Best BANG for the Buck.

BPAuto · 02-17-2009, 04:29 PM

This thread will be dedicated to high quality performance parts that provide you with decent power at a decent price. Basically the most well rounded parts available for your VQ37HR.

I would like to start off this thread by talking about the Accessport from Cobb Tuning. This product has been exposed to other areas of this community and for good reason. In my opinion, owning one of these just makes too much sense to ignore.

Cobb Tuning is an extremely reputable company that expresses the quality and innovation that we take pride in representing. Cobb Tuning products have been very successful in the Mitsubishi Evo community, and the Nissan GTR community.

Able to fuse performance with reliability, this Accessport is indeed the Best BANG for the Buck. This product is a full DIY project that takes only an hour to install. In order to provide customers with the best possible setup for their cars, Cobb is often creating new patches for customers to download on their Accessport. This little gadget also records 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, 0-60, and gas mileage. Cobb also has the ability to create custom maps for customers in order to allow the Accessport to work in conjunction with all other possible modifications that the customer owns.

In the end, this product shares similar qualities and abilities often found in a full engine management system, but for about a 1/4 of the price.

-Hunter

MaximumPwr · 02-17-2009, 05:35 PM

And when is this going to be released?

BPAuto · 02-17-2009, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaximumPwr

And when is this going to be released?

At this point in time Cobb is still finalizing the R&D on this product.

An Accessport has already been made available for the G37. Since the ECU is different the Accessport requires some tweaks here and there in order to squeeze out more potential from the 370Z. I think it is safe to say that this Accessport will be released sometime within this year.

-Hunter

BPAuto · 02-20-2009, 01:34 PM

I consider this to be a great BANG for the Buck simply because I have never seen such great quality for such an affordable price.

If any of you are unfamiliar with how the yen rate works here is a brief breakdown, basically whatever the current rate is, that is how valuable the US dollar is to Japanese yen. So if the yen rate is 95, our dollar equals 95% of Japanese yen, so you are actually losing 5% of your margins. is the yen rate is 105, you gain 5% to your margins.

In short, The cost of this full 3 piece aero kit from Zele is $3,300.00 with a 91 yen rate. I have seen 3-piece aero kits for sale for $3,500.00 when the yen rate was 115! I understand that this product may cost more than some are willing to spend but in the end you are getting so much more than what you pay for.

-Hunter

travisjb · 02-21-2009, 12:55 AM

Ummm... this thread makes no sense

BPAuto · 02-23-2009, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travisjb

Ummm... this thread makes no sense

The overall concept of this thread is to enlighten the fellow enthusiasts of how there are some products available for the 370Z that grant the buyer/owner more than what they paid for.

It is focused on pricing that allows people to experience amazing quality and innovation from a product that justifies the purchase.

-Hunter

travisjb · 02-23-2009, 11:00 PM

ok, i'll bite...

are you really trying to convince folks that overpriced aero parts are now a bargain b/c the exchange rate moved 5% ? or do you truly believe there is enough tangible value in those parts to justify $3K ? e.g., resale value benefit + $ value of performance benefit - price for parts - parts for install >0 ??? b/c i'm fairly certain that math won't add up... which means you're paying for the artwork

re the cobb tuning device, i suppose that has potential to be worth the price, but where is the data ? and i don't recall you mentioning the price... are you fishing for price points trying to see 'what the market will bare'? i personally wouldn't pay a dollar w/o seeing how it compares to 4x more expensive devices as you suggest, how it compares to other budget computers, and how it compares to just having the local shop tune once and be done with it... do you have that info ?

thanks

RCZ · 02-23-2009, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travisjb

ok, i'll bite...

are you really trying to convince folks that overpriced aero parts are now a bargain b/c the exchange rate moved 5% ? or do you truly believe there is enough tangible value in those parts to justify $3K ? e.g., resale value benefit + $ value of performance benefit - price for parts - parts for install >0 ??? b/c i'm fairly certain that math won't add up... which means you're paying for the artwork

I lolled when I saw that he put a $3000 body kit as a bang for the buck hahahahaha.

