Hi all.
Three years ago I bought my coupe from Carmax (w/125k mile comprehensive warranty) w/only 37K miles. Near mint condition and was all stock. I’ve added 8K miles and an HKS Hi Power cat back and Eibach sways front and rear. I love the car as it is but have been vexed by the new Z. I felt like there was a 95% chance I’d buy one (wait a year or two for the Nismo) but then my economics degree kicked in and I started thinking about the time cost of money. That, and the fact that we’re likely to see up to two more years of the semiconductor chip shortage meaning MSRP+ for at least as long - especially on a car as desirable as the Z will be. Long story short, I thought of a workaround, getting a Stillen supercharger plus a new stronger clutch to handle the power as I’m still on the original (but low mileage) 14 year-old clutch. I’m torn on which way to go but it’s a good problem to have. Between parts and labor, I’d guess $10K all in? Having driven a 370 Z (found it too visceral/Spartan for my tastes) I found the added “luxury” of the G37 is something I’m not willing to give up but the new Z looks to be much nicer inside than the 370Z. All that said, I don’t know how good the supercharger is, is it worth it, downsides, etc. Thoughts?

 

Topgunz rotrex supercharger
G37s pros : car is almost or already paid off
,more aftermarket support,
Cheaper insurance, extra seats.Proven power,more options of customizing to make it your own.


I doubt you will want to void your warranty on a new car especially since the newer models always have some kinks to work out but don't really know your financial situation.

Hopefully someone will chime in with some cons or more pros.

 

TopGunz' Rotrex kit would be my go to as well. Centri set-up so it has that hit like a big turbo would. Won't destroy the tires before 3k RPM at partial throttle, making it easier to get traction from a stop, but will pull hard from there to redline. VQ has shown to be reliable with boost but I'd prepare in the event the motor lets go for whatever reason. The data is not conclusive as to what the VQ can hold. Some guys run 600+ with no issues (albeit less than 30k miles on the build) while others blow up pretty quickly. Run E85 if it's available in your area; and make sure you have enough injector whether you run 93 or E85. E85 will require more frequent oil changes; you will want to run a thicker oil regardless. Going the SC route will also require a good tire and I'd consider a 275 or wider if you can fit it. The entire SC set-up is going to be in the 7-7500 range once you get the supporting mods; not including a new clutch set-up. Install is going to take about 8-10 hours so figure 1000-1500 for that so your 10k figure isn't too far off. That said, I'd be prepared to spend another 3k in the event something goes wrong. Also, look into a data monitoring device such as an Accessport so you can monitor knock events and get out of a pull if things start going bad or you run out of injector. Get used to logging every pull so you can send the data to your tuner in the event a knock event occurs and timing is pulled.

The Z is going to be lighter than your G and more torque down low. It will have the newest tech; with performance in mind. The VR in the Z is not new to the performance world. Aftermarket support is already there; will just need tweaking. Don't see much of a lag before performance parts hit the market. The biggest gain for just about any car is swapping the stock exhaust system with a free flowing exhaust. Won't be able to find one with the current political climate (EPA); this goes for your G37 SC build as well if you don't already have a free flowing exhaust. You never buy the first model year for a new release. As @Birdie mentioned, there's bound to be issues somewhere and the following model year will address these issues. Also, a lot of companies are using Bosche ECUs which have proven quite difficult to crack. Hence, why you see a lot of new MKV Supra owners, with mods in mind, trying to grab FY 2020 models vs. waiting for the FY '21 to be cracked. Not sure if this is going to be an issue with the new Z but something worth looking into. Lastly, as you already mentioned, there will without a doubt be markups out the wazoo and there's a chance you'll be waiting for 6+ months before you even sniff a new Z.

My recommendation: hold off on boosting your G until the new Z comes out, drive the Z, then make the determination on whether or not you want to go all out on the G. The new Z is awesome IMO and if I was a bachelor and had the money, I'd be looking at it hard. That said, since I have a family, if my G was a 6MT I would've boosted it and never looked back.

 

If you're putting less than 3000 miles a year on your car, and your G is in as good condition as you say, I'd keep it and boost it, until something truly special comes along. The new Z seems quite nice, but really not that different than the car you already have. Smaller, lighter, and more HP... but still a parts-bin car from Nissan. Like it was just said, you really need to drive it before making decisions.

You didn't say, but I'm assuming this mod wouldn't be a DIY project. If that's the case, one of the largest pieces to this puzzle is the shop. If you have a solid, trusted speed shop you want to work with, that makes all the difference.

 

This is a great point. There's shops who specialize in the platform and will do the install and then there's shops that will just slap it in...If you have the slightest bit of wrenching experience (and tools) I'd recommend tackling yourself. There's so many resources and videos available now that doing aftermarket kits is a walk in the park. When I installed my FI kit (albeit, a different platform) there were so many resources and videos available that there wasn't a moment where I felt overwhelmed; and the biggest job I had done was a clutch. Just take your time and break it up a few hours each day; if I went over 2-3 hours I started making mistakes and had to step away.

 

Thanks for the insightful comments and advice! I definitely will wait for the Z to debut before making a decision.

 

First, thanks for the reply. My wrenching days are behind me. I used to do tuneups on my 280ZX’s (I had two - one was stolen so I bought a second), oil changes and routine parts replacements. Despite that, I’m in my 50’s with an excessively busy family life so while I technically COULD DIY this project, I’m wise enough to heed the saying, “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should”.

 

Thanks for the reply! I limited my DIY on this car to replacing the plastic front under tray, reattaching the seatbelt armature “thingy” on the front driver’s side and “installing” a pair of AFE dry air filter drop-in replacements. If I go the SC route I should be able to find a reputable shop in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area (I live in Maryland), but I’d be happy to hear any recommendations… I’m keenly aware of how much the new Z isn’t exactly as “new” as many would like, but given Nissan’s current financial state (and understanding the basic economics of manufacturing), I’m thrilled the Z exists at all. I definitely wouldn’t dream of buying it first year (I’d want a Nismo, probably the second production year) so I’ve got plenty of time to sort things out. Between now and then, I have to ponder whether or not keeping this car NA (maybe just getting a tune to take advantage of my HKS Hi-Power cat back) makes more sense than laying out $53K+ on a Nismo (after tax) Z or $12K+ if I go the SC route. Thanks again.

 

Just realized you're a fellow Marylander! Pending where you're located, Hill's Garage in Pasedena is one of the best in our region.