Space Cadet

Wicked - I have the Nismo exhaust and love it!!!!!!!!!!

What about the OZ Superallegggggaaaaaa? They look realy nice on the Z.

You've gotta go Nismo!!!!!

I've had good and bad results from Chipsaway, I know this isn’t going to help, but it really depends on the colour and the area of the car, for example silver on the corner of a bumper is fine and you wouldn’t know the difference, but black on a flat panel and it stands out a mile. I actually had a bit to touch up on my Z's rear bumper (Kuro black) and the Chipsaway guy said that it couldn’t be done as well as a Z warranted and that I should take it for a proper re-spray. He obviously did himself out of a few quid, but I suppose gave him a trustworthy name in the process. On the other hand, another guy came out a while ago on a Golf and it didn’t look 100% (because of the location), I obviously wasn’t happy so he gave me my money back, realistically he should have known before hand whether it was going to be OK. I'd definitely say give them a call and they should come out and give you a quote; hopefully they will be trustworthy and tell you if it can be done. If you are a fussy about your Z as I am of mine, I’d go for a proper re-spray though.

Dude, I think the Rays look wicked, but if you're going to upgrade you can only go one way - Nismo 19's!!!

Didn’t mean to be inflammatory. Hadn’t heard of the DBA's, but you obviously are confident in them, would be good to hear your opinion on them when you have bedded them in. I had the lines and pads done a few weeks ago and am very pleased!!, the car and original discs have only done 5k so is not worth upgrading for the sake of it, when I do then will give the DBAs a look if you're happy with them. What’s the reasoning behind why drilled discs aren’t ideal on the track, presumably therefore drilled are better? Some high-performance cars have grooved and others drilled (example Porsches), just thought it was two different approaches? – Hadn’t really thought about it until now.

Good choice, the DS2500's are very good pads, the ones to use on heavy’ish M3's & Subarus etc, have used them in the past. Not sure about the DBA4000s, my personal opinion would be to put some better quality discs on from Brembo, AP or Tarrox. The Z is a heavy car and the Brembo callipers are heavy duty and with some and hard pads like the Ferrodo will need some equally good quality discs, unfortunately that will cost a few quid. While you are changing the discs and pads, do the brake lines and fluid – see the other thread. RJN are having the standard discs from JP grooved, I would personally use these rather than the 4000s, although personally I would bite the bullet and put some top quality discs on instead.

Cant stand that function, have always turned it off when possible.

I personally do not like the look of the EBD discs as they are a goldie colour, i've used Tarrox discs in the past and have been very pleased with their performance. If you see the other brakes topic, I would suggest the Nismo pads, but otherwise you cant go wrong with Ferrodo.

Take your point about the rebadging, although nothing is ever made by 'X' company anymore, but Nismo will have approved the parts to be used on the particular Nissan. I had the exhaust done at the same time, but for the brakes I would say approx. 2 hours.

Bought through and fitted by RJN Motorsport, the parts were reasonably expensive but I wanted to buy Nismo as they were obviously developed with the Z in mind. RJN were really helpful and knew their stuff, they have 350Z Cup and 350Z GT2 cars they are racing, so have gained a lot of knowledge from them to use on the roads cars (the cars were wicked; the GT2 had 500 NA bhp and carbon bodywork!!) Anyway, literally on the drive home from buying the car a couple of months ago I knew I had to sort the brakes out; they were definitely strong, but had no real feel and were a bit spongy. The brake lines on their own will make a lot of difference, but obviously the fluid will need to be bled to do this, so kill 2 birds with 1 stone and put some better fluid in. I used DOT-5 fluid for some Porsche (Brembo) callipers I put on a Golf, but the ‘Endless’ fluid is proper racing stuff as used on the RJN race cars. And while you’re at in have some harder compound pads put in, the labour will be quite small and nothing if having the other work done. It’s not worth upgrading the discs until they need replacing; upgrading discs is a bit of a black-art and very expensive. It wouldn’t hurt to upgrade them whist replacing, but not before that and when done use some proper grooved or drilled discs, from Brembo, AP or the like. The big brake kits are unnecessary for even very fast road driving, the standard Z Brembos & discs, with the upgraded lines, fluid and pads are about right, any bigger callipers or harder pads will need to be very hot before they start to work so will actually perform worse around town I had my Nismo exhaust fitted while I was there (also bought from them). www.rjnmotorsport.com

No, want to keep it looking standard'ish.

If you are changing the fluid do the brake lines as well. Have upgraded my brake lines, can really feel the difference - went for the Nismo lines and Nismo S-Line pads and Endless fluid (recommended by Nismo). It stops on a dime now and is fine around town.

Thanks, will do the plenum myself and then take the car to a garage for the cats.

Have just ordered the Kinetix Plenum & Cat Package, will let you know when (if) I receive it and then fit them. The Plenum looks OK to fit myself, any ideas if the Cats are easy to fit, i.e. on my own with the car up on axle stands, or is it a garage job?

Thanks, was previously thinking about a plenum spacer, but the Kinetix Plenum & Cat Package looks good value, have sent them an e-mail to find out about postage. You have the V+ don’t you?

Thanks, have had a look at the Kinetix V+, is this alright to use with the standard bottom, from the pictures the standard top looks to have loads of 'cones' underneath it with bolts through the middle to attach to the bottom whereas the V+ doesn’t?? Thanks

Has anyone got a picture of the underneath of the top of a standard plenum and the top of a standard bottom? Thanks.

What are the side pods on each side?

I'll double check, but i'm sure they still wash even if the lights are off.

The headlamp washer jet really fcuks me off!! I wish there was an on-off button or something similar, for example, I’ve cleaned the car, its lovely and polished, go for a drive and need to wash the windscreen because of a dead fly or something and then…… whoosh the front wings of the car are covered with fluid from the washer jets - just because I wanted to clean the windscreen!!!

Thanks, not sure if I read that correctly - do you mean get the spacer and then the UTEC as well, i.e. to keep the gains or get the UTEC instead. Is the UTEC the one advertised on the other thread by WRC? It mentioned may be not being able to use the strut-brace and engine cover, is this correct (UK 54 Coupe). Thanks

Apparently 10hp gain, anyone fitted one?

Thanks Prescience, would the US kit fit my UK car, or do I need to find a JDM? Thanks.

There seems to be Nismo grounding kits, but not one that's clear for the Z, anyone any idea which is the right one? Thanks