Looking for thoughts from people who have driven both a supercharged and a turbocharged 8. I don't want to turn this into a theoretical debate of "which one is better" as there are plenty out there already.

I'm looking for the subjective "how does the drive feel" comparison between the two, and any intricacies of both setups that you normally wouldn't think of until you drive it.

Thanks

 

This is a powder keg waiting to go off.

Look, no offense but your question really isn't a very good one. Not all SC systems are created equal, and not all turbo systems are either. Asking if anybody has driven a car with one of each is like asking somebody if they've eaten both vegetables and fruit without caring what kind of either. It doesn't make sense.

If you want opinions about the various kits that are available, I'd suggest you ask people that have had experience with those.

 

And, really, a testimonial is not going to tell you what you need. You need to do it yourself.
Seriously, if you are going to drop a wad of cash on FI, what would a little road trip be worth just to make sure you know what you are getting into.
Look at all the dyno days going on.
Jump into on of those threads and fly/drive out and get some seat time.
That $200 will go a long way to assuring you that you are making the right $6k decision.

 

Avas matie, Pitchfork ready on the port side...
Ha just kiddin,,, There both cool,,, I like them both,(subjective responce)

 

Exactly, you wouldnt buy a car without a test drive would you??? and FI is as expensive as some cars these days,,,

Also Dynos arent subjective... hehe he

 

No, but reading and interpreting them apparently is.

 

true, especially the power and torque curve differences...

 

Yes.

As I've noted elsewhere (and Taj has quoted in his SIG; lol), power is useless and crap.
You can't "feel" power.

Torque is everything and the dyno shows this perfectly.

 

No way, screw actual force delivered at the tires, I just want a dyno sheet that says 800HP to impress my friends with.

 

yup,,,
OP if your not sure what Jeff is reffering to he means-
TCs give out much more torque and thus give you a beefier sensation
Where a SC will retain more of the feel you have with NA less torqier but power is very smooth and gradual.
If that makes sense... Im trying to as objective in describing a subjective review

 

I can photoshop you one if you want just send me an image,,,,

 

 

Well, not always. It can be those different power delivery profiles for either device.
It depends on a whole slew of other variables beyond how the device is powered.

 

What are your comments on this article?

http://www.yawpower.com/tqvshp.html

 

One of my fav-es.

 

Torque is still the more interesting curve for both engine given in the example. But it's the entire curve that matters, not a peak number. Saying "My car makes 500 ft/lbs" is totally meaningless. Almost just as meaningless is saying "My car makes 500HP." A full plot for the engine's entire RPM range is what is needed to really evaluate... also keep in mind that a torque vs. RPM plot can be derived from horsepower vs. RPM plot, and visa versa, so it doesn't matter which you have... but personally I find it much easier to evaluate a torque curve.

 

Its exactly dead-on. In explaining horsepower, that is.

However, it has nothing to do with the driving experience.

Most of us get the concept of HP. What is not well understood is the effect of the "area under the curve" of the torque line on a dyno plot.

When I tune (and I'm not alone on this), I turn the HP display off.
I only leave it up on dyno days because people are so obsessed with it.
Its meaningless.

 

If you understand them both; I guess it doesn't really matter - but I always think in terms of work = acceleration = movement; all dynamic properties.

Torque = Force measured as a static property. But again; if you know them both it doesn't matter.

The more important thing is to stop people for aiming for a specific number; and looking at graph shapes; not just the area under the curve - but the shape of the curve itself.

 

Well, yeah, but they are inextricably linked.
And the torque curve isn't typically a ramp like power is, so it is difficult to get a torque curve that earns the label of "peaky" the way a HP plot does.

 

stay on track fellers,, how it feels

 

Just to clarify, when people are saying "shape of the curve" you're talking about a flatter curve vs a peaky one right?

 

Feels like a 320 WHP; 220 lb/ft+ car..... I get to go WOT maybe once a week; I never need more power than I have - you push the go pedal and you go.... that simple.

I would imagine that the SC would feel about the same - with more of the momentum type driving preserved and less of a V8 feel down low....

 

That is part of it - then there is the totally flat torque curve - aka Pettit; vs a mountain-ish looking one like the 3071R.... all of these things matter. Just look at a 1000HP supra dyno and you'll understand that.

 

^^^yeah that...

 

exactly --good info here--the most important is get to an area that has some prepared vehicles and drive them. My *** tells me more than a piece of paper.
I havent driven a turbo'ed rx8. I do know that a well tuned turbo system is jsut as good as any other fi system out there.
I like the s.c for because for me i understand it better--so it is easier to troubleshoot, set up and maintain---for me.
t does change the car---a hell of a lot.
OD