A&Q about 350Z
Q:
All I know is that is one fast Z!!
1990 RS Camao (Ya i know im getting a Z but i still love my Camaro!)
2002 Z28 LS1 T56 yes its fast no you cant drive it!
A:
The more I think about it, the special issue was from Road & Track. Well someone else must have read it and will correct me or quote numbers directly from the issue.
2005 350Z Touring Roadster - Super Black - 6speed
Borla Exhaust and K&N drop-in.
Other toys include:
2006 Subaru WRX Wagon
2002 Isuzu Axiom SUV
2002 H-D Electra Glide Ultra Classic
2002 H-D custom Fat Boy
2001 Kawasaki Drifter 1500
A:
Mattam:
You are correct. I have every issue of Road and Track going back about three years (I have been a subscriber for a while and I am a packrat). I remember specifically reading the issue the minute it came into my mailbox (any issue that highlighted the Nissan Z was quickly dissected). The conclusion in that article is that the engine as was released from the plant was actually well tuned, and that it would be difficult for any upgrades to increase performance without extensive modification (obviously Xanavi's Z on the JGTC is a good example of what extensive modification can do...I think Calsonic has one too, or is it Zexel?). If you guys wait till I get home I can locate the actual year and month. You might be able to find it online at Road & Track's website.
All that said to confirm that the car fresh out of the factory is actually very well tuned. I would not be able to support this statement with fact, but I would be willing to bet that the engineers at Nismo played a larger role in developing the stock VQ35 than alot of people believe...but then again, maybe not. I don't know much about Nismo's role with Nissan so I would probably be better off keeping my mouth shut, but hey, it's never caused me any real problems.
Previously owned: 2005 Z Enthusiast, Super Black, 6 spd.
Currently lease: 2006 Pathfinder S, Silver, Auto
"She is (and always will be) my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got!"
A:
that see was awesome funny video too.the one guy was definitely east coast.
Z's are like woman maintenance,maintenance,maintenance!
1971 240Z gunmetal metalic 5sp 4:11 gears in the rear
illuminas and purchased from the original owner w/136k original miles
A:
CantZmee:
If you could post what mod was added to each car, how much was spent on each car, the HP they produced, and the numbers from the tests they did. I think it would be very enlightening for some people to see what was spent and what they got out of it compared to stock Z.
I looked on the R&T website and didn't see it.
2005 350Z Touring Roadster - Super Black - 6speed
Borla Exhaust and K&N drop-in.
Other toys include:
2006 Subaru WRX Wagon
2002 Isuzu Axiom SUV
2002 H-D Electra Glide Ultra Classic
2002 H-D custom Fat Boy
2001 Kawasaki Drifter 1500
A:
I will do that. I am at work now, but when I get home I will pull out the R&T archives and find it.
I think it was four cars and there were allowed like two month to peform whatever mods they wanted, and then they just showed up to compare them.
Previously owned: 2005 Z Enthusiast, Super Black, 6 spd.
Currently lease: 2006 Pathfinder S, Silver, Auto
"She is (and always will be) my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got!"
A:
"said that for all those supercharger/turbo set-ups to work really well and to make even more improved numbers, one would have to do internal engine work to get the most out of them"
get a new engineer.
A:
clownsrus:
No thanks I'll keep the one I got and keep my money to spend on other things when major companies spend 20K on a car and isn't grossly faster than a stock 350Z....LOL
2005 350Z Touring Roadster - Super Black - 6speed
Borla Exhaust and K&N drop-in.
Other toys include:
2006 Subaru WRX Wagon
2002 Isuzu Axiom SUV
2002 H-D Electra Glide Ultra Classic
2002 H-D custom Fat Boy
2001 Kawasaki Drifter 1500
A:
OK...here's the long and short of the article. I read it last night at my house. If you want, it is in the November 2003? issue (Again, I will have to confirm, sorry my memory sucks...too much of the hazy stuff in college).
First Z was by Stillen. They added an aftermarket supercharger, and Stillens own headers and catback exhaust. They also added a hi flow CAI, and an upgraded filter. They put the car down on Eibach's at least an inch. New wheels. All said and done they were running about 375 hp. The car did 5.2 sprinting to 60 and just under 14 in the 1/4 mile. Not really impressive if you ask me. All in all the package cost them $17K.
MotoRex imported most of their goods for the car from Cwest. This one was a cosmetics showpiece. Big wing on the back, 19" wheels. They kept the car n/a but added and exhaust and some headers, as well as a Pop Charger adn a new plenum. They also modified the suspension, although I think they used a different brand (again, the haze I can't recall, even though I read it last night...it was late). Their package ran about $15K. The car was the lights and fastest (5.1) in the 0-60, but not the 1/4 mile.
Finally Brembo brought their showcar. It had a 15" system Brembo designed specifically for the Z that runs just north of 3 grand. They did minor engine work (to the tune of $5k) and also added a suspension (eibach). Their numbers as far as speed were concerned were the least impressive (5.4?), and the braking was still slower than the MotoRex/Cwest creation.
All in all, the testers liked all three cars. However, the unstated theme was that it costs ALOT of money to garner mind blowing performance out of this car. I remember one quote saying something along the lines of they did not get the "hold-on-to-your-hat performance" they expected out of a $5k dollar supercharger upgrade, but it was still nice. The MotoRex and the Stillen were both tagged as "slow moving" in the corners, and that they lost their "Flickable" character that is one of the best ingredients of the new Z.
Their is a window at the end that talks about the GReddy Twin Turbo that costs about $6k that adds almost 100 hp. They said that turbo was incredible, but in my personal opinion, I would never put a turbo on this N/A engine. Wait for the skyline, I bet that will be a platform that comes stock with a turbo...much safer then.
If you guys even care, I also found an article in my Sport Compact Car from roughly the same time that talks about how they extensively tuned their Z tester and could not get an ounce of improved performance...of course, that is sport compact car. I don't have a subscription to that anymore...I lost interest in the immature writing and the poor photography. Plus they fill their magazine with too many damn adds...I feel like I am reading a NOPI brochure. barf
Previously owned: 2005 Z Enthusiast, Super Black, 6 spd.
Currently lease: 2006 Pathfinder S, Silver, Auto
"She is (and always will be) my little deuce coupe, you don't know what I got!"
A:
Reason stock does better in the 0-60 is wheel spin..F.I. has too much Tq to the wheels and not enough wheel friction to overcome it..
Back to the original posters questions: Kit price is fair. I paid $4,000.0 during a sale with Avalon last December.. Install is high unless dyno tuning is included. Tuning is recommended since the kit comes with a rich fuel setting in the fuel maps..I am very satisfied with the Vortech and have recently changed the blower pulley to the next size down for a little more Tq and boost comes on sooner..Mileage has gone down from 24 to 20 but it is expected since your going to drive it more aggressively. That's why you want the F.I....Right?? There are lots of Vortech/350z uses and no significant issues or concerns have been raised..
A:
Can you say blown engine<<<<<VOrtecH<<< BLOWN ENGINE<<<<<VORTECH<<<BLOWN ENGINE! Need I say more!
04.5 silver Touring, JWT-filter, Maya Gr-5's, Fusion/audio, StrosekAeroKit.
A:
Went to turonetics open house this last weekend, after all was said and done find out their unit will not pass cal smog test, $5500
A:
Can you name one car that was blown due to the Vortech>??