$3500 Reality Check
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (15)
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Oregon
Posts: 605
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
$3500 Reality Check
Hey guys, so I've talked to several local performance shops and have gathered a general consensus regarding this discussion. From what I've heard/read/been told - marketing for aftermarket N/A parts has really had to step it up in order to stay appealing to newer, factory-optimized vehicles. Technology has become advanced enough that car manufacturers can roll out N/A cars that are reasonably maxed out from that factory. Improved ECUs, emissions tuning, and air/fuel maps, for example, have eliminated a lot of the previous bottlenecks that made aftermarket N/A parts so worthwhile. Therefore, the gains you would expect by installing basic bolt-ons is going to be a lot smaller than in the past. The idea here is that you can only improve so much on an already improved platform. As new vehicles are released, the gap between factory performance and aftermarket performance shrinks. Aftermarket companies try to counteract this by boasting impressive gains which are rarely achieved. It is important to realize and understand this trend before you start spending your hard-earned money on N/A performance parts.
We all know the HR motor is optimized from the factory, but I did not think it was THAT optimized. I decided to go with some quality bolt-ons and a custom dyno tune to gain some good power, but unfortunately the gains are hardly worth the money invested. I have heard a lot of good reviews from these parts...maybe I let that get to my head...but I was definitely expecting more than the end results. Should I be happy with where my Z stands, considering the supporting mods? It is important to note that there is nothing mechanically wrong with the car. It was tuned at 20K miles and the numbers that were achieved are right in line with other Z's that have been on the same dyno. Remember, it is not the final number that matters, but the spread from baseline to that final number. I feel like kicking myself for not saving a little more and just going with GTM's supercharger, which was built for a stock HR. Hell, I'd be halfway there, financially, if I didn't buy the bolt-ons .
Mod List:
Cobb AccessPort - $500
Custom Dyno Tune - $400
Stillen Gen 3 Intakes - $550
Motordyne ART Pipes - $539
Motordyne XYZ Pipe - $495
Fujitsubo Legalis-R Axleback - $1100
Dyno graph is baseline vs mods above - Official graph here
Dyno Run
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8VFI3zl6qU
The point of this thread is to show that swapping out the OEM cats, exhaust, and even tuning doesn't seem to do much on a NA HR. The amount I paid for everything is really negligible, as no one runs the exact same stuff, but this does show that even these top products aren't miracle pieces for a factory-optimized platform.
We all know the HR motor is optimized from the factory, but I did not think it was THAT optimized. I decided to go with some quality bolt-ons and a custom dyno tune to gain some good power, but unfortunately the gains are hardly worth the money invested. I have heard a lot of good reviews from these parts...maybe I let that get to my head...but I was definitely expecting more than the end results. Should I be happy with where my Z stands, considering the supporting mods? It is important to note that there is nothing mechanically wrong with the car. It was tuned at 20K miles and the numbers that were achieved are right in line with other Z's that have been on the same dyno. Remember, it is not the final number that matters, but the spread from baseline to that final number. I feel like kicking myself for not saving a little more and just going with GTM's supercharger, which was built for a stock HR. Hell, I'd be halfway there, financially, if I didn't buy the bolt-ons .
Mod List:
Cobb AccessPort - $500
Custom Dyno Tune - $400
Stillen Gen 3 Intakes - $550
Motordyne ART Pipes - $539
Motordyne XYZ Pipe - $495
Fujitsubo Legalis-R Axleback - $1100
Dyno graph is baseline vs mods above - Official graph here
Dyno Run
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8VFI3zl6qU
The point of this thread is to show that swapping out the OEM cats, exhaust, and even tuning doesn't seem to do much on a NA HR. The amount I paid for everything is really negligible, as no one runs the exact same stuff, but this does show that even these top products aren't miracle pieces for a factory-optimized platform.
Last edited by Nismo1534; 02-26-2011 at 02:36 AM.
