911 turbo too easy, in a bit of a quandary now (SC 350z?)
Discussion
I currently own an 02 996 Turbo and have done for a while now but i'm bored of it. Don't get me wrong it's a pleasure to drive but it's just too easy. I knew it would get like this, I read all the threads before on how your granny can drive it at blistering speeds and, well, it's true. Probably made worse by coming to the porsche from a TVR Tuscan which was truly epic to drive hard.
It's got to go, but now I'm stuck on where to go next. I've kind of fallen in love with the idea of a 350z. Not least because they are cheap as chips but with the right colour combo & wheel package they look great in my opinion. Since it's just a toy, I'm probably looking at a pre 06 model since I want to avoid the dreaded tax hike.
The problem is the 276 horses... I'm happy to take a little bit of a drop in power and I've not driven one yet (or even sat in one) but I can't see that doing the business for me, sure for road use it's plenty but on track I just don't think it will cut it. I'd be much happier with another 100bhp
I just came here for a bit of advice or opinion on supercharging the 350, I fully appreciate power is nothing without control and that money will need to be spent on more than just more power. What I am interested in is peoples experience with reliability of both the stock motor and supercharged 350s. I want to make a 350 scary but also retain some reliability. I'd guess the budget would be around 10k (not including the purchase of the car itself) to transform a good, lowish mileage 350z to something that will really make me smile, something that tries to kill you at every opportunity would be the ultimate goal
Also, if you're in Aberdeen, own a 350z and want to give me a passenger ride in one, I'd love to hear from you
It's got to go, but now I'm stuck on where to go next. I've kind of fallen in love with the idea of a 350z. Not least because they are cheap as chips but with the right colour combo & wheel package they look great in my opinion. Since it's just a toy, I'm probably looking at a pre 06 model since I want to avoid the dreaded tax hike.
The problem is the 276 horses... I'm happy to take a little bit of a drop in power and I've not driven one yet (or even sat in one) but I can't see that doing the business for me, sure for road use it's plenty but on track I just don't think it will cut it. I'd be much happier with another 100bhp
I just came here for a bit of advice or opinion on supercharging the 350, I fully appreciate power is nothing without control and that money will need to be spent on more than just more power. What I am interested in is peoples experience with reliability of both the stock motor and supercharged 350s. I want to make a 350 scary but also retain some reliability. I'd guess the budget would be around 10k (not including the purchase of the car itself) to transform a good, lowish mileage 350z to something that will really make me smile, something that tries to kill you at every opportunity would be the ultimate goal
Also, if you're in Aberdeen, own a 350z and want to give me a passenger ride in one, I'd love to hear from you
Have you never wondered why so many Japanese cars have factory power outputs of 276bhp, yet so many produce much more in reality?
Google is your friend:
The Interweb said:
The background of the 280ps limit -
The 280ps (276bhp) limit came in effect in 1990 responding to increasing number of traffic accidents associated with high output cars. Also, the gentleman's agreement was there to avoid unneccesary unlimited power race between Japanese manufactures. 1990 was around the year when R32 GTR, 80 Supra, FD3S, NSX came out.
The reason of the termination -
Being that the imported cars are not restricted, there were vehicles on road that were sold with more horsepower, recently 400 horsepower is not a surprise anymore looking at Porsches and AMGs. Also Japanese cars are sold more than 280ps elsewhere on the world. For instance, Lexus LS, Infinity Q45.
Considering the inefficiency of manufacturing vehicles in double standards, JAIA concluded that the gentleman's agreement is nonsense.
Another story is that there was opinion that the 280ps limit is actually restricting the manufactures development. While foreign manufactures builds vehicles around their high performance output, Japanese cars were designed around the 280ps package. The opinion was that development of chassis, brakes, suspensions, and all the other components were suffered from 280ps limit.
Now, manufactures are freed to develop vehicles competing with rivalries overseas.
The 280ps (276bhp) limit came in effect in 1990 responding to increasing number of traffic accidents associated with high output cars. Also, the gentleman's agreement was there to avoid unneccesary unlimited power race between Japanese manufactures. 1990 was around the year when R32 GTR, 80 Supra, FD3S, NSX came out.
The reason of the termination -
Being that the imported cars are not restricted, there were vehicles on road that were sold with more horsepower, recently 400 horsepower is not a surprise anymore looking at Porsches and AMGs. Also Japanese cars are sold more than 280ps elsewhere on the world. For instance, Lexus LS, Infinity Q45.
Considering the inefficiency of manufacturing vehicles in double standards, JAIA concluded that the gentleman's agreement is nonsense.
Another story is that there was opinion that the 280ps limit is actually restricting the manufactures development. While foreign manufactures builds vehicles around their high performance output, Japanese cars were designed around the 280ps package. The opinion was that development of chassis, brakes, suspensions, and all the other components were suffered from 280ps limit.
