Appearance first or Performance first?

[Jdmstyles]

Not sure if this topic has been created yet but here it goes.

I'm just wondering what's each of your preferences.

To get the aesthetic beauty of your car first or get the performance first? or perhaps 50/50 at the same time.

Me personally, I like to even it all out, as i like adrenaline and on the other hand I like my car to look pleasing to the eye at the same time.

[jazz4890]

This is a good topic and I was planning on doing both at the same time but then I accidently went looks on the outside first and now I am gonna go performance then im going for looks on the inside thats my plan.

[CSUPUEBLOTIM]

I personally go all performance first then that way when you do exterior stuff you have the stuff to back it up if somebody has a different taste or something than you. If not then you basically have a bone stock car that looks good and then you get laughed at for being slow even though your trying to look cool.

[Jdmstyles]

Hmm. yeah its kind of hard trying to get the best of both worlds at the same time.

The thing is first impression of a car would 99% of the time be the exterior lol.

Blah i dunno what im talking about anymore... Contradicting myself

[phreaknature]

i'm definitly for performance first. don't want anything bad to happen to my car while its bling, so may as well let it look like crap while i'm fixin her up. after that, then i'll make her look just as great as she runs just to make those haters go and treat each other like for not buyin a 240 for all its glory

[zerepdivad]

Meh on my daily driver just looks, and comfort features for me such as adding power locks, keyless entry, remtote start etc. And on my weekend fun car it's all motor mods. basic ka-t system.

[Jdmstyles]

phreaknature what type of rear valance is that in your sig?

Looks oddly unique. i've never seen it :o

[Chris28]

i did suspension first, then wheels. New wheels make it look like a totally different car. Now i'm focusing on engine performance so i'm not getting passed by 92 accords...

[Clawhammer]

Performance.

[silvia_ks_69]

first time around when i was a FnF kid lol i went for looks first. but now its performance and ground works first.

[rico05]

Dood. Joo kno dat da honies be lovin' it when you look fresh and fly wit dat glitter paint and chrom wheels. So fresh.

But in all seriousness, it's all up to you. Me, I like the battle worn and knife-fight-ready appearance of a beat to hell street car that has awesome performance and more than a few coats of Krylon and a smattering of zip ties. I did suspension, brakes tires, a motor swap, then I bought a Xenon lip and called it a day. I do have sleepy eyes, a hood prop and a black roof on my new hatch, but to me that is just enough to set me apart from the pack. My old coupe was 4 shades of rattle can and I got compliments at every meet I went to.

[Hydroz]

I personally go all performance first then that way when you do exterior stuff you have the stuff to back it up if somebody has a different taste or something than you. If not then you basically have a bone stock car that looks good and then you get laughed at for being slow even though your trying to look cool.

lmao! Couldnt have said that better myself CSUPUEBLOTIM knows what time it is

i killed a turbod scion in this

no trunk no bumper nor fenders, been driving it this way for two weeks

[hbpignosePA]

lmao! Couldnt have said that better myself CSUPUEBLOTIM knows what time it is

i killed a turbod scion in this

no trunk no bumper nor fenders, been driving it this way for two weeks

i call on driving around like that in cali.....

im pretty sure you would/will get pulled over

[Darkness and Light]

I'm of the opinion that nearly everyone can appreciate a clean, neat appearance and performance has its own appeal. Don't get caught up in trends and stick to things that are widely appreciable as attractive. Performance enhancements should also be attractive or minimally compromise the appearance or comfort of people riding inside. Its like telling a joke, there is no point if you have to explain to someone why they should be impressed/laughing. Either pick your audience carefully or go for general appeal.

Dedicated race cars are an exception to this of course, their attraction is based solely in performance and that shouldn't be compromised either. A project or hobby car has a certain leeway as well because in theory the only person you should be trying to impress is yourself.

[BearTrap]

I learned my lesson the hard way....

I did a ton of internal performance work on my ka when i was in college. Now it wont pass emissions in AZ, and it's forced to sit, unless I take it to the track...

If I had to do it all over again, i'd keep the engine pretty stock. I'd have a bada$$ suspension, diff, brakes, wheels, body and all the stuff I don't have now because I spent all the money on the engine that wont pass....then when I solely want it to be my track car, i'd do the engine stuff.


Modified by BearTrap at 6:26 AM 12/12/2008

[SR24DET]

Im all about performance. It makes me laugh when people show up at the weekend races with aero and a fart cannon. I do like the look of "show", but for me i need my "go".