#3
New Member
iTrader: (2)
Should have done more research before spending that much. With VQ's the Money to HP ratio is complete crap for NA. In addition to those parts being overpriced, 400+ each for pipes and intake, and 400 for tuning? yikes. Id be kicking myself.
I dont have a Z but let me give you and idea what that kind of money got me.
~$1600 for a rear mount turbo setup.
~$2k for a built motor.
I dont have a Z but let me give you and idea what that kind of money got me.
~$1600 for a rear mount turbo setup.
~$2k for a built motor.
#5
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (15)
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Oregon
Posts: 605
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Should have done more research before spending that much. With VQ's the Money to HP ratio is complete crap for NA. In addition to those parts being overpriced, 400+ each for pipes and intake, and 400 for tuning? yikes. Id be kicking myself.
I dont have a Z but let me give you and idea what that kind of money got me.
~$1600 for a rear mount turbo setup.
~$2k for a built motor.
I dont have a Z but let me give you and idea what that kind of money got me.
~$1600 for a rear mount turbo setup.
~$2k for a built motor.
#8
New Member
iTrader: (2)
Just because 80% of z owners spend $10k+ for builds dosnt mean thats what it would cost for everyone else. If you are somewhat knowledgable and a little handy you can save thousands.
The motor I built was a VQ35. and the rear mount setup, thats pretty much the same for most cars, probably easier on a Z.
The motor I built was a VQ35. and the rear mount setup, thats pretty much the same for most cars, probably easier on a Z.
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (15)
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Oregon
Posts: 605
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just because 80% of z owners spend $10k+ for builds dosnt mean thats what it would cost for everyone else. If you are somewhat knowledgable and a little handy you can save thousands.
The motor I built was a VQ35. and the rear mount setup, thats pretty much the same for most cars, probably easier on a Z.
The motor I built was a VQ35. and the rear mount setup, thats pretty much the same for most cars, probably easier on a Z.
#11
New Member
iTrader: (2)
Oh, don't get me wrong - I totally understand. I wasn't planning on doing extreme mods to the Z, so I figured I would get some top-notch bolt-ons, as the knockoff/ebay/custom route is not my style. Some of the things I purchased (intakes/axle-back exhaust) I knew weren't big power gainers, and were more personal preference. Those things aside, I am surprised at the popularity of Motordyne's stuff/custom tune with NA members. Totally fooled me!
#12
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (15)
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Oregon
Posts: 605
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well now you have learned. More than half the "top notch" things you see people getting is because of their band name and not the actual product. You take your car to a mandrel bending shop and can have the same exhaust system for a fraction of the price you spend with brand name stuff, piping is piping. If your going to stay NA dont spend a single penny more, as it will not be worth it.
#13
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
Oh, don't get me wrong - I totally understand. I wasn't planning on doing extreme mods to the Z, so I figured I would get some top-notch bolt-ons, as the knockoff/ebay/custom route is not my style. Some of the things I purchased (intakes/axle-back exhaust) I knew weren't big power gainers, and were more personal preference. Those things aside, I am surprised at the popularity of Motordyne's stuff/custom tune with NA members. Totally fooled me!
#19
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (15)
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Oregon
Posts: 605
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The point of this thread is to show that swapping out the restrictive OEM cats, exhaust, and even tuning doesn't seem to do jack on a NA HR. The amount I paid for everything is really negligible, as no one does the exact same stuff, but this does show that even these top products aren't miracle pieces.
#20
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Gabriel, CA
Posts: 388
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i'd expect 30 whp from having the art pipes and xyz pipe with that catback you mentioned above, all without a tune... with tune i'd expect another 10 whp, so total 40whp for all bolt ons...
am i just being way too hopeful? i only have the art pipes with stock catback on my hr, and i definitely felt the gain...
am i just being way too hopeful? i only have the art pipes with stock catback on my hr, and i definitely felt the gain...
Last edited by Shawz1102; 12-04-2010 at 07:22 PM.