Aftermarket vs. Nismo vs. Stock

[FRpilot]

im with dousan on this one. nismo doesn't really offer many great parts. some of their products are for performance, but most of them are more aestetic and their stuff is way overpriced like jic.

off the top of my head, only nismo SSS clutch type lsd and the powerbrace are prodcuts i would get for performance. with nismo shock and strut setup, i would rather get coilovers.

I just hate the riceboys who think nismo is god and the only company that makes things for nissan. 'are you going to get nismo stuff. make your car go hella fast' im like. 'no, there's nothing i really want that they make.' (doh, get a clue )



from your list, i would consider getting the following items.

Motor/tranny mounts
-stiffer than stock, good upgrade for the price.

S13 Powerbrace
-no other bar i can think of comes close to stiffening the lower front end than this piece. maybe custom? definitely stiffer than the cusco/kazama front tension rod bars.

Cluth fork pivot
-upgraded piece. dont know any other company who offers this, but its pricey.

Clutch slave cylinder
-i dont know anyone other aftermaket company who offers this slave cylinder, but its not worth it. it has a bigger piston than oem, but not that much bigger. i bought my oem replacement from kragens for about $10. the nismo piece is $160+. for a few mm bigger piston. thats a 1000% price difference.

Horn button
-looks nice. lol.

SSS 2 way LSD
-this lsd has 20 plates iirc. and used by some of the top drifters in the japan and us. famous drifters like kogochi and dousan swear by this lsd. LoL.

Full bushing replacement
-there are alternativse like whiteline. but the nismo bushing are stiff also and about the same price i think.

4-point buckle-type harnesses
-im thinking about getting these also. they just look sick. lol. overpriced though, but i dont know what other harness to get.




below, i put some of my comments/opinions and better alternatives on the other nismo items you wanted.

Solid shifter
-b&m or mr Cs. shorter throws and solid. but if you just want a more solid feel, nismo is an alternative, but why pay $200 for a solid throw?

Tension rods
-they are stock w/ stiffer bushinglike dousan mentioned.

SR 3 puck clutch kit (Pressure plate, 14lb. flywheel, and clutch disc)
-act, spec, or jdm clutch kit? whats the point of having a 14lb flywheel? why not just get lighter if you're goin to get a leignted flywheel? 11lbs should be adequate for street. 9lbs is kinda too light for street and should be a race application imo.

SS clutch line
-overpriced. you can get an rx-7 one or a custom one made. i bought mine off a site (i dont remember it) for $25.

Liscense plate frame (adds 15hp)
-better off getting those chrome license plates.

GT shift knob
-nice looking shiftknobs but expensive. i might get one though. but there are many alternatives when it comes to shift knobs. just for the jdm bling i guess. lol

Metal head gasket
-many other companies offer head gaskets from 1.1mm - almost 2mm, and they are cheaper too.

Rocker stoppers
-hks and tomei should work just as good and they go for ~$100

Spark Plugs
-probably overpriced too b/c they are nismo. splitfire, blitz colder spark plugs for turbo applications should be considered.

Strut bars
-way overpriced and ugly imo. $300 for a bar! just get cusco, quality construction and half the price. and its cusco. its jdm also. lol.

Oil cap
-nice piece, just overpriced. i might get it though.

Possibly an exhaust system
-does nismo make an exhaust system? with exhaust systems, there are many choices out there. like dousan says, their exhaust system probably wont be true performance, but just upgraded oem. kinda like trd exhaust for celica. but the trd piece is actually nice and have comparable gains as other aftermarket exhaust.

Possibly buckskin steering wheel
-i wanted a nismo steering wheel at one time. its too big though. i want 300mm. plus, i hate leather, it eventually wears down. i want a carbon fiber one.