# HELP! 05 Z Mod Recommendations



## LKC05350Z (Mar 13, 2005)

Hello, I just ordered an 05 Touring Z which should be arriving in 60-90 days and was looking for some recommendations on some inexpensive mods. Under 2k. Currently, I was looking at the Nismo Cat-Back Exhaust and some type of CAI. I have reviewed some post on the JWT Pop Charger from 03 data but wanted to know if anyone recommends anything else now in 05. Same goes with the exhaust. Being a new car the Nismo is covered under warranty but do any of the other systems i.e., stillen, borla, ect get covered under warranty? Has anyone had any experience installing the R-tune Nismo CAI and still get covered under warranty. It seems like a fine line with the verbaige used on the website. Any other recommendations? Also, anyone install any built-in/In-dash type radar dectors? 

THANK YOU for your response & time! I look forward to the replies.


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## 3-fity (Nov 1, 2002)

LKC05350Z said:


> Hello, I just ordered an 05 Touring Z which should be arriving in 60-90 days and was looking for some recommendations on some inexpensive mods. Under 2k. Currently, I was looking at the Nismo Cat-Back Exhaust and some type of CAI. I have reviewed some post on the JWT Pop Charger from 03 data but wanted to know if anyone recommends anything else now in 05. Same goes with the exhaust. Being a new car the Nismo is covered under warranty but do any of the other systems i.e., stillen, borla, ect get covered under warranty? Has anyone had any experience installing the R-tune Nismo CAI and still get covered under warranty. It seems like a fine line with the verbaige used on the website. Any other recommendations? Also, anyone install any built-in/In-dash type radar dectors?
> 
> THANK YOU for your response & time! I look forward to the replies.


The R-tune CAI is not actually covered under warranty. Anything S-tune will be. My personal preference for exhausts if the borla... but I guess I'm a bit biased. I would definently go with the JWT intake because its the only one that has showed a real gain so far. Plus it sounds rad 

P.S. When you get the car I'd be more than happy to help install parts...... all at the low low cost of some Lake Conroe fishing :thumbup:


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

I would also suggest the JWT pop charger. Get a Crawford Plenum, Crawford cats, and Borla exhaust (or what ever you end up liking the most). Are you just looking at engine modifications, or do you want to do some suspension and brake work?


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## LKC05350Z (Mar 13, 2005)

JAMESZ said:


> I would also suggest the JWT pop charger. Get a Crawford Plenum, Crawford cats, and Borla exhaust (or what ever you end up liking the most). Are you just looking at engine modifications, or do you want to do some suspension and brake work?


James, thanks for the reply. I will look into the borla exhaust which seems to be one of the few systems along with Stillen that report some 15hp type gains. I don't know if that is realistic or not though. I am just concerned about purchasing some other brand other than Nismo that will NOT be covered under warranty. Looking for the basics during the warranty period and then looking at other type mods after that ends. I am interested in new brakes/calipers like Brembo or equiv. Love the bigger looking calipers with the likes of porsche and such. Again, thanks for the reply.


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## LKC05350Z (Mar 13, 2005)

3-fity said:


> The R-tune CAI is not actually covered under warranty. Anything S-tune will be. My personal preference for exhausts if the borla... but I guess I'm a bit biased. I would definently go with the JWT intake because its the only one that has showed a real gain so far. Plus it sounds rad
> 
> P.S. When you get the car I'd be more than happy to help install parts...... all at the low low cost of some Lake Conroe fishing :thumbup:


Sweet Ride! Thanks for the reply. I am not much of a fisherman but can offer some Wakeboarding......Is the JWT an easy install? I noticed you did the Brembo upgrade. What type of "gray" area do I have to work with before voiding any warranty? Guessing I will have to wait out the warranty before making any serious mods.


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

The JWT is a straight up install. A monkey could do it. It won't void your warranty. In fact nothing either me or 3-fity listed should void your warranty. As far as brakes if you want bigger brakes I would suggest the stoptech kit.