Quote:

Originally Posted by travisjb

re the cobb tuning device, i suppose that has potential to be worth the price, but where is the data ? and i don't recall you mentioning the price... are you fishing for price points trying to see 'what the market will bare'? i personally wouldn't pay a dollar w/o seeing how it compares to 4x more expensive devices as you suggest, how it compares to other budget computers, and how it compares to just having the local shop tune once and be done with it... do you have that info ? thanks

As far as the cobb AP goes. The usual price is $695 when first released for most cars. This is a HUGE mod for FI engines and undoubtedly the best bang for the buck in the import tuning scene. STIs can find 60WHP stock and over 80whp with a stage 2 tune. However, that is the same for any tuning mechanism, the AP is just one more tool. There is also something called OpenECU which is free and anyone with a tactrix cable and a laptop can tune their own car. My last STI went from 230whp stock to 315whp with intake/exhaust and an OpenECU tune.

The problem is that the Z is NOT an FI car and therefore the gains of a tune will never be as pronounced, not even half. Wishful thinking might get us a quarter of the power.

Ask me what the best bang for the buck mod is...driving school. If I had to pick a single mod, a track alignment is my suggestion. If I had to pick a single physical part change...either brake pads, coilovers or racing tires.

No single power mod will be the best bang for the buck for this car...cept maybe a turbo kit, but thats a big buck for the bang.

travisjb · 02-23-2009, 11:23 PM

RCZ, glad you're on this board ! agree 100% with every word !

btw, speaking of driving school (and sorry to go off-topic!)... bondurant is ~10 mins from my house... i'm finishing up an advanced driving school there and had deferred my fourth and final day due to schedule when i took the class over the holidays... first 3 days were corvettes... the 4th day is on their formula ford ! never driven a formula car before ! it will be this friday ! can't wait !!!

AK370Z · 02-23-2009, 11:47 PM

I think there has been a little misunderstanding in this thread. What hunter is trying to say is that for the money you will pay to buy the ZELE kit, it's a great bang for your buck! The quality of the ZELE kit is such top notch that with the new exchange rate and a price tag of $3500 , it's a bargain!! He is comparing quality vs money here.

BUT at the same time, I agree with RCZ and Travis that $3500 CAN be a bit too high for a typical Z owner. When you look for a cheap alternative that offers great bang for your buck, it def falls out of the thread. After visiting numerous Z sites for the past few years, I think it's safe to assume that most Z buyers like to spend somewhere between $1000-1400 on the body kit set. If they can find a good looking kit with good finish for that price, they are usually happy. But then there are those hardcore guys who wouldn't settle for anything but superb quality. Those few 10-20% of the buyers WILL buy the ZELE kit regardless of it's price.

I hope this clears up some of the confusion here. In conclusion, ZELE kit offers best quality for it's price. I am pretty sure there will be other cheaper kits released in near future that will offer great bang for your buck with your lower budget.

travisjb · 02-24-2009, 12:06 AM

yeah, thank you, i get that... but like you don't see bang for buck having much to do with aero kits... unless specifically you're saying what the best bang for the buck among aero kits, then i'd say homemade

zele kit is ok, but my 2 cents... if i wanted body panels that expensive, i'd have bought a 997... also while i think the zele front looks okay, the rear is too "hey look at me, i'm formula 1" and the side skirts look pasted on... i realize this is all a personal taste issue

RCZ · 02-24-2009, 12:08 AM

haha I don't really like the Zele kit to be perfectly honest. Is that heresy?

BTW Formula Ford...I hate you. That is going to be amazing. There are always formula continentals and radicals, etc at my trackdays and they look so amazingly fun.

BPAuto · 02-24-2009, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AK370Z

I think there has been a little misunderstanding in this thread. What hunter is trying to say is that for the money you will pay to buy the ZELE kit, it's a great bang for your buck! The quality of the ZELE kit is such top notch that with the new exchange rate and a price tag of $3500 , it's a bargain!! He is comparing quality vs money here.

BUT at the same time, I agree with RCZ and Travis that $3500 CAN be a bit too high for a typical Z owner. When you look for a cheap alternative that offers great bang for your buck, it def falls out of the thread. After visiting numerous Z sites for the past few years, I think it's safe to assume that most Z buyers like to spend somewhere between $1000-1400 on the body kit set. If they can find a good looking kit with good finish for that price, they are usually happy. But then there are those hardcore guys who wouldn't settle for anything but superb quality. Those few 10-20% of the buyers WILL buy the ZELE kit regardless of it's price.

I hope this clears up some of the confusion here. In conclusion, ZELE kit offers best quality for it's price. I am pretty sure there will be other cheaper kits released in near future that will offer great bang for your buck with your lower budget.

