Supercharger's options

ZetaTre

Active member
 San Diego County
I'm starting to consider the idea of adding forced induction to the Z4 more seriously. #1 on my list is ESS TS2 system, but was wandering if anyone is aware of any alternatives or other kits out there. The kit must be twin-screw, no centrifugal.
 
ZetaTre said:
I'm starting to consider the idea of adding forced induction to the Z4 more seriously. #1 on my list is ESS TS2 system, but was wandering if anyone is aware of any alternatives or other kits out there. The kit must be twin-screw, no centrifugal.


let me know how it goes if you do decide to push thru with it :D
 
Is it worth it?

I mean factor in the following...

Value of your car + supercharger kit + labour = what (budget for problems and other upgrades like brakes). £?

Sell your car then buy a M version = £?

THEN factor in ASSET value, i.e your 'charged' Z will be barely worth anything more than a standard one, and harder to sell too. Factor in the value of a M version as it will always be worth more.

In that respect the modding = pointless IMO.

Hope I've explained myself properly there.

The M will be SO much better, is set up and designed for that power, more reliable, works better as a package etc.


Example, say my Z is worth £10k, I spend £5k charging it (total guess figure) and its then worth prob MAC £12k...... now, 8k in 18 months.

OR I sell for £10k, buy a M for £18k, sell for £14k in 18 months.

Lost the same money but had a better car. Make sense?
 
Thanks for the comment but I was inquiring about alternatives to ESS (just to have a clear view of all my options), not whether the SC is the right way to go. Since I'm not in the auto trading business and I'm not planing on selling the car any time soon, resell value is not something I consider when making choices about my cars purchases or upgrades/mods. However since you brought up the subject, there will be no labor cost since I'll do the installation myself.

I'm not even sure whether I'll ever end up using the additional power form the SC. The main reason I;'m considering it is because I would consider the installation a perosnal achievement that will make this car my own, and not just another Z4...

I might be wired, but some people enjoy going on cruises or buying a big plasma TV to watch football... I rather buy an SC and spend a couple of weeks installing it with my friends...
 
If you plan on keeping the car for the long haul then go for it. I'm not sure about CA, but over here in the UK modified cars are more costly to insure - you might want to factor that in.
 
Tref said:
If you plan on keeping the car for the long haul then go for it. I'm not sure about CA, but over here in the UK modified cars are more costly to insure - you might want to factor that in.

Nop, here in Cali they don't care if you modded your car or not. However we have emission regulation and the ESS SC kit is not approved: it will pass the sniff test but it would "technically" not pass the engine bay visual inspection. I say "technically" cuz you gotta know what you're looking at and the guys at the smog station they don't normally look the brigther kid on the block. ESS has a "stealth" version of the kit that makes it quite hard to spot the SC if you don't have a traind eyes. And that's really one thing I like about it: I don't want the car to look like a tuner. Keeping a stock look of the engine bay is essential for me...

Bottom line: there's way around it and if it would turn out to really be a problem, I would just swap back every 2 years, get the car smogged and than put the SC back in...

By the lack of replyes I take it that ESS is actually the only twin screw kit available...
 
Would love to spend time in the garage installing a supercharger. Not going to though, as said would buy an M. Only because i dont have the time/space/money/expertise to do any of that.

If you were confident in installing yourself though you could easily uninstall it yourself and sell it on. That way your avoiding having problems with car resale. If your (and it sounds like your not) bothered.

A guy at my work installed a supercharger to his mk 2 golf, had loads of fun doing it and has taken it to the nurburgring for a good pounding. A rewarding experience all round you have to agree. In terms of money, the car cost him 2000, charger 1500 and 500 misc bits.
Quite a bit considering its a battered golf. BUT, if he stripped of all the bits and sold them on he wouldn't have lost out really. Especially when considering the fun factor. :driving:
 
I waiting to see a retro kit for those of us with post facelift 3.0 engines. Afterall, that's the same engine in the 135, and the new Z4s. I'd love to give my Si a kick in the pants "OEM" style. :driving:
 
Jackcat5 said:
A stealth version?

Yea, it's an all black version of the kit that makes it blend with the rest of the motor even more. Here's the "black version":

20080723030500_org.jpg


And here's the "traditional version":

20070203204906.jpg
 
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