How Dumb I Was Again. Wasting Money on NA Parts

luigi90210 · 08-05-2013, 03:09 AM

i plan on FI'ing my Z but if i get amazing deals on N/A parts ill spend the money, most of the supporting mods you have to do to FI a car are N/A mods(exhaust, oil cooler, maybe HFC or test pipes) and honestly i dont think there are a lot of N/A mods that can not be used on a FI build except for intakes and maybe an intake manifold(only stillen supercharger builds) and headers(turbo builds)

honestly if i found intakes for $100, id buy them in a heartbeat even though I plan on FI'ing my car because if i resell them, id either make back my money or lose like $20

wstar · 08-05-2013, 04:12 AM

I still think the "pragmatic" approach (well, once a couple guys have blazed the trail and figured out all the little bits and pieces) is to drop in an LS3 making ~400-450hp and nearly the same torque. NA, reliable, cheap parts everywhere, everyone knows how to work on them. It's as light as our engine, and it'll fit in the bay. Strap on a T-56 trans, a custom driveshaft and engine/trans mounts, a MoTeC ECU + a compatible digital dash display. Wire up the remaining BCM crap (lights, mostly?) to manual switches, you're good to go? If you did the labor yourself, and ignoring figuring out the custom bits for the first time, it's probably not far off in cost from a high-end FI kit. Especially if you can find a cheaper-than-crate engine+trans from a donor car (wrecked vette?).

SPOHN · 08-05-2013, 03:59 PM

Lol

JVerge5363 · 08-05-2013, 09:19 PM

So I just installed ART pipes and CBE. Also looking to supercharge over the winter months. For me its all about having a super fun, classy, sporty driving car that is not cookie cutter like all the American muscle cars for around the same final cost.

takjak2 · 08-09-2013, 12:32 PM

Staying N/A is an easy decision for me: FI is not as reliable at the track.

+50 hp and -300 lbs makes for a very very fun car that won't go boom.

It's also about the class of car I compete in. Both from a rules perspective in SCCA and mentally.

theDreamer · 08-09-2013, 12:57 PM

Dumb? That is relative.
It is tough to judge what the long term plans on a car are, especially a new car where new products are slow to arrive to market. I have gone over my purchased items (ever want to feel bad track down all things you have bought for your car and look it over) and I realized I wasted a good bit of money NA. Yet I also got some back, which I never recorded, when I sold some of my NA parts.

Chuck33079 · 08-09-2013, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theDreamer

(ever want to feel bad track down all things you have bought for your car and look it over)

Or keep a running Excel spreadsheet that keeps a total down to the penny.

theDreamer · 08-09-2013, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck33079

Or keep a running Excel spreadsheet that keeps a total down to the penny.

I have that....

Well mine is rounded up to the nearest dollar or so, but I keep all the invoices if I ever need exact pricing.

Chuck33079 · 08-09-2013, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theDreamer

I have that....

Well mine is rounded up to the nearest dollar or so, but I keep all the invoices if I ever need exact pricing.

It's pretty painful, especially since it keeps going up.

theDreamer · 08-09-2013, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck33079

It's pretty painful, especially since it keeps going up.

I also told myself that I would not spend more on the car than what it is worth....that number is very very close and I still have things I want to do.

Chuck33079 · 08-09-2013, 01:11 PM

Good luck with that

I'm sure I'll be there soon enough. My wish list keeps getting shorter and my mod list keeps getting longer. I just justified buying a set of wheels because they come with tires and I'm a few thousand miles away from needing tires. Justified it by saying "at least I'm saving the cost of mounting and balancing". I may have a problem.

theDreamer · 08-09-2013, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck33079

Good luck with that

I'm sure I'll be there soon enough. My wish list keeps getting shorter and my mod list keeps getting longer. I just justified buying a set of wheels because they come with tires and I'm a few thousand miles away from needing tires. Justified it by saying "at least I'm saving the cost of mounting and balancing". I may have a problem.

Yeah, I just got the hood because it was such a good deal, but I needed to buy it before the wedding so that is my reason. Though now I have to buy the misses stuff for her 350z to be fair, so I am in double if I mod my Z.

chops · 08-09-2013, 02:59 PM

damn OP, you got me thinking. should've went FI in the beginning

then i looked at my journal of mods and ive only spent 800 on go fast mods (picked up a gently used exhaust, new hfc's, new air k&n filters, post maf tubes). not bad for 10-15% gains?