Thank you for helping clear up some of the confusion

-Hunter

JoeyD · 02-24-2009, 02:49 PM

I'll tell you what bang for the buck is. It's a base 370Z with sport package. The amount of car you get for your money is unmatched. A C6 Z06 offers a comparable bang for buck ratio. There are only a few cars that have ever achieved such a desirable ratio...parts for this car have big shoes to fill. While the access port has the potential to be a great bang for the buck mod (especially if it is the last mod added) a body kit is much more subjective. Does the Zele kit make your car look $3500 better? Or does it put styling on par with a car that costs 10k more? In these terms I think it could be called a good bang for buck mod...

Twan79 · 02-25-2009, 12:26 PM

He lost me when he said Cobb, has been producing reliable parts for a car that has been out for 6mths. (GTR)...At this state in the game the car has not been out long enough for ppl to determine what parts are reliable or not. Plus its winter most ppl will not drive that car this time of year. If this was august when high temps come into play then I will give him half a benefit of doubt...
Idiot thread...I dont want to be sold to...prove to me that you part is greater, then the next man

02-17-2009, 04:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
BPAuto The370Z.com Sponsor Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Los Angeles Downtown Posts: 60 Drives: AP1 S2000 Rep Power: 16	Best BANG for the Buck. This thread will be dedicated to high quality performance parts that provide you with decent power at a decent price. Basically the most well rounded parts available for your VQ37HR. I would like to start off this thread by talking about the Accessport from Cobb Tuning. This product has been exposed to other areas of this community and for good reason. In my opinion, owning one of these just makes too much sense to ignore. Cobb Tuning is an extremely reputable company that expresses the quality and innovation that we take pride in representing. Cobb Tuning products have been very successful in the Mitsubishi Evo community, and the Nissan GTR community. Able to fuse performance with reliability, this Accessport is indeed the Best BANG for the Buck. This product is a full DIY project that takes only an hour to install. In order to provide customers with the best possible setup for their cars, Cobb is often creating new patches for customers to download on their Accessport. This little gadget also records 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, 0-60, and gas mileage. Cobb also has the ability to create custom maps for customers in order to allow the Accessport to work in conjunction with all other possible modifications that the customer owns. In the end, this product shares similar qualities and abilities often found in a full engine management system, but for about a 1/4 of the price. -Hunter __________________ The Real JDM Blog Bulletproof Automotive

02-20-2009, 01:34 PM	#4 (permalink)
BPAuto The370Z.com Sponsor Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Los Angeles Downtown Posts: 60 Drives: AP1 S2000 Rep Power: 16	I consider this to be a great BANG for the Buck simply because I have never seen such great quality for such an affordable price. If any of you are unfamiliar with how the yen rate works here is a brief breakdown, basically whatever the current rate is, that is how valuable the US dollar is to Japanese yen. So if the yen rate is 95, our dollar equals 95% of Japanese yen, so you are actually losing 5% of your margins. is the yen rate is 105, you gain 5% to your margins. In short, The cost of this full 3 piece aero kit from Zele is $3,300.00 with a 91 yen rate. I have seen 3-piece aero kits for sale for $3,500.00 when the yen rate was 115! I understand that this product may cost more than some are willing to spend but in the end you are getting so much more than what you pay for. -Hunter __________________ The Real JDM Blog Bulletproof Automotive

02-23-2009, 11:47 PM	#10 (permalink)
AK370Z Administrator Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NJ Posts: 9,930 Drives: 09 370Z MB Sports M6 Rep Power: 10	I think there has been a little misunderstanding in this thread. What hunter is trying to say is that for the money you will pay to buy the ZELE kit, it's a great bang for your buck! The quality of the ZELE kit is such top notch that with the new exchange rate and a price tag of $3500 , it's a bargain!! He is comparing quality vs money here. BUT at the same time, I agree with RCZ and Travis that $3500 CAN be a bit too high for a typical Z owner. When you look for a cheap alternative that offers great bang for your buck, it def falls out of the thread. After visiting numerous Z sites for the past few years, I think it's safe to assume that most Z buyers like to spend somewhere between $1000-1400 on the body kit set. If they can find a good looking kit with good finish for that price, they are usually happy. But then there are those hardcore guys who wouldn't settle for anything but superb quality. Those few 10-20% of the buyers WILL buy the ZELE kit regardless of it's price. I hope this clears up some of the confusion here. In conclusion, ZELE kit offers best quality for it's price. I am pretty sure there will be other cheaper kits released in near future that will offer great bang for your buck with your lower budget. __________________ The370Z Signature Pictures ll Want to rock our forum decals on your car? Then click here! ll How to Embed YouTube Videos In a Post STOP! (Hammertime) ll Become a Premium Member Click HERE ll F.A.Q. Are You a Nissan Dealer? Click Here to Become A "Supporting Dealer" and Start Listing Your 370Zs In Our Inventory Section My Monterey Blue Z ll My Exhaust --> My Intake --> G3 Nissan's Official Response Regarding Oil Temp Issue: CLICK HERE Need a Set of Cheap Winter wheels /Tires? Then Visit The Banner Link Below and Place Your Order. You'll Help Keep The370Z Alive.

