I'm really torn between these two setups:

• The official Honda all-season mats because they look factory and have the logo but I've heard the coverage isnt great near the dead pedal.


• TuxMat or WeatherTech because they cover literally everything but they look kinda bulky like they belong in a truck.

I'm leaning toward the OEM mats because I want to keep the vibe of the car but I'm worried I'll regret it the first time I get mud on the side carpets. My budget is about 250 to 300 bucks for the first round of mods and I need to order something by Friday so it gets here before my road trip next weekend. Should I stick with the Honda stuff or is the aftermarket protection just way better for a daily? Also if anyone has a lead on a screen protector that actually fits the 9-inch display without huge gaps let me know...

Im really torn between two different roof setups right now. On one hand I love the look of the Prinsu rack because its so low profile and looks factory but I've heard the install on the new Pilots can be a total pain and I really dont want to be drilling into my new car if I can help it or causing leaks. The other option is just getting a Thule Caprock platform. It seems a bit more plug-and-play with the factory rails but it sits way higher and might kill my gas mileage on the long drive out west. Plus the wind noise might be annoying for the kids in the back.

My main constraints right now:

• Budget is $2,000 max for this first phase


• Needs to be installed by mid-July for the trip


• Must be functional for a family of four plus a large dog


• Cant be so loud that my wife hates driving it to the grocery store

The other thing is the tires. The factory ones seem okay for what they are but I'm worried about sidewall punctures once we get into the rocky stuff near Ouray. Should I spend the cash on a set of Falken Wildpeak A/T4Ws and just get a cheaper basic roof basket or go all in on a high-end rack like the Prinsu and hope the stock rubber holds up for one season? I also looked at those Wilco hitch-mounted spare tire carriers because I'm paranoid about not having a full-size spare but I'm scared it's gonna mess with the backup camera and parking sensors and just be a huge hassle every time we need to get into the trunk. What do you guys think is the better move for a first-timer who's mostly doing light trails and dispersed camping? Prinsu vs Thule vs better tires...

Sorry if these are really basic questions but I have no idea where to start and the forums are kinda intimidating with all the technical talk. I have about 3000 dollars saved up to spend on it over the next few months but I dont want to void my warranty if thats a thing? I heard someone mention an exhaust makes it sound better but will it be too loud for my neighbors? I dont want to be that guy on the block.

Im just looking for stuff that makes it feel a bit more personal or maybe slightly faster without me having to become a full-on mechanic overnight. What are the best first things to buy for someone who really doesnt know what they are doing?

Option 1 is going full performance on the sound with the Milltek non-resonated exhaust and maybe some PRL intake bits but then I am worried about it being too loud for daily driving since I commute like 40 mins each way and my neighbors already hate me. Option 2 is the Remus system with the valve control so I can quiet it down when the wife is in the car but its way more expensive and might eat up the budget for wheels.

Then there is the whole stance thing. Im torn between:

• Getting a set of Titan7 T-S5 wheels in 18s to save weight and help with tire costs long term


• Keeping the stock wheels for now and just doing Eibach lowering springs and some spacers to fill the gap

If I go with the Remus I definitely cant afford the wheels right now but if I go Milltek I can probably squeeze in the springs and maybe some better brake pads for the track. My wife is already annoyed at how much I spent on the car itself so I need to make these choices count before the credit card statement hits lol.

Constraints:

• Must be delivered and installed within 18 days


• Budget is firm at $4k total including shipping


• Needs to handle track heat but not be a nightmare on the freeway


• No drone is a huge deal for me

Which way should I go? Should I prioritize the valved exhaust so I dont regret the noise or just go for the full wheel and mid-range exhaust setup? I need to order by Friday to get everything here in time so tell me what you think...

I have about 200 bucks for some extras but I have no idea where to start or what is actually worth buying. Sorry if this is a silly thing to ask but what do people actually put in these things to keep them nice? Are there specific floor mats or something to keep the middle console from getting scratched up...

First choice is the OEM carbon fiber wing because it just looks so high quality and fits the car perfectly but it's basically my whole budget just for one piece of carbon. Then I'm looking at doing a full aero kit from someone like APR or even just a decent front lip and some side extensions which would make it look much lower and meaner but I'm worried about scraping on every driveway in the city since some of these streets are literal trash. My third thought was just keeping it simple with the window visors, maybe some yellow fog light overlays and the blacked out badges to give it that stormtrooper look which is way cheaper and leaves me money for some better tires later this year. I really want that aggressive stance but I'm scared the aftermarket lips will look cheap compared to the factory paint job.

Do you guys think the carbon wing makes enough of a visual impact to justify the price or should I go with a full lip kit to change the actual silhouette of the car more?...

Im looking to spend maybe 3 or 4 grand over the next two months to get it ready for my next event in October. I already did the basic high-temp fluid swap but clearly that wasnt enough. I was looking at upgraded intercoolers—maybe Mishimoto or PRL? I hear the PRL stuff is the gold standard for the K20C1 but I dont want to just throw money at parts that dont actually improve the lap times. I was thinking of focusing on a few specific areas:

• upgraded intercooler to stop the heat soak issues


• better track pads that wont crumble after one weekend


• maybe a rear motor mount to help with the shifting

The motor mount thing is because I keep getting some weird wheel hop on the lower gear exits and it's killing my momentum out of the turns. Has anyone had success with the Acuity shifter parts too? People rave about them but I wonder if its overkill for a car that is still technically my daily driver here in SoCal. I dont want the cabin vibrating like crazy but I need it to feel more solid.

Basically I want to know what the must-haves are that actually make a difference in performance and reliability under stress, not just eye candy under the hood. What are you guys running that actually survived a full track day without the ECU pulling timing? Are there specific pads that wont squeal like a bus for the drive home but can handle the heat better than the OEM ones?...

i dont wanna overspend on stuff i wont use but i also dont wanna crack a pan. the stock tires seem okay but i saw one guy saying the sidewalls are weak... what would you guys grab first?