Planning a TT build. Advice?
^I live 2 blocks from my work so I walk to work so i only drive if I can't walk there. I would get a 2nd car but living in downtown parking spots in my building are $150/month
I'd do it again in a heart beat, but I cant help at look at what it costed me every once in awhile. I dumped a LOT of money into the car and really have nothing to show for it. I started off with that very same question your asking now except it was on a de motor. Like bmccann says though, you only live once, and I was young when I did it and now I can say I built a fast fun car once, where most people I talk to would say I wish I could've had a car like that. When you ask is it worth it, financially, no, my own personal opinion, yes. I had a blast while I had the car. Mine was a daily driver too by the way and almost always driven hard. I was boosted at 365whp for about 50k miles until my motor let go.
tamest answers im seen from the FI vets in a long time! listen OP to what they have to say, im not TT, but as far as FI i know personally ive spent a pretty penny and time when it comes to trying to knock my head into a wall solving "ghosts" and "gremlins" , the FI group here on 350z is great! but in the end , they're not a wallet, and thats what essentially you have to ask yourself, are you willing to bleed a couple hundred bucks on a moments notice when you hop into your ride in the morning and the car refuses to start?
A few "good mechanics" did my original build too- which lasted about 300 miles before it caved on the Dyno for reasons that later translated into a lack of familiarity with the car and the VQ.
If you insist on pushing through with this make sure "your buddies" who are going to do this for you for a grand aren't going to later be delivering sexual favors at the cost of a rebuild.
I'm no vet of the forums- I'm not even a car guy but I get the sense that you're thinking around the same level I was when I decided to go this route. I'm not as surly or jaded (or experienced or knowledgeable) as most of these guys- but I can say there is a lot of truth in their warnings. I started with modest goals- but by the time you're into your first rebuild, the money you'll have spent just to rebuild it stock will add up so ridiculously that you'll be left scratching your head wondering why you just spent 20+k on 450whp.
And it would be stupid, actually. But that's how it goes down.
If you insist on pushing through with this make sure "your buddies" who are going to do this for you for a grand aren't going to later be delivering sexual favors at the cost of a rebuild.
I'm no vet of the forums- I'm not even a car guy but I get the sense that you're thinking around the same level I was when I decided to go this route. I'm not as surly or jaded (or experienced or knowledgeable) as most of these guys- but I can say there is a lot of truth in their warnings. I started with modest goals- but by the time you're into your first rebuild, the money you'll have spent just to rebuild it stock will add up so ridiculously that you'll be left scratching your head wondering why you just spent 20+k on 450whp.
And it would be stupid, actually. But that's how it goes down.
I dont regret it at all but ill be honest i dont beat the **** outta my car like Bert does.I have over 78,000 boosted miles one way or another and the only problems ive had were with the pos stillen s/c.Nothing but belt noise...oh i forgot the leaking oil line to the pass side Greddy turbo....but thats it.
Now im just waiting for Berto to chime in on my post.
Now im just waiting for Berto to chime in on my post.
Honestly, for $10k, I'd look into an LS swap. If you can do the work yourself, the parts can be had for around $10k. Fueled Racing in Arizona sells an excellent kit. The best one out there, imo.
if you have to "wait til spring to think if you still have the money" then you definitely don't have the money.
If you don't have triple the cost for a full build sitting in your bank account right now then you shouldn't touch the engine. Nothing ever costs what you expect and nothing ever goes right. When you budget a set amount because you have to "afford" your car then you are usually going to fall short and end up with a car sitting in a million pieces for 9 months out of the year while you work to earn up enough money for that turbo rebuild you didn't see coming.
also, if you don't have a garage of your own that you can leave the car in a disaster mess because you don't have the time to sit down and do everything in a single weekend then i wouldn't even come close to touching that car. It's real fun having a car torn apart in someone else's garage when they tell you it has to be out in 2 days. Then you miss work and have no life trying to finish the impossible and figure out how you are going to move your car and store your parts.