Mt Tam I am · 08-09-2013, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theDreamer

I also told myself that I would not spend more on the car than what it is worth....that number is very very close and I still have things I want to do.

Fast Intentions // Uprev // GTM // HKS // TEIN

I thought is that all he has done and he thinks this comes close to full value? What's this theDreamer's Z.

Holy toledo!
Want to order:
-Test Pipes
-Re-tune
-Seibon TS Hood
-Vinyl roof matte black
-Nismo front bumper (with black tongue)
-Nismo side skirts
-Zspeed Nismo Aluminum undertray
-Black thermal coat intercooler
-Spec Stage 2 Cluch
-Spec Aluminum Flywheel
-ZSpeed Heavy Duty Concentric Replacement Clutch Slave CSC
-Hotchkys sways
-Greddy oil pan
-Bride Stradia (Driver side)

Work in progress:
-Rear Z Emblem
-Idle issue - CEL P1074 (Link to possible solutions: Picture)
-Supercharger filter change
-Supercharger fluid change
-Custom iPod dock
-Re-route iPod cable
-HU dash kit replacement & adjustments: Scoshe Nn1665B

Complete:
Performance
~GTM Supercharger
~GTM Oil Cooler (25 Row)
~B&M Short shifter
~SRP Pedals: Grid
~Uprev tune
~Fast Intentions Exhaust (12" resonators & SS mufflers)
~Volk RE-30 Wheels 19x10 +22 & 19x11 +25
~Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 Front: 265/35-19 Rear: 305/30-19

Suspension & Brakes
~TEIN Monoflex with EDFC
~SPC Camber Kit (Rear)
~Stoptech Pads
~Z1 Premium SS Lines
~Z1 15MM Spacers (Stud replacement)
~Motul RBF 600 Fluid
~Stillen J-hook Rotors

Exterior
~OEM Nismo Rear

Style
~HKS Camp II
~TWM Big Type-R shift knob
~Illuminated kick-plates
~LED Lights for: License plate, hatch area, dome lights
~Engine cover
~Password JDM
~Mishimoto Hoses
~Blacked out headlights
~Z1 Hood Struts

Audio
~Kenwood DNX6980
~Custom Upper Cubby Screen
~Polk DB6501 Component System

Random
~Fun stuff
~Car cover
~Three switches for center console: Website to order
~GoPro Hero with Wifi Bacpac

Safety

Removed:
~Stillen front license plate holder
~Intake - Takeda Short Ram Intake
~Hood struts - Fitment issues: Do not buy unless you are up to modifying per Modshack's DIY.
~Stillen Gen 3 Intakes
~Berk Tech Cat-Back Exhaust
~Fast Intentions Long Tube Headers
~Pioneer Z110-BT
~Rear fog light
~Fairlady Z emblem
~Hardwire V1

GTM Stage 1 supercharger kit
-GTM Oil Cooler
-Rotrex C38-61 supercharger
-GTM compressor housing
-GTM Supercharger Billet aluminum brackets
-GTM billet aluminum SC pulley
-GTM supercharger cooler kit
-Rotrex Supercharger Traction fluid
-4-Ply High Resistance Nomex Silicon couplers
-Stainless Steel T-Bolt clamps
-2.5 x 10 x 24 Bar and Plate Core Intercooler Rated @ 700hp
-Polished aluminum IC Piping
-GTM oil Filter Relocation Kit
-Cold Air Intake System (using k&n filters)
-Bosch Bypass valve
-Pre-made steel braided oil and P.S Supply & Return lines
-All Necessary Hardware and Installation Instructions
-GTM Custom mapped plug-in And play engine management for optimum engine tune and power .
-GTM Basic fuel system with Denso 600cc Injectors and - Walbro 255 Fuel Pump .
-GTM Custom Drive belt By Bando
-GTM Heavy duty Belt idlers

Eighties Meta · 08-20-2013, 08:07 PM

I just read this entire thread. I am now depressed. Seeking psychiatric help immediately

Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk 2

08-05-2013, 04:12 AM	#47 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3594	I still think the "pragmatic" approach (well, once a couple guys have blazed the trail and figured out all the little bits and pieces) is to drop in an LS3 making ~400-450hp and nearly the same torque. NA, reliable, cheap parts everywhere, everyone knows how to work on them. It's as light as our engine, and it'll fit in the bay. Strap on a T-56 trans, a custom driveshaft and engine/trans mounts, a MoTeC ECU + a compatible digital dash display. Wire up the remaining BCM crap (lights, mostly?) to manual switches, you're good to go? If you did the labor yourself, and ignoring figuring out the custom bits for the first time, it's probably not far off in cost from a high-end FI kit. Especially if you can find a cheaper-than-crate engine+trans from a donor car (wrecked vette?). Spikuh likes this. __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details

08-05-2013, 09:19 PM	#49 (permalink)
JVerge5363 Base Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Manahawkin NJ Posts: 105 Drives: 12' Roadster Sport M Rep Power: 12	So I just installed ART pipes and CBE. Also looking to supercharge over the winter months. For me its all about having a super fun, classy, sporty driving car that is not cookie cutter like all the American muscle cars for around the same final cost. TheGreatOne likes this.

08-09-2013, 12:32 PM	#50 (permalink)
takjak2 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sterling, VA Posts: 1,922 Drives: Legit Racecar 370Z Rep Power: 142	Staying N/A is an easy decision for me: FI is not as reliable at the track. +50 hp and -300 lbs makes for a very very fun car that won't go boom. It's also about the class of car I compete in. Both from a rules perspective in SCCA and mentally. Felix 808 likes this. __________________ Mods \| Stuff \| Things \| Seat Time \| Nismo facebook.com/TeamSparrowSpeed

08-09-2013, 12:57 PM	#51 (permalink)
theDreamer A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 30,879 Drives: 370z Rep Power: 4210	Dumb? That is relative. It is tough to judge what the long term plans on a car are, especially a new car where new products are slow to arrive to market. I have gone over my purchased items (ever want to feel bad track down all things you have bought for your car and look it over) and I realized I wasted a good bit of money NA. Yet I also got some back, which I never recorded, when I sold some of my NA parts. __________________ theDreamer's Z // Fast Intentions // Uprev // GTM // HKS // TEIN theDreamer's Silvia // URAS // GREDDY Houston Zs // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

08-09-2013, 01:11 PM	#56 (permalink)
Chuck33079 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 12,265 Drives: 2011 370ztt Rep Power: 29539	Good luck with that I'm sure I'll be there soon enough. My wish list keeps getting shorter and my mod list keeps getting longer. I just justified buying a set of wheels because they come with tires and I'm a few thousand miles away from needing tires. Justified it by saying "at least I'm saving the cost of mounting and balancing". I may have a problem. __________________ 2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

08-05-2013, 03:09 AM	#46 (permalink)
luigi90210 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 1,103 Drives: Classified Rep Power: 15	i plan on FI'ing my Z but if i get amazing deals on N/A parts ill spend the money, most of the supporting mods you have to do to FI a car are N/A mods(exhaust, oil cooler, maybe HFC or test pipes) and honestly i dont think there are a lot of N/A mods that can not be used on a FI build except for intakes and maybe an intake manifold(only stillen supercharger builds) and headers(turbo builds) honestly if i found intakes for $100, id buy them in a heartbeat even though I plan on FI'ing my car because if i resell them, id either make back my money or lose like $20

08-09-2013, 02:59 PM	#58 (permalink)
chops A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NA Posts: 1,732 Drives: NA Rep Power: 22	damn OP, you got me thinking. should've went FI in the beginning then i looked at my journal of mods and ive only spent 800 on go fast mods (picked up a gently used exhaust, new hfc's, new air k&n filters, post maf tubes). not bad for 10-15% gains?

08-20-2013, 08:07 PM	#60 (permalink)
Eighties Meta Enthusiast Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Pasadena, MD Age: 54 Posts: 344 Drives: 09 370z 7AT no-sport Rep Power: 13	I just read this entire thread. I am now depressed. Seeking psychiatric help immediately Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk 2 __________________ 2009 370z Touring 7AT/AAM 2.5 true dual exhaust/AAM DE test pipes/z1 vqde35 headers/AAM cold air intake (R-line)/Motordyne M370/Quaife LSD/z1 brake upgd pkg/Swift Spec-R springs/WhiteLine Front&Rear sway bars with endlinks

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