Honda S660

You and I can all agree that Honda has been really active recently with all the concepts and release of sporty models. First we have the 2nd generation NSX, which we all heard about in 2007 and was cancelled in 2008 and then revived in 2011. When the NSX concept appeared in 2012's North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) and also driven by Robert Downey Jr. a.k.a. Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Avengers movies, we knew that Honda is really giving us what we want, an heir to the legendary NSX. Next came the 4th Civic Type R which was unveiled just last month at the Geneva Motor Show and everyone was jumping in joy. It is the new Type R that features a first Type R Turbo V-TEC engine with outputs of 305 bhp and 400 Nm torque, all channeled to its front wheels. Well there has been a rumor that the Integra name would be revived too and I hope Honda really does that as I am a fan of both the DC2R and DC5R. Finally, we come to today's main focus, the launching of Honda S660 on March 30th. I have personally seen the Honda S660 Concept 2 years ago at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) and it showed potential. At that moment, being a skeptic JDM fan, I wished the concept would come to life but at the same time, doubt that it will see production Now I am glad to say, "It is alive, everyone !".

Honda have been busy

Honda S660 Concept in 2013

Honda S660 Concept in 2013

Honda S660 Rear

While many are excited about the S660 because it is a 2 door coupe with a mid engine and rear wheel drive. The perfect formula to a perfect sports car but many can't help but be disappointed with its engine. It features a 660 cc, straight 3 cylinder, DOHC turbo engine that unfortunately have a power of only 64 ps and 104 Nm of torque. You might be surprised at the low numbers because the Ford Fiesta Ecoboost have a 1 liter, 3 cylinder turbo engine and produces 123 bhp and 170 Nm of Torque. However, the S660's power are expected to me and if you do not feel the same way, it is either because you did not know that the S660 is a Kei car or you don't know what a Kei car is. Kei (軽) is Japanese for light and Kei cars refer to small compact cars that let owners enjoy lower taxes in Japan. These Kei cars have a strict regulation on its body size, engine size (max. 660 cc) and engine output figures (max. 64 ps). So, there you have it. The reasons behind the small size and powerless engine but we all know that weight is also a factor in speed and luckily the S660 is only 830 kg (manual)/ 850 kg (CVT). I think with its lightweight and superb handling, it is going to be fast. It looks great on the outside with a hint of the coming NSX and on the inside, it bears resemblance of Honda CRZ's interior with the digital meter, smallest steering wheel any Honda has, nice Start/Stop button and aluminum pedals. There is something that not many knows is that there is a 660 unit only, Concept Edition that is only available in white. What is special about this is it has a red soft top and red stitching all over the interior.

S07A Engine - 660 cc, Straight 3 cylinder, DOHC Turbo

Honda NSX Concept (top) vs Honda S660 (bottom) - Do you see the resemblance ?

CRZ (Left) vs S660 (Right)

What's Special - New Sport Mode Button (Left) & Bright Red Type R Style Engine Start button (Right)

Concept Edition - Limited 660 units

Whenever Honda releases a new car, I will immediately head on to MUGEN's website to see what the performance arm of Honda has to offer the S660. I was prepared to see only aesthetic parts as that was the trend but I was really excited of MUGEN's offering. Although the S660 looks great but it lacks the raw feel to its exterior and boy, did MUGEN did something about it. The MUGEN S660 looks fierce and I especially love the dry carbon GT Wing Spoiler and Hard Top (everyone who knows me, know I hate soft top convertibles). I won't be expecting any performance parts that would increase the power of the S660 because that would make it not a Kei car but you still can find parts like exhaust muffler, sport suspension set and sport brake parts (rotor, brake pad, brake line). Here is my verdict. I actually like the Honda S660. I like that it has the perfect formula, coupe + mid engine + RWD + 6 speed manual transmission and it is cheap, affordable and it looks great especially with the MUGEN kit. It does remind me of Toyota MR-S because the MR-S is also a small MR roadster with a small engine that everyone criticizes .What I don't like is the small size, lack of storage and the ridiculous "roll & store" soft top roof. I also don't like the "Ipad stuck on your dashboard design" touch screen and the small interior might be a tight squeeze for me. At the end of the day, I would buy the S660 if I am someone who is into fuel efficiency but want something sporty looking for those weekend drive down the mountain pass, maybe.

