In the end, if you study the Z's platform, it's not the greatest car to mod. It was designed as an affordable sportscar with sexy appeal, however, it will never be the fastest/best handling/best looking car in any class. The motor is maxed out from the factory, any big boost in power requires adding a turbo which in turn, adds significant weight on the front end. This car would've been better designed if the motor was in the rear, thus adding more weight = more traction, however the weight distribution isn't exactly 50/50 as our cars are more nose heavy, thus traction is always an issue. Speaking of weight and handling, yes it handles great, but there are always limits to its capability and a smaller, lighter car with a mid-ship design will always out perform the Z. Looks wise, the Z is naturally sexy, but it's not the best of that class either because there are tons of sexier looking cars... perhaps not for the price we pay for a Z, but we'll never achieve #1. In the end, is it worth modding? Well, mod for what it's worth is what you should be asking. Visual enhancements... bolt-ons, and suspension tweaks can always upgrade what the car is already good in. Dropping 25k for a built motor + turbo installed could mean 75% of the payments toward a Z06 which is faster in stock form with the warranty from the factory, and a better platform to work off of.

 

Like some may know I used to drive E46 Beemers and now i want to get a Z, whats a HR motor. I'am so sorry if this was answeard new to this forum and always ask questions. Thanks.

 

plus I would wait to get the new"er" model for a couple years so they can get the buggs and gremilins worked out.

 

yeah but isn't the z06 killer on insurance.

 

My brother got one, he is 29 and clean record. Its not a killer its a HITMAN. nearly 4k a year. But the regular C6 aint bad at all.

 

Thats pure BS,, come on now, honestly lets assume his car is worth 25k trade that in and what like 10 grandn finance to get the newer car?? thats simply a FI kit with tuning and gauges,, built motor is about 12k more,, give or take. Heres your answer::: wait for the new Supra,, either the v6 350hp or the v8 450 hp if your a baller!! the 6cyl was basically designed to take the 350 off its throne in Japan as one of the most popular tuner cars in that market, and given the quality, cust service, and overall gangster dependability of a toyota,, i am seriously considering a Supra now

 

Very well put, i agree 1000000%

 

+1

 

Perhaps you should be more careful with your words.

 

Who even cares about the new models? Has any one seen the 08' Z? It looks like crap for one thing, and by the time 08' roles around your current Z's value will be jack. Therefore to make the trade you will be in the hole yet again maybe 10-15g thats with supposing that your car is paid off ( this is also assuming that your trading your current vehicle ). F*ck the new model. Make the car you have your own. for 6-7g you could turbo or SC and kiss the new model good buy. Not to mention you have a car that is your own creation, not the dealers.

 

Or take that hit in a few years by waiting for the V8 supra.

 

This winter polka dot and bell bottoms are in so I'm throwing out my wardrobe to keep up with the joneses.

Really companies do this to sell and make money. You are either falling for their advertisement which makes your life feel inadequate or you have stock shares in the company. Or you can probably be pathetic.

 

It's called planned obsolescence. Car companies design cars so that in a few years they can make something a little better and everyone will want it and trade in their current one for it. Their will always be something better. If your happy with your car keep it. If you don't like it get somethingelse. Don't just trade your car (which your happy with) in because the new one has 20 more hp.

 

You also lose torque which is more important than HP if you really want performance.

 

ive had my z stock for 3.5 years now.

recently i fell for the mods (must be the peer pressure)
bought my first mod a few months ago, injen cai. just ordered plenum spacer last week, looking for exhaust.

thoughts on the cai? love it, it makes the car funner to drive with the cool sounds it makes.

i think once you start modding, youll want more, thats how it always is.

 

It may not be the greatest, but its by far not the worst. For its price range, it is not the king in any one category, but does well in quite a few.

The motor is maxed out from the factory, any big boost in power requires adding a turbo which in turn, adds significant weight on the front end. This car would've been better designed if the motor was in the rear, thus adding more weight = more traction[/QUOTE]

This is just plain silly. If the motor was maxed out, people wouldn't be able to add another 30-40whp, if not more, through N/A mods. Turbo is only one option. It depends on what you use it for and how much power you want from it.

Always an issue? Any car with a good amount of torque has issues with traction. And our 53/47 weight distribution is pretty damn good. I don't find the Z to be all that nose heavy at all, rather very neutral.

Your really comparing apples to oranges. Of course a smaller and lighter car will have better handling. Look at the Elise, S2k, etc. They have a more go-karty feel. The Z, for what it is, does very well.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. IMHO, the Z is better looking than a lot of the cars available in its price range and beyond or below. Granted, its no Lamborghini Gallardo, but I'll take the Z for $130k less thank you.

I don't remember it costing $25k for a built motor and turbo install. You could probably do a decent build and a single turbo setup for around $12-14k including stand-alone tuning and have more than enough power.


Based upon what you said, no car would be good to mod because there is a car that always does something it does that much better. In that scenario, no car is worth modding. To each his own!

 

Not a realistic strategy.

New models introduce new problems. If newer was more reliable then the 3-series BMW would be the most reliable car in the world. It isn't.

 

The Z may not be the fastest car but it still doesn't stop me from enjoying it.
It has a gorgeous design, perfect for wide and deep dish wheels, and grabs plenty of attention.
If I really cared about speed, I would've picked up a slightly used AMG Mercedes or Z06, and make it into a street monster.
The new motor really doesn't have much of a difference in power so it would be cheaper to do bolt ons.
Now when and if that GT-S supercharged Z comes out, then that's a different story.