Tony1M

Would you under any circumstances buy a used 350Z with auto trans that already has a supercharger and is supposedly set up for no more than 380 hp? (The vehicle has around 44,000 miles and is in very good cosmetic condition in and out.)

If so, as far as only the engine and transmission are concerned, how should their pre-purchase inspection be different, if any, than that for the engine and transmission in a non-forced-induction vehicle?

Put another way, what inspection/test results for this vehicle would tell you, as far as possible, that this vehicle's engine or transmission will likely not fail in the next several thousand miles (assuming that the vehicle is not pushed hard during those miles)?

Thanks.

turboed350z

I dont even know how to reply to this....

travlee

iTrader: (8)

nope /thread

unless you know the guy personally i would never buy any after market SC or turbo car

Frank_White

NA 6mt would be more fun then SC auto in these cars. But to answer your question, I don't even buy modified cars let alone boosted ones. But I'm sure if he has paperwork for the shop that did it, and you get the car inspected at a shop that deals with built cars like these, you can justify purchasing it. Mind you 100% it got driven very hard

mr. sparco

iTrader: (13)

I know of a few first owners on this forum who built their cars with all the right parts then garage queened them only to sell the car for a fraction of what they put in. If this is one of those guys, first owner type sellers it might be a good deal.

bealljk

iTrader: (13)

I would go about this any used car experience...get a third party independent mechanic to look over the car. Have compression test done and take special note of any leaks or fluids on the chassis.

Assuming all is well and because it was FI, my offer would be 50% of what the NA equivalent would be. I would then take the turbos($1000), wastegates($500), bovs($300) off and have them rebuilt/replaced. Remove and replace the oil feed & scavenge lines($200), replace the O2 sensors($150) and have the car re-tuned($1000).

The seller wont go for this because another schlep will come along and give the seller his number...so plan on buying a NA Z and doing your own FI...

Tony1M

Thanks.

I must first admit that I have not yet seen the vehicle in person, only photos so far. This thread was a tenative second step in deciding whether to consider the vehicle any further. I've read the FI FAQs, but that really doesn't answer this thread's rather basic questions.

I see that many people plan to SC or turbo their vehicles, which is an expensive project, especially if they buy a "built" engine as Step 1. If it is a common practice for people looking for used Zs to not buy a used vehicle that has a SC or turbo, I assume that the owners installing FI realize this and do not plan to recoup most, if any, of the cost of their project. This must be why the advertised prices of these vehicles typically aren't that much more than the prices of non-FI vehicles.

Thanks.

I figured that people don't go through all of the expense and hassle of installing FI to go putt putting down the road. But I also think, quite ironically, that that same expense and hassle must have a certain built-in financial scare factor. But maybe I'm completely wrong on this and people have got piles of money to spend on blown engines. So just put the pedal to the metal, damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead!

This vehicle's seller supposedly has a pile of receipts for all of the work that has been "professionally" done locally. I suppose a leak-down test or even a dyno run could not reliably predict if a connecting rod was on the verge of failure in the near future. I guess the eventual buyer just has to assume that the engine may very well have a catastrophic failure in the near future and to add the likely cost of engine repair or replacement on to the asking price of the vehicle.

That's what I was thinking. Just knowing you've got the hp is all that is necessary, not repeated demonstrations of it. But those owners must be few and far between. Not only that, but, again, just exactly how does a potential buyer know with any degree of certainty that that is what has happened with a particular vehicle that is up for sale -- the word of the owner, the number of miles on the vehicle when FI was installed versus its present mileage,... what?

What you say makes perfect sense, from stem to stern, especially the part about the schlep. The only thing this schlep would do differently is negotiate the price before paying for the inspection, but that amount still contingent upon a satisfactory inspection. Doing this would save much time, money and probably avert a well-deserved knuckle sandwich when the seller hears the buyer's ridiculously low-ball offer after a successfull pre-purchase inspection. Come to think of it, it would be better to negotiate the price right over the phone on first contact. (Click!)

But after reading your comment, who the H is going to install FI knowing full well that when it comes time to sell maybe all the schleps will have learned their lesson and only get offers of only 50% of what the NAs are going for? In this case, I would imagine that the thing to do would be to remove any trace of the vehicle ever having had FI.

BTW, the vehicle I'm talking about has been for sale for literally months. All of the above is likely why it has not yet sold. So when it comes time for the next owner of this vehicle to sell it (or, for that matter, you decide to sell your own vehicle on which you have installed FI), exactly the same thing is going to happen.

NiLL

I don't think the auto trans stock is good for boost. The manuals will take as much as you can throw at them, but if he didn't have any upgrades on the trans (auto) Id walk away, Just me though.

Trans cooler?
Oil cooler?

bealljk

iTrader: (13)

Unless it's hours away I would make the offer in person...If it was me and agreeing with NiLL - an automatic transmission would be a deal-breaker...that's just me...

You should hit up 'JDM-V35' who had a g35 supercharged was an automatic and he swapped over to a 6mt - but from talking to him I bet he is going to say the 6mt is night and day...

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

I hated that car, was problems , problems and problems. The size of the trans cooler I installed was stupid, and it still had problems after 5 laps.

Istan has a Vorteched car here in Vegas, still going strong on the original trans.

Justin100

i am not a fan of supercharged 350z. I hear all the power is at the redline at the end of the power band. that is where their is full boost and it is always on therefore your gas mileage will be bad. That alone would make me pass.

JERZ350

iTrader: (2)

I thought the auto trans was a tank in these cars, in respect to other autos

Tony1M

I did not join this forum in order to ignore its advice. The above, combined with the fact that we must buy a vehicle with an auto trans, means that I won't further consider buying a vehicle that has FI. I guess if we want more reliable horses, they'll have to be corralled in an '07 or '08. I assume the transmission and cooler in those years will be designed for that increased hp.

Thanks for taking the time and trouble, folks.

Astennu

I dont comment much on this forum but i wanted to jump in for this comment.
I happen to own a supercharged 350Z (04 280hp) at this moment. Its a HKS supercharger kit with a Rotrex C30-91 unit.

It delivers way more power troughout the range compared to my other NA 350Z Rev-UP. Its true it pulls harder when you go up in the rev range but even in the low range its way more powerfull.

I would go SC over Turbo any day. Its way more predictable and linear. Ideal for the track.

travlee

iTrader: (8)

more like ever since this is your first post

turboed350z

That moment when the 350z comes with 287 hp stock and your supercharged 350z only makes 280...

Syner

Where are you, and where is the car?

Tony1M

I am in Edmonton; the vehicle is in Beaumont and it is a G35, not a 350Z. In case you're interested, it is listed in Kijiji for all to see.

I originally said the vehicle was a 350Z for two reasons. First, the G is essentially a 4-seat, slightly longer and heavier version of the Z. Second, to "hold my cards close to my chest", if you will, which now, because an auto trans is thought by the majority of the commenters on this forum to be inappropriate for a SC vehicle, is a moot strategy.

Syner

lol that explains why I couldn't find it originally. What's your price range? I'm selling mine if I get the right offer (considering I only put on 800km last season). I'm in Edmonton as well.

Tony1M

Nice to know that my strategy was not just illogical paranoia.

PM sent.