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Astra VXR keeping up??


ddcboyle

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i dont know what trade you are, but public exposure is an awkward thing, im just as proud to be forces, but there are a lot of people now especially who want to **** us over, i wont say what unit is checking, but anyone in a british forces uniform is checked on both sides

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I think part of the problem is that it is assumed that people who own a 350Z must somehow have a basic level of knowledge about the components of car performance but there is no reason why they should. When you have around sports car for a long time it's easy to forget how much you learnt along the way - it would be quite a list if you think about it - given that there are entire books written about gear ratios, suspension geometry, weight distribution, tuning, etc, etc.

 

A common example is the "I want/need more bhp" type thread - when it is quite likely that bhp isn't the solution to the perceived issue.

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Possibly, but it's also about how the question is phrased.

 

"My mate's got a Focus ST and we were doing 120mph on the motorway and he was pulling away, how can I make my car faster than his?"

"I would like to get some more straight line speed out of my Zed, what's the best way to achieve this?"

 

Identical questions really, as the answer is the same for both, but it's fairly obvious which one is going to get the proper answer.

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Firstly, I agree with Ekona, phrasing of the thread has a lot to do with the response you will get, and the 'Focus ST spanked me on the M1' / 'I desire more straight line speed' comparison is a very good example.

 

HOWEVER, OP actually has posted a fairly legitimate thread. As Rtbiscuit says, it's not illegal road racing, it was a drag race in private. So what's wrong with asking why his car was slower? Maybe OP and his mates often go to their private strip and have drag races, and he wants to know what he can do to edge ahead of his mate's VXR. What's wrong with that?

 

You don't have to like it or be interested. But if you are, then you post. If it's illegal/stupid, then you flame. If you assume it's a joke, so what? So long as what he's posted about is legal etc, who cares if it's true? I personally will give the benefit of the doubt, some people might suspect it's a lie but might humour it anyway. As long as it isn't something that would get him or the community in trouble, I don't see the problem with the thread being here.

 

Now that was :offtopic:

 

SO, to the OP:

 

If you beat an R26, then don't worry so much about the Astra. The astra isn't THAT much more powerful and is a bit heavier than the megane I think, so powers of deduction would tell you that the Astra was probably slightly modified.

 

If it was stock, then because the cars are SO close performance wise, (20-30 bhp really isn't a lot) there are so many other factors that could make a difference. Weight, driver skill, gearchange quality, grip levels on each part of the airstrip, changing at optimum torque/rpm. Even mileage of the cars and lost power etc could make a difference. SO many things.

 

You might think 'but I shouldn't have to mod my Zed to be better than the VXR'. Well, if you race both of the cars, brand spanking new, same petrol, Michael schumachers in each car, on the same surface, then the Zed will be quicker. In normal situations, there is SO much that can make up that ~30bhp. Even if you're fat and he's thin!

 

Don't despair though. Take your Zed on a track day and you will experience how truly rewarding a car it really is. What it beats in a race is irrelevant really. It's how much fun you can have driving it. My Jag would spank my Zed in a drag race, but the Zed is SO much more fun to go for a drive round the country roads in.

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Okay rephrased to a way that i mean since i was drunk last night lol.

 

Is there anything i can do to make the car accelerate faster myself. Obviously uprev and plenum are the main options, but can you do a spacer yourself if you had a torque wrench? And im guessing dcats are easy to fit?

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You can do all of the above (a spacer is only like £120, you may as well buy one) but on balance you probably would still have trouble beating a VXR in a straight line, they are quick cars and easier to launch. :)

 

Nothing wrong with a cheeky race from time to time either, its good fun ........ is having fun not why we all bought an impractical 2 seat fuel guzzler in the first place?? ;):lol:

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Nothing wrong with a cheeky race from time to time either, its good fun ........ is having fun not why we all bought an impractical 2 seat fuel guzzler in the first place?? ;):lol:

 

Provided its on a track/private land (as in the OP's case).

Please remember the forum has a very clear stance on street racing and posts about it :teeth:

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You can do all of the above (a spacer is only like £120, you may as well buy one) but on balance you probably would still have trouble beating a VXR in a straight line, they are quick cars and easier to launch. :)

 

Nothing wrong with a cheeky race from time to time either, its good fun ........ is having fun not why we all bought an impractical 2 seat fuel guzzler in the first place?? ;):lol:

 

Agree with above + the changes you are proposing will make a noticeable difference and make the Z nicer to drive and more responsive - but realistically they won't make a dramatic difference in pure numbers. One of the main benefits of the uprev is that it gives removes the lazy throttle response built into the standard map in the first three gears. If you look at the air/fuel ratio (AFR) on any of the uprev graphs published on here you will see the original (and quite odd) line which plots the original map versus the much smoother and consistent line of the uprev map.

 

The actual "driving feel" effect is disproportionate to the actual improvement in bhp/torque numbers.

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You can do all of the above (a spacer is only like £120, you may as well buy one) but on balance you probably would still have trouble beating a VXR in a straight line, they are quick cars and easier to launch. :)

 

Nothing wrong with a cheeky race from time to time either, its good fun ........ is having fun not why we all bought an impractical 2 seat fuel guzzler in the first place?? ;):lol:

 

Agree with above + the changes you are proposing will make a noticeable difference and make the Z nicer to drive and more responsive - but realistically they won't make a dramatic difference in pure numbers. One of the main benefits of the uprev is that it gives removes the lazy throttle response built into the standard map in the first three gears. If you look at the air/fuel ratio (AFR) on any of the uprev graphs published on here you will see the original (and quite odd) line which plots the original map versus the much smoother and consistent line of the uprev map.

 

Will definetly be doing uprev after the other mods, meant to ge a waste getting uprev then adding more right?

 

The actual "driving feel" effect is disproportionate to the actual improvement in bhp/torque numbers.

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Not sure where or who these "internet warrior" comments are aimed at by I Too was simply voicing my opinion like every one else and was not once aggressive in any way!

 

Glad the op after 7 pages! is now getting help after all thats what we are all here for arnt we.. :teeth:

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Not sure where or who these "internet warrior" comments are aimed at by I Too was simply voicing my opinion like every one else and was not once aggressive in any way!

 

Glad the op after 7 pages! is now getting help after all thats what we are all here for arnt we.. :teeth:

 

Pretty sure it's not aimed at you dude ;)

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