I am new at this technology so I have a few questions that I hope can be answered here. I have a 2017 G S and would like to give it a little more power. First. turbocharge or superchager ? Second , what would be the cost? I know this has bean discussed here however the cost is wide spectrum. I am not looking to be the fastest car in town, just faster than most.
Thank you in advance

 

you're already faster than most.

a supercharger is kind of the de facto standard. turbocharging is a bit more complicated in these engine bays. you can also get a centrifugal supercharger, which is all the downsides of a turbo with all the downsides of a supercharger, but at least they're cheap!

listing out what you're looking for will likely help people give meaningful recommendations. I assume you're looking for the cheapest way to get another 100 horsepower?

 

Yes I would like 100 more HP and the cheaper the better, however I would like something that will last a few years.

 

Mine is rear mount turbo, if your wanting cheap then turbo is out of the question. But with boost what do you consider cheap. AA Centrifugal supercharger kit starts at $6000, then with tuning and install your close to $8000.00.

100hp and cheap equals nitrous. But the sound of having a turbo in the rear with blowoff up front equals many smiles.

 

Turbo is both cheapest and most expensive (depending how you price out labor and accessories) and longest lasting if you own your own fabrication shop and highly experienced welding/fabrication artist.
Factory vehicles prefer turbo for longevity and reliability.
Turbo generally offers 60% to 300% power increase depending on what the engine is capable of supporting.
But turbo is difficult to implement properly without the experience and fabrication ability to a vehicle originally unequipped with a turbo.
The very nature of the question is the answer: If you have to ask, then turbo is probably not right for you.

Supercharger is simple and effective for 40-60% power gains on any engine. They can last a long time and do no harm at that level (most engines).
They have their own issues as belt slip/maintenance and balancer force & alignment potential issues. But modern kits have most of that worked out for basic street supercharging applications with just 40-60% power increase.
Overall for novices supercharging is recommended because the packaging and DIY nature without a fabrication shop and minimal experience.

Summary
Supercharging is good for beginners, baby's first steps into forced induction.
Turbo is generally more for advanced qualified fabricators on engines looking for more than just a 60% increase in power.

 

perfect time to insert the old adage:
fast, cheap, reliable... pick the two that matter more.

based on his questions/comments, i'm fairly certain this don't apply to him.

not at that little of a power bump. start pushing 10psi or more, then yes - you'll have to address slip potential.

 

Let me ask, what are you actually planning on doing with the GS after boosting it that is different from now? Though I have built boosted cars, both turbo and supercharged for 40 years, I tend to discourage anyone who talks about price and doing so for a street car with merely a bolt-on application.

Stop and think about all the changes that every manufacturer makes on their factory supercharged vehicles. Then, ask yourself why. Such prep and a tight budget do not go together. Leave your GS normally aspirated and trade for or buy a Z06, if you just have to get blown. Believe me you will not regret it, unless all you plan on doing with a blown GS is bench-racing--then why bother; just get some emblems for the fenders. All the best, in any event.

 

Thanks to all for your advice and lots of food for thought.
Chuck

 

why not cam heads and e85?

 

IDK about you but around where I live, it isn't that it isn't available but not that many places have E85.

 

that stinks, within 5-6 miles of my house there are 3 stations that have it.

 

A stock C7 will put out a little over 400 HP to the wheels, with a Procharger and a mild 'street tune' you will see about 600HP, it comes out to 180+ HP increase at the wheel. Prochargers will start at $7k plus the install to get to those power levels at a moderate 7PSI of boost. They are self contained, last a long time, and have minimal impact on normal drivability and MPG (as long as you can stay out of the boost, LOL!!!)

IMO it's the best bang for the buck. However... if you are a never satisfied kind of person where you will do this, then want to get more and more and more power, it's not a good route. In my experience it's a 50/50 ratio. About half the people who supercharge end up being very happy and they just drive the car. The other half are chasers and end up going for more and more... those guys end up selling the supercharger and going a different route.

 

I would go centrifugal supercharger. Centrifugals provide more usable horsepower because they don’t hit so hard down low. You’ll get the same type of power delivery with a centrifugal as you would a turbo. They’re easier to install, easier to work on and they’re cheaper. Turbos are more complicated, more equipment, more wiring and you’ll be under the hood more often.

 

What do you suggest? Also, won't you be having to change the cam and maybe other things? Besides a tune.

 

Procharger and ECS make good kits, similarly priced too. I’d go with the procharger and you don’t need to change the cam or anything else. Just install it and get a tune or take it to a shop, have them install and tune it. Of course the cam and other upgrades will help but you don’t necessarily NEED them.

 

Shut up. I'm going to tell the wife that it should be done "while we are there already" because.......

 

well all that stuff's easier & more cost-effective to do while stuff's already tore apart.

 

Well, if people more knowledgeable than I think so, I probably should consider it. Call it peer pressure.

 

Just tell her it needs to be done it’ll go over her head most likely

 

I know but it is always better to say that I was an innocent boy led to misdeeds. I believe Monty Python said "It's a fair cop but society's to blame"