[darkpuppet]

I would venture to say that unless your daily driver is a tow truck, that working on your own engine is a bitch.

also, I would say that worrying about compressor maps and engine VE is not necessary at your point in the game. You're going to be so far out in undiscovered country with just fabbing your own header/FMIC/ etc, that you're best to just get a turbo that everyone else is using for your HP needs.

I would go with a good starter turbo that everyone else is running, and when you want to get all fancy-schmancy with a custom turbo and high HP numbers, then sell what you started with, and buy new.

The thing is worrying about individual compressor maps, and the stock engines VE in relation to them is going to lead you to the path of 'most expensive turbo'.. stick with what is cheap and what works. And besides, the credit card companies get large enough Christmas bonuses from just myself :P