Hey DR - what are you doing for gauges? It's my new dilema...

I'm looking at AutoMeter Nexus...

Rick

 

I thought about getting defi's...but they would run me over 1K (u need the adapter) so I am just running the HKS Navigator (plugs into V-pro) Navigator shows everything and will only cost $345. It also saves a lot of dashboard space. The only prob is that it isn't quite as easy to read as separate guages.

Hey, did you hear...Sharif is now HKS certified (meaning he has software to tune V-Pro..) AND he now is an authorized JWT dealer. Before you had to go through Michael at VRT. I would love to have those JWT Garrett ball bearing turbos.

I like Michael (great guy) but he doesn't have V-pro tuner cert./software and just as importantly doesn't install fuel return. He is also far away for me. Don't get me wrong, I think Michael is w wiz to get the kind of power he does out of his cars (although everyone knows his dyno numbers are a little inflated...sorry Michael, its true).

What do you know about Shariff? I have heard great things about him. I imagine he is expensive, however.

 

Not to defend Michael or the way he does things... but you don't know how he does things, nor do you know how well the JWT set up runs. I have been in the 700BB G35 at California Speedway over 165mph on the straight away, there's a bit of confidence added when a customer can ride along in the builders car at crazy speeds. I have read a lot of your posts and I try to understand where you're coming from but I think I see a lot of assumptions on your part and what I feel is a lot of verbatim.

Sharif is very much like Michael top notch customer service and great follow up, things I do not hear much about from SGP. There are a lot of tuners and builders out there. All have their own niche and customer base. You as a customer get to choose who you use and hopefully they help you make informed decisions about how to modify your ride and where the money is going.

I have defi's they are a great setup, why would you want to skimp on gauges when you are dishing out 4k on EM? I know of a blown Fcon SGP Greddy TT set up, so nothing is fool proof. You should post more questions over at my350z, there's a lot of info there. I'm sure other builder/tuners could help you make some of your decisions.

 

Verbatum=direct quote.

I think Michael is great too. If I wanted the best TT set up for stock internals at around 380 -400 whp I would def go VRT (even though he uses the SS box. I know that the JWT sytem is quality, Jims work is top notch and I would love to have the turbos.

However, are you saying that the JWT system defies the laws of physics and has somehow miraculously made the need for fuel return systems obsolete? if you think that high hp Tt don't need fuel return, then I have a bridge in Brooklyn you might be interested in...

I read my350 z all the time...I even quoted a thread from 350 z on this thread..are you sure you read my posts?...that is where I found out that Shariff is using the V-Pro and the JWT TT...combine it w/, say, CJ motorsports fuel return system, a built motor and...wow....that would be the ultimate.

Oh, and by the way, you don't know the story on that blown V-pro TT...it blew because someone who didn't know what they were doing worked on it...and that is all I will say about that.

 

also, you do know that the 760 whp claim was based on a dyno that everyone believes had inflated numbers...there is a huge thread on this over at 350Z... It is an amazing car....but not THAT amazing.

However, I want to reiterate...Michael is definately doing something right..AND he is essentially Jim Wolf's right hand man...if he were closer, HKS certified, and using fuel return, I would definately go w/ him. He is also great to talk to on the phone.

 

Does not mean you understand the concept or the reasoning. What happens if the person you are quoting is wrong? Or not telling you the whole story? You're doing the right thing by reading and discussing, but I'm just being upfront with you about how you're coming off to alteast me. You seem like a nice guy, and you have plans to have a great and fun ride. I'm sure SGP is pretty cool, and are helping you get to your ultimate goal.

I'm in no way saying a return fuel system is not needed, I have seen a high horsepower car driving very fast on a road coarse without one.

Maybe I didn't get the whole story on the blown up SGP Fcon set up. I wasn't downplaying SGP or the Fcon with that statement, I meant is as an anything can happen statement. Which is true, no matter what you do, who does it for you anything can still happen. The 760hp dyno was done on the same type of dyno your numbers are on, dyno debates are worse than shop/builder/tuner debates.

I'm not trying to knock you, your thread, your plans, or anything you're doing. I found it kind of funny to think 1k on quality gauges was a lot considering the amount you're planning on spending on the setup. What's cool in the end is the many different paths people are taking to get to their goals. Keep an open mind and have fun along the way.

 

uhm, ... JWT tunes those cars for VRT....
BOTH of you are comparing shops/people that are nothing alike as far as ablilities and actions go, ... minus counting customer service.

