Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Performance cheapest performance mod?

I have a 99 Mystique LS with the 2.5 duratec and the automatic transmission. Except for the stereo it is completelt stock. I have been looking for an aggressive body kit for over a year now, and am not pleased with any that I have seen so far. Anyways....I have a budget of 250 dollars, could go to 300. I am looking for the best possible performance mods to my mystique for that price. Any suggestions? I know only basic mechanic skills, however I have friends (that I trust) that could easily do more extensive mods. I have been thinking about putting an intake in it for a while now, but what else can I do for that price? All input would be helpful. Also I was wondering where the best place to find new guages? Also can the rear SVT bumper fit on the mystique, and if so where can I find one?

Intake and exhaust. Search around you can find some good deals. Also look in the classifieds.

A chip does a WORLD of good for the automatic.

Amen to that.

Before spending a dime on mods, try removing the intake resonator stuff in the fenderwell. You'll want to do that for most intake mods anyway... An open air filter (KKM or similar) and an optimized throttle body are good low cost intake mods. Opening the exhaust with larger pipes and less restrictive mufflers also helps. Removing or replacing the center muffler with a glasspack or magnaflow is a good low cost start. Gutting the PRE-cats is also a good low cost performance mod.

try removing the intake resonator stuff in the fenderwell.

how do I do that? can you explain to me step by step how to go about doing this?

Here is good description from the CEG how-to section:
http://www.contour.org/mods/mods.cgi?s=howto&display=svtinduction

The first 6 paragraphs cover the resonator removal.