| 1) **Do Not Buy Turbos from Anyone except a trusted Vendor** This includes "new" "near new" "perfect condition" and "unwrapped but never installed". You can read my TT swap history here if you look up my posts. I would never trust any individual seller with turbos again. For peace of mind, buy them new and be sure they are shrink wrapped and the Vendor will stand behind them. I'm sure there are many sellers who have no ill intentions, but you just don't know and it's such a PITA to fix. There aren't any reliable ways to judge whether a used turbo is good or bad. They are such a critical part of the swap and you'll kick yourself afterwards if you don't. 2) If you don't do the work yourself, consider using a Shop like Z1 or Coz... It may seem expensive, but in the end if something goes wrong they will be more likely to stand behind their work because they have a reputation and business to uphold. And you'll have some measure of recourse. Of course, if you have some friends and are willing to give it go yourself, by all means do it. Lots have been happy doing the work themselves... and many have given up along the way too. 3) Don't get tunnel vision. For the money you'll be spending on the swap and the inevitable upgrading of all other components (wheels, suspension, brakes) you could trade in your Z and buy a much nicer, newer, "better in every way" used or new car. No matter what, the Z is still an 11-17 year old car. A lot has happened in automotive technology since then. [For me, the slap in the face was seeing a fully optioned '98 Porsche Boxster with 60,000 miles for the same money I spent for the Z upgrades plus the swap. Not that i really wanted that car, but it makes you think.] Keep your options open. 4) Be sure it's something you have your heart set on. Minus the horsepower, nobody but you will know the difference between an NA and TT. It's a great car, but realize that most people won't know the difference between your Z and a Saturn. Except for a small group of auto enthusiasts like on ttnet. It is purely for your own enjoyment. Don't expect to be able to sell it down the road and get your money back out of it. Be realistic. 5) After the swap, all the old creaks, squeaks, and jiggles that drove you nuts before the swap will most likely still be there to deal with. It's not like you are getting a new car. It's the same old car, although you'll have a better engine now. 6) If all goes well, you'll definitely enjoy it after the swap!!! It's a lot of frustration but also a lot of fun. The Z will feel like your old NA below 3,000 rpms, but it really opens up above that. And you'll feel a sense of accomplishment for transforming your Z into something better (even if only you and a handful of others notice). Good luck!
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