<flame suit on>

alright, lemme get this outta tha way

it'* not a manual tran.
and it'* fwd.

those are my only complaints
that being said
this is my third day of ownership and i absolutly love this car

the handling is remarkable considering its size
the power to weight ratio isn't exactly thrilling
But it does acheive a balance ( i have a N/A )

and as of now, my car is in pristine condition
drive train-wise, so i am hesitant to tear into
the engine just yet.

some of the first modifications i am considering
are simply putting in a lower temp thermostat
and stiffer, maybe lower (by like an inch) springs.
also thinking about porting/sanding intake manifold

if anyone here has done any of these i would
appreciate your feedback.

and are there any other simple
improvments you have made over stock parts?

ok first off....a good tune up is Always in order when getting a new/used car....

the 180 Thremo is a must for you....

there are no lowering springs but i believe that Advance has springs that will lower the car some, i believe they are FE2....(we are currently doing research on this very topic, so there is no definate answer)

and there is a Ported Lower intake that is going to a member, the long term benefits have not been found out, although i believe there is alot to be gained by the ported lower, dont attempt untill we can get some real world testing

I would also advise you to do a gutted airbox, CAI with a GOOD heatshield or a FWI depending on your climate....this along with a 180 thremo, and a tune up will be a good start for you modding days

Suggested first mods are in Techinfo. Link at the top of the page.

Custom springs are available at http://www.coilsprings.com/
Paulnold and I have/had them.
If you search our names you should find something.

You cannot port the UIM unless you remove the air separator in the throat. I personally wouldn't bother.
As for a ported lower intake, unless you have it out to change the lower intake gaskets, I don't think it'* worth it.