Looks or Performence, ?????? Options

[macavely]

Which is more important to you Looks or Performence? and why?

[iceman23]

It depends on where you draw the line. I wouldn't swap my engine to upgrade it that's for damn sure. I'm going to tweak the **** out of the engine I presently have...I'd be a hell of alot more proud of it than just getting another factory engine that's maybe pushing 10-30 horses more than mine. I have the JDM SS-II, if I wanted the turbo version I'd have broke the bread for it in the first place. As far as looks are concerned, I think as long as you keep it original then the sky's the limit. We don't need another INTEGRA ricer frenzy where car's are competing against cars with a cheap po-dunk body kit and those god forsaken wiper-fluid-dispencer-LED-things.

[Benevolence]

Hmm I dunno... performance does have a cost besides the obvious (money) such as gas mileage, temptation to speed and such resulting in increased amount of citations, if repairs are necessary most likely more expensive... where as looks can get you some fine honey's or get some low life thugs staking your ride out, to put an end to my babbling... for my celi what would I rather Have? Ill take looks, Im happy enough with the performance of my GT.

[3TST]

Interesting topic of conversation...
I'm personally trying to get the best of both worlds without spending a small fortune, that is, upgrade perfomance and highlight the looks.
If you start increasing engine performance then you have to start considering upgrading your braking system and then handling.
Once you have that sorted, you want it to look the part.

I want a nice looking car, different to anyone else around here, and that has the performance to backup the looks.

Just for an idea of what I'm planning...
Looks:
1. Interior (gearknob, shift boot, handbrake cover, dash trim kit, bezel gauge, paint some of the black plastic panels, CD player and speakers)
2. Exterior (Body Kit, Wing, Hood Scoop/Vents, Head/Side/Taillights, Paint Brake Calipers)
Performance:
1. Engine(Air Intake, Plugs, Leads, Coil, Cat-Back Exhaust, Fuel Pressure Regulator)
2. Braking (f/r Drilled/grooved Discs, EBC Green Pads, )
3. Handling (koni yellows, 1.5" lowering springs, f/r sway bars, f/r strut bars)

What order .... Make it go, make it stop, make it handle, make it look good.
1. Looks - 1 (quickest and cheapest method to get quick visible results..good for morale!)
2. Performance - 1
3. Performance - 2
4. Performance - 3
5. Looks - 2

[JWalk1818]

Well I prob have to say looks since I have done a lot more for looks than performance!

1. Intake (Pretty Cheap)
2. Exhaust
3. Wires and Plugs
4. Nothin lol, unless turbo or pully
5. I wouldnt mind doing a swap but too much money for my budget

[whitefuzz]

i believe this is a matter of personal prefference
to me it's like this:

1 pick a nice car when u buy one (celica is a great choice... plain stock it looks good )
2 the car definitely needs a good music install!!!!(for this one i work my ass off!)
3 spend some money on original looks
4 spend some money on performance


currently i'm halfway stage 2 and i'm getting into stage 3

i have a nice audio install, although i still need a good compo and want another powerfull tantrum amp
currently i'm working on a nice buildup of my trunk so that's the audio stuff mixed with the looks of the interior

when all this is done i'll start saving money for a veilside kit body kit
don't know yet if it 'll be the complete one or just the nose... i kinda like the ass of my celi already
and i have some "original" ideas(=> haven't seen it done to a celica) to even make it better

after that (by this time i'll be a working and making tons of money so money won't be an issue (plz plz plz pzl pzl pzl )
an engine swap might be up

engine swapping is something i'm reading up on for the moment... it seems to cost a lot... but i'd make my st a LOT more performant...
i'm still studying... maybe i'll have to money when i graduate and start working... we'll c


oh yeah and i also like those custom leather interiors so ... if i have some money in the future it might consider this...

[Mizuryu]

good topic...

well i'd have to say that to me...looks would be the numbet one thing..But you can't have a tight body job and a weak performing engine. So the looks are num. 1 and the performance is second. You could at least beef up the engine a little....but as long as it looks fast... and still drives good...it's all good to me.

[x_itchy_b_x]

i think they are even with me. but hey whatever.

[JWalk1818]

Well if you have a tigh bodykit and its lowered to make the fender gap go away and you have a powerful enigne if you dont granny shift your going to nail the front!

[trdcelica99]

i say both

[1bwilson]

i say both

Thats how I feel also.

If your going to have a car that looks bad ass that you might as well have the ass to back it up.

-Bryan-

[macavely]

If your car goes fast it looks good.
If your car looks good why would you want to go fast?

[1bwilson]

If your car goes fast it looks good.
If your car looks good why would you want to go fast?

LOL thats good.

-Bryan-

[macavely]

thank you they just come to me

[Cragspider]

Ok Im doing both, just not in any speciffic order. Maybe I should figure out a plan, but oh well I go at my own way. Here is why I love the looks of our cars, even if its is still manly stock.
Bryan

[boosted_K2]

well ive been doing ALL looks right now....

however i got a ride in a civic SI that was modded and holy sh!+..... it was amazing.... i now am obsessed with performance...

what i now have planned:
1)install bodykit and current mods
2)eibach sportline springs or TRD springs and koni struts
3)3SGTE

[chucho]

Resurrection....
I'm going more show than go. Right now i'm spending all my time on getting the exterior done. After I go to the show i'm looking at getting headwork done this jan. and then getting high compression pistons. I'm what everyone else wants. 200 hp at the crank will surfice and then i'm going to redo my interior.

[acenova]

Haha, Looks are very very important to me. It's as someone on here always says, if I wanted a fast car, I would buy a fast car. I mean, right now, my car has neither, but I have big plans. I like to keep it simple, you know, nothing too flashy, but definitely really nice. Just like some skirts and either a front lip or like a c-one kit is definitely optimal with a lowered ride sitting on 17" rims. But you see the other side to that is that I love cornering which would mean lowering my car w/ performance springs and putting in some kyb struts, having a sway bar and of course, w/ corners and a lowered car you want some power. But I say make your car look good first, but eventually, people will start to clown you if you have the looks but not the power. (only if people's opinions really matter) You know what, I think I contradicted myself a few times in here. I'd say looks first, then performance. Lowering springs just happen to be both so cornering looks good then. haha, alright, I'm done.

[nik]

At first it was all about the looks then i got sick and tired of my car looking fast and being slow . So i turboed it i think it should go hand in hand (50/50) get the easy performance upgrades like exhaust plugs headers intake and then wheels body pieces. Just my .02

[ConeTrouble]

Well, everyone has different opinions on this, especially what looks good appearance-wise.

Personally, I am an all performance kinda guy. I am a 95% suspension/handling and 5% motor thing. I love lateral g forces. Most of my money has gone to uprates shocks, alignments, and race tires. I wouldn't mind going with a really well-built 3sgte putting around 300 torque to the wheels, but at this point it isn't feasible for a lot of reasons. Probably won't ever happen, to tell the truth. I just don't see the point in doing it halfway (i.e. just dropping a JDM 2nd gen w/160 or so HP.... $$$ to power return is too low for me), and a full build like what I am talking about is just too much time/labor/fundage.

Looks-wise, I keep it simple and tasteful. My car is black, so I went with dark tint all around, and tinted the tails/sidemarkers. I would take off the badging if it was legal in SCCA stock competition. Wheels are from a stock 7th gen GT. Nothing flashy, but not totally stealth, either. I am not a fan of body kits at all, but I know some are, and more power to them.