Perfect Formula = Coupe + Mid engine + RWD + 6 speed manual

MUGEN S660 Front - Love the Grill and Hood Vents

MUGEN S660 Rear - Love the Hard Top and Carbon GT Wing

The Super Craze Part 2

I feel proud of what Nissan has accomplished through the GT-R R35 by bringing Japanese sports car to a whole new level and making it recognizable. Back in the days, JDMs where famous but were never enjoying the same fame and prestige like the Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Everyone from tuners to enthusiast to fanboys to critics, almost everyone loves the new GT-R but I am afraid to say that I am not one of them. I remembered when the first few R35s reached the country, it carried a price tag of around RM 700,000, which I think is at least 2.5 times the price that R34s were selling when it first reached Malaysia. Having an increase in engine capacity, increase in power output, extra gadgets, a new luxurious interior and a change in status, certainly calls for an increase in price tag but it certainly is out of reach by most people. Also because it did so well against other more luxurious European Supercars as mentioned in Part 1, the price tag of RM 700,000 seems cheap because you get a car as fast as the European rivals but the reliability of a Japanese car. What a bargain ! Another issue for me is the road tax as I have mentioned in other posts. The previous generation GT-Rs used to have the 2.6 liter, RB26 engine with affordable road tax and the new 3.8 liter VR38 engine's road tax is in a higher bracket and most people will stay from it but then again, if you can afford one, the road tax seems like nothing.

The amount of money you have to pay extra, annually

I think one major factor that makes the R35 such a popular sports car not only among the GT-Rs but also among other makers is the availability of JDM sports car. Since the mid 2000s, with every JDM sports car ceasing production one by one, there were not much choice left if you want to buy a JDM sports car. Although around that time Nissan had the Fairlady 350z, which is due for replacement and the Skyline 370GT, which is boring and Honda had the Civic Type R FD2 but that was it. While the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Subaru Impreza WRX STI were still going strong but these 2 do not exactly fit the 2 door coupe category. So, when the R35 was launched, it shook the world. It is the fastest JDM and is not even 1%, boring. It became everyone's dream car and seems perfect in every way. So, it became the obvious choice to buy and certainly on the roads of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it is really easy to spot one. Especially since used ones are getting cheaper where you could buy one with just under RM 200,000 now. Heck, even my buddy have one and I predict more R35s would be seen driving down the road.

Various JDM and their Launching Date

Personal opinion time ! When I think of the GT-R R34, I have an image of a brute, muscle car with a strong, square jaw for a front bumper. It really makes me feel like its fast and furious and maybe that is why the late, Paul Walker (R.I.P.), loves it so much. However, when I think of the R35, I felt it has a softer design, giving it a more luxury feel especially with the interior. JDMs are famous for having the most basic interior with only what is necessary. Despite having said that, I think it looks great especially the facelift in 2012 but it is just not my style. I am also not a big fan of the dual-cluth gearbox and wished there is a 6-speed manual variant. I guessed you had to have a dual-clutch gearbox to handle that power, have quick shifts and join the Supercar club, since other Supercars are using dual-clutches too. I think I sound like an old dinosaur that is not capable of following new innovations but as the saying goes, enthusiasts drives with 3 pedals. In conclusion, the sight of a R34 makes me giggle like a small girl but a R35 would just make me go, "Oh look, a R35". Definitely would take a R34 anytime over the R35 for me and I look forward to getting a manual ride for my next sports car.

Basic but functional and completed by the sight of Manual Shifter

No offence to women and other transmission drivers

The Super Craze Part 1

The Nissan Skyline GT-R have always been called the "GODZILLA" of the JDM sports world for its super performance. For 3 generations since 1989, there was only one engine and one transmission used by the GT-Rs and the last GT-R R34 rolled out of the Nissan factory in 2002. Little did we know that, that was the last time we saw the RB26DETT appear in any other cars. In 2007, the GT-R name was resurrected after a 5 years hiatus with the launching of a brand new model, the Nissan GT-R R35. Many things have changed since the last GT-R was around and this time, only 3 things are remained from the GT-R's heritage; the GT-R name, chassis code and signature 4 round tail lights.

