Post your ride.

Ok, the car is a 2004 Nissan Altima 2.5 S (FF layout) with a 4A engine and an automatic 5 speed overdrive. It produces 175 HP and 180 FT-LBs of torque. It has about 123,000 miles on it and I think it's definitely got some features. Sunroof, electronic adjustible seat, cruise control, steering wheel controls for radio and cruise control. I think it only has a single cd tray.

Sounds good its your first car right?

Correct. I'm gonna add stuff to it once I save money. Gonna start on the inside, make the car more powerful, and then change the appearance.

Note: The engine is a QR25DEI4

Its honestly not worth it making that car any more powerful.
I highly doubt you get any more than 15hp if not less with basic bolt ons ie. I/H/E
unless you plan on spending another 5 grand just to still realize its still slow.
And at that point the motor still wouldn't be built, you would probably pay someone to do the work, and you don't have another car.

I don't need much power, just want a little extra HP to make it smoother for if I do decide to rag it around a track.

I will be replacing the exhaust in the year with a catback system.

Ehhh I would get something that's not an automatic four door if I was going to spend money on power upgrades like that or have fun on a track but I guess you could have fun with any car you want in the end!

^True that.

Besides, there are four doors that are a blast.
Lancer Evos come to mind.

Seah but you honestly can't compare an evo to an altima other than having 4 doors, 4 wheels, and a steering wheel they have nothing in common lol.

That's true.

I just love my Altima, though, and want to make it a bit better and more 'me', kinda like what Koolaid did with his Celica.

Well my Celica is still considered a reputable sports car and what i did with it is still appealing to that.
I'm also willing to bet your generation altima barely has half the amount of options there are for the Celica.
Honestly if i owned an Altima, i wouldn't even try, i'd just keep it as a daily driver while i work on another project car.

I was thinking of picking up a junkyard chassis or a really beaten up older sports car.


Also, Altimas do get customized:

Shame that it's a 2005 and not an 04 but just an example,

Yeah I mean you're free to do what you want with it provided enough money but remember you didn't buy a sports car designed with performance in mind in the first place.  It's just your first car though so maybe one day.

edit: That pic AWW HELL NO pls don't go full beaner

I don't intend to make it a performance car. I just want to make it a little better on the road and a bit more personalized.
Anyways, does anyone else have a ride they wanna post?

I don't think you got what i meant.
There aren't many options in parts for that specific car unlike mine...
All i see in that photo is hydraulic/air ride suspension, shaved rear trunk, crappy ebay tail lights, exhaust tip and a ugly paint job.
All of which i think is a waste of 6 grand on a car that isn't worth modifying.

I didn't find a lot of stuff for it...

I'll consider the junkyard rebuild idea later.

Unless you have actual experience yourself with rebuilding engines or refurbishing chassis I wouldn't recommend getting a junker either, 4/5 times you will be disappointed and good ones are never cheap anyway.

So then what do I do?

I wouldn't go to a junkyard to buy a car ever.
Theres a reason its there in the first place, junkyards are only for parts.

Where would I go for a decent car to build up for the track?

Specific car forums, local forums, craigslist.
Seriously tho, if you don't have the right tools or equipment, hell if you don't know how to do an oil change i wouldn't start with building a car.
I'm surrounded by people engulfed in the automotive scene as well as went to tech school for a couple years, unless you have the experience something bad is bound to happen.

I guess I should start reading into this stuff more.

I'd go find out the basics in standard procedure for working on a car first, then figure out what car you'd like the work with and research in to the builds.
Honestly you should find a 90's honda, every things cheap and in abundance while still simplistic to work with.

Aren't those easy to steal, though?

This isn't the exact car I used to own, but it is the same trim level and colour. It is a Fiat Grande Punto Sporting 1.9 litre turbo diesel.



Was an awesome car.

I've never seen any Fiat besides the 500 and Ferraris on the streets so that's actually really cool.