Need advice on how to start working on this beaut.

TheWolfe

Okay, I'll be honest here: this post is embarassing. Like. Really embarrassing.

But, anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I don't really know how to approach working on this car. It's unreal with the amount of things you are able to do to this monster. I'm completely overwhelmed.

I'm a broke college student and the end goal is to have a really nice DD that I can enter into some car shows and win a trophy or a dozen. I want it to look really, really nice. But I want it to perform well, also. Goals for the engine is a complete rebuild and twin turbos and pulling around 600-700hp, but that's for another day... For now, I want some intakes, new exhaust (I want it to sound mean), and maybe some little extras here and there. But that's beyond my pay-grade at the moment, I'm afraid.

I want coilovers (or air ride ), new wheels, awesome interior, killer looks, the whole shabang. Quite frankly: that's just too much to take in right now. All I'm rocking right now is some Illest and Canibeat stickers. And a Slammed Society sticker. And people call me really dumb for doing that and not having anything done to my car, but you know what, I like the stickers and it's more of a reminder for me to get this thing rolling. But I will admit: it is embarassing...

All I'm really asking for from you guys is what can I do (specifically under a $500 budget) that would give me some noticable improvements on performance? New oil filters, etc? Or maybe a rear diffuser? Something? I'm at a loss here. I'll have to take into account installation prices from a shop, and I don't want to do anything that'll void any huge warranties (though not completely against it). If it's a simple install, I don't mind going out and doing it myself, either.

Thanks a lot, guys. I've been lurking around the forums for ages now, and finally got the courage to make a post. Your input really means a lot to me.

DOOMMONKEY777

Just save ur $ pal, dreams will become a reality when u finish college and get that career goin.


PS I dont want to shatter ur dreams or soud like a @ss, but reality is, what it is.

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TheWolfe

I was afraid this was going to be the deal. Thanks a lot, man. I'll keep my eyes out for something but it looks like I'll be saving up.

Kzonts

Consider yourself lucky. Very few college students drive a new 370z.

Rusty

For your budget. AAM short tails, and K&N drop ins. Remove the stickers as they have no meaning, and only make you look rice. Next, get your asss through college. Then you can really start planning on doing serous mods. Unless you get married in the mean time. Read through some of the journals and figure out how much some of us has spent. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

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TheWolfe

Yeah, I know. I am pretty lucky! I really want to get into modifying and whatnot, but looks like I'll be waiting for a while. I have a lot saved up, but I don't want to dump it all on my car... Not while I'm in college, anyway. Haha.

Oh, trust me, I know its expensive. I keep telling myself to remove the stickers but man: when they're gone, I'll probably lose motivation to work on my car, but at least there won't be any rice. The stickers are black on my tinted windows, except I have on on my drivers side quarter window in oil-slick and a white one on the mirror. And gold ones on the front.

MagmaRed370z

Congrats on the new 370z. Its a nice ride for sure. If I were you, I would save the cash until you are out of school. Once you find a decent job, you can go nuts. Congrats!

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Dreadnaught

To add to some of the good advice already stated, just start by doing small things like checking and correcting your own fluids, do your own oil changes, etc. This will get you more familiar with the car and read the FSM if needed.

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TheWolfe

Thank you very much! I've had it since 10/01/14 and let me tell you: what an amazing little machine this thing is. I've wanted a Z since I was little (runs in the family I guess you could say... My stepdad's brother (step-uncle?) had a 280zx, my mom had a 300zx, and my uncle had a 350z; I suppose I was next in line )

I was looking at oil filters (Puralator 14610, and some other stuff. AK's thread on his install was really helpful with that) and some air filters and stuff. I was also looking at the Fujimura rear diffuser. In the future, I want to try and do absolutely all that I can in my own garage instead of taking my car places and having them do stuff for me, you know?

Hayden_223

I'm finishing up college right now (Industrial Engineering Major) and have been modding my Z for the past 2 years. I didn't do much to it for the first year of owning the car though as it was still new to me and I didn't feel the need yet. I like to take the new mods slow because if you rush all of them at once you lose the excitement for the car faster, that and I don't have the money to do everything at once. For me a good mod makes the car feel new all over again. My advice would be to focus on performance before looks, but just my Mine still looks mostly stock on the exterior. Do all the work on it yourself that you can, there are some great DIY's on this forum. You can do twice the mods if you are not paying for instillation. I definitely feel lucky to be driving such an awesome car at my age. Makes me enjoy my commute everyday, even in Atlanta traffic with the MT . As for the stickers maybe a little ricy, but who cares it's your car.

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TheWolfe

Haha, virtual high five for us engineering students! This is nice to think about, you know? I'm all for starting slow and stuff. That sounds good, actually. I think I'll make a little checklist about things that could use some...."updating", if you will. I make my commute back to college tomorrow actually, so a two hour drive will be perfect for that.

I definitely agree with the "twice as many mods" thing you said, too, which is definitely why I want to learn. I took a class on economics, so spending extra for something you can do yourself just simply wouldn't be very rational.

Hayden_223

gotta love engineering . I've noticed we like to mod cars more than the average college students. There are a lot of nice z's, s2ks, rustangs, vettes etc. at my school. Only one other 370 though and I think its a professors haha. If your school has a formula SAE race team I would try to get involved in that. I haven't yet because it takes up a lot of time, but I'm planning to.

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TheWolfe

My school has an Auto Society, but there is absolutely no way I can fit that in my schedule. Another thing is that, if I'm honest, I don't really enjoy engineering anymore; it's no longer a passion of mine. I don't want to be a dropout though, so I'm in a real pickle. I kind of want to build guitars (be a luthier if you know what I'm talking about) because I have a wood shop readily available and already started on a template. plus, I have wood to use. I just don't know, man. I don't know why I just told you my life story atm, either.

EDIT: Typos


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Hayden_223

[QUOTE=TheWolfe;3401541]My school has an Auto Society, but there is absolutely no way I can fit that in my schedule. Another thing is that, if I'm honest, I don't really enjoy engineering anymore; it's no longer a passion of mine. I don't want to be a dropout though, so I'm in a real pickle. I kind of want to build guitars (be a luthier if you know what I'm talking about) because I have a wood shop readily available and already started on a template. plus, I have wood to use. I just don't know, man. I don't know why I just told you my life story atm, either.

EDIT: Typos

Haha I'm not sure what I would do man. I didn't start out in engineering my first year, had to transfer to where I'm at now. Maybe take a semester off just work and think about what you really want to do. If you are already far into your degree I would say tough it out, you don't have to use the degree after you graduate, but it's a great backup to have. I play the guitar, Just picked up an American strat not too long ago, so the guitar building idea sounds pretty awesome!

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TheWolfe

Taking a semester off might be nice.

I have 9 guitars, few amps, drums, keyboards, you name it. I converted my upstairs' bonus room into a fully-functional recording studio. Guess that's why I initially chose an engineering school in the first place