LOL... I work in a IT dept....

Bad comparisson... You have 256MB in your comp and you upgrade to 1GB ram you def see the diff. You have a 15' mon, and you switch to a 19' mon you see the diff. or better yet on board video to a nice high level GeForce GTX, you WILL see the diff.

There are alot people on this board who have put alot of money in their car and complain because nothing "really" changed but the sound.

I guess I have really been answering my own question all along.

Thanks for your input guys

 

Does turbonator count as FI?

 

absolutely its just FI on a budget lol.
i would say that people mod so that there will be another car on the street just like theirs. but i haven't and won't mod my exploder because i'm waiting one a new car. hopefully a G, but who knows. all i know if that i'm going to put extra money into a car i have to love. there is no love between me and the exploder.

 

Actually it as very good analogy... I recently added 512MB RAM to my computer... I previous had 256MB PC2700 X2... took them out and installed 512MB PC3200 X2... additionally I previously had an old IBM (Hitachi) 12GB ATA hard drive... replaced it with a WD 250GB SATA...

Is my computer kicking @ss like a hard-core gaming system ready to compete at the next CES tourney (if there is such a thing) - no... does it perform faster then before? YES!

Same with the car - Motordyne plenum spacer and thermal kit, Stillen CAI, Stillen exhaust, TS ECU, and a few other tweaks - car performs better then previously... is it ready to win an autocross event at Willow Springs? - No... but it will beat a stock G or Z.

That's all - ta ta bye, bye.

 

i got very cheap deals on my mods thats the reason i did it as far as engine.
My suspension on the other hand was pissing me off, so i had to do it and having only spend $250 on suspension made the car handle 150% better than before.

 

Agreed... I spent $350 on Eibach Pros (w/installation from Street Image) and about $300 on Stillen anti-sway bars (self installed with DaveO)... so for non-sport sedan + $650, I got better handling than OEM sport suspension... hmmm... this mod thing seems to be working??...

 

I mod to enhace the things I feel that suit me, not because people say you need this or that.

 

Almost ANY mod on you computer you will definately see a result(even cleaning the inside). A G35 is completely different, not every mod enhances the PERFORMANCE. Also, your comparing computer parts that are maybe $100 - $200 to your car thats worth over $2000. Bad analogy when your talking in terms of money.

However your explanation is what I am talking about. The amount of money you spend you could have possibly saved up another 2K and just dud FI. NOW... is that 2K you put into the car worth it, just to say you can beat a STOCK G or Z?

 

Let's be real. FI is a minimum investment of much closer to $10,000 than it is $5000. Factor in the possibility of a built motor and you're closer to $15,000.

Just as there are huge differences in power gains between FI and staying NA, there is an equal difference in cost between the two.

So for those not willing to spend a grip to go FI, spending $2,000 for minor increases isn't that bad if they're intent on modding. It's all relative to your goal and desires for the car.

 

Like others have said, there are gains to be found in the motor, but you have to be selective. You also have to weed through a bunch of BS mods like pullies, y-pipes, and intakes. None of those mods really net beneficial gains to the VQ35. When I say beneficial, I'm talking about mods that improve the acceleration of the car. A 2-3whp gain from 5000-6000rpms will not make the car quicker. You can be assured of that. Some other mods that do gain power come at the cost of poor fitment, noise, vibration, and harshness. For me, I'm not willing to compromise NVH for a 5-10whp. Mods like the Z-pipe, ECU flash, and spacer do work and don't compromise driveability at all. When it comes to FI, it's my opinion that adding FI to an NA car is a waste of money and time. I don't know of a single guy that has added FI to his F-Body, Stang, Honda, Maxima, 350Z, etc that isn't constantly tinkering with something or spending $200-400 a month so that the car runs right. If you want FI, buy a car that came that way from the factory. It will be far more reliable and probably cheaper. If you want an easy 12-second sedan, buy a used C32 AMG, STi, or Evo.

The G35 offers great performance out of the box. I can't think of another sports/luxury car in the same price range that offers the style, appointments, performance, and general sporting character. Running low 14s is plenty of speed for the street, especially in a sport/luxury car. If you want to go faster, expect to pony up the dough. This isn't the car for you.

I've owned and driven lots of faster cars, but I've come to learn that the overall package is most important and that styling and styling mods often times add the most enjoyment.

 

^^^ Well said