Godzilla, 1989 - Present (Front)
Signature 4 Round Tail Lights (Rear)

GT-R Badge

First of all, the new GT-R ditches the Skyline name-tag and now is a completely separate model featuring its own design unlike its predecessors that were Skylines on steroids. The engine is replaced with a new 3.8 liters, VR38DETT, Twin Turbo V6 engine that outputs 480 bhp (the highest ever made by a GT-R), coupled with a new 6 speed Dual-Clutch gearbox. Fans had to say bye bye to the well loved Inline-6 engine to welcome a new V6 engine. All is well because it still has 6 cylinders and the twin turbo is here to stay. However, we no longer can find a GT-R with manual gearboxes because technology made gear shifting by hands obsolete and your hands just could not handle the immense power that these big engines are producing. Do you see manual variant made available for Supercars such as Ferrari or Lamborghini or McLaren ?

The Old - RB26DETT, 280 bhp

The New - VR38DETT, 430 bhp (2007), 530 bhp (2012), 600 bhp (Nismo, 2014)

Now with more power and the latest transmission installed, the Nissan GT-R is granted a membership to the Supercar status that have eluded the JDM models except the Honda NSX and Lexus LFA. Soon, enthusiasts around the globe started to compare the R35 with European Supercars and was even featured in Motor Trend's, World's Greatest Drag Race video, where the R35 won against Supercars such as Ferrari Italia, Audi R8 GT, Mercedes Benz SLS AMG and others. It is known that owning a R35 is great because it is the King of JDMs both at being the most expensive model and the most powerful model yet. When put against European brands, it is always a winning situation and I will tell you why. Let's say you win a Ferrari Italia in a drag race, you prove that the R35 is even better a Supercar than the Ferrari with all its history and if you lost, it is ok because the R35 is way, way cheaper than a Ferrari and you would expect to lose. A win would be a bonus. Nissan really did a good job and not bad for a car maker that has never made a Supercar before.

World's Greatest Drag Race that costs US$ 1.5 Million

Ferrari Italia vs Nissan GT-R vs Audi R8 GT vs Mercedes Benz SLS AMG

DIY 2

Last Friday, my special someone asked me to look at her mother's Toyota Camry. Her Camry's rear lamp has broken and it appeared to be an aesthetic damage. The first thing I thought of was my friend who works in a car accessory shop, where I bought the Vios Fog Lamp for my special someone's Toyota Vios. The next day I went over to the shop he works in and collected the brand new lamp. I planned to once again install it myself. Mainly to impress her and especially her mother to get a good impression of me. l had a look at how I am supposed to remove the lamp but was not so sure because I had not done anything similar before. I went to YouTube and search for a similar video and indeed I found the steps and even the tools needed to get the deed done. Luckily I have the exact same tool lying in my office. Needless to say, I went to her place as soon as I finished work. After some time and some extra steps that was not on the video, I finally installed it nicely. I was proud of myself that I could do it and even more happy that I made someone else happy.

Before

After

Good Job

Few years ago, I helped her bought aluminum pedals for her Vios but only managed to install the brake pedal, which is just a cover. I could not fix the acceleration pedal because I did not had the tools needed and only had it today. So, I took the liberty to get it done but I faced difficulties with removing the pedal (without the right tool) and it was difficult to remove and insert the pin holding the pedal. It took a lot longer than expected but the effect is worth it and I get to finished what I started few years ago. I really had a sense of satisfaction, knowing I am capable of doing small and easy installation like this. Plus, I get to help save up the installation cost that would incur if I brought the car out for a small installation like this. It is great to do something car related rather than just look online and write here on the blog. I wonder what could be waiting for me to do next time.

Before - Dull and Ugly

After - Sporty

Thank you, trusty wrench

Valentine Eve

I could not remember the last TT I joined with the Celica Club but I think it was around slightly more than a year ago. Recently, my buddy, the president's son called me up regarding a new club t-shirt that he was designing and wonder would I like to buy one. I told him it would be embarrassing to buy the club t-shirt while I do not drive a Celica anymore. He said my membership is a lifetime one and it is I who does not want to join in any club activity. I answered, it is not me but the nature of their recent meetups are convoys and my Mazda 6 could not catch up the Celica, which is a sports car. However, out of friendship and nostalgia, I bought one. Soon, he informed that the club t-shirt is ready to be collected on 13th February, Valentine's Day Eve. I wanted to borrow my buddy's Celica with the 3S-GTE turbo engine but his beast is in the workshop. I was nervous when I was heading towards the usual meeting place but good memories of me rushing there every weekend, seeing many modded Celicas and the drag races, certainly came to my mind. Those were the good old days.

