How Dumb I Was Again. Wasting Money on NA Parts
 

I got to thinking as I did before with my 350Z and now my 370Z.Why do I and we waste money on our NA platforms that only net HP levels that are really not felt (IMO). To spend all this money to only be half way to a real HP gain in the world of FI.

NA Setup

Headers-$700-1200
CAI $400-500
TP's/ HFC's $300-600
Exhaust $800-1800
Tune $600
Installation $0-1600+

Total $2800-6300

This is what is could cost depending on actual products and experience of installing such products. Now things like the tune and maybe the exhaust are a wash (can run stock on FI kit) for you would have to have this for a FI kit anyways. Not to play favorites, but GTM's new MHI TT kit (turn key) is only $5600. So if you eliminate the headers, CAI, TP's/ HFC's, and maybe exhaust (cause not a must have at first) you come out to 50 to 75% the cost of a FI kit. That's not including the install obviously. But the tune is included in a turn key kit.

Just some food for thought. I know I have wasted plenty on NA setup's just to go FI twice. Never again in the future.

Seems to me that if your primary reason for what your doing is HP then you have a valid point.

I think there are a couple reasons.

One is that adding FI to a car is not something that everyone is willing (or even able) to complete/deal with. You've got mechanical inclination and a place to work on your car, which is not something everyone has.

Second is the daily livability of a car with added FI.

Third is the amount of time over which NA mods are often applied. Somebody may dump $10K into their car, but do it over a year. It's a bigger psychological jump to do it all at once.

Finally, there are a lot of "other" costs that come with FI that push the price tag higher (nevermind the fact that FI just whets your appetite for more power and you're looking for more ways to make enough money to do whatever comes next).

Yes. There are many ways to look at.

My thoughts exactly

I don't know how to answer your question because I wasted a lot of money on cars in general

i only did very minor things on my car especially for engine performance as it's fast enough for street and i didn't want extra drone.

i dont feel my car is slow at all for how i drive my car...spirited weekend fun, and QD afterwards. :p

If you really need all that hp why not buy a GT500 or a Vette? You get 650hp right out of the box. You can pick up a used 2013 Shelby for the price of a $45,000 NISMO plus the $10K FI kit. And the Shelby is designed to handle all that HP. You wouldn't be pushing the engine to near or beyond it's design limits since it's already designed from the ground up to run built-in FI.

2013 Ford Shelby GT500 For Sale - CarGurus

You're correct on NA mods being a waste if you go FI, but your math leaves out a lot of supporting mods that you should be buying if you're going FI.

This thread is more about myself and little food
for thought for others to think wisely. Learn from others.

Oh please.. NA on this car where people want dyno for each exhaust to compare with other for +/- 1-2 WHP? Lol

I wasted money too bro. lesson learned HAha!

Even if you go FI, aren't you still going to get a different CBE and maybe HFC, headers as well? As for not feeling the difference with NA mods, you can sure see the difference on the 1/4 mile times posted on this forum.

Once I started to think about NA parts I knew I wasn't going to be happy with +/- 50hp. I would have spent a lot of money because I can't do any installation much less a tune. I've had an 11 second street car before so I'm desensitized when it comes to quick cars. I knew going in that the Z was not going to impress in a straight line and after a little bit of thought and the OK with the wife I now have GTM's MHI paid for and hopefully on the way soon. I'm just not going to be happy unless the car does at least 115-120mph and the only way to do that is with FI.

The GT500 is just like the GT but with more power and the GT was unimpressive. Once the MHI goes on I'll put some suspension goodies on and the car should be a sexy well-rounded rocket. My wife might be getting a job soon and could be making as much as I am or more and if so I'll be looking at the 2014 Stingray about this time next year.

Ew Mustang...make it go away. :p

I wasted money for the beautiful sound it (VQ) makes with the parts you listed...going fast is all relative...