1. 4.77 gears- By far the best "bang for the buck"
2. Coil overs and lower car- Stock is pretty good though.. aftermarket is really expensive.

 

gears + coil overs are also the most parts of the list... for cheapness, it'd be exhaust + hondata gasket (both relatively useless... )

 

Gears are the best but they are not cheap (unless you do the install).

If you're looking for an aftermarket exhaust, I might recommend going with a test pipe on the stock exhaust.

 

Yeah, a testpipe and the removal of your stock resonator might give you the sound you're looking for. It will be a bit louder and have more of a growl to it.

 

1. 4.77 gears
2. X-brace
3. Hondatech intake gasket
4. Coil overs and lower car
5. Sway bars
6. After market exhaust (Not to loud though)


Gears = bang for the buck in gaining acceleration fun. Not a necessary mod, but definitely one of the nicer mods out there.

X-brace = gain in turn in fun, and makes the front a bit more solid over rough surfaces. This should have come stock from the factory.

intake gasket = bang for the buck, nearly eliminates the heat bog experienced on hot and humid days in stop and go driving. Necessary mod for Midwesterners.

coilovers = lower stance, firmer ride. Not a necessary mod. Depending on quality of the product, this can become a major headache. Again, depending on quality of mod, this can be a source of major negative cash flow.

sway bars = dependant on year of car. Larger bar for the rear is a definite for MY 2000 and 2001 (reduces chance of snap-oversteer on stock alignment settings with OEM S02's). Not as needed for 2002+ depending on your driving style and driving needs.

exhaust = if you're wanting to free up power in the motor, then a straight design single cannister is the way to go. However, it's loud and expensive. If sound is what you're looking for, then going with a straight pipe and possible resonator delete could give you what you want. Others locally have had luck with welding on aftermarket cannisters to their stock exhaust for increased sound performance.

If your goal is to free up power AND not spend a lot, then I'd suggest a header upgrade before going the exhaust route. You can free up power in particular rev range moreso with this mod rather than an exhaust mod (which, for the most part frees up power in the upper rev range). The majority of exhausts out there are designed for peak output (designed to decrease back-pressure and straight through exhaust flow). There are more choices with headers to free up mid range power, or to free up top end power.