Rook Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Hi all, Some may remember me posting here a couple of months ago nervously poking and prodding around making a decision on a Z - coming from a Focus diesel I'd owned for 7 years. Shortly after that I found one (privately) that looked good; as good as it could without taking the thing apart, and here I am two months later having enjoyed that car every day since. Best decision I could have made. So it all seems to check out. She's an early 07 RevUp, 90k miles, in Gunmetal, that I'm currently putting about 400 miles a week on. I've been carefully monitoring my oil (f*cking dipstick) and its not burning any. Lovely. No clicking drive shafts, hand brake a bit pants but works fine, clutch is strong (if a weenie bit high) and no crunchy gears. All good. I've done the worrying about noisy clutch - had it checked, it's just normal noisy, no problem - the odd idling - again, normal odd - and the various squeaks and rattles. My windows also make a noise like they're going to drop when you open the door but don't actually drop... You can nudge them and they'll slide down then go back up when you close the door though... Not figured that one out yet haha. Anyway. Now I want to play with it. I get there's no point in really expecting any performance gains unless you go all out; either a full NA upgrade plus remap, or FI, which I'm not interested in... If I'm honest I'm not too worried about performance. I cruise a lot more than screech the tyres off the line at every set of lights and if fact, I live and work so close to the motorway at either end, I'm getting upward of 36mpg (we can thank a 50mph limit on half the route for that) and it's comfortable. But saying that... Are there any performance mods at all that will make any difference without going 'all out'? I'd imagine a more open air intake, for example, making the engine a tad more efficient, surely? All beside the point. What else is there? First thing I did was a rear wiper delete. Looks good. I've also degreased the living daylights out of my engine bay but it obviously still looks stock. It actually just looks less old as much as anything else haha. Any fun to be had there? How can I make my car just better? Look nicer? Sound better maybe? What kinda DIY tune-ups are worth carrying out on a car of this sort of age and mileage? I've done an oil change and bled the power steering (was getting a squeak the first time I turned left when cold) when but they aren't the most rewarding things haha. What are our opinions on de-backboxing it? Some options for doing so? Would it be obnoxiously loud? Has anybody lowered their cars? Have you ruined it by doing so? What are some basic styling mods people have done? Who's managed to move their front number plate? Does it require a new bumper? Anybody thought of a creative replacement for the orange reflectors on the front bumper? Not a fan personally... I like being able to do things myself and if they don't cost a lot then that's even better. I have a reasonable fund tucked away in case the car goes actually wrong and obviously the not-insignificant fuel and tax bills under wraps, no problem, but convincing the other half spending any more on the car is worth it is... Not worth the argument. So think numbers that I won't get interrogated over when the credit card bills come, or ones I can say 'you just bought a handbag/pair of shoes/dress that cost that much' hahaha. Sorry for the long post, moody pic attached of my car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veilside z Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Nice car. Anything is possible. It all depends on your budget for what you want to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rook Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 Thank you! Today I'm most interested in removing the back box, if I'm honest. Don't want to be that guy though, so if it's going to be laughably loud... Maybe not haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy.farrow7 Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Surprised it has taken so long to want to mod lol. I have just put a pop charger on mine which apparently adds 6-10bhp. I like most others started by changing exhausts. I swapped my standard one for a Japspeed K1 with decats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy.farrow7 Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 I have also done styling mods to my interior and painted my engine bay. I also have my seats and door cards being retrimmed in the next few months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rook Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 (edited) Well this is my first not-utterly-tedious-practical-car that I actually care about, and I spent the first six weeks worrying about what it was gunna cost; running and fixing. I've chilled out a little now, and it also turns out it's costing nothing like I thought, fuel and so on, and breakables are pretty cheap. I just read your thread about the pop charger, good guide. I'm very interested in that to be honest! I've also seen somebody here had cleaned the hell out of their engine bay - waxing the black stuff maybe? What are people using that to bring those back to black? Jimmy, got any pics of your engine bay? Edited June 28, 2015 by Rook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy.farrow7 Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Yeah i like the pop charger mod because i think its great value for money. Tarmac is doing a group buy for them at the moment. I used back to black for the rubber trim and brake cleaner to get all the gunk off the paint inside the engine bay. Im hoping the weather is nice tomorrow i have so much i want to do. This is my bay mate its a bit tatty still but shes getting there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisday1990 Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Personally I like to renew anything looking old... Some People spend so much and end up with an eye saw of a car by changing things designed for their car.. If you saw a product designed for any car or yours and could choose from the factory what would you do... I just think the standard car looks great just get things like alloy refurb and respray parts and its a win win you add value to the car. So tacky putting shinny plastic bits on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rook Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 (edited) Thanks for that. I have to say I kinda agree, not really looking to add to the bodywork, but just looking for any stuff I can do that'll make the car run better or more efficiently, maybe drive better... With the exception of the things above; orange reflectors and moving the number plate. Also, these things apparently need new spark plugs coming up to 100k miles - anyone any thoughts on that? How do I know when to do it? Is it even necessary? What plugs should I use? Edited June 28, 2015 by Rook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humpy Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 You will probably lose a few ponies by adding a pop charger due to heat soak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudman Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 (edited) For performance - the stage 1 tune at Abbey Motorsports is good. Stage 1 Supply and fit plenum spacer/velocity stack/HKS panel filter and ECU tuned on dyno. Gains of around 10/15bhp and the same in torque , throttle response enhanced in the lower 3 gears Rev limiter and speed limiter raised. If you have the budget also pop some High Flow Cats but do any mods before the uprev to get the benefit of the remap The Stock Air Box with a decent filter is probably the best for performance but if you are prepared to lose a little power/torque for sound then pop charger is a cheap mod or a Edited June 28, 2015 by Mudman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy.farrow7 Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 What is make your airbox mudman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudman Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Stillen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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