Hey Guys first post, Just bought a 02 TJ magna sports. 79000km and still looks like new for only $6000 from a mate, full service history and brand new brakes!!! now its a change from my other car a holden v8. but so far im liking it, but theres 2 things im definetely going to do, and thats the sound system and darkest legal tint, ive been reading around for a while and have some other ideas, im just wondering what mods have you done? im keeping this car as my daily driver but would like to make it more appealing to myself and something i can do over time so theres always something new.

a few mods i have done to mine are, chrome inside handles off a verada, 2 and a half sports exhaust from cat back, you could maybe get clear side indicators, maybe a K&N filter, this is to name just a few, and welcome to the forum :)

Hey thanks for the reply. do you find the exhuast drones? and i rekon the clear indicators look good, i have them on my hsv grange and definetely looks way better clear. and did you find using a K&N filter made much difference too noise and power? sorry if im being annoying, im just working out a list then working out prices and then will be doing them over time =)

i havent dont the K&N filter myself as of yet but a member on here was telling me about it, im not sure about the noise and power of a K&N. the exhaust actually sounds alright i dont get the drone in mine yet but saying that mines only a few weeks old, i have a video near the end of my threat in the link below with it starting up and revving, with the exhaust you could pay anywhere from $300 + for a cat back. i paid $325 for mine, that was cat back including muffler and new exhaust rubbers

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96848&p=1526051&viewfull=1#post1526051

that link should take you directly to the video

oh nice, stuff for the magna is soo cheap compared to a holden, i think ill have to study the exhuast a fair bit more and find something i like, my grange drones when taking off up a hill and i have to put my foot down so it doesnt sound so stupid.

yeah i went from a commodore too, the magna is sooo cheap to run and still has the power there :) thats right theres different brands of exhaust to check up, im sure a few members on here have a sports exhaust's that are different brands :)

An '02 TJ sports will already have the 2.5" mandrel bent exhaust from the cat back. I think the sports also got the VRX straight through muffler. If so then it's pointless spending any money in an attempt to get more performance. You could fit an HM Perry set of extractors and Y pipe but you would be paying around $500-600 plus fitment for a 1-2kw gain (for the FWD). Even the stock cat flows well enough on the later TJs that a high flow cat just makes more noise with no real power increase. Money would be better spent on suspension and braking upgrade if you wanted more fun out of your ride IMO. Anyway Jason, congrats on your purchase and welcome to the club!

And on the subject of k&n filters. I have one on my verada. does absolutely bugger all for performance. Nothing, nada. They are also prone to ruining MAF sensors if the sensors cop too much filter oil. Better off using quality ryco paper filter.

Thanks ADM, do you think the best bang for yoru buck brake upgrade would be the 380 upgrade and are they much better compared to the ones i'd have now?

Thanks ADM, do you think the best bang for your buck brake upgrade would be the 380 upgrade and are they much better compared to the ones i'd have now?

With out a doubt,the 380 brakes are the best upgrade you can do to a Magna.Very strong pedal feeling with enormous braking compared to the stock set up ,and the beauty as i have found with them ,is when you think you cant push them any harder ,you can stand on them even more and ,boy ,do they pull you up.

About $320-350 will get you a set of second hand calipers/discs/lines and pads that came with the calipers.

Of course,if you want to get new pads and discs,then ,the price will rise steeply.

QFM are a great pads,the stock aren't too pad,Bendix GCT are very good whilst the Ultimate are shit,dusty and will chew through your discs in no time.

Ensure you get the lines ,as they are different from the Magna.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x112/micpea/IMAG0780.jpg

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x112/micpea/IMAG0777.jpg

I have an AWD so the brakes are already ralliart spec from the factory. Before that I had an '02 magna exec and the difference is like chalk n cheese. The 380 brakes are the same as mine but they are a tad thicker in the discs and the calipers I believe are alloy. As previously mentioned they are the best value brake upgrade for a stock Magna. Next after that would be suspension and there are several options there for magnas.

Thanks ADM, do you think the best bang for yoru buck brake upgrade would be the 380 upgrade and are they much better compared to the ones i'd have now?
380 caliper is significantly larger and is twin piston (standard is single piston), brake pad surface area is significantly larger, and rotors are 294mm (vs 276mm for standard). Definitely worth it!

Thanks guys, im definetely going to look into the brakes first then and they seem fairly cheap, ive been driving a 98 verada around for a while the mrs was using as a cheap run around, and the difference between the verada and the 02 sports is HUGE and so id hope the 380 brakes will be way better, at the moment im looking at spending around $4000 on the car in bits and pieces. and so far my ideas are brakes, double din stereo and upgraded sound with reverse camera etc , and darkest legal tint.

ive been driving a 98 verada around for a while the mrs was using as a cheap run around, and the difference between the verada and the 02 sports is HUGE
That's strange, as the sports models (bar AWD/Ralliart) run the same brakes as the rest of the 3rd gens...

Maybe its the difference between the sports having new brakes and the verada's (more than likely ready for replacement) but theres definetely a HUGE difference between them =P

I have a TJ sports as well mate, one question, is yours auto or manual? Everybody bangs on about extractors only making a couple of kW difference, this is crap. It might only be a small difference in peak power, but my cars torque curve was massively improved by fitting pacemakers and a high flow cat. It's about driveability, not peak kW on a dyno. The manual can be improved by a short shifter, auto can be improved by a manual conversion lol. Some other good, cheap performance mods are a tune by SKR to 98ron fuel, 380/ralliart cams, or if you want to spend a little more, the best bang for buck modification is a 6G75 (380 3.8l) engine transplant.

It's the Auto =( but gotta keep it that way if the mrs wants to drive it, id do the 380 transplant if i was happy to keep the car in a few years time once its had a fair bit more than 79 thousand k's, the car has always previously been run on 98 and thats what ive only ever filled my cars up with so that would be something id look into. for now performance wise id like to have a lot more torque low down, especially when i take off it feels slow. my main problem is finding the time to do things to it since i work between 50-70 hours a week =/

def do the 380 brake upgrade mate! it will save your arse one day, in one way or another.

Clear side indicators from Mitsu
LED number plate lights / parkers
Parabolic headlights
Fog lights
Tinted windows
Headunit
Sports seats
Exhaust
Lowered
Rims
Sound system

just to name a few ;-)

if u have ebay led number plate light globes and parkers are cheap as chips from hong kong i got a 10 pack for $2.30 aud sent to my door, looks way better then the old yellowy standard type

Luv my sports, welcome to the club(Y)