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Ok...I no NOTHING about turbos except maybe the obvious things...I just know that I want one and want to learn about them before I get a kit...I'm a h/s senior and will graduate in May and I think I can squeeze a turbo kit out of my parents for graduation. I've read some posts on here bout turbos and learned a lil bit...but I hear people saying custom turbo is the way to go and the SF Kit is the way to go...also I'm hearing that people with SF kits have had a few problems...but not many...from wut I've read the T3 size turbo is the best all around (correct me if I'm wrong)...so should I buy a custom turbo or an SF or other name kit? Please help me out here guyz/gals! Thanx!

 
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if you are worried about being able to squeeze a turbo kit from your parents... just go with a prefabricated one like SF. If you don't know that much about turbos and stuff, again it would be better to go with SF. Only because if you want to go custom (and still worried about where the money is coming from), then you run the risk of going over estimated prices. Plus, peicing together a reliable, efficient kit takes money and/or a good amount of time. If you just "Know NOTHING about turbos except that you want one", I'd say just buy a prefabricated. I went custom though. I knew exactly what I want and what wasn't offered other places. I know what would work together better than other things. I also have contacts with a warehouse supplier and got some good deals. In the end it's unique though and I'd say it's worth it. But if you just want one to have it, it's probably not the route to take.

All IMO of course.

 
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If your not very inclined then go w/ the SF kit. It come pre-tuned, and is a fairly bolt on installation. You need an good understanding of how a turbo works, and a decent mechanical knowledge to build your own kit.

 
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I agree w/riceburner and boosted2k2.

If you're not really to educated on the subject a prefab kit and paying someone to install it for you might be your best option.

To be honest though.....I would highly recommend that you start reading up on the subject. In case you ever encounter any problems, you will know what you're dealing with and how to teouble shoot. Slapping on a kit for fun is great....but if you don't know what the hell it is or what it does, or what it's composed of you're gona look like a dumbass to any other locals that begin to question your setup and/or performance.

There are plenty of helpful topics on this site that can help you. Just take a look around.

 
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thanx guyz...but naw I didn't plan on putting it on or building it myself...just wondering and thinkin bout some options...but yeah thanx for the info I'll read up some more and find out as much as I can...so the SF Kit would be best? I'll read as much as possible though

P.S. This IS my first import car so yeah I just want one to have one and learn all about it then someday I can get a better car and build my own...so the prefabricated kit is the route i'll go most likely ;-)

 
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Hrrrrmmmm....I wouldn't SF is "THE" best..... but not TOO many people have had issues with them....some have though. You can look around and see on the boards. It's a pretty complete kit, which means you don't have to "shop" to piece yours together.

 
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expect to pay $4,000-$4,500 for a "kit", plugs, gauges, boost controller and u will eventually need a clutch within 5,000 miles.


oh yeah..........and also what everyone else said

 
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not to mention, you better run 91 octane or higher gas with your brand new kit or you can kill your pistons good bye

 
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exactly how much is the SF kit by itself and approx. how much will it cost to get it installed? I've read that the SF has generally the most gains but are they the most dependable out of the others such as the turbodiscounter kit?

 
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They have the most gains? The most dependable??? Not to knock on SF... but i've yet to see dyno sheets and time slips. I think maybe 1 dyno sheet and 1 time slip have been posted on this site none of them directly from SF. And how long have these kits been out that they can be considered dependable? Even so.....dependability depends on the car and driver maintenance and conditions under which it's used.

If you want prices..you really need to PM user name: Catalyst

 
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I've been reading up on this stuff alot here lately and learning alot from other posts and I think I MIGHT do a custom kit...from wut I've read they are somewhat cheaper and can get more hp out of a custom (that is if u know wut u r doing ofcourse...in my case i don't) but I'm gonna wait and learn as much as I can before gettin a custom kit but I'm still considering it before spending all that money on a prefab kit...wut ya'll think?

 
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Well if you're reading and most importantly UNDERSTANDING what you are reading, you will learn that kits that are compiled by yourself not only carry much more personal merit and satisfaction (not to mention they can most often be less hard on your pockets), but they also usually indicate that you've spent a generous amount of time researching what you have (or will have) and that you therefore have gained a good understanding of what you are working with.

It's not only important to know about these things so you don't look like an ***. It's important to learn and research so that you can troubleshoot when and if problems arise. So that you have a good enough knowledge that wont force you to constantly be paying someone else to fix your problems.

Asking questions is great....but don't become too dependent on others to answer them. You never know for sure who really is or isn't an expert and it's unfair to piggy back off the hard work of others too much. Your best bet is to compile the information and decide for yourself. Pre-fab kits are convenient. Just follow instructions and whammo...you're boosted. Great stuff. But how do you know if you're really running at full potential? How do you know when to and if to upgrade? How will you know not to spend hundreds of dollars for someone to fix a problem that would be extremely simple for you to have done yourself?? How do you even really know what the quality of prefab kits are if you don't know what quality work looks like?

If you've got money, and you could care less...then more power to ya. But....unfortunately, alot of us have to work VERY hard for the little we have. We end up appreciating it more I think.

 
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hey thanx SpdRcrChk for the info i appreciate it...yeah i'm learning alot about turbos and i am gradually understanding how everything works...yeah i have to pretty much buy everything i put on my car but now graduation is comin up so hopefully i can take advantage of that and get some money out of my parents for a turbo kit...but I think i'm gonna go custom cuz i've searched and found some really good stuff that I think would work pretty good...i'm thinkin about the Turbonetics T3 turbo charger would be pretty tite

 
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Glad to help anytime.

T3 should be fine for your setup. Good luck. Remember, cheap prices are great. But don't cut too many corners.

 
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yeah i know u get wut u pay for...and also will pretty much any universal BOV and intercoolers work? I know they say universal but ya know just checkin...I think the apexi twin chamber BOV is tite

 
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SpdRcrChk not to knock you but catalyst has posted a couple of dynos and multiple timeslips as well as futurexswap which both got times in the 13's. SF is a great kit and getting into the 13's for around $3000 isn't to shabby.

 
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^^ thanks I honestly wasn't aware of that. Any links??

I remember reading somewhere about Cat. making +/- 300whp on stock internals. Is this true....and do any of those dyno sheets show that?

 
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No, he was a little over 200whp and his stock clutch let go.