The Best Purchases You Can Make With Your Tax Refund

Tax refund season is officially here, and for many car enthusiasts, this is a time where it is okay to be financially irresponsible. Afterall, it’s your money that you have overpaid to the government. But for many of us with adult responsibilities such as a mortgage or feeding a family, being able to get upgrades to our cars can be a bit of a challenge. And it’s all relative whether it be building a fence for the backyard, updating your wardrobe, or treating yourself to a vacation, many will use tax returns to do a once-a-year purchase.

Now when it comes to making a nice purchase for your BRZ, FR-S, 86, or A90 Supra, shopping with tax returns could send your head into a spin because naturally, there is so much that we want to do all at once. If it were up to us, we’d have a completely built race car with the snap of our fingers. In reality, we need to choose that one cool upgrade that we’ve always wanted to do within reason. And going back to responsibilities, you should always make sure that your car is running at 110% before doing any mods so think about how many miles are on that timing belt, think about if you have any leaks in your motor, if it needs spark plugs, or any major or basic maintenance. These are smart things to address, but we want to have fun here. We want to do something to our cars that make them faster, louder, or look better. With that being said, let’s look at some of the best purchases you can make with your tax returns.

 

 

CAT BACK EXHAUST SYSTEMS BECAUSE WE WANT MORE LOUD

The most popular upgrade in all of automotive mankind. Whether if you drive an old man sedan or a lifted truck, the automotive aftermarket will have a performance cat-back for that vehicle. And if you have a sports car such as a newer BRZ or the new GR Supra, an upgraded cat-back will always be at the top of the wish list simply because they are so fun to have. A good cat-back will have larger piping with smoother bends to allow for an unobstructed flow path for when those exhaust gases need to escape. This increases the throttle response on the BRZ/FR-S/86, while reducing the turbo lag on the A90 Supra. We have several units in stainless steel, or we have a few examples made in full titanium for those who want the weight savings. You can choose from several different tip options that are also a great visual improvement over the OEM units. Furthermore, if you know how to wrench and know how to properly secure your car on jackstands, cat-back exhaust systems can be installed using simple wrenches and a socket set.

 

 

THE OTHER MAIN INGREDIENT IN POWER MODS, COLD AIR INTAKE SYSTEMS

Cold air intake systems and cat-back exhaust systems go hand and hand to add a pretty good amount of horsepower to your butt dyno. They are one of the few engine upgrades that you can do to a naturally aspirated engine in the BRZ/86 that allows the throttle to respond quicker, and they allow the turbocharger to inhale a larger volume of air in the A90 Supra. And like cat-back exhaust systems, the main function is to get rid of any restrictions associated with the OEM airbox. Because with the OEM design, you have a paper filter that gets dirty pretty quickly, and it’s like trying to breathe through a straw. Cold air intake systems are typically designed with a cone-style filter that allows your engine to breathe much easier, and most filters on aftermarket cold air intake systems are cleanable, and serviceable. And they are called cold air intake systems because they suck in cooler air to feed your intake plenum with cooler intake temperatures. Cooler intake temperatures in naturally aspirated engines, and cooler charge temperatures in forced inducted motors is what creates more horsepower and torque.

 

 

 

AIR OIL SEPARATORS – IF YOU HAVEN’T DONE THIS TO YOUR BRZ, THEN YOU SHOULD

Not as attractive in terms of having something fun like an intake or an exhaust. But for those of you who drive any generation Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S, or Toyota 86 that share the same flat-four heart, you need to do this, and here’s why. In pretty much all Subaru horizontally opposed engine designs, there is a prevalent problem where oil mist and vapors will travel pass the OEM positive crankcase ventilation system (PCV). The PCV valve is a check valve that opens to relieve the engine and oiling system of too much crank case pressure. Too much crankcase pressure will push out any vital oil seal over time such as cam seals, or even your front or rear main seals. All of which mega suck to replace.