If you don't have triple the cost for a full build sitting in your bank account right now then you shouldn't touch the engine. Nothing ever costs what you expect and nothing ever goes right. When you budget a set amount because you have to "afford" your car then you are usually going to fall short and end up with a car sitting in a million pieces for 9 months out of the year while you work to earn up enough money for that turbo rebuild you didn't see coming.
also, if you don't have a garage of your own that you can leave the car in a disaster mess because you don't have the time to sit down and do everything in a single weekend then i wouldn't even come close to touching that car. It's real fun having a car torn apart in someone else's garage when they tell you it has to be out in 2 days. Then you miss work and have no life trying to finish the impossible and figure out how you are going to move your car and store your parts.
For me its an expensive hobby. I love driving a boosted car as a third vehicle. I have thrown money away before but I got a good 6-7 years of enjoyment out of it. I sold the car and then put a chip, exhaust, intake on my big heavy truck. But it is still a 5500lb flying brick. So I bought an HR Z and am up to my elbows in a nearly $20k TT build. But I knew this going in and wanted to do it right. Hopefully I will get some 6-8 years of enjoyment out of it then who knows what will happen.
I think having it as a hobby is one thing but for a daily driver, I would never do it.
I think having it as a hobby is one thing but for a daily driver, I would never do it.
the real issue here is that you will live in the city and not drive it. It's a total waste of money if you are barely able to enjoy it. You'd have to get far out to even use the power.
If you got the room to let it run, then do it. But you don't, so don't. My friend just got his GTR and can't use it in the city, total waste of a car.
If you got the room to let it run, then do it. But you don't, so don't. My friend just got his GTR and can't use it in the city, total waste of a car.
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,740
Likes: 25
From: On a forum dedicated to Boost
I love my car. No doubt about it. If you really do love your car, the answer is simple. If you just like your car and may trade her in after a couple years, I wouldn't bother.
You need to listen to most of the guys here to determine whether or not its worth it to you. You WILL run into issues, you WILL get frustrated at times, and you WILL spend more money that you originally budgeted for....this is true on any car you mod really.
I don't have alot of experience with twin'ing out the Z on stock motor. I built my motor the same time I boosted the car. I know how I am about always wanting more power, so I did it all at once. I've had my fair share of hick-ups, but nothing compared to what some of these guys have gone through. If you're just adding twins and tuning...I doubt you'll run into alot of issues initially, but things do tend to pop up on the stock block guys down the road, one way or another.
Consider these things before you pull the trigger:
1) Do you have a daily driver? If not, get one...down time with only one car can kill you.
2) Do you plan on building the motor at anytime during ownership? If not, I'd stay away from boost and look into a mild shot of nitrous.
3) Plan on setting aside a slush fund for when something unexpected goes wrong...this almost always happens.
4) Make sure whoever installs the kit knows wtf they are doing....half-a$$ing installs or waiting to tune will end in a big boom. If they've never worked on a Z and/or don't have a good rep with these cars....I wouldn't go near em.
5) Draw the line on where you want to be for your goals....so many of us have done this without sticking to our guns and end up at the point of no return....too many mods and money spent to go back....too many headaches to move forward.
Would I do it again? You d*mn right I would. I would love to get every dollar I spent on this car, but we all have our own reason for what we do....and this type of sh*t is in my blood...no denying that.
Hope this helps.
You need to listen to most of the guys here to determine whether or not its worth it to you. You WILL run into issues, you WILL get frustrated at times, and you WILL spend more money that you originally budgeted for....this is true on any car you mod really.
I don't have alot of experience with twin'ing out the Z on stock motor. I built my motor the same time I boosted the car. I know how I am about always wanting more power, so I did it all at once. I've had my fair share of hick-ups, but nothing compared to what some of these guys have gone through. If you're just adding twins and tuning...I doubt you'll run into alot of issues initially, but things do tend to pop up on the stock block guys down the road, one way or another.
