bigworm521

I need advice - What is the big difference besides leather seats and Bose system?

I've heard bad things about Bose and would probably change the system anyway - so are the leather seats that much better? Need advice from current owners - thanks!

jackie chan

iTrader: (1)

i am more comfortable in the touring than the enthusiast. the seats allow for more adjustability in the touring at least up until 2005, now its a 8 way manual adjustable seat where I think it was only 6 way before.

the touring has:
power leather heated seats
VDC
bose which of course gives you rds, satellite prewired, 7 speaker, 6 disc
active brake limited slip

also 18 inch wheels are standard on the 6spd touring where you only get the 17s on the enthusiast

FLZ

Go to www.nissanusa.com and do a cyber build to compare....Real simple and no cost.....Dave

kbirdsong

The bose sucks. It was the first thing i replaced. The heated leather is nice, but you can get leather for $500 if you don't mind them not being heated. I own both a touring coupe and a enthusiast roadster. My coupe is an 03 and my roadster is an 04. Guess you can see what i learned from my first purchase.

dirtyelk

iTrader: (1)

i like the enthusiast because u can put custom leather in and custom stereo urself for less money and it will look better go w/ the enthusiast as it has a tcs any way almost the same as vdc, and they both have the limited slip differential

ssc

iTrader: (1)

other than bose/leather...the touring has: seat warmers, 18"wheels, vdc..i think these are things that you dont really need or can add later (except vdc).
i say save your money for aftermarket stuff and go for enthusiast

NzZ

The enthusiast is a great bang for the buck no doubt....and if you're planning on redoing things in the Z it's probably the way to go. That said, I haven' seen an aftermarket leather job that looks 1/2 as good as the factory's - they all look "loose" and most of the kits have the shiny plasticky leather that adorns caddies.

As for the bose it is certainly not up to par with a good aftermarket system, but it does offer a lot of features and sounds ok for a stock system. It is nice to have an in dash 6cd (those guys are expensive!)...and unlike most of the aftermarket setups the Bose system doesn't compromise cargo space. Not too many head units look good in the Z either.

VDC is pretty useful, I'm sure it's saved my butt a couple of times.

NzZ

FLZ

Not sure about the '05 models but on the '04 Touring, the 18s are an option, not standard.....Also, those who say the Bose sucks have to be extreme music afficianados, or have to have those stereos that shake the neighborhood.....The Bose for the average music lover is as nice or nicer than most audio systems in any factory brand.....

Skrill

differences between the Enthusiast and Touring.

One is heavy -- the other is fat pig.

I went with lighter model as it had everything that met my needs.

As for Bose vs. standard stereo -- other than the 6-disc -- I certainly cannot tell a significant difference.

NzZ

Heavy vs fat pig? LOL Let's not get a little over-dramatic here. 50 lbs? I bet most Z drivers are 50lbs heavier than me. I don't even see the hardcore track racers trying to drop 50lbs. Hell by the time the stereo guys have added their stuff the car is probably 100lbs heavier. The 50lbs would amount to nothing. Mental advantage? perhaps.

As for the bose, it's worlds better than the stock to my ears. When the stock stereo is cranked loud it sounds awful. The bose sounds a lot better at high volumes. I'd definitely agree that a good aftermarket system is way way better.

NzZ

orhanz33

i'm glad i do NOT have VDC and the tire pressure monitors...

VDC can not be fully disengaged by pushing the button to turn it off... i think someone figured out a way to turn it off, but you have to disconnect something

and if you plan on swapping your wheels, you have to put TPS monitors on the new wheels or else you'll keep getting a warning light/beeping or something like that... i don't know if anyone has come up with a fix for this

i wish leather was an option for the enthusiast, but it's not that big of a deal

Skrill

50 and 100 lbs are big weight penalties. And the touring is 60 lbs heavier. Yes -- Fat Pig is a bit much. But don't kid yourself. The extra weight translates to a penalty in every facet of performance (acceleration, braking and cornering).

I have not weighed my Z yet -- but I am hoping to be down to 3100 lbs by the time I am done (and that is w/o stripping interior). I am not sure if I want to do that yet.

And the stock radio if fine with me. Then again -- I am usually listening to NPR news. If you really care that much about music -- you'll replace the stock unit anyway.

Dankkx1

iTrader: (-1)

This might be a biased opinion but, id take the touring over an enthusiast becuase, 60lbs heavier big deal the cars fast enough for me anyways and inside you got all the luxurious features... and the optional nav is also a good feature. i like to bose stereo i think it sounds really good for stock just my .02 cents

Skrill

I totally respect your opinion. It depends on what you want the car for. For me the Z is not a daily driver or luxo cruiser -- it's a sports car that will see good deal of track time. I don't need any luxury doo-dads adding weight. I want as lightweight and as simple as possible. For me -- the Enthusiast fits the bill. If the base had Xenons -- I would have gotten it. That is the one option I really wanted.

For the me the Enthusiast fits my needs. I don't want leather as the cloth grips better and is better for the track. Power seats, nav and upgraded stereo add wieight. I don't care about the stereo -- base unit sound fine. I added stoptechs and SSR comps for big rubber and big brakes.

And I say again -- hauling an extra 60 lbs is a lot. 60 lbs is probably about the weight of a full tank of gas. I certainly notice the difference between when I full and when I am getting empty. Weight is the performance killer.

FLZ_Boy

Depends what you want out of the Z. On a cost stand point:

Enthusiast if you plan to squeeze more performance out of it and modify it to some extent.

Tourng if you plan very limited mods and just want a spin around the town.

foochdawg

iTrader: (1)

The TPS is on all models in '05. Also, what do you mean that VDC can not be fully disengaged? Does it hinder performance. I researched this car for over 6 months before I put in my order for a Performance and heard someone mention this but everyone else denied it. Could you explain what exactly "stays on" when you shut off the VDC button? Is it a noticable difference between when the VDC is on or off? Or does it pretty much just ignore you and do what it wants?

zbrid

I have a touring, and I think the bose sound fine.

I think the best sound is coming out of my exhaust!!

that the tune I like!!

The Brickyard Rat

iTrader: (1)

People always reply to this type of question as if there is a right/wrong answer.

Answer is a question: are the extra features worth the extra cost to you?

For differences in models, go look it up on the Nissan site.

sentry65

iTrader: (11)

If you fully disengage (disconnect) VDC, you lose your ABS as well...

dirtyelk

iTrader: (1)

the enthusiast i think is better for the money because it has all the accesories you need like a limited slip and tcs, but like brickyard said if u think the few extra features are worth the cost then do what will make you happy