Neo

iTrader: (3)

Yup. And I know exactly that the car is how you like it. Others may want handling but I am not sure they are as hard core as you. I certainly am not (although I am still pretty confident driving with the setup I have ). I always see members post that they want better handling but to keep the ride Lexus like.

You can choose where you draw the line on the handling/comfort compromise but you can't have both.

Dsmart

some strut bars you take the cover off and some you don't if you take the thing off can you get water inside there or more of a chance?

Neo

iTrader: (3)

The cover is mostly decorative. It may help with dust but the car should function the same with or without the cover. Water should not be a reason to keep the cover. Unless you have your hood open and there is a potential source of water nearby and that water will douse your engine bay, you should be safe.

DetMich1

I'm sure this topic has been addressed before and probably more intelligently than any contribution that I can offer (see for example rominl's treatise on suspesion modification that is a sticky at the beginning of this forum) but here goes anyway: probably the greatest single mod in terms of handling improvement is stiffer/lower shocks and spring. Lots of choices in this category from relatively inexpensive and basic to exotic coilovers with dramatic drop and adjustability you will obtain a greater improvement from this than from any other single suspension mod. Next in order of noticeable improvement would be sway bars. There have been many lengthy and at times spirited discussions on this topic as well. Ther are many points of view on which brand is better, how stiff is stiff enough, is there such a thing as too stiff etc. Far be it from me to try and resolve that controversy here. The one thing that I think everyone will agree on however is that for safety and predictability's sake, the front and rear sway bars should be of a matched set. Don't mix and match here or you run the risk of creating serious handling problems. Beyond these two mods, there is nothing that is available commercially that has such a dramatic effect or would cause any interference with the function of any other suspension brace that you have to worry about what matches up with what or what order you install them on your car. The GS comes with a front LCB stock though it is flimsier than any of the others and its true the Tom's is the sturdiest with two additional anchoring points and is therefore arguably the strongest. But since there is at least something there stock to begin with, changing this out probably adds the least noticeable change. Triangulating the strut towers should add more additional rigidity than lower chassis braces will. Stiffening the front end will exacerbate somewhat the inherent "looseness" in the GS's rear end. But nothing you can do with what's available in the market will dangerously effect the car's handling even if done without additional bracing in other areas. So you can safely add what you want where you want and in whatever order you want to get just the kind of feel that suits you and your taste and style of driving. There, I hope I said all this at least half as well as Henry already has before.