02-24-2009, 12:08 AM	#12 (permalink)
RCZ A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Miami Posts: 6,403 Drives: '09 370Z Rep Power: 1118	haha I don't really like the Zele kit to be perfectly honest. Is that heresy? BTW Formula Ford...I hate you. That is going to be amazing. There are always formula continentals and radicals, etc at my trackdays and they look so amazingly fun. Last edited by RCZ; 02-24-2009 at 12:11 AM.

02-24-2009, 02:49 PM	#14 (permalink)
JoeyD Enthusiast Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Raeford, NC Posts: 305 Drives: 09 NISMO 370Z Rep Power: 186	I'll tell you what bang for the buck is. It's a base 370Z with sport package. The amount of car you get for your money is unmatched. A C6 Z06 offers a comparable bang for buck ratio. There are only a few cars that have ever achieved such a desirable ratio...parts for this car have big shoes to fill. While the access port has the potential to be a great bang for the buck mod (especially if it is the last mod added) a body kit is much more subjective. Does the Zele kit make your car look $3500 better? Or does it put styling on par with a car that costs 10k more? In these terms I think it could be called a good bang for buck mod... __________________ When was the last time you did 230MPH in something with 4 seats?

02-17-2009, 05:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
MaximumPwr Base Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Houston Posts: 78 Drives: 2009 370Z Rep Power: 16	And when is this going to be released?

02-21-2009, 12:55 AM	#5 (permalink)
travisjb A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: GSO Posts: 2,803 Drives: VIR Rep Power: 188	Ummm... this thread makes no sense

02-23-2009, 11:00 PM	#7 (permalink)
travisjb A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: GSO Posts: 2,803 Drives: VIR Rep Power: 188	ok, i'll bite... are you really trying to convince folks that overpriced aero parts are now a bargain b/c the exchange rate moved 5% ? or do you truly believe there is enough tangible value in those parts to justify $3K ? e.g., resale value benefit + $ value of performance benefit - price for parts - parts for install >0 ??? b/c i'm fairly certain that math won't add up... which means you're paying for the artwork re the cobb tuning device, i suppose that has potential to be worth the price, but where is the data ? and i don't recall you mentioning the price... are you fishing for price points trying to see 'what the market will bare'? i personally wouldn't pay a dollar w/o seeing how it compares to 4x more expensive devices as you suggest, how it compares to other budget computers, and how it compares to just having the local shop tune once and be done with it... do you have that info ? thanks

02-23-2009, 11:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
travisjb A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: GSO Posts: 2,803 Drives: VIR Rep Power: 188	RCZ, glad you're on this board ! agree 100% with every word ! btw, speaking of driving school (and sorry to go off-topic!)... bondurant is ~10 mins from my house... i'm finishing up an advanced driving school there and had deferred my fourth and final day due to schedule when i took the class over the holidays... first 3 days were corvettes... the 4th day is on their formula ford ! never driven a formula car before ! it will be this friday ! can't wait !!!

02-24-2009, 12:06 AM	#11 (permalink)
travisjb A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: GSO Posts: 2,803 Drives: VIR Rep Power: 188	yeah, thank you, i get that... but like you don't see bang for buck having much to do with aero kits... unless specifically you're saying what the best bang for the buck among aero kits, then i'd say homemade zele kit is ok, but my 2 cents... if i wanted body panels that expensive, i'd have bought a 997... also while i think the zele front looks okay, the rear is too "hey look at me, i'm formula 1" and the side skirts look pasted on... i realize this is all a personal taste issue

02-25-2009, 12:26 PM	#15 (permalink)
Twan79 Base Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Dallas Posts: 14 Drives: Bucket Rep Power: 16	He lost me when he said Cobb, has been producing reliable parts for a car that has been out for 6mths. (GTR)...At this state in the game the car has not been out long enough for ppl to determine what parts are reliable or not. Plus its winter most ppl will not drive that car this time of year. If this was august when high temps come into play then I will give him half a benefit of doubt... Idiot thread...I dont want to be sold to...prove to me that you part is greater, then the next man