2g Turbo: ENGINE SWAP or UPGRADE???

[echostats]

I am currently running a 95 GS non-turbo, automatic with 126k miles. (Insert laughs here). When I purchased my car, I was not interested in speed. I simply wanted something that would look nice as I commuted from point-a to point-b.

Things change, yadda yadda. I want speed.

So, from my newbie stand point, here are my options: (note, I have a genius friend that will be helping me with all of this, so I don't need to worry about the time and effort and brains part of doing these options simply the cost and most effective.)

1. Swap the engine, the transmission etc etc

2. Fix the strut holes in the front with some metal and some welding and pop a turbo in along with all the other things needed to make this engine up to par. I would need to swap out the transmission if I took this route considering I have an automatic trans atm. (of course)

Of course, I would rather just keep my engine but at the same time, I do not want to spend the time, effort and money in a 126k engine that could break on me.

Your suggestions are appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Bigglesworth87]

I say sell your NT to someone that needs a commuter car, and find a nice awd turbo 1g dsm for cheap and throw some money into that. Or get a 2g but for the stronger motor go with the 1g.

 

[David15151]

throw a turbo kit on there and be done with it.

 

[99gst_racer]

I say sell your NT to someone that needs a commuter car, and find a nice awd turbo 1g dsm for cheap and throw some money into that. Or get a 2g but for the stronger motor go with the 1g.

^^^ I'm with him ^^^. Sell your N/T and buy anything with a 4G63. You'll love it. Thats the cheapest and easiest route.

 

[David15151]

he wants to keep his car though or he wouldnt have posted this. So if my options were engine swap or turbo kit.. i would just get the kit. Plus N/T guys hate getting told to sell their car.

 

[echostats]

he wants to keep his car though or he wouldnt have posted this. So if my options were engine swap or turbo kit.. i would just get the kit. Plus N/T guys hate getting told to sell their car.

Dave's my friend. Cause, that's so true. I don't wanna sell my car. I love the color (dark green) and I have put some time into the interior etc etc. But, I am also all about going the cheapest, most effective route. So tell me, which would be cheaper. (1g is not an option, sorry, but I have never liked the look). Buy a 2g turbo or invest in the car I have? Which would be cheaper?

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Bigglesworth87]

In all honesty i would say sell the current beauty and get a turbo beauty. I know its hard to say good bye but everyone has to make sacrifices. The money you spend on a turbo kit and actually getting your car preped for a turbo will be way more costly then just finding a nice 2g and fixing it up. Its your choice though. Besides 4g63s are meant for turbos and not the 420's. Im not saying it cant be done, but it would be safer and cheaper to get a 4g63 car. good luck though!

 

[99gst_racer]

It would be cheaper and more effective to invest in a lower milage, newer 2G turbo. But if you dont want to sell you car, then dont. Turboing your 420a is easier than swapping a 4G63 into it.

 

[David15151]

ok now if you change it to upgrade your current one or move to a turbo DSM.. then i would say .. get an AWD DSM right now. Soon as you get done reading this post I expect a for sale sign on your car and you going through autotrader for some AWD DSMs.

 

[echostats]

It would be cheaper and more effective to invest in a lower milage, newer 2G turbo. But if you dont want to sell you car, then dont. Turboing your 420a is easier than swapping a 4G63 into it.

Easier as in less down time or as in less cash output?

 

[echostats]

I have not even had my car a month.

 

[David15151]

haha well decide what you want to do.. if you are looking for a little more speed then you have now.. by all means just turbo kit it.. BUT if you are looking for some serious power you really want to just go get a turbo DSM. Its up to you as to what you want.

 

[echostats]

As you probably know, and N/T is basically a nice looking car -strictly-. Some kid beat me off the light yesterday with a freakin MALIBU. I was on the phone with my g/f and almost passed out. I knew then that a turbo of some kind was necessary.

I am new to this site, but I know not to rape my own thread, so I will start a new one to see what this is all gonna cost.

Thanks for the help, maybe soon I will be reporting on the outcome.

 

[Gee-Es-Tee]

OK, I have definately been in this guy's position. So, I think I am going to tell you all a story...

ONce upon a time, I bought a car. It was an eclipse. You know what kind? the LOWEST, CHEAPEST, Eclipse (RS) with nothing on it. It was like driving a tin can around. I hated it. (no offense to anyone with one). One day I went to get my car serviced and oil changed. Dont ask me how, but the next day my motor started knocking but the oil light never came on. (?) That still boggles my mind until today.... but I figured I'll take the good with the bad and upgrade my car. I decided to look into an engine swap. I called all over the place and got ahold of some asian guys in Atlanta. I was going to purchase a front clip from an Evolution V and do a complete swap. I didn't care about time, or money at all. I just wanted a cool custom ride. Anyways, after thinking about it with a sane state of mind, i realized how much trouble it would be, how much money it would be, how unreliable it might turn out to be, how hard it would be to rewire everything, and dont mention the cutting, welding splicing, bleeding, yelling screaming, just to get a turbo motor! ahhh!!! I then decided to just but another 420A, and if i wanted a turbo, i'd just get the turbo kit from hahn racecraft (www.hahnracecraft.com). At this point I had my car about a year and i would go on and off liking...or hating it. I never came to an engine conclusion. I wrecked that eclipse. I was going 70 down the interstate when a tractor mower thing pulled out in front of me. I screamed like a sissy-girl and cut the wheel all the way to the left. since I dont have AWD or LSD or any safety features i went out of control and smashed into a guardrail on a bridge. I almost died! that RS tried to kill me!
I then bought a 95 GST in Jacksonville and I LOVE IT! the cars are like NIGHT AND DAY! but i must go... i hope this story helped out a little. I am getting a new windshield installed right now, actually... because a rock hit it and cracked it badly.

later dudes.

 

[99gst_racer]

Easier as in less down time or as in less cash output?

Yes, it would be much cheaper. And there would be no down time in selling you car and buying a turbo DSM. So the answer is BOTH.

 

[Urban_S]

Plus N/T guys hate getting told to sell their car.

Yes we do. But I am selling mine for a TSI AWD.

 

[intelectualism]

he wants to keep his car though or he wouldnt have posted this. So if my options were engine swap or turbo kit.. i would just get the kit. Plus N/T guys hate getting told to sell their car.

it kinda bothers me a little bit when almost every time a n/t guy wants to go fast all he gets is a buncha "sell the car" replies...

but that's what i'm doing

getting pwn3d by almost every car out there=
mountain driving with a FWD=
1.8L=

It's more fun driving a slow car fast than driving a fast car slow.