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## 3-fity (Nov 1, 2002)

LKC05350Z said:


> Sweet Ride! Thanks for the reply. I am not much of a fisherman but can offer some Wakeboarding......Is the JWT an easy install? I noticed you did the Brembo upgrade. What type of "gray" area do I have to work with before voiding any warranty? Guessing I will have to wait out the warranty before making any serious mods.


Actually the Bembos came on the car, its the Track model. Like JAMEZ said, the JWT is an easy intall. It all depends on what you're after with the car. The stock intake is very effiecient as it is. The JWT will give you a cooler sound than stock though. Most dealerships won't stress over exhaust and intake mods. Both are good mods to make the car sounds more aggressive and enjoyable to drive.


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## spdracerUT (Jun 11, 2002)

the warrenty issue usually boils down to the dealer. Some are cool with it and have common sense (like suspension modifications wouldn't cause a window motor to go bad, etc.) but others will take you to the cleaners if all you have is an intake. You need to scope out the dealer a bit to get a feel for which way they'd lean.


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## Ruben (Oct 15, 2002)

I love my true dual borla, but I heard the Nismo this weekend and damn that sounds exotic.


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## cjones (Mar 22, 2005)

If you decide to go FI I would go with Stillen because they are the only manufacture that has 3 yr 36000 mile warrantee. minor mods like exhaust, intake ect will not affect your warrantee. Things like when you start to replace internals, FI, is where people start to run into trouble with there warrantee. I am planning on doing a supercharger, but I am also conserned about warantee, that is the main reason I am thinking about Stillen, plus my dealer highly recommends them.


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## JAMESZ (Mar 12, 2004)

cjones said:


> If you decide to go FI I would go with Stillen because they are the only manufacture that has 3 yr 36000 mile warrantee.


Stealin offers a horrible S/C. I mean if you don't want to make power it is great, but it is overpriced and horrible. Go Vortech or turbo. Your dealer wouldn't care either way they are going to void most of the warranty, and the warranty is from stillen, your dealer will still turn you away. And then you have to deal with Stillen's customer service which is absolutely horrible if something does go wrong. My advice would be to stay far far away from the stillen S/C kit.


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## cjones (Mar 22, 2005)

JAMESZ said:


> Stealin offers a horrible S/C. I mean if you don't want to make power it is great, but it is overpriced and horrible. Go Vortech or turbo. Your dealer wouldn't care either way they are going to void most of the warranty, and the warranty is from stillen, your dealer will still turn you away. And then you have to deal with Stillen's customer service which is absolutely horrible if something does go wrong. My advice would be to stay far far away from the stillen S/C kit.


I guess it depends on the dealer because mine said there would be no problem. They are going to install it for me if I go that route. I have called there customer service a couple of times and I haven't had any trouble out of them yet. There are some isolated problems that Stillen had when they first introduced the SC, (pullys misalined and causeing belt to wear prematurely) but since then I have heard good things. Its all about what you want from your car. If you want the 500-800 WHP then by all means go for it, but you will start to loose reliablity in the long run. You can't run mods with their SC, because it can't be tunned. It is like the HKS, meant to run with a stock engine, (enless you get the V-CON for the HKS). They tune it at Stillen for RELIABLE HP, not something that you can turn up the boost and through a rod through the side of the block. For me I am going to continue to do my homework and find what is right for me and what I want out of my car.


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## Brandon711 (Dec 17, 2004)

As far as CAI's go, I think that most of the Nismo stuff is over priced and doesn't do much as far as performance is concerned. Stillen does have a warranty on their s/c's but it only covers 3g's if my memory serves me right, but I'd stay away from the stillen s/c there are better brands out there. If you want CAI's look at Ingen or AEM. AEM's filter is the easier of the two to get to as well as install for the CAI that is. JWT pop charger is also a good one. As far as exhausts go, Borla TD has a good one, as well as HKS (i've always been a fan toward them, but kinda pricey). Both the exhaust and intakes are easy installs, if you start talking headers then that's a whole different story.


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