my car is a 97 CX Hatch EJ6(according to chassis code list) anyway everything is still stock on it, 207,000 KM on the clock, 5spd, all stock cept for the speakers(previous owner upgraded them but did a horrible job)

so heres what i'm wondering, its my DD and i'm already lovin how this thing drives, I've not meticulously gone over the maintenance records so to my knowledge nothings been swapped, just fluids. So in 28ish days I'll know how strapped for cash i'll be as school restarts(yay) so I'm wondering is it better to upgrade the intake/exhaust (i'm on the fence for header as i may do a motor swap, but in like 3 years if all goes well) or do up the stereo, ie headunit amp and sub, as the speakers are already 6s on the doors and 6x9s in the back, JBL, and they look like ones from best buy...

I figure i'll have a lil over a grand(CDN) to spend but could be like 3 - 4 come the beginning of sept(need to wait and see on scholarships ), and after seeing the CAI from the vendors here i'm very tempted to order one... but i also can't go back to CDs... and my FM transmitter sucks...

another one i thought about was lowering it and getting lighter rims(as i still have my steelies w/ caps)

I'm just looking for what will make it more enjoyable than it already is... if thats even legally allowable... <3 my civic

Thanks for any advice, and ask away for clarifacation, i'll do my best as i'm a n00b to mods and hondas, but my <3 has been cars since like 4.

PS: I don't want a fart cannon, or other ricer gear, my gear is for its use and use only... nothing to "make" it look faster...

 

Well, the first thing I did for my Civic when I got it was the intake. Really simple to do and I didnotice a difference in throttle response (could be placebo effect). The second thing I did was upgrade the headunit and put subs in, as music is very important to me. If you feel that music is more essential than being slightly quicker, then go for it....it's all up to you.

Oh yea, third thing I did was get some rims. Can't stand hubcaps

 

imo, i would address comfort first, as in stereo, etc. if you're swapping in the future, that 100 bucks wasted on an intake could just go for the swap (that's about 1/30 of the swap, not much, but something)

 

I'd take care of safety and maintenance first. Download or buy a Factory Service Manual. They're better than Chiltons or Haynes, but any of the 3 will save you a bundle the first time you do any real work on the car. If you don't have an alarm with a starter kill yet, a cheap meantime alternative to keep your car from wandering off is to pull the fuelpump fuse when you park.

Make sure the brakes and tires will be good for the school year. Upgrades in these areas can return a great bang for the buck if you shop carefully. Good treadsreally made my '00 sedan into a different animal.If you upgrade the rims, keep the stockers for skinny snow treads if your winters are bad.

If the timing belt hasn't been changed, you'll need a new one at that mileage. If it snaps, IT WILL LIKELY DESTROY YOUR MOTOR. Also check your plugs, wires, and fuelfilter to ensure good mileage and performance. If your airfilter is due, it's a good time to upgrade to an intake with a good filter. If the exhaust is rusting out, upgrade there with a flow-thru cat, a catback system, and a header. If you swap or boost later, you could sell any of those on Ebay to recoup some cash.

Another good place to spend for performance is the suspension. A little money for an adjustable rear anti-swaybar and an upper/lower strutbar package can make your Civic really corner well while maintaining most of the factory ride and ground clearance. Adding an adjustable coilover setup when you have more cash could improve handling even more, while allowing you to lower in the summer and raise to near-stock in the winter.

Forget CDs. They take up space and can skip. Get a headunit with an MP3 jack and plug your player right into it. Bad receiver reception could be the headunit, the ground, alternator whine, or part of the antenna setup.