Is it a bad idea to upgrade ur clutch without upgrading to lightweight performance flywheel? What are the pluses and minuses of sticking with factory flywheel (if any) I was thinking about going with the either the JWT HD clutch or ACT clutch and sticking with factory flywheel. Is it worth it?

Are you going to replace your existing oem with a new oem (wouldn't recommend runnng a worn flywheel if you're goin thru the trouble of replacing the clutch)? You will not have the engine response you would obtain with a lighter flywheel. However, on the plus side it should be quieter compared to the single mass aftemarket flywheels.

That wut my intention was. Or possibly having the flywheel machined if possible. good, bad idea? Any other clutch recommendations aside from the once I mentioned? I'm looking for something smooth, light, and with a stock feel...but with more grabbing force, durability, and longevity than the factory one

From what I've seen, it's hit or miss if someone will resurface a dual mass (oem) flywheel. You could always go with a flywheel that's a little lighter than oem like the nismo or the ACT streetlite, but still heavier than the ultra light flywheels such as the one from JWT. The JWT and the ACT clutches are probably some of the most popular on the forum. You really won't go wrong with either one. If it helps, it seems at least anecdotally that the JWT requires less pedal pressure than the ACT.