Skimp on gauges??? Sorry my friend, no one has to pay almost 1K on guages to get some Great working items!! I could see $500 tops, ... anything over that is pure overkill and/or desire for the appearance, etc.

 

especially with our cars' line of power. For bling and show purposes, money is money and there is a need, possibly.

Rick

 

The Navigator does everything that 4 guages do. W/ the knock amp its all I need.

I want to emphasize that I have nothing bad to say about Michael. He was great when I spoke w/ him on the phone and gave the impression that he would give 100% if I gave him my car.

 

WOW! Look at what this thread has turned into..

At least it isnt a TOTAL wash and maybe has some good info in it..

IN regards to this post..

I couldnt agree more with you Rick on that post.. I have the utec and it does, for me, what I need it to do. I am not going FI RIGHT NOW. I bought the utec for the purpose of using the NX N20 setup and those two together make for an awesome combination! We all know the utec can retard the timing and for my 125 shot of N20 I can retard 4-5 degrees and be totally safe.. Also, there isnt a need to install the WOT switch and window switch as the UTEC can turn the N20 solenoid on or off based on what RPM I am at and what the TPS% is.. Can the V-Pro do this? I have no idea..

I DO NOT have anyone even close to me that is HKS cert. PLUS I really dont need to spend that kind of money for what I want to do. Also, the UTEC is fully tuned by me and me only. I dont need to pay obnoxious amounts of $$ just to tune my car, NA.

IMHO, Doc, the justifications trying to be made within these posts are arent really necessary.. Everyone pretty much knows the V-Pro is superior in MOST of its functions over the UTEC, EU etc.. It basically comes down to a choice. Whatever choice that person makes is whatever he/she chooses. And they damn well better research what they should do before they buy into it..

The exhaust problems should of never been an issue here in this thread at all. A phone call could of summed it all up when you were made aware of the extra $500 for the install of the exhaust. What is wrong with the 2 parties talking on the phone and working it out?? Credibility IMHO, should of never been introduced into this post.

It will be interesting to see if and when you do go FI.. Very costly to stay NA with your mods..

 

Ken,

What makes you think I didn't make a phone call? I made several and am still out the $540.

 

Forgive me for not reading as to exactly why you had to pay the extra $540.. What was the reason for having to pay extra?

 

You couldn't be more correct here Ken, and thanks for pointing that out.

The issues with the exhaust are pointed at the fact the car has RAS - and the systems were not built for RAS compatibility. In fact neither are Borla's, Stillen's, HKS,etc,etc,etc. The RAS build is extremely rare and the good DR never disclosed that he had RAS to begin with.

So SGP took it upon their good graces, evidently, to charge what they felt necessary to augment the system to fit for the RAS setup, and the DR accepted that. There really isn't much of anything Fast Intentions can do about that, and slinging it at Fast Intentions on the board the way it has been, very much out of context, is neither appropriate or respectable either.

The fact that it keeps coming up, without the facts behind it, is further bothersome to us all.

Tony has had several conversation with the DR about this and had seemingly worked this out, but for some reason we all keep having to deal with it over and over again.

Perhaps now that some truth behind the story is out, it can be put to rest.

Rick

 

Rick,

I wanted to keep this between me and Tony, but since you are forcing my hand....

The first time I spoke with you on the phone I told you that I have Rear Active Steering.

In any case, when someone manufactures a product, it is incumbent upon them to have a full knowledge of that product and its applications. When I called HKS and asked if they had an exhaust to fit my car they asked me...does it have HICAS (RAS). You claim to be an "expert" on the G35...so you should have been fully aware of the fact that RAS models require different fitting exhausts. Thanks to me you won't have this problem in the future. Man up and take some responsibilty.

Now, the fact is that Tony is trying to make a good product and break into the market. He is making a good product (now that my exhaust has seasoned, I love the sound of it) and has successfully broken into the market. And the groups buy price was a hell of a deal. However, I still feel, and very strongly...that I should not have had to shoulder all the $541 cost to find out that RAS vehicles are special. In fact, Tony and I are working this out right now. We have been talking on the phone and hopefully will reach an agreement (my suggestion is that Tony refund me the diff. between what I paid group buy cost plus 540 minus retail).

To describe my behavior as 'bothersome" is bull****. Is it "bothersome" when consumers expect a vendor to sell a product that is supposed to be designed for their car to fit their car?

It is YOUR job to understand all the applications of YOUR products. It is not your job to claim that when I spend 2k on an exhaust I have no right to expect customer service.

And the killer about all of this is all I want is a lousy refund of $142. But no, you have to make a fight out of it. I will gladly comply.

 

Very well written.