[qstudent819]

+1 for performance

[Thoughtful_One]

These threads are dumb...

I can't believe these threads are still alive...

[ss82480]

I guess I'll play along. I let mine sit around with an intake/exhaust for 5-6 years, but I've focused quite a bit on exterior. Why? Because I don't give a **** if someone wants to race me, or thinks my **** is slow. I see old restored 240z rolling on the street and they inspire me to keep my car looking nice for years to come.

I like cruising in my car, and its good for me. Who cares what people on the internet think? (although the supercharger is going on soon )

[BrianHarte]

I think it depends what kind of person you are.

You might be the kind of guy that loves to post up your build of your engine. You will also like to go to car meetes in your fast but ugly car and just talk about power numbers and how many cars you beat and all that ****. You'll talk for hours and hours and the only ones that will care are those that think exactly like you.

You might like a car that is slow as stock, but it will look badass. All t hose same kind of people will think you are so cool with how your car looks.

You might be somebody that splits it all up and has a fast and good looking car.

Of course, some people will only think of "performance" as "how fast it is or how much power it makes".

Me, I'd like to say I am half/half.

I never want to drive around a car that looks like a pile of ****. stock s13 body with mediocre wheels and a flat paint job. That is just ****. Even if it has 900 horsepower, it looks like a pile of **** and you aren;t kidding anybody by saying it's cool.

I have always focused on the appearance of my car. My s14 had a kit and paint and wheels and all that stuff. I liked it. People will respond to a nice looking car before they respond to one that is fast but looks like crap.

My "performance" parts are not about the engine at all. I've found that for what I do, the stock engine is enough to have fun and impress countless people. Instead of the engine, I put my money into suspension, differential, meters, etc. All the suspension parts I buy are quality and could have easily got me a nice fat SR20 by now. However, that isn't the route I wanted.

Of course (as it should be obvious) it is up to you in the end.There will always be somebody to tell you that you're wrong. screw that.

love, BH

[Dittoz7]

Personal Preference

[johnny butt]

they are all right it's personal preference, and I don't know how many people are really building for an audience, or why you would even bother.

I'd choose performance over looks mostly because I like the idea of having a car that looks like **** but handles as nicely on the track as say...a 350z.

But I also like to have my car look like it's taken care of and don't want it to be too bold which is why I went ahead and got rid of the popups, threw on a silvia front end (BRICKs so it would be bland looking) and a bit of oem aero to spice it up and get a little more air to my intercooler. my intercooler I am even going to have blacked out with appliance paint so it's not so flashy or attention-grabbing. "why'd you paint your radiator?"

most people I know around town who build their cars say they never would have guessed I had an RB sitting under the hood and still think my intercooler is just there for looks (until I change gears. )

[i240sx]

performance is a 240sx??? i don't think it has performance...240sx is all about handling. i would go for appearance unless i have a CA, SR, RB in my 240.

[boostdd]

I usually do performance 1st with a lil exterior

on my 240 im focusing more on maintance and exterior cause the only performance id want to do that be worth wild is motor swap or turbo the KA which i have money for neither.

So some sweet rims, a slam and and lip is all i need for now, than at least some breathing mods for now

[Nali]

Turbo first.After that make the car look pretty, and for the record lowering your car on Street coils or using lowering springs, counts as Beautification in my books.After your car looks Ok and the turbo is helping to not get left behind too hard.Add moar power.

And by Turbo i mean KA-T SRDET CADET RBDET whatev turbo.

[ReaperBJJ]

Usually I'd say performance first, but in my case, the previous owner of my hatch decided to f up so much stuff, that I was embarassed to be seen in the thing. I.e. it had clearcoat peel, he started rattlecanning it flat black but gave up halfway through, Gigantic heavy peeling chrome wheels, and some nasty rust on the old fenders and rocker panels. Now that I got that all fixed up and she's one color again I'm focusing all my moneyz on suspension and then later a motor swap.

[Jdmstyles]

These threads are dumb...

I can't believe these threads are still alive...

Perhaps because it was started last night?

[ghx407]

^^^^ Your tires are facing the wrong way...

Back to topic:

Performance first.

[Dire91]

Do you mean performance as in making the car run, or making the car run really well? Because as long as the car is running nicely, I'd say appearance first for me.

[schanne]

Performance.