Contours suck.. Any mods short of the S/C or Turbo will give you such minor gains
Not entirely true.
I have spent about $1000 (see below) on my engine (and that could have been about $200 less if I had gone muffler replacement instead of a brandname catback. I have gained about 14 FWHP (approx 165 stock to 179). My powerband is noticably stronger also fatter, throttle response is improved, revs quicker & smoother (OK, add another $120 for the dual mode damper & motor mount inserts that help). And the sound is REALLY nice, deep - exotic. Character of car enhanced to a very noticeable degree. Not cheap but worth every penny to me. Also, their are some good "free" mods which can be done - remove precats, clean up t.body and LIM butterflies, port matching etc. that help at adding power.
You can boost the car to about 185-190 FWHP (perhaps more) FWHP with alot of bolt ons and careful tuning. If you want more you will want to explore 3L or forced induction/nitrous options..
