Ok I have a few options here and I need some help picking a route to go. I have about 1500 bucks to play with at the moment and am trying to decide what to do with it. I have a 98 Z28 A4. I've wanted a manual swap kit ever since I bought the car. Used to drive manual growing up but for some reason I rushed and bought this automatic. But is swapping to manual really worth it for me right now? Will I enjoy it more than the other options? Currently I am stationed in NJ with the air force, Have simple bolt ons you can read in my sig with a new set of subframe connectors, and a ORY waiting for me when I get back to NJ, and my hometown is in IL, deployed to the desert til May. Here's a list...

1) Buy this kit and install it myself https://ls1tech.com/forums/lsx-parts-sale/472614-t-56-6-speed-complete-setup-1400-shipped.html
Then save up money again for more mods later.

2) Go on vacation now to Colorado to visit friends. And save up money for the other stuff later.

3) Buy a used set of decent flowing heads, cam, and couple other small parts (I know it will be a little more than 1500) install them myself.

 

I think I figured it out. I want the fun of more power and shifting gears, so I'm going to get the swap kit, and instead of heads/cam right away I'll get new rearend gears and a cover so it'll make the car a little quicker and the rear a bit stronger. Plus if I just got the heads/cam I would probably blow my A4 again. So it'll run me about 2 grand but it will be worth it! Besides I would want a nicer set of heads/cam than 1500 would get me.

 

I say just sell the car and get another one that is a manual. You should break even. Unless you are "attached" to the car...just my $.02

 

What's the fun in that? I still owe too much on the car anyways to sell it right now. Besides I LOVE working on it so swapping to a manual is just what I need.

 

Ok in that case I agree...but for me I think it is too much work for what it is worth. I think in the long run you will save $$. Good luck with the project, I would like to get into something like that but time and garage space is limited for me knowledge too .

 

Yeah I grew up working with my hands, getting greasy and dirty. It's a passion now. When I get pissed off I go out to my car and work on it to relaxe or calm down. As for time I just make time. I'm taking a few weeks off so I should have plenty, and I don't have the space either but my friend has a huge garage with all the tools I should need besides a few specific ones. He helped me change my headers and it took us a good 12 hours but we had a BLAST! (not an entire 12 hours but start to finish, we also took breaks, had lunch, finished his railing on his deck, etc.) I don't see him often either so it's a blast to just be able to drink a few beers and tear my car apart and end up with something completely transformed. Not worrying about anything except where the tools go and hopefully nothing breaks. Knowledge is lacking here too, but I just am good with my hands and tools, and I've read pretty much damn near everything there is about swapping tranny's so if I take my time and follow the steps I should be good. Neither of us put headers on before either and we did good. It's the only way to learn completely is to just do it. And by doing all the work myself I think the price isn't too steep. People pay 5 grand to get it swapped. I'm paying 1400 for the kit plus a few extra for oil and a tune, couple other things. People pay 800-1000 to get their rearend upgraded, I can get it all for 430...done. Then later when I'm driving my car I can be happier because I started with one thing and turned it into something that I wanted for myself, by myself (and help with a few friends hehe).

-I apologize for sounding like an arguement but for me it's the best way for me to decide what I want to do, it helps me find everything that I haven't thought of yet. Thank you for the help and information though, any other ideas, any one else have ideas?

by the way, how do you like your borla?