Hey Fellas,
I just got a bonus and have some cash to spare on some upgrades. How are the NISMO headers? Are they worth the $1K++ ? What are some other alternatives that are just as good? DC Sports Ceramics?

foobs

 

I had the NISMO's on my G for a while but I had to swap them out due to a leak on the passenger side collector. The leak was caused by the test pipes I was running and the fact that the since you do not use the stock cross over brace with test pipes, the weight of the y-pipe and rear section of the mid-pipe are all on the headers, which is what caused the stress crack. Nevertheless I had them exchanged, but never got around to install them back on my car. You see it took almost 2 months to get the replcements and since I didnt want to leave my car sitting for that long, nor did I want to install the stock manifolds on and then take them off again once the NISMO's got back to me, I purchased a set of Borla headers, and they've been on my G ever since. Great headers! Fit and finish were perfect! To say ones better than the other, well I cant tell, but what I can say is, they do their job and then some! Exhaust note is beefed up a bit as well. I ended up selling my replacement NISMO headers on eBay back in January to a Z owner. He was in the process of NISMO'ing out his Z. So shop around and see what kind of deals are out there on headers. Just stick to the more brand name headers, as most of the "no frills" headers are prone to fitment problems. Last but not least, unless you're going to install these yourself (which by the way, its a real pain in the a...), shop around and get some install qoutes! Some have paid as high as $500 to have their headers installed! Its CRAZY!

 

FYI, FLFIRE just had Nismo headers installed. Send him a PM and see how he likes his. I saw them installed and they are WAY SHORTER and SMALLER than the Crawfords.

 

I have great things on the Crawfords! I have bought their plenum and high flow cats and they are the best company (for anything - including non automotive) I have ever dealt with! Their service alone would justify their cost to me. I believe the crawfords and Nismos have the best "gains" as well, but like others have mentioned, it's subjective. With the Crawfords, I believe the install may be even more of a PITA.

 

I've got the Nismo headers, just waiting for delivery and break-in of my G.

I'd think about other options as well, if you want your money to stretch as far as possible. I went with Nismo because my goal with the car is to turn it into what I wish they offered... ...an OEM sport version, similar to the Nimso S1 package. So going with Nismo, on the significant items, is more important to me and my goal. You could definately buy the same or very similar products, without the Nismo name, and save a significant amount of money overall.

FWIW, I sent my Nismo headers to Jet Hot Coatings. They coat them inside and out. I had the outside of them coated in JetHot2000 in flat black (inside is their standard ceramic coating). It smoothed out all the welds and really helps give a quality look. Of course, the flat black is a stealthy look as well.

The Nismo headers are pretty raw looking when they arrive. You can tell they are nice pieces, but they are nothing special to look at, in terms of polish and slick welds.

Jet Hot also offers a cheaper alternative that is available in silver (Sterling finish), if you prefer a bit of bling. The more expensive JetHot2000 ran me about $225 with return shipping (for the pair). Additionally, I paid about $40 to UPS them (INSURED!) to Jet Hot's Pascaguola, MS facility. Jet Hot gives a lifetime warranty against rust-through on any new part they coat.

Not affiliated with them, but I am impressed with the coating. Can't wait to hook these up.

 

Between the headers and the install your are a 1/4 of the way to a supercharger or single turbo. If you are going to mod your car save the money and add mods that will give you noticeable gains. The G does not respond well to bolt ons. Some G's will gain a few hp with bolt ons and some will actually loose. Why take that chance with $1500?

I wished I would have used my bolt on money for eye candys mods. In the end I ended up going FI cause bolt ons are not worth the money IMO. Way too expensive for the little hp increase you get. Just my $0.02.