best bang for the buck

**pewter Z28** · 03-20-2011, 01:09 PM

ok so just like the most of use in this world i have 2 little girls and wife that i love to death and would do anything for . such as give up hobbies and dirt track race car 4 wheeler so on just to supply my family with what they need. however for last few weeks now i have really been working my but off two jobs to pay bills so we can stay afloat. i have been paying our bills and think its time to get my lost baby some love the camaro that is but with limited cash. whats the best start ,i have aftermarket throttle body cold air intake mass air rims stereo system need my power to ground its a automatic with stock gears ?i would love to buy from sponsors but think i am forced to used parts.

**az gt eater** · 03-20-2011, 01:29 PM

Get a used ls6 intake. Cheap, give you a little hp in the short run, and set you up for bigger gains in the long run.

**DVrec21** · 03-20-2011, 03:17 PM

That''s not a bad idea. LS6 intake can be inexpensive, has definite gains especially once tuned. Me personally, since your running A4 get 3.73gears put in or buy a whole new rear so that way if either one breaks u have a backup. 3.73s > LS6 intake as far as individual performance gain.

**robs98mysticZ** · 03-20-2011, 03:54 PM

3.73s will definitely give you a difference you can feel if you dont have cash for an entire aftermarket 9in or 12 bolt do your research on ring and pinions and the forging companies ect and get aftermarket axles that way you dont have to worry about shredding your factory axle splines

**KMdef9** · 03-20-2011, 04:08 PM

Get a bench tune from frost. It will wake that a4 up, probably more than any other $150 you could spend.

Otherwise, I'd go with LS6 intake as well, maybe some cheap headers and a ORY.

**bluehawk2000** · 03-20-2011, 04:10 PM

If you don't have a stall, that would be something to look into also since it's an a4!!

**sjgreen6** · 03-20-2011, 07:16 PM

+1 on the Frost mail-in tune. Money well spent, easy to do, and made a huge difference in my auto trans car.

**SSwt00SS** · 03-20-2011, 07:49 PM

stall, gears, tune...DONE!!!

forget the Ls6 intake, it's a joke, not worth it and way overrated. if you plan to do future mods, just get a FAST combo and be done with it. im telling you this from personal experience. a used FAST 90/90 combo can be found cheap these days since the 92mm and 102mm are now out, plus youre 1/2 way to a FAST combo if you just buy an Ls6 intake.

also, you fail to mention if you have simple things like a lid or exhaust, and you fail to say what your funds are ($500, $1000), what? if we had a price range, we could probably mention hundreds of things. best thing, would be to get the mods that taylor to your driving style and how you use your car. make sense?

good luck with what you choose to do!

**StuntmanMike** · 03-20-2011, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by sjgreen6

+1 on the Frost mail-in tune. Money well spent, easy to do, and made a huge difference in my auto trans car.

Not to thread-jack, but you could elaborate on this?

I've been thinking of going this route for my next mod, what kind of difference did it make exactly?

Thanks!

**TLS_Addict** · 03-21-2011, 07:15 AM

I will be able to tell you by the end of the week. Car just went in to get the rear gears swapped out. Hope to have her back in a few days. Told the guy to take his time because I wont be able to pick it up anyway.

I had FROST completely tune a new PCM for me (so I can keep my old one if I go back to stock gears) with the A4 changes and I am hoping it really wakes the car up!

**sjgreen6** · 03-21-2011, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by StuntmanMike

Not to thread-jack, but you could elaborate on this?

I've been thinking of going this route for my next mod, what kind of difference did it make exactly?

Thanks!

For my car the mail-order tune significantly firmed up the shift points, reduced the torque management in the transmission and smoothed out the power delivery. In case you aren't aware, torque management protects your auto transmission by limiting how much power you can push. It mainly reduces warranty claims for GM. The tune reduces the amount of torque management from about 30% to about 10% allowing you to apply more power faster.

Before the tune I could barely break the rear tires loose from a full out launch. After the tune I now have no problem breaking the tires loose, now I have to manage just how far I let the rear kick out before backing out of the throttle and the shift points are hard enough that my wife was a bit pissed :-)

**StuntmanMike** · 03-21-2011, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by sjgreen6

For my car the mail-order tune significantly firmed up the shift points, reduced the torque management in the transmission and smoothed out the power delivery. In case you aren't aware, torque management protects your auto transmission by limiting how much power you can push. It mainly reduces warranty claims for GM. The tune reduces the amount of torque management from about 30% to about 10% allowing you to apply more power faster.

Before the tune I could barely break the rear tires loose from a full out launch. After the tune I now have no problem breaking the tires loose, now I have to manage just how far I let the rear kick out before backing out of the throttle and the shift points are hard enough that my wife was a bit pissed :-)

Sounds good! Are the shifts always that firm, or only when you're getting on it?

**My00Z28** · 03-21-2011, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by sjgreen6

For my car the mail-order tune significantly firmed up the shift points, reduced the torque management in the transmission and smoothed out the power delivery. In case you aren't aware, torque management protects your auto transmission by limiting how much power you can push. It mainly reduces warranty claims for GM. The tune reduces the amount of torque management from about 30% to about 10% allowing you to apply more power faster.

Before the tune I could barely break the rear tires loose from a full out launch. After the tune I now have no problem breaking the tires loose, now I have to manage just how far I let the rear kick out before backing out of the throttle and the shift points are hard enough that my wife was a bit pissed :-)

not to jack but i just got my PCM tuned by frost and i cant wait till i get home from college to test her out +LT header/ORY install... A+++++

**sjgreen6** · 03-22-2011, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by StuntmanMike

Sounds good! Are the shifts always that firm, or only when you're getting on it?

The shifts are firmer pretty much all the time. Enough so you know it even at low speeds. Not a problem for me but the first time I took the wife out she noticed it and gave me the big frown when I confirmed that it was due to the tune. Prior to the tune my 1-2 shift at low speed was really mushy and felt like the trans was hunting around and couldn't decide exactly when to shift. Now it is a very consistent and firm shift even at low speeds.

**StuntmanMike** · 03-24-2011, 06:58 PM

Thanks for the info. Sounds like a really worthwhile mod, I'll have to put it on my short list.

**Z28Thunder** · 03-24-2011, 07:24 PM

LS6 intake,Header's,3500 converter, and a tune. That will run 12's all day long. And it will not be hard on the stock 10 bolt. IMO if you going to change gears you might as well save the money for a better rear end like a 12,9,dana.......

**8uup** · 03-25-2011, 03:08 AM

If you can stall it.

**konigandy6** · 03-25-2011, 04:54 AM

Originally Posted by Z28Thunder

LS6 intake,Header's,3500 converter, and a tune. That will run 12's all day long. And it will not be hard on the stock 10 bolt. IMO if you going to change gears you might as well save the money for a better rear end like a 12,9,dana.......

Not a Dana... From all the reading I did when shopping for mine, it is the most inefficient rear of them all.

A4 get a 12bolt
M6 get a 9inch

That's pretty much the consensus of Fbody axles.