i was gonna build my own. i still might..i have a list of everything i plan(ed) on getting and it's all priced out. 3500 including tuning(no cheap ass ghetto parts either). should be 240+whp when finished, stock internals.
but to DIY you pretty much need access to a shop/welder(which not many people have) to do your manifold/down pipe also a lift helps A LOT.
you don't really need pipe bending skills since you can buy enough random aluminum bends from racing-solutions for $45 then cutting and welding to look nice instead of tons of rubber clamps.
and the lame response goes to...
uh... reliability... quality.... you could do it yourself... but its like carving a wheel out of a rubber block.. it can be done.. but why?
lol
have fun paying tom $5g's for a turbo kit that you will most likely, destroy your trans with, while i take the 2g's i save for a fully built one. and how is it a reliability issue if it's done correctly with high quality parts??
jgs manifold kit w/ some beefy homemade welds. hook up my gt28rs, run some braided oil lines, get a nice stainless steel 2.5" down pipe, 2.5" aluminum IC piping, a good fmic, high quality rubber clamps, a good BOV, a good MAF + tube, the correct injectors, step colder plugs, then spend the $20 for ford racing wires, xcal2 w/ PRP(professionally tuned), a wideband 02, J&S, good EBC, then if you want a turbo timer, and EGT, and some extra gauges if you like to look at lights in your car at night.
oh and FYI if you spend a grand on a DIY kit have fun spending 3grand for a new motor. or barely get any power from it. junkyard turbo kits are fun builds for a show like pinks but not a good idea for a DD. tuning alone will cost you $500 at least. maybe if you get a bunch of good deals you'll be able to do it say if you find a wrecked dsm or evo w/ good components. but 1000 on parts and no tune is not really a good idea. also running a J&S should be required almost if you don't want to pay for a good dyno tune. but then again J&S is like $500 there goes your budget.