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A buddy of mine just got the new Z. He has several mods including lowered suspension and monster 20" wheels with 245 front and 275 rears. With the mods, cars looks better than other Z's I have seen. Seeing as the HP and torque numbers are close to my 993, I was excited about the opportunity to test drive it.

Interior felt more cockpit like than the 993. However, the gauges were more confusing and the whole interior was too busy. The throws on the shifter felt short but I was not sure whether I was in gear or not. Car handled great but I was very cautious looking for any road imperfections with those 20" wheels. Lastly, I was hugely disappointed with the acceleration! I was expecting the same seat of the pants sensation as my 993 but it did not feel nearly as quick. Could be the much larger diameter wheels, but there just wasn't anything there.

Overall, a great car for the money and without having driven a 993 prior, it would probably impress most. However, I have driven a 993 prior. Porsche, there really is no substitute.

Memphomaniac

Couldn't agree more............

RT7

Hmmm... I took one for a spin on a short course auto-x at the BF Goodrich event in California Speedway and I was surprised by the amont of power and acceleration and it was an automatic too. I guess it all depends on each individual's expectation. Of course, no comparison to our 993.

24FPS

seems like i read somewhere early on that the car would be a let down to "z" enthusiast... as it was not a real new car. so------------> i'm not surprised.

you get what you pay for. i'd do a used 911 anyday over a nissan.

!!!!

nota_troll

For the record I like 350Zs. It is a neat looking car but still a bit pricey for me. If it were my money I'd be buying the Mitsubishi Evolution ALL day long.

24FPS - I almost bought a 2001 BMW M Coupe (http://www.368s.com) before 993. Boy am I glad I didn't (even though I LOVE those cars)

Michael-Dallas

The 350z, G35 sedan/coupe, and FX are built on Nissan's RWD platform (that's shortened and more reinforced). The Altima, Maxima, and Murano are built on Nissan's FWD platform.

I was impressed w/ the 350z enough to sell my modified 300ZX twin turbo for one. The factory understeer is too much for the open track, but the NISMO S-Tune suspension (sway bars, springs/struts) fixes that.

All the Porsche guys that have driven mine on the open track are impressed w/ it, but, yes, it's no 911.

Michael.

Cupcar

I just bought a 350Z Enthusiast and paid, after negotiation, $30,379.71 as they say: "out the door" with all taxes and license fees. My Z has Xenon lights, and a limited slip differential and traction control plus a lot of other bells and whistles not on the "Base" model. About $2000 less than I paid would have gotten me the "Base" model another $5000 would have gotten me the "Track" model with Brembo brakes, 18" forged alloy wheels with performance tires and a stability management system. The Z is faster than a Boxster but not quite as quick as a Boxster S, for around $25,000 less than an S. I think the Z's acceleration is a little less than the advertised 287 HP would deliver in a car of this weight but otherwise the thing is nearly perfect. The air conditioning is the best of any car I have ever owned and better than my new Mercedes.

The design of the Z is amazing for the money. It has an aluminum hood, a carbon fiber drive shaft and the suspension is a true independent with upper and lower control arms in the front and a multilink arrangement in the rear. The suspension is composed of forged aluminum links and uprights save for 2 links made of tubular steel in the rear. The stabilizer bars are tubular. The engine is an all aluminum OHC 60 degree V6 with variable cam timing, 4 valves per cylinder. The trans is a 6 speed aluminum unit.

I bought the the Z for my daily driver as my Porsche Cup has evolved to the point where such things as it's aluminum hood and many of it's other parts are no longer available so the car has become more of a collector piece, besides I have made changes that make it more of a track than a street car.

The Z's handling is understeer all the way but as others have noted the Nismo suspension kit will cure this. The body is tight and there are no squeaks or rattles. The gearbox shifts great on my car and the ratios are well chosen. The engine sound is great.