Consider these things before you pull the trigger:
1) Do you have a daily driver? If not, get one...down time with only one car can kill you.
2) Do you plan on building the motor at anytime during ownership? If not, I'd stay away from boost and look into a mild shot of nitrous.
3) Plan on setting aside a slush fund for when something unexpected goes wrong...this almost always happens.
4) Make sure whoever installs the kit knows wtf they are doing....half-a$$ing installs or waiting to tune will end in a big boom. If they've never worked on a Z and/or don't have a good rep with these cars....I wouldn't go near em.
5) Draw the line on where you want to be for your goals....so many of us have done this without sticking to our guns and end up at the point of no return....too many mods and money spent to go back....too many headaches to move forward.
Would I do it again? You d*mn right I would. I would love to get every dollar I spent on this car, but we all have our own reason for what we do....and this type of sh*t is in my blood...no denying that.
Hope this helps.
I love my car. No doubt about it. If you really do love your car, the answer is simple. If you just like your car and may trade her in after a couple years, I wouldn't bother.
You need to listen to most of the guys here to determine whether or not its worth it to you. You WILL run into issues, you WILL get frustrated at times, and you WILL spend more money that you originally budgeted for....this is true on any car you mod really.
I don't have alot of experience with twin'ing out the Z on stock motor. I built my motor the same time I boosted the car. I know how I am about always wanting more power, so I did it all at once. I've had my fair share of hick-ups, but nothing compared to what some of these guys have gone through. If you're just adding twins and tuning...I doubt you'll run into alot of issues initially, but things do tend to pop up on the stock block guys down the road, one way or another.
Consider these things before you pull the trigger:
1) Do you have a daily driver? If not, get one...down time with only one car can kill you.
2) Do you plan on building the motor at anytime during ownership? If not, I'd stay away from boost and look into a mild shot of nitrous.
3) Plan on setting aside a slush fund for when something unexpected goes wrong...this almost always happens.
4) Make sure whoever installs the kit knows wtf they are doing....half-a$$ing installs or waiting to tune will end in a big boom. If they've never worked on a Z and/or don't have a good rep with these cars....I wouldn't go near em.
5) Draw the line on where you want to be for your goals....so many of us have done this without sticking to our guns and end up at the point of no return....too many mods and money spent to go back....too many headaches to move forward.
Would I do it again? You d*mn right I would. I would love to get every dollar I spent on this car, but we all have our own reason for what we do....and this type of sh*t is in my blood...no denying that.
Hope this helps.
You need to listen to most of the guys here to determine whether or not its worth it to you. You WILL run into issues, you WILL get frustrated at times, and you WILL spend more money that you originally budgeted for....this is true on any car you mod really.
I don't have alot of experience with twin'ing out the Z on stock motor. I built my motor the same time I boosted the car. I know how I am about always wanting more power, so I did it all at once. I've had my fair share of hick-ups, but nothing compared to what some of these guys have gone through. If you're just adding twins and tuning...I doubt you'll run into alot of issues initially, but things do tend to pop up on the stock block guys down the road, one way or another.
Consider these things before you pull the trigger:
1) Do you have a daily driver? If not, get one...down time with only one car can kill you.
2) Do you plan on building the motor at anytime during ownership? If not, I'd stay away from boost and look into a mild shot of nitrous.
3) Plan on setting aside a slush fund for when something unexpected goes wrong...this almost always happens.
4) Make sure whoever installs the kit knows wtf they are doing....half-a$$ing installs or waiting to tune will end in a big boom. If they've never worked on a Z and/or don't have a good rep with these cars....I wouldn't go near em.
5) Draw the line on where you want to be for your goals....so many of us have done this without sticking to our guns and end up at the point of no return....too many mods and money spent to go back....too many headaches to move forward.
Would I do it again? You d*mn right I would. I would love to get every dollar I spent on this car, but we all have our own reason for what we do....and this type of sh*t is in my blood...no denying that.
Hope this helps.