The Max

SFA. I did it for a pleasant note.

RB? You know you're in a VQ subforum, right?

If you want to squeeze out as much horsepower as you possibly can, then it's an Akrapovic exhaust system you need. If you just want a nice note without it sounding obnoxious, like I do, the one for my taste was the Megan Racing muffler. If you want to be an obnoxious wanker, get a custom exhaust with tail pipes that you can house an illegal immigrant family in.

No. That's for bringing in a personal vehicle which is also sold in Australia and therefore, ordinarily be restricted from parallel importing.

From purchase to on-road took just over two months, from memory. The import agent helps you with the process. He doesn't handle the money on your behalf. So you are the one making payments as you go along - starting with the car + the Japanese buyer's fee, the shipping + taxes + duties, the compliance + tyres and finally the blue slip + rego. Go to their website. They explain the process very clearly.

I went through Prestige Motorsport. Extremely patient, hugely resourceful, very helpful all 'round. Took nearly seven months before I found the vehicle that met my specifications. It's always better to import because you're more likely to get the real story about the vehicle's history than you would from a dealer or private seller here. A good import agent, like Prestige, will guide you through the entire process.

I have a 2009 model. Bought it with 22,000km on the clock. After five years since I imported it, it's only up to 50,000km but rest assured, in that 28,000km, I have thrashed the balls off of it. All I can say is that the auto has put up with my abuse and keeps loving me back.

The only compatibility issue will be with the connector. Essentially, there are two global standards for OBD-II connectivity, though those standards aren't absolute for all and some manufacturer discretion is allowed beyond the basics. However, it surprises me to hear that a manufacturer would alter their OBD-II connectivity between a USDM and JDM variant of their vehicles. It makes no sense, as that would suggest that my Consult III+ scan tool is made for a specific region, which they're not. Grow some nuts, take a gamble and test the theory. Someone always has to be the guinea pig, no matter how well researched they are to minimise the loss!

I haven't used either one but on paper, at the time, the Arc Audio PS8 was the clear winner and with the promise of an in-vehicle control panel, it was similar to what I had with my old Maxima and the Sony MDX-C8900 minidisc deck which controlled the XDP-210EQ DSP via its very tactile remote control. However, the disappointment set in with the level of support from them. Yes, if there were installation issues, they were quick to assist and that was fine. But the controller, the next most important thing on the list after sound quality and installation footprint, took THREE F#@KING YEARS to be released. After it was finally released in December last year, I was first in line to purchase one but then the dude I bought the PS8 from to begin with had mentioned that his distributor no longer brings in the Arc Audio products because they have been very unreliable with him. If I knew that, I wouldn't have ended up importing my XDI600.4 amp back when I was told he was no longer supplying Arc audio products. Likewise, I had to buy the controller via an eBay seller. Sure, I paid more than I should've but that's how it goes sometimes. Now, mind you, I'm extremely happy with both products. Perhaps good things do come to those who wait but they have proven to me that they take way too long to fulfil their promises, if at all. Their software does have its share of glitches, which makes it painful to work with at times but once you've got it nailed, it works very well and remains so. However, having said all that, if I were to start all over again, I'd give them a miss and go straight to Hertz's H8 DSP. While the hardware isn't all that different to the Arc Audio PS8 (on paper, that is), they seem to have gained popularity over Arc for their support and that makes their distributors seemingly happy. Don't take my word for it though. Look around, talk to dealers and check out the general consensus on other forums. I'm just giving my observations since I have no experience with them otherwise. Audison didn't seem to have neither the same small footprint nor the gamut of features and options like the others at the time. Can't say they seem any better to me now. I've never been that trusting of anything that comes from an Italian electronics manufacturer. That comes from professional experience with other Italian electronics. I can't speak for Audison from experience.