Oil, oil mist, and harmful vapors will get through the OEM PCV design where they will make their way into the intake plenum. Coating your intake valves with oil that turns into carbon buildup. Most importantly, they coat the tops of your pistons with oil and carbon buildup. How does this effect the engine? Carbon buildup on your intake valves and especially on your piston tops effects the combustion in the cylinder walls as it lowers your octane rating from the fuel spraying out of your injectors. This is one of the contributors of ring land failure that is also synonymous in Subaru engines. When you have carbon buildup on your pistons and you have a lower octane rating in your fuel, you are creating detonation. Detonation is where you have pre-ignition, and the combustion happens too early and  before the peak of the piston stroke. The cylinder pressure gets so high because of the heat, that your ring lands fail first. TLDR? Not having a proper air/oil separator will reduce the overall shelf life of your boxer engine, and it can lead to misfires, check engine lights, and contamination of the fuel and oil.

 

 

 

HAWK TUA PUT A SUPERCHARGER ON THAT THANG

Now this is something that one really needs to take a deep dive and do their research on. Because that naturally aspirated engine in both generation BRZ, FR-S, and 86 models weren’t made to have forced induction. BUT, it can be done within limits. Meaning don’t run too much boost and don’t drive it like you stole it otherwise, your engine will melt. Have an A90 Supra and just want to upgrade the turbo? Have at it buddy, the B58 has proven to be a stout platform. With the BRZ you’ve got to be a lot more careful as these engines are built with 200 HP with the 2.0 liter, and 228 HP in the 2.4 liter. If you want forced induction, then a supercharger is the way to go as superchargers are belt-driven which means boost is limited, and better controlled. With turbochargers you can increase boost by several ways which include a bigger turbo, stiffer wastegate springs, or simply increasing the boost through a solenoid. You don’t want to do this to an unopened BRZ engine.

Supercharger kits are quite the investment and are not the easiest of mods to get for your BRZ, FR-S, or 86, but perhaps you’ve been saving up for one, and your tax returns could get you within the strike zone of getting one. We have a few complete bolt-on kits that add a little more power and boost to the engine of your 1^st or 2^nd generation BRZ/FR-S/86.

 

 

 

YOUR FAVORITE SUSPENSION MOD, COILOVERS

There are a few upgrades that enthusiasts with untouched cars try to perform within the first year of ownership. This is a custom set of wheels, because wheels really change the personality and exterior visual dynamic of your car. And next would be coilovers. Coilovers really help execute that clean look, and the OEM ride height whether it be a BRZ or an A90 Supra is a little tall, and coilovers will really clean it up.  

Most importantly, coilovers are great because you can adjust the ride height by removing a wheel and safely supporting the vehicle on jacks. By simply loosening the spring perch with included tools for most coilovers, you can adjust the strut body into the lower mount to lower the ride height. And if you have ever installed lowering springs or paid someone to do it, you will especially have a greater appreciation for this feature. With lowering springs, you have to remove the entire strut assembly, use a proper spring compressor tool, undo the top hat, install the spring, and re-install everything. Coilovers that include top hats are direct replacements, and aside from ride height adjustment, you can adjust the shock damping and rebound depending on what model you get. This means that you can adjust the ride quality and the handling as well. A tighter coilover setting means that it can support the chassis during high-speed lateral forces, while a softer setting will help the car squat and absorb the drivetrain shock while launching at the drap strip. We have several sets that range from beginner levels that offer ride height adjustment, and advanced sets that have camber adjustable top hats, as well as damping and rebound adjustments for those of you who need the adjustability for sanctioned track events.

 

 

 

YOUR OTHER FAVORITE SUSPENSION MOD, SWAY BARS

On weekend track events on a worldwide scale, you will more than likely see any generation Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S, Toyota 86, and the A90 Supra. They are one of the best handling cars you can get at an attainable price point – yes even the A90. Most importantly they encompass the traditional front-engine rear wheel drive sports car layout. The mentioned models handle so well because they have a great wheelbase that allows for great weight distribution. During competition driving events, larger sway bars reduce the amount of body roll during high-speed corners which drastically improves the handling and the driver feedback. One of the best mods you can do for under $1,000 and even $500 in some examples, and it’s a great mod for daily duties as well as it sharpens the chassis on spirited canyon runs or in situations with tight corners.  

