I realize that many people who go on this forum have ever intent of modding their car, we have stickys on what you can do to mod your car but, we don’t have what you need to do before you pop your hood.

What is what?- The first thing you should do when ever you think about taking a bolt off a car is a manual for the car. The manual is going to be your best friend, its got everything from torque specs for bolts all the way up to wiring diagrams for the ecu... it also tells you where everything is. If you go to your local shop try to score a Chilton’s, its one the best manuals on the market. If you can’ find one you can always go with a Haynes.

Does the car run right? - Many people want to buy boost gauges and fmic's where their car can hardly run. Before you mod anything check your manuals maintenance schedule, most 1g and 2g cars are going to need stuff like timing belt replacements which can be very costly... luckily you have the manual that walks you though hard repairs like that. Also inspect the car your self, ask your self questions like- Are there and vac hoses that are starting to crack? When was the last time the oil was changed? Are all of my fluid levels correct? Am I leeking an fluids? Does the car run right? Does it ride right? Are my tires in good condition?

Daily drivers - Many people who buy eclipses are younger (I don’t know of many 40 year olds driving eclipses). In that case chances are the cars are daily drivers. Before you start to buy parts for the car you have to put a limit on how much you’re going to mod the car. A 11 sec daily driver sounds cool but it will eat gas, if you have to drive it a half of an hour every day a loud exhaust is going to give you a head ach, and your going to be putting a lot of miles on a performance car(not good for performance). Also by raising your hp you’re lowering the longevity of the motor (generally speaking), so you have to ask your self "If the car breaks will I still be able to get to work/school?"

Money- Money is a sensitive subject so I'll make it quick, don’t buy so many parts you cant afford gas/insurance/car payments.

That’s if, if you can follow these guide lines you wont pull out your hair so much. Obviously I am not an expert, and I am not telling your how to live your life and am just giving advice from personal experiences. If anyone feels that I left something out feel free to add it.

 

I'm going to add on to this. I've also cleaned it up.
I've seen a few "what should I mod next?" posts in here lately. I agree with this thread. I agree that a car should be in good running order before you throw modifications on. After all, modifying a car speeds up the wear and tear and if the motor is in poor shape, it will wear out even faster or it might just not take the mod(s) real well if at all.
So, after make sure that the motor is in decent shape you can then move on to modifying the motor to your budget's content.
For the 1G's...
For the GVR4's..
For the 2G's..