Sample of the new Club T-Shirt

When I arrived, one particular Celica caught my attention. It was a dark grey Celica (my current favorite color) with wide body arches. Over the years in the club, I have yet to see any Celica with wide body arches that looks good. This one is similar to the Rocket Bunny Wide Body Bodykit for the Toyota 86 where the arches stops at the back. Certainly gives it a racing plus drift car feeling to it. I also particular like the rear arch that uses studded design. At first look, the rim used is huge and match the wide body arches and I like how he painted the brand and model of the tires white. Upon close look, I found out that the offset of the rim is indeed nice but he used a thick spacer, roughly around 20 mm to push it further out.

Front TRD

Front Wide Body Arch

Rear Wide Body Arch

Better view of the Studs

Toyota 86 with Rocket Bunny Wide Body kit for reference

While I was talking to some members that I have not met for a long time, I saw a face that was familiar. He was the mechanic who recently came to me to purchase ST205 front 4 pot calipers and ST205 rear 2 pot brake set to install on his Celica of 1 year. I remember asking him what has he got under his hood to need the brake upgrade (I upgraded even though my car was slow). He told me his story of how he miraculously found a half-cut Celica with the ultra-rare Blitz Supercharger kit and he installed the new engine and supercharger kit into the Celica as an overhaul. I was glad to meet new owners that is so enthusiastic in modding. I took the opportunity to see his car up close and hear the roar of the Blitz Supercharger that I love so much. I could spot his Celica a mile away because of the intercooler that has the BLITZ word on it and love how the intercooler piping could be seen clearly. I had him start his car and open up the hood. Then I proceed to play with the throttle body to hear the awesome sound from the supercharger and soon it captured everyone's attention.

Front Rare, Weber Sport Bumper with Blitz Supercharger kit

Ultra-Rare and Expensive Treasure - Blitz Supercharger

The Blitz Supercharger was definitely the highlight of that night for me and my partner. It really did remind me of the good old days where we spend almost no time in the cafe but instead stand beside cars and look at the mods each car has. It would definitely be awesome if there were some drag races too. I really do miss watching and especially miss racing myself. In the end, I am not sure whether I will still join another club meeting or not. Maybe if I get to borrow my friend's turbo Celica or after I bought a new sports car.

No Rotary for Me

In the last post, I mentioned about the Nissan Fairlady 350Z and how it is so cheap these days but not one to be considered in Malaysia. Next up in the list, I have the Mazda RX-8 and I am very sure, I will receive some negative criticism about this blog post. There are many fanboys out there who believe that the RX-8 is a great JDM sports car. Let us start with the current market price for a RX-8. For a 2003 RX-8, both AT and MT is selling from around RM 45,000 to RM 67,000, depending on condition and modification. When you compare to the 350Z, it is a cheaper choice but it also could sell for more than what a 350Z could get for the same year. As you know from the previous post, the predecessor of the RX-8, the RX-7 FD3S could fetch a handsome selling price from RM 75,000 and above. I think by now it is safe to conclude that JDM sports car from the 90s that achieved "Legendary" status will cost a bomb and stop decreasing in value after a certain age in Malaysia. These Legends includes the Honda NSX, the Nissan GT-R R35, Mazda RX-7 FD3S and Toyota Supra. Other models that are not as legendary but still popular, will experience similar pricing.