 

 

 

THE FRONT BUMPER ON YOUR BRZ OR A90 DESERVES A FRONT LIP

The front bumper on any generation BRZ and on the A90 Supra is designed and contoured in such a way that naturally, an aftermarket front lip fits so nicely without any objections. It provides the exterior with race-inspired looks by bringing the front bumper closer to the ground, and they improve the aerodynamic refinement by reducing drag while improving the front-end downforce at higher speeds.

We carry several options in stunning lightweight carbon fiber, and we have other examples in strong fiberglass construction for those of you who want a paint-matched option.

 

 

 

YOU BETTER GET A TRUNK SPOILER

The rear trunk/hatch on the A90 Supra and on the 2022+ BRZ and GR86 have a natural duck bill contour. With a trunk spoiler, it really makes a great difference with a sleek look for those who won’t opt for a larger rear wing. These are very simple to install, you just clean the surface of the paint, and many of the units will come with automotive-grade double-sided adhesive that will support the spoiler because they are light especially if you get a carbon fiber unit.

We also carry larger rear wings for those of you who simply want the look, or if you have a track-dedicated race car and need that downforce to push the rear chassis down during higher speed corners. There are also OEM-like examples such as the TRD style rear wing that is a great median between a trunk spoiler, or if you have a 67” wide APR rear wing. Many examples from carbon fiber to paint-matched units that are ready to install out of the box.

 

 

 

YOU KNOW YOU’RE GONNA GET WHEELS AT SOME POINT

The most enjoyable exterior mod that enthusiasts like to perform on anything they drive. It could be a junkyard school bus, and we’d figure out a way to slap Volks on it. Wheels are a very important upgrade because it’s the one key character trait we can give our cars to set them apart from the rest of the examples that rolled off the assembly line. The most important feature about wheels, is that they allow us to use a more aggressive tire size for better grip. Yet it must be executed the right way. Meaning yes, with a wrong wheel setup that is too wide or has an overly aggressive offset can ruin your fenders, but you also completely kill the overall driving experience.

Research on forums if that’s even a thing anymore, ask on your local social media groups on which wheel setup is best, and don’t overdo it. Get a size that is larger but not too large and get a tire size that isn’t going to stretch on the rim yet is so wide that it will cause rubbing issues. We have a large wheel selection from expensive forged examples, to flow form cast units that are super strong for half the price. All of which will look great on your BRZ, FR-S, 86, or A90 Supra.

 

 

 

ONE OF THE SICKEST INTERIOR MODS IS AN UPGRADED OEM-LIKE STEERING WHEEL

What do all modern exotics, hyper cars, and expensive luxury brand vehicles have in common? They all have interiors with carbon fiber, suede, and leather. Not that we’re trying to turn our $15k used BRZ into a Pagani, but having the same creature comforts in the interiors of our cars is a nice luxury to have. The last choice on how you can make your tax returns quickly disappear is with an upgraded OEM-like steering wheel. We have options that include carbon fiber, suede, and smooth leather all made with a thicker grip that makes everyday driving much better.

The best part is that you can switch over your OEM buttons and airbag to make the steering wheel OEM-like without losing any functionality. This is a great way to liven up the interior, while allowing the driver to have a better grip during spirited driving conditions, or on just the casual grocery run.

 

 

 

In conclusion, these mods and upgrades are some of the most sought-after purchases during tax refund season for those of you who are fortunate enough to get a return back. This is a great way to treat your vehicle to something that will give it more power, improve the looks, or to improve the handling. It’s what keeps us enjoying how wonderful these cars are to drive. With the right upgrades, you will be reminded of why you bought one of these cars in the first place, and we are proud to help you make the right choice for your vehicle.