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Hi New Member with loads of questions


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Hi Great site and loads of useful banter.

 

I've just sold my E46 M3 SMG, and am looking to buy a 350Z. Iv'e test drove a couple and must say that the driving position is the best i've ever experience.

 

As I'm new I'm sorry if I'm posing this in the wrong section, please feel free to boot me into another section.

 

A) Should I buy an import or a UK spec car?

 

B) I do want to up the power so I have started investigating mods, plan so far

 

- Stage 1 - DC 3 -1 Header + Single canister exhaust and K&N Typhoon Cold intake system

 

Looking at using ABP in crewe, anyone used them?

 

- Stage 2 - SC or TT, I asked about the HKS SC, but that has been discountinued and is being replaced by a TT, this is out in August and they offer two packs, one with out internals and one with. any Ideas?

 

Sorry about all the questions, I'm just excited and a bit lost :yahoo:

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:welcome: captint

 

If you are going to do plenty of mods, which looking at your list you are, I would recomend you go the JDM route. Save yourself some money which you can use towards the mods. It would be advisible to get one from last quarter of 2004 onwards as the suspension is the same spec as UK.

 

We have forum discount with TDI. They may be worth having a chat with about SC or TT and cost.

 

Plenty of other members will be along shortly to advise on SC or TT with more experience than me. :headhurt:

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:welcome: I think I was in the same postion as yourself 6 months ago, I went down the import route as I knew I would be adding bits on; so paying a lot extra for a UK car with a warranty was not an option ..Lots of threads already about the slight differences in spec on Imports :thumbs:
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I had a very bad experience with ABP a few years ago, I think in hindsight they bit off more than they could chew, they ruined my engine then suggested I spend more money at a local tuner to effectively rebuild and tune the engine.

 

I spent an absolute fortune with them and even more with the tuner, I was left with an un-drivable car and sold it at a major loss.

 

I obviously should have just sued their ass, but at the time was perhaps naive and just saw the extra bhp that the tuner would be able to get.

 

Needless to say, I would never go there ever again and would not advise anyone else to let them tamper with their engine.

 

Obviously I am not suggesting you shouldn’t buy anything from them to fit yourself/elsewhere, but I wouldn’t trust them mechanically.

 

May be harsh, but they cost me a fortune and therefore would just prefer it if they went bankrupt.

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Hi Great site and loads of useful banter.

 

 

A) Should I buy an import or a UK spec car?

 

B ) I do want to up the power so I have started investigating mods, plan so far

 

- Stage 1 - DC 3 -1 Header + Single canister exhaust and K&N Typhoon Cold intake system

 

Looking at using ABP in crewe, anyone used them?

 

- Stage 2 - SC or TT, I asked about the HKS SC, but that has been discountinued and is being replaced by a TT, this is out in August and they offer two packs, one with out internals and one with. any Ideas?

 

A) as mike says, yes, his suggestion is exactly one I would give you

 

B ) skip stage 1, useless IMO especially with no ECU piggyback. I guess get yourself a decent true dual for the future FI. No need for intake and headers as you'd ditch them with FI, I'd go a proper plenum instead, again in view of the FI mod.

 

HKS TT was displayed @ the Tokio salon, haven't heard anything else yet, if you get it in UK is gonna be AT LEAST £10K is my estimate, wait and see :( PS do the internals as well, might as well do it all together really :)

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Guest prescience

Some good Qs.

 

I would just say that you would be best waiting prior to going for a HKS TT (currently vapourware as Val has noted). Let the US guys iron out the bugs first would be my tip :thumbs: - there is so much more back-up there :dry:

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Wow

 

Thanks for the feedback chaps, ok looks like i'll give ABP a miss, where are TDI based? I'm looking for somewhere in the South. I've never used a Japanese specialist before, in the past used Birds and AMD for BMW's and VW, so I want to find somewhere I can trust

 

I see from your Tag Prescience that you have a Vortech S/c, if you don't mind me asking, whats it like and what sort of ball park figure would I be looking at.

 

Also if I am to go down the import road, any suggestion on where to buy one as I have seen hundreds of different firms

 

Thanks for all the feed back really appreciated

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Also if I am to go down the import road, any suggestion on where to buy one as I have seen hundreds of different firms

 

Thanks for all the feed back really appreciated

 

 

I'd get one from a private seller which is an import aready :)

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Also if I am to go down the import road, any suggestion on where to buy one as I have seen hundreds of different firms

 

Thanks for all the feed back really appreciated

 

 

I'd get one from a private seller which is an import aready :)

 

 

I'll second that, best advice :thumbs:

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AMD - wicked garage, took my Golf GTI turbo there, really professional outfit.

 

Not had too much experience with the Z tuners yet, but WRX get great write-ups from the Subaru/Mitsubishi lot and TDI seem to know their stuff from the threads on this site.

 

I'm pondering with the Supercharger route at the moment and will probably give TDI a try if I do.

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Guest prescience

To answer your Vortech question in a bit more detail.

 

It can be imported and installed (there have been a number of very successful installs) for say about 4.2k. You should bear in mind, that to really get the best out of it, you should use a modified plenum (APS, Kinetix), hi-flow (Kinetix) or de-cats (APS) and a hi-flow exhaust (take your choice). Oh and colder spark plugs.

 

Also, in terms of traction the Bridgestones were not up to it on 18s but the Toyos on 19s are - whether that is the tyre width or extra inertia I don't know, but it is important.

 

Plus, I would recommend you go with gauges at least for A/F and boost with fuel pressure as highly recommended.

 

Its still a very nice, cost-effective solution IMO and very tuneable (in theory) because it runs very rich (safe) in the upper RPMs.

 

The performance is very impressive easily seeing off M3s etc but not quite in the same league as TT which costs much more of course.

 

On the downside, it is (quite) noisy at idle and you do get a noticeable S/C whine in the lower RPMs (which I quite like) - both these 'features' can be removed by opting instead for the HKS S/C which is however quite a bit more expensive and much less tuneable - and the bypass valve on shifts (which I do like).

 

In terms of maintenance, you need to do regular (3000 mile) oil changes and the belt will need tightening once or twice when new (a 10 min job).

 

The fuel system (which uses a rising pressure method) is not the best and has been known to blow off fuel pipes :scare: so make sure the installer uses good fittings here and check these when you do an oil change.

 

Overall, worth the money but you need to drive in one to see if you can live with the noise :)

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