Best thing to start with for a 2000 3.8 Firebird

Hello everyone, new here

I've had my bird for a while now and I love it, especially when i can take the T-tops off :icon16:

I want to keep my car for a couple more years before i change it, but I sometimes find myself taking too much time from making it from point A to point B

What are the first mods you would recommend?

I recommend geting a performance muffler put on.

would you recommend any in particular? i was looking at a Ravin kit today 3 inch in and out with the Z33 or Z55 muffler with quad tips stainless exhausts

Would come in about $1200 CDN including labor and taxes
kinda steep, but i don't mind if it helps

i go the the z55 muffler and 3.5 inch tips put on with labor for 140$.

so basically it's only the muffler and some tips, no catback or anything

$140 is pretty cheap:bigthumb:

yes, basically its the muffler and some tips. The Ravin z55 muffler is a good muffler. The one that will fit your car is the RA554259 that is the 2.5inch in and outs muffler, or the RA594309 muffler that is 3in inlet and outlet muffler. Z-33 is louder than the Z-55, but both flow about the same CFM. If you go with the Z-33.

$140 is pretty cheap:bigthumb: \
yes yes, it shouldn't cost over $150. Very good price.

so the Z55 should do the same job as the Z33, power-wise?

so the Z55 should do the same job as the Z33, power-wise?
Yes, The Z55 is pretty loud. It's not going to annoy you wile driving on the interstate, but through town and take off's, it sounds real good and will turn heads.

thanks

what about that SLP cold air induction kit? worth it?

you'll find that you'll notice a lot more if you do the whole exhaust or the cat-back
only the muffler won't be a very noticeable difference

should i go with 2.5 inch or 3 inch piping?

should i go with 2.5 inch or 3 inch piping?
are you going to do a cat-back or just a muffler?

V6? go with 2 1/2
V8? go with 3 inch

catback for sure

2 1/2 inch cat-back will work.
So, what name cat-back are you going with?

dunno yet, i was thinking flowmaster but i've been told it would probably slow me down, tho i was thinking of changing the muffler for a ravin and keep the tubing from the flowmaster (probably the cheapest way to do it)

dunno yet, i was thinking flowmaster but i've been told it would probably slow me down, tho i was thinking of changing the muffler for a ravin and keep the tubing from the flowmaster (probably the cheapest way to do it)
Flowmaster makes a good kit. I don't know who told you that it would slow you down, but there is nothing wrong with flowmaster. The Cat-Back that fits your car comes 2.5inch and has a 80series muffler that exits duel out the rear. Part # 17358
Changing the muffler for a ravin and keep the tubing from flowmaster, is going to be more wouldn't it? You are going to get a muffler with the flowmaster kit. If you get the flowmaster kit, you might as well use the 80 series muffler, unless you want the buy a ravin also. Both mufflers are great. The 80 series will be louder...its about the only difference i have see between the two. So its your choice what you want to do.

I haven't heard anything good about Flowmaster, just that it's cheap.
Try Spintech or Borla. Hooker's good. Remember you get what you pay for.

Try Spintech or Borla. Hooker's good. Remember you get what you pay for.
Spintech makes a good muffler, its $109. It will be pretty loud tho like most of Spintechs mufflers. I don't care much for Borla. After all the tests ran, paying $700+ for their kit is not worth it. It sounds no more agressive than a flowmaster.
You can't trust what these muffler manufactures say about there products unless you have actually heard and felt the power difference.
Dildozer, if you get the flowmaster cat-back, just go with the 80 series. There is nothing wrong with that muffer and its perfered my most. I said ravin at the start because it's a great buy and worth every dime. I also thougth you were just going to replace the stock OEM muffler. But since you are going cat-back then the flowmaster 80. I think it's kind of wierd not using the muffler that comes with the kit and buy another one for $70-$100. Just my :2cents:

thanks for the info, tho i'm not big on the sound since it'S a v6, i just want to increase performance. It's probably quieter than the american thunder tho (or is it the same thing)

It's probably quieter than the american thunder tho (or is it the same thing)
Yeah, the flowmaster kit for your car is an american thunder.

Any place where i can get this cheap? so far Jegs.com has it for $272, too bad they don't seem to take paypal...

Get the Magnaflow 3" V8 system it fits the V6 fine and performs, looks, and sounds sweet, I love mine. I get alota compliments on the sound. I have CIA headers too so that helps as well though.