Rx-7 FD3S vs RX-8

The Legend 4

Any enthusiast can tell you that the RX-8 would not be facing a problem with its road tax issue like the 350Z because we all know that the RX-8 have a RENESIS 13B-MSP rotary engine and is rated 1.3 liter. The road tax is only RM 70 and it is very, very affordable. This is the main reason the RX-8 is so popular in Malaysia. You get 190 bhp (4 AT) and 250 (Type S, MT) from the engine but only pay so little in road tax. Definitely a good bargain and a good selling point. Beside this advantage over the 350Z in terms of road tax, the RX-8 also wins by having rear seats and a decent boot. The RX-8 can sit 2 more people and these 2 person could access the rear seats thanks to 2 special doors. What makes these 2 doors so special is not just because it is rare to find rear doors on a coupe but because these are not ordinary doors but are suicide doors. These suicide doors make it easier to enter the rear seats than reclining the front seats on a regular coupe and it sure hell is awesome looking (not as much as gullwing doors though). So, what is the downside of a RX-8 ? Well, the answer, ironically is actually its engine. Owners are proud of the high-revving, high power 13B engine but there are many rumors and facts regarding how high maintenance the engine is and how difficult it is to keep it in good shape. Few of them are having to drive only after a warm up, having to wait for engine to cool down before turning off ignition and the engine is thirsty for engine oil and petrol. If you ever have big issues with the engine, it is easier to get a new engine to transplant compared to having the engine fix. Malaysia do not have many experts who knows how the rotary engines fully work and that worries potential buyers. If you look in the market, there are many RX-8 for sale. It could be the engine or the difficulty in maintaining the engine that made owners sell their RX-8. Price naturally decreases when supplies are high but demands are low.

RX-8 engine bay without cover

Cross section of Rotary Engine

All doors open with rear suicide doors

The RX-8 have never appealed to me as attractive especially the front view despite the many good review on how great the design is and how much of a chick magnet it is. I could not get over the bulbous front and the huge, round front fenders that is in my opinion, too much in your face. The pre-facelift front bumper is definitely ugly and is in need of a cosmetic surgery such as the Mazdaspeed bodykit. Another thing that I dislike about the RX-8 is the attitude and the reputation of its owners in Malaysia. Most of them have too much pride about their RX-8s and cause trouble among other JDM owners online or on the road. When I was still riding in my Celica, I once raced a RX-8 which I felt was a 4 speed AT model and I was on its tail the whole time. RX-8 owners (especially AT owners) love to mention that they have 200 bhp at their disposal from a small 1.3 liter engine and definitely could outrun most of the JDMs out there. That includes the "slow" Celica and that really bugs me. They seem to forget that their RX-8 is a RWD and not much power from the engine is left after power loss during transfer to the rear wheels via the long shaft. Compare to the Celica that is FWD, I think both cars have similar whp and with similar 4 speed AT, the Celica would have a fair fight and even win. I only know one person that used to own a RX-8, an ex-gf and she only mentioned that the seats are not comfortable and it drinks petrol like it is water. I do however, remember there is one thing that I do like about the RX-8 when it first came out and that is the cluster meter of the car. It is one of the earliest if not first to have a digital speedometer and this is more convenient when the speed-cut is removed. I remember having to source for an add-on speedometer for my Celica after I removed the speed cut.

Mazdaspeed RX-8

RX-8 Cluster with Digital Speedometer

Every time I imagine myself buying a RX-8, I would always think that beside its looks, the 13B engine is the main problem. I had ideas of replacing the rotary engine with some other engines but could not narrow it down to one engine. Then, one day while looking online, I found a 2003 RX-8 completely modified with a Toyota 3 liter, 2JZ-GTE engine from a Toyota Supra (AT) for RM 63,800. I was shocked at the choice and wonder how was this transplant approved by the government ? I would never have imagine to find out that this huge, powerful engine could fit in the engine bay of a RX-8 because the original engine was quite small in size. This transplant would allow this RX-8 to be more faster and have the reliability of a Toyota. A wonderful solution to its Achilles' heel but at the same time increases its road tax by 300% and now we have a dilemma. Mazda knew about its problem and in 2009, the facelift version came out and there were some revision to the 13B engine making it a more efficient model even by a small margin and the AT receive a new 6 speed gearbox. If you think maybe you should get a 2009 model, you will be disappointed to know that not many facelift model made it into Malaysia and even if you find one, it would be quite pricey. Now you know why the Mazda RX-8 made it into my cheap but no thanks list.

Toyota's 2JZ-GTE engine in RX-8 (photo from actual online ad)

Why not a "Lady" ?