The Nismo (Nismo is Nissan's performance arm) performance parts catalog has a bunch of cool stuff available from the dealer for reasonable money that could transform the car, for around $10,000 I could have a lot of stuff like cams, headers, oil cooler,forged alloy wheels, different LSD, special suspension plus a Brembo upgrade etc. It looks like installing the Nismo suspension will take me about 4 hours or so, the design is so good for this. Why doesn't Porsche offer a performance parts catalog like this????


I had dinner last night with a Nissan executive who told me they are selling around 4000 Z's a month and that it is the most successful sports car ever in the USA.... Porsche has some homework to do in my opinion. I could't bring myself to pay the price for the latest hardware from Porsche with it's lackluster engine and gearbox design when I could get the Z for so much less and have more money to spend on Porsche parts, sorry Porsche.

nota_troll

Cupcar - on your new ride.

Rezal

While I think the new Z is good value, I'm still a fan of the last 300ZX looks. Of course, since I used to own a Twin Turbo, I'm biased!

I fear that the Z's new edge stying would start looking old in about a year or so. The G35 Coupe has better styling, IMHO. Attempts to make the new Z look better with bodykits has only made it look worse.

Chipset

I actually like the lines of the 350Z. The problem I have with many Japanese cars, especially Nissans, is their inability to hold up well after time. Almost all cars degrade with time. However, look at a 10 year old Porsche then look at a 10 year old 300Z. The Z has a lot more problems.

nota_troll

Japanese cars will never grow old gracefully. I remeber reading about the NSX and Porsche's response was it will look dated.

Even though the body hasn't changed much it still looks old.

Steve 96C4S

Here, here about Japanese styling (not that there's anything wrong with it - but...timeless?" - can you imagine what people are going to say about the new Maxima 5 years from now? To me, it's kind of hideous now, even though the car mags all rave about it. The front end especially is atrocious to me. I can't figure out what the heck they see in it? I loved the styling of my 90 and 96 Maximas, but the new one? I don't get it?

I have NEVER seen a Porsche I didn't like - ok, let me rephrase that, I've never seen a 911/912/356 I didn't like the styling of, even decades later when I see them on the street. When I was out yesterday revving my 993 as high as possible (under the guarded instructions of my repair shop )), when I saw a pristine bright red 356 that knocked my socks off and gave me a bit of neck strain as I followed it with my eyes. I can't imagine that happening with a 350Z 5-10 years from now, but I am very P-Car biased (like most of us are) I guess. I had a 72 240Z once in college and loved that ole thing - fugly lime green and so much rust that you could see the road under the floor mats! Fast as heck, though. That car, compared to a 72 911 - which would you prefer to stare at?

Steve

User 4621

After taking a friend of mine to his first track day at Laguna Seca a while back, he decided he needed a new car. The cars that landed within his buying parameters were the WRX STi, Evo, and 350Z. After driving all 3, he ended up buying...the G35 Coupe. Similar setup to the 350Z Track (big Brembo's, wheels, etc), but IMO far better looking, and dealer's that treat you very well instead of like a wallet with legs.

Also, Nissan's pricing is weird, in that the G35 similarly equipped is no more expensive that the 350Z, yet has higher content and a far better interior. Go figure.

nota_troll

As in my earlier post my money would be on the Evolution all day long. Car will run circles around a 350Z. Hell it's as quick as any 911.

The refinement isn't there nor the cache but it's one hell of a car.

A friend brought his RHD 22B (http://www.22b.com) to the track. I got to drive it around the track. That car is wicked!! Takes practice shifting with the left hand.

User 4621

nota_troll,

Yeah, my friend was very tempted by the EVO, he also felt it probably had the best overall performance by a small margin of the 3 cars that he drove. But he was looking for more of a GT type car he would enjoy on long road trips as well as storming around Lime Creek Road. He described the EVO as feeling like a $16K econobox with $20K of mods. (which is pretty much what it is)

Sure would make a decent track car though.