mustang GT (stick shift). So I'm used to having a lot of power under the hood and loud and powerful vehicles. Needless to say, this civic comes nowhere close.
To be fair, the car is simply supposed to be a college car, so my parents got it with the intention of it getting door-dings and just getting good gas mileage while I'm in college, but I just can't go from being known for having a badass truck to having the complete opposite, a wimpy quiet little civic.
I've already added new rims and tires, and a full sound system. and just for ***** and giggles replaced the rear honda badge with the Red one. but like I said, as far as power goes it's kinda like a little go-cart, it will act like its got power if you stomp on it, but it's in no hurry to get anywhere.
I know this is an automatic, a 4-door, and not even an Si, but I just need it to look, sound, and perform a little better. So far I've only focused on cosmetics, but I hear a turbo or new headers and a cat-back exhaust system will give some nice HP gains and add a better sound.
Realistically any beginning modifications or at least just the BIG ones that will provide the biggest improvement for the lowest cost is all I'm looking for.
PLEASE HELP

 
Rep Power: 173

Best power/cost: Turbo. Someone else on the forums once said that with a Civic you can get speed, reliability, and a low price, but never all three. You have to decide if you want to go forced induction or stay naturally aspirated. With turbo it seems it's best to fully commit or don't do it at all.

You can consider getting an EX head swap for the VTEC.

You can also just swap the engine out for a more powerful one, if you have the $$$.

Intake/exhaust header/exhaust system upgrade is what most people do first, but the gains are arguable with the D17 engine.

I've seen Stage 1 camshafts from Crower with some good gains on this site.

Just use the search function, or check out the 7th gen category on this site.

 
Rep Power: 517

Make a recording of the roar of a V8 engine and squealing tires.....
Or hell, record some top fuel drag races...

Then....


Whenever you want to sound fast, roll down your windows and play it through your

 
Rep Power: 307

Best be looking at total mileage, and any maintenance needing to be done.

 
Rep Power: 189

Turns out that big truck was overcompensating for something. Your reason for modding the honda is so others don't look down on you and that's the complete wrong reason for modding a car.

 
Rep Power: 208

Lol....i was going to say the same thing

somebody has a small member or some ego issues....or both!

 
Rep Power: 255

get this

 
Rep Power: 517

^THAT'S what I'm talkin about!


Needs moar volumes though. And bass. Lots of bass.

 
Rep Power: 189

Actually we really forgot to tell him about the stickers. +2hp each. Double hp if they're big enough for a panel.

 
Rep Power: 173

You can add a turbolator too for much HPs

:-P

 
Rep Power: 517

^I thought those were for gas mileage...


Actually used to have a customer with a Dodge Dakota, he bought and installed every last "gas saving" (moneysucking) thing he could get from late-night infomercials. Even had magnets and clothes pins on the gas line.
(Also had a pile of late night infomercial GGW tapes in the truck too.)

 
Rep Power: 255

but... but... the magnet re-aligns the molecules in the gasoline giving you better mpg its science.

 
Rep Power: 189

Guys, you got it all wrong. This guy doesn't want to save gas... that wouldn't be manly.

 
Rep Power: 517

Roll coal

 
Rep Power: 228

poopies is right

-D17a1 head to D17a2 vtec head, with a stage 1 cam. should only set you back $550 and you'll go from 90whp to 120-130whp, manual makes more if you want to do a stick conversion.

-if you have money turbo build.

 
Rep Power: 0

Just wanna say thanks for the lovely welcome to the community everybody.

Let me explain, its not that I'm trying to win any competition or have the worlds coolest looking/sounding/performing tuner. The whole point is just to mess around with the car. Just trying to have fun with it.
If modding a car to have fun is the wrong reason then I dont know wtf you guys mod for.

The big truck is kinda what you do in Texas.
It's cool though, figured I'd catch some kind of hate for havin one on a civic website

Anyways if y'all actually wanted to be helpful, that'd be nice.
Seriously I dont care about gas mileage, like I said. A small engine upgrade like maybe an intake or something and then just stuff for exterior. Point isn't to be taken too seriously here.

 
Rep Power: 0

Thank you, all I was looking for

 
Rep Power: 173

HTH. The reason we were giving you crap is because at first it seemed like you were going for flashiness over performance. There are a lot of people like that, unfortunately. Just check out this site for example lol http://www.riceboypage.com/
Good luck with the mods!

 
Rep Power: 0

I'm a noobie myself and after reading most of the posts, intake and exhaust are generally the first mods to do for performance right? car i bought came with an AEM intake but factory exhaust system from what i can tell

 
Rep Power: 173

Yeah, you're right! Intake/header/exhaust, or i/h/e for short. It doesn't exactly make a lot of power but a few HP is a bigger deal when you're only starting with 120HP or so.