Sure thing. Get the appropriate cable that will plug into your phone's USB to provide you with the respective composite video output and away you go. It won't look as clean and sharp as the real graphics you get from your system (or an R35) but it'll be functional. The trick will be to ensure that the phone itself will mirror the screen via the cable and not only work when you're playing videos, for example. I doubt that will be the case but it's still something you'll need to test. I know my Samsung Note4 works fine in this manner, using an MHL cable which has the USB connector for charging as well as the RCA outputs (eBay job).

It does, with Aux RCA inputs in the centre console (under the armrest). So I plug in a Sony NW-ZX1 media player. No control from the car's interface but that's just a minor inconvenience to me. I've then taken the front speaker outputs of the deck to feed an Arc Audo PS8 DSP, which then produces four channels for the Arc Audio XDI600.4 amp to feed the front and rear speakers and one more channel for the old faithful Sony XM-1002HX amp to feed the subwoofer. Audio problem solved. It could be better but it's as good as it gets with an OEM headunit that can't come out willingly.

While I stand to be corrected, I would say no chance of going aftermarket. In my 2009 vehicle, I tried a little experiment and started the car without the headunit powered up. It took out the display in the centre of the instrument cluster and my A/C control, which is what I anticipated from what I determined looking up the pinouts in the workshop manual. Radio sucks anyway. Be your own DJ.

If you're talking about digital radio as in the broadcast service itself, for higher fidelity audio, then no. We use DAB+ here in Australia, while Japan uses a couple of technologies but predominantly ISDB-TSB. The two are not compatible with each other. Otherwise, whatever else V35_Paul already mentioned.

Never mind. I see what you mean. I was curious, so I figured I'd trawl through the USDM catalogue and of all the discs reported in it, they're all the 320mm spec for a G35 of that vintage, irrespective of Sport, AWD or base model sedan. Not even a single 350Z variant has 330mm and this is from their current catalogue on their website (admittedly, dated 2016). I shall go back to eating my humble pie.

If you're ordering by specifying the vehicle, sure. But, if you do the homework by matching the specs from the workshop manual to what you find in their Aus or US catalogues, it's never a struggle.

If they were the same spec on a USDM Infiniti, it'll be available in Australia as well. That's how DBA operate since they manufacture them here.

XS is cross-drilled. No need to go that far. You're not driving a V8 Supercar around the track. Besides which, cross-drilling adds another point of weakness, in which you get fracturing at the holes. Just go slotted only (T3).

It's warped discs, not your pads. My suggestion, I highly recommend DBA 4000 series slotted discs. Do both the front and rear.

The previous owner has installed an aftermarket device that connects your phone's screen mirroring to the auxiliary input of your system. The dodgy bastard has removed the AUX RCA connectors in your console in an effort to internalise all the cabling. That solves the mystery of the three empty holes.

Check all the bushes, first and foremost.

Of course it needs to be that way ... the ball joint needs room for movement.

You've got taste dude. I only ever use EBC Redstuff, unless someone can tell me there's something better than those. Otherwise, my shitbox wagon gets the Bendix Heavy Duty.

DEI Viper. Reasonably happy though the LCD remote has been quite flaky the last couple of years and I've had to disconnect the alarm from the power for a couple seconds but only twice, in order to get the remote start to work again. Their firmware isn't what I would consider to be very reliable but if you have the fuse for the alarm in a strategic spot (or otherwise don't mind unplugging the battery for a couple seconds) then it's not a big deal to power it off/on again. Considering we're talking over a span of five years, I don't have much to complain about.

However, depending on which year model, can often be confused with the 370Z, which is specified to have Brembo. For example, the DBA 4000-series discs I bought for my 2009 V36 are tagged as being suitable for the Brembo-equipped 370Z. With all these terms being thrown about, it's no wonder people get confused. I can appreciate that. Safest thing I would suggest to Mr. R377 is to measure those discs and use that as a point of reference for which pad he needs. That's how I determined mine. Measured, looked them up in the workshop manual and then ran from there.