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Part of it is probably that Ford doesn’t want Chrysler copying and using their software (to pick on those two companies).
I remember twenty or twenty five years ago when we would download the contents of the engine computer, decompile it and wonder about all the ones and zeros. That has all been figured out and now one can play with it as they please. If the car companies lock it up I expect it will be a week or two before the unlocker is posted to the web. So, what can they do except make noise about it? It is a non issue in my opinion.
All cash is the way to go but few can do it. My last new car was all cash (this is where you find the line on you check for writing out the amount is too small) and then I dropped another four grand at the Court House paying taxes, title and registration. Then there is insurance.
To be ready to buy the sort of vehicle you are talking about for cash new means saving 35 to 45 thousand dollars.
I remember when I was a young man and the Ford Mustang had just come out. I had the cash in my pocket to buy a new one. At the local dealership showroom was a Poppy Orange one with V8 and a manual transmission. I was in love. Instead I took the money and went to college. It hurts to this day but it was the right decision.
There are two things to be careful of here.
First the fittings are aluminium which means they like to stick together. Sometime they come apart easily and occasionally you end up destroying the fitting. Use good wrenches and in the latter case don’t be alarmed, it just means you need one more part.
Second, the fittings seal with o-rings. In order to have the new system seal the o-rings must remain in perfect condition. This means new o-rings lubricated with the oil the refrigerant system uses. Over tightening can result in distortion of the aluminium fitting or the o-ring. Any nick or tiny cut in the o-ring is not acceptable.
Don’t work on a humid or rainy day. Other than that it is remove and replace.
The only knowledge I have is from my brother trying some aftermarket headlights. The plastic didn’t hold up to UV like OEM. Maybe if he parked the car inside but my brother doesn’t have a garage.
The more you can pay up front, the smaller the payments. I’d suggest riding on the warranty for awhile. Once you start sticking on aftermarket parts the warranty goes poof. Anyway, there’s lots of stuff for the 350z, same for the Evo and this the last year for that vehicle. If you could wait till the end of the year and then find one, you’d love it. There’s also the two door Honda Accord – a nice car.
I’m sure, if you go to a Supra forum and act nice, someone can and will provide you with an upgrade path. Then you can price those parts and decide how far you want to go. Usually, even the big boys with money stop at around 600 hp if they want a street-able car. I remember the lament of one owner of a fast car telling what he was spending on carbon clutches. So, set you sights lower and try to keep it reliable. Do plenty of research before you start.
Try a smear of axle grease where the piston hits the pad and if there is a removable shim, between the shim and the pad.
An 800 hp car is something probably only an expensive race shop can build for you. It will always be down and when running it will be moved from track to track on a trailer. Clutches alone would cost you a fortune and you would be replacing them constantly.
I’m wondering what you mean by ‘fluctuates”? If the gauge reads 50 psi and momentarily jumps to 60 I wouldn’t be concerned. On the other hand, if it drops close to zero I’d want it fixed.
That seem expensive for just checking for a leak. If it is a big enough leak to hiss it should be easy to find.
Maybe you can find an A/C shop in your neighborhood.
I own an AWD car and the transfer case requires a special oil. Use just any off the shelf gear oil and the gear box will fail. So, is this an example of the special requirements of modern equipment or is the maker solving a design problem the cheap way by using special oil? This is just my opinion but I suggest the latter is true.
A couple more examples of this would be Subaru with leaky head gaskets requiring special antifreeze and Honda automatic transmissions requiring special oil.
Some years ago Chevrolet testing the then new Corvette found that the engine would starve of oil in hard turns and spin bearings. Various pan designs were tried without success but then somebody suggested trying synthetic oil – it solved the problem. So, the Corvette became one of the first cars to specify synthetic oil.
I have two cars and they both get synthetic oil changed every 3000 miles. I figure if I care enough to spend extra on oil why shouldn’t I care enough to keep it clean.