Tuning, Your Thoughts?

[Immortal1520]

I live in an area of Southern California that has quite a few tuners(or rice rockets, pending on your preferred word choice) around. I'm friends with a few of them and considering that I'm the stock boxster driver amongst a bunch of tuned/riced Evo's, Sti's and a few Nissan Z's, it's easy to assume I stick out. Needless to say, I get ridiculed occasionally for being "slow" since it's in the blood of every ricer driver to go and shoot on any car that isn't theirs. It doesn't really bother me since I'm driving a more reputable brand.

Maybe I might not sound like a gearhead/petrolhead, but I'm just not a big fan of the tuning world. In my eyes, If I've spent a lot of money on a car, if I felt like I needed to put on more odds and ends into said car, I'd feel as if I bought an incomplete car. And I hate the idea of having to spend a few bills, or maybe even a grand for the sake of a few more horsepower from some 3rd party part. Honestly, I think it's a waste of time and money.

In my eyes, my car is beautiful, and doesn't require a bunch of random tin cans installed for it to sound or look nice. My baby doesn't need plastic surgery to look hot. She was born that way.

I understand that tuning is a must if you're going to go and track your car. But most people around my idea who drive cars like that, don't even bother with going to the track. Therefore, what's the point? Yes, because adding a splitter to your car helps cut your understeer. Which of course, is mandatory when I make a left turn at the light. And if you want to go fast in a straight line(which is pretty much all you can do if you're not tracking it), you're better off with a Muscle car.

I just hate the idea of having to do something to a car to consider it viable. Am I standing alone with this viewpoint? Or am I speaking from the minority? I'm just wondering.