Now, manufactures are freed to develop vehicles competing with rivalries overseas.
Not valid in the case of the 350z though they are what they are, there are three versions each with slightly more power than before the last model having 309hp the last HR model is nicer all round imo
Tuning one however seems an easy way to lose £10k though
As for buying an 06 model to save a bit of tax whilst considering spunking £10k on a blower thats is simply insane !
If you really want a FI one then keep yours eyes open on the forums they do come up occasionally at a fraction of the price of doing it yourself
In fact I may even know of one
Tuning one however seems an easy way to lose £10k though
As for buying an 06 model to save a bit of tax whilst considering spunking £10k on a blower thats is simply insane !
If you really want a FI one then keep yours eyes open on the forums they do come up occasionally at a fraction of the price of doing it yourself
In fact I may even know of one
Hol said:
Have you never wondered why so many Japanese cars have factory power outputs of 276bhp, yet so many produce much more in reality?
Im fully aware why, that wasn't my question 
liner33 said:
Not valid in the case of the 350z though they are what they are, there are three versions each with slightly more power than before the last model having 309hp the last HR model is nicer all round imo
Tuning one however seems an easy way to lose £10k though
As for buying an 06 model to save a bit of tax whilst considering spunking £10k on a blower thats is simply insane !
If you really want a FI one then keep yours eyes open on the forums they do come up occasionally at a fraction of the price of doing it yourself
In fact I may even know of one
I get what you're saying but I already have two cars and two bikes, keeping that lot on the road costs a reasonable wedge. £500 a year to tax something that I rarely drive seems insane and yeah I guess blowing £10k on tuning something I rarely drive is equally insane but that's money thats in the 911 and has been long forgotten Tuning one however seems an easy way to lose £10k though
As for buying an 06 model to save a bit of tax whilst considering spunking £10k on a blower thats is simply insane !
If you really want a FI one then keep yours eyes open on the forums they do come up occasionally at a fraction of the price of doing it yourself
In fact I may even know of one
I definitely need to drive a HR to see if it pleases but I still doubt it coming from the 996TT.
As for buying something thats already been SC'd, its definitely an option. Which one may you know of
Anyway, none of this really answers my questions about reliability. Of course it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that substantially increasing power output will have a knock on effect on long term reliability but I'd like to hear from owners with experience with SC'd 350s with stock internals.
I own a HR and love it.
Check out the 350z uk forum. Lots of great people on there and loads of info on FI
The HR is more than enough power for me but I wasn't looking for something to kill me!
Stillen do some great packages. Check out the trader on site "tourqen" they have some great SC packages but they are not cheap.
If you do go down this route I would love to see a build thread. Got luck!
Check out the 350z uk forum. Lots of great people on there and loads of info on FI
The HR is more than enough power for me but I wasn't looking for something to kill me!
Stillen do some great packages. Check out the trader on site "tourqen" they have some great SC packages but they are not cheap.
If you do go down this route I would love to see a build thread. Got luck!
I had a 996 turbo a few years back, totally agree with it being too easy to drive at warp 9. Now have a Honda S2000 as a toy car. Only 240bhp but it's a very fun car to wring out. I've done a track day at Castle Combe and it never felt slow. Consumables have thus far been an order of magnitude cheaper too!
MR2 Mark 2 Turbo Revision 3 is a good shout.
However, if you find a 996T is boring, try a 930 911 Club Sport. They are fantastic to drive/scare yourself. There is a good one at RPM - know this car well and good owner and very good car.
http://www.rpmtechnik.co.uk/sales/vehicle/3-2-club...
However, if you find a 996T is boring, try a 930 911 Club Sport. They are fantastic to drive/scare yourself. There is a good one at RPM - know this car well and good owner and very good car.
http://www.rpmtechnik.co.uk/sales/vehicle/3-2-club...
Well, a bit like mrfunex and his 240 bhp Honda I changed my Lotus Esprit V8 twin turbo (350bhp+) 18 months ago for a 230hp Mazda RX8.
Now im not saying you should go down that route at all but if you do decide to buy the 280hp Nissan than at least try it as standard first. You don't have to be quite as much a hero at that level but still amazingly fast and more important fun!
Im happy to park my mazda anywhere as it doesn't stand me in much money. It was always a worry with the lotus.
Mind you within the next year or so I may return to a 'supercar' for a bit and top of the list is a 996 turbo!!
Is not all about POWER despite what Jeremy says, its actually about the pleasure of something different.
Am I getting too old!!
Mark
Now im not saying you should go down that route at all but if you do decide to buy the 280hp Nissan than at least try it as standard first. You don't have to be quite as much a hero at that level but still amazingly fast and more important fun!
