I went through the same experience. I must say that the biggest difference was not when I installed the JWT intake in but when I put the stock air box back in. The car feels much quicker off the line, and that's just what I need in a big city.

 

I mod because I like to get dirt and oil under my finger nails

More of an experamenter I guess. Some times I feel like Mr. Wizard high on gas fumes.

 

a nice topic indeed.

To address the car with 3 mods outrunning the car with 8 mods...I guess it could be attributed to a variety of small variables that when summed together create a big difference.

these smaller variables could be:

1. TUNE UP OVERLOOKED. this is key. I fear that so many guys get caught up in aftermarket mods just to say they have them, that they overlook the basics. A poor tune can account for up to four tenths. I'm so sick that I replace my plugs which are rated at 60K, every 20K. Fuel filter every 20k along with an efi flush.

2. DRIVER SKILL. especially with the 5spd. cars. Launch technique, shift points, shift styles, etc...

3. WEIGHT. Stereo systems, cargo, wheels, etc. even tire size is a factor that affects final drive ratio. Heavy rims can KILL an e.t.

4. MOD SELECTION. research. what works, what gives the greatest gains.

I guess that if a person was lacking in all these areas he could be put down pretty easily by a car with fewer mods.

 

Nicely put! As for #4, most people want stuff in a hurry to get up to speed with everyone else. Now me, I want to accelerate faster than everyone else so I am taking my time and doing the research.

 

after reading this thread i have only one question that needs to be answered- why did i buy a Cat replacement? did i expect it to "substantially increase horsepower" as the website said? nope. did i expect it to make my car sound like a race car? not likely. i wanted someone to ask me "whats that car got"? and be able to say i replaced the cat with a straight pipe. sounds cool right? i was oblivious to this fact until i read this thread and realized i needed a definite change in perspective. it seems to me that all these ricers weve been talking about (i began to have some of these aforementioned tendencies before i was aware of it) have been doing all these "performance" mods when their only intents have been cosmetic. how many of these "ricers" would buy an exhaust that was proven to substantially increase exhaust flow but sounded stock? not many. for people like this, the intent of an exhaust is to make their car SOUND fast. i think we could consider this a cosmetic mod. their only goal is to make their car sound and look like it could have made it into The Fast and The Furious but they didnt want to put the miles on it, or something to that extent. true tuners know the difference. there is no way u could convince me that a sc is in any way cosmetic. but a 4" catback exhaust with a 7" tip? the argument certainly can be made here. to wrap this up, i think in most cases (tuners, true enthusiasts, etc excluded)it all comes down to the fact that whoevers car sounds and looks meaner must be faster, and he, therefore, is the bigger man. and u just cant argue with that.

 

I modify my maxima because I enjoy it. It makes me happy to improve the performance, and looks, of my vehicle. Notice in my signature that I have no engine mods right now. I don't do a performance mod to look cool, I do it because it has an ability to make my car faster, turn harder, grip better, stop better, look better to me, etc. Just the other day some guy was saying something about how he didn't like my wheels, and my car should have airbags so it would be lower. I was just like "hey man, I'm doing this because I like it, not because I want you to like it. I like to race, and you can't do that very well with 20" chrome dubs and airbags or hydros."

I do this to make myself happy about my car. It's no 10 second dragster, and its no F1 car, but I like to improve the handling (and speed when I get some more $$$) of my car. I also like to look at my car and say "Man that looks cool."

Thats my take on the "why do you mod" question.