How to spend $3k in mods?
 

Looking to spend $3k on some mods for my virgin nismo. I was thinking oil cooler, some F.I. LTH, and a CBE (No Uprev at this point). Basically just looking for a little extra power. The car will DEFINITELY see the track once it's paid off so the oil cooler is a definite. Just wondering if this is the best bang for the buck or if I should being considering something else. Also what size oil cooler should I be looking to get for occasional track use?

oil cooler
JWT flywheel - wakes up the car
high flow cats or testpipes - some power, good sound IMO
4.08 gears - wakes up the car x10
Uprev tune

that may go over the $3k limit but buying used parts can help.

Stillen g3's, straight pipes, KW v3's

Since you have until it's paid off to put an oil-cooler on it, I suggest exhaust and a wrap. The paint on these cars is pretty but somewhat fragile. Protect it.

Oil Cooler $500
Intake $500
Swift Springs $300
Camber Arms $200
Aligment $100
Test Pipes $300
Brake Lines $200
Pads $150
Uprev Tune $700
Total: $2950


Done

Hope you can work on the car yourself otherwise deduct about half of that stuff.

Used forum parts are the best bang for the buck. I'll assume self-install on cooler, intake and cbe because they are really just bolt-ons. UpRev is mandatory after intake and exhaust or you could damage the engine by running too lean plus you can get a 100 Octane map for track days.

Stillen G3 intake $300 shipped, used
Stillen or FI CBE $700 shipped, used
Stillen 25row oil cooler $430 new
HFC's if you can work them into the budget.. Stillen (FTW) Used, installed, $350
Uprev $500ish most places, get a race gas map (take some with you)

OR since the car is not slow to begin with, you could spend the 3K on suspension alone, professionally installed for safety- something like

Hotchkis Sways $500 installed
Swift Springs (since you WILL want to drive it on the street also) $400-450 installed
Wheel Spacers $200 you install
Stainless Brake lines $300 installed/upgraded fluid.
RE-11 Bridgestones or even some Nitto Invo's (installed, price varies)
SPL Rear Camber arms ($300 installed and adjusted during your:
Alignment $100

And you'd really get the most of what the car already has.

Test Pipes ($150)
topspeed or cnt cbe ($600)
stillen or injen intake ($500)
whatver springs suit your driving ($300-350)
uprev custom tune ($700)
oil cooler ($500)

that can be done for under $3k with all brand new parts if u can do the work yourself.

that way u have addressed power, handling, and reliablility.

3K is easy to spend on a Z. I would thing catback, suspension, oil cooler first.

Thanks for the input.

As far as any suspension mods, I do plan on going with coilovers at some point. Big thing is that I cannot drop the car at all since my driveway has one of those crappy gutter style curbs.

Also while I'd like to do the Stillen G3's I'm not to thrilled about the cutting necessary for installation. Any other intakes out there with similar hp and tq gain numbers that don't require any cutting?

I'd say everyone has pointed you in the right direction.. Happy modding

Dynos to prove that..? ^ I can't see that being true or else why would so many people run the gen3s? When I installed my short ram on my G37 I didn't feel nearly as big as a difference as I do with the gen3s..