Big 28 is a good upgrade. I haven't heard of that vendor.
I ran one for awhile and it did have more pep, but it didn't really alleviate the complete lack of top end power that a stockish car has which I found frustrating on my daily hwy commute. Around town it was fun though.
I've found that stock is not too frustrating for me on a highway. Of course it would be nice to have top end power as well, but it's impossible to get it on both ends, as far as I understand. Increasing power on higher RPMs usually means a bigger slower spooling turbo, doesn't it?
Sounds like
FP Big 28 is good. How is it different from Garrett T28? And it's already quite expensive. I'm new to all this stuff, so prices around and above $1000 scare me.
What supporting mods have you done so far?
Not many: at the moment I have Injen intake, rewired fuel pump, MBC, boost gauge, and Evo III BOV. That actually would be my next question: what supporting mods do I need?
I'm guessing I'll need an exhaust. Was thinking about some 2.5" catback, as I wanted to keep the noise level down, but it seems like now they are difficult to find. There are some 3" ones available, so I guess that's the way to go. Any recommendations, BTW? I'll probably go with anything that I'll find for a reasonable price, for example
this, or just something cheaper from eBay.
Do I need downpipe and any mods in the engine department?
I would lean towards the hta68 as has already been discussed in similar threads. It offers excellent response and power potential, but it isn't cheap.
Yes, noted that. I read the "New turbo thoughts" thread, but it discusses bigger turbos, I got an impression 68HTA is a step up from 16G, isn't it? Does it give a wider range of usable torque? How is it compared to the stock turbo on the lower end?