Im happy to park my mazda anywhere as it doesn't stand me in much money. It was always a worry with the lotus.
Mind you within the next year or so I may return to a 'supercar' for a bit and top of the list is a 996 turbo!!
Is not all about POWER despite what Jeremy says, its actually about the pleasure of something different.
Am I getting too old!!
Mark
I had an 04 350z for three years / 15k miles, sold it last year. Virtually nothing went wrong, very reliable indeed. Reasonably good fun to drive, if a little bit crude (but that's the appeal really). Generally very positive reaction from other road users.
However, compared to your 996tt a stock 350 will be very slow, when I moved to my E92 M3 the difference in pace was massive, a turbo 911 would be even more so. The 350 is also (imho) a car that like to be driven reasonably hard, but not flat out: the engine gets a bit rough above 5k rpm.
However, compared to your 996tt a stock 350 will be very slow, when I moved to my E92 M3 the difference in pace was massive, a turbo 911 would be even more so. The 350 is also (imho) a car that like to be driven reasonably hard, but not flat out: the engine gets a bit rough above 5k rpm.
I have a hks supercharged version with 352 at the wheel. I was told that's about 380-390 for pub bhp figures but could be wrong.
130k on the clock and about 15k of that since supercharged. Stock internal etc and hasn't showed any signs of giving up even though it sits semi abandoned until I move house and have a place to keep it.
Lucky it's just a fun/weekend car. Above figures are pretty correct though, set me back about 8k for the upgrades.
130k on the clock and about 15k of that since supercharged. Stock internal etc and hasn't showed any signs of giving up even though it sits semi abandoned until I move house and have a place to keep it.
Lucky it's just a fun/weekend car. Above figures are pretty correct though, set me back about 8k for the upgrades.
Last year I was seriously having thoughts of changing the E46M3 for a 350Z, ( had 3 x 240 and 260Zs in the past, fantastic cars ) I also would love a manual Supra, but hard to find a decent one and they are getting expensive now.
I see quite a few nicely modded 350Zs around and I really fancy one, but I know that as a "drivers" car I would be disappointed after stepping out of my M3, as it's poise and balance is near perfect and the steering ( with a CSL rack ) is perfect, it's just the weight which i don't like.
However, I will own a 350Z one day.
I see quite a few nicely modded 350Zs around and I really fancy one, but I know that as a "drivers" car I would be disappointed after stepping out of my M3, as it's poise and balance is near perfect and the steering ( with a CSL rack ) is perfect, it's just the weight which i don't like.
However, I will own a 350Z one day.
neutral 3 said:
Last year I was seriously having thoughts of changing the E46M3 for a 350Z, ( had 3 x 240 and 260Zs in the past, fantastic cars ) I also would love a manual Supra, but hard to find a decent one and they are getting expensive now.
I see quite a few nicely modded 350Zs around and I really fancy one, but I know that as a "drivers" car I would be disappointed after stepping out of my M3, as it's poise and balance is near perfect and the steering ( with a CSL rack ) is perfect, it's just the weight which i don't like.
However, I will own a 350Z one day.
I think the M3 is a better car in a lot of ways, but then it was more expensive new, the thing is, you can get them at similar prices now but generally a lot of the M3's in the same price bracket are a bit shagged out, the 350Z is a tougher car, for example it doesn't rip its rear floor out.I see quite a few nicely modded 350Zs around and I really fancy one, but I know that as a "drivers" car I would be disappointed after stepping out of my M3, as it's poise and balance is near perfect and the steering ( with a CSL rack ) is perfect, it's just the weight which i don't like.
However, I will own a 350Z one day.
Hello Jacko, interesting point re M3s, however, my one is now on 173K, it uses no oil, Still pulls like an express train / feels very fast still ( and this is coming from 3 previous R1s and a 300hp Griff 500 that weighs just 1,060kgs ) the M3 Still drives as if it were a 2 year old car.
It is however, just a 2 previous long term owner / well looked after car. Yes there are some ratty / abused much lower miles / multi owner M3s out there. The only thing I don't like re the M3 is the excess weight, But, BMW did a fantastic job of getting the balance / weight distribution so nearly perfect on the E46M3.
It is however, just a 2 previous long term owner / well looked after car. Yes there are some ratty / abused much lower miles / multi owner M3s out there. The only thing I don't like re the M3 is the excess weight, But, BMW did a fantastic job of getting the balance / weight distribution so nearly perfect on the E46M3.
I live walking distance from Abbey Motorsport, they seem to do a roaring trade in supercharging 350z's. I have quite a weird taste in cars, but a powerful supercharged 350Z appeals to me , that's for sure. I know they do a good co version on the Toyota AE86 / Subaru BRZ too, but I am not sure if you want to just go ballistic fast with a bit of effort or a fair bit slower with a bit of involvement?
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