As most readers of my blog know, I have been planning to purchase a JDM sports car on my own and have been looking for and researching for a suitable one. I even posted about the Subaru Impreza WRX STI which I would love to have and even went to look at one unit just last month. However, I found out that it was not that easy because although the price is cheap but not easy to obtain a car loan and not cheap enough to just buy it with cash. There are some JDM sports car that have reached certain prices that appear so attractive that you could just buy without much consideration. I wished it would be that easy because price is not the only factor you should consider especially in a country like Malaysia. One JDM sports car that is currently considerably cheap is the Nissan Fairlady 350Z (Z33). I remember when it came out during my high school days, it was cool but expensive. These days they are like everywhere. You can easily find a year 2003 350Z, both AT and MT for around  RM 57,000 to RM 65,000, depending on condition and modification. Let me give you some comparison to show you how cheap it is right. You could find an old like a 1993 Mazda RX-7 (MT) selling for RM 78,000 and a 1997 Toyota Supra (AT) for RM 95,000. Meanwhile something of similar age, a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII can easily fetch a range from RM 85,000 to even a ridiculous RM 105,000. It is very obvious that it is cheaper than some models made in the 90s and even lose out to its peers from the same time period.

Mazda RX-7 vs Toyota Supra

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII vs Nissan Fairlady 350Z

The biggest reason for being so cheap is the engine capacity. In Malaysia, car owners have to pay a road tax based on the engine capacity and the bigger your engine, the more you have to pay especially if it is 3000cc and above. For better understanding, a 2 liter engine costs RM 6xx and a 2.5 liter engine costs RM 8xx. It does not seem like a big difference but a 3 liter engine entitles you a road tax of RM 3xxx and the 350Z with a 3.5 liter V6 engine would cost you RM 4371 per year. Definitely for the rich only and because of this high tax, it makes the 350Z not so high in demand. Certainly not for someone like me and the next reason is the insurance issue. I have no idea how much its insurance premium is but I know it is difficult to find an established insurance firm to want to insure your 350Z and its sister, the Nissan Skyline 350GT (V35) with the same engine. Only those smaller firms would dare to insure. The last reason that affects everyone's consideration is the practicality of the 350Z. Being a 2-door coupe with only 2 seats and a small boot, the 350Z is more catered to a niche market for the rich and maybe singles or if you already have a daily drive. These 3 reasons mentioned above actually raised red flags with banks causing difficulty in obtaining car loans and directly caused demand for this model to be low. In the end making the 350Z cheap.

Actual 350Z Road Tax Slip

350Z 3.5 Liter V6 Engine

I do have other reasons that may only affect me personally which made me not considering the 350Z. If you know me personally well enough, you would know that I call the 350Z, a "FAT"lady instead of a Fairlady mainly because how round and overall big it is. I know 3 person who used to own one; a high school buddy who upgraded to a Nissan GT-R R35, a mechanic friend who is great at fixing Celica and an ex-gf who drove a convertible one but sold it. I once had my Celica parked next to my buddy's 350Z and you could easily see why I considered it fat. It does not look good stock but when it has a widebody Veilside bodykit, it shines. I also have some reservation regarding its power because back in the days, my buddy drove it like he was crazy and boy was it fast. However, when I drove my mechanic friend's 350Z, I could not feel the raw power even when I step on it. I also realized that the 350Z have many blind spots and the hood is too flat, making it hard to estimate the front. Finally, I am not a big fan of big engines. Look at how the Evos and STIs only have a 2 liter, 4 cylinder, Turbo engine and have more power than the 350Z has. I certainly do not appreciate the heavy car with big engine design.

My Buddy's 350Z vs My Celica (Front)

My Buddy's 350Z vs My Celica (Rear)

350Z with Veilside Widebody Bodykit from Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift

Although with this much said about how owning a 350Z is Malaysia is not ideal but its prices really makes me ask myself, why am I not getting one. I always this thought that if I ever buy a 350Z, the engine definitely has to go. I have actually seen a 350Z sold in Malaysia that has a RB26DETT engine from previous Nissan Skyline GT-Rs (R32 - R34) implant. That to me is a brilliant idea because with the smaller capacity engine, you get cheaper road tax but still maintain or get even more power than before. Definitely awesome and desirable but I know it is going to be a hell lot of work needed to be done especially since the 350Z is a RWD and the GT-Rs is a AWD. The RB25DET engine from Nissan Skylines (R33 - R34) is a better choice because it is also a RWD but everyone think it is far inferior to the RB26 engines. It does not really matter to me because either way, it is still better than the original V6. Anyway, in the end I have to say changing the engine is definitely a cool but troublesome process. I rather buy one that has everything I want, not just a cheap sports car.

350Z with RB26DETT