Just to let you relax a bit… one of the major reasons the Z feels a bit sluggish is that it has to learn (optimize) the fuel & spark curve. The ECU is set to a default “very safe” profile “map curve” when you get the car (do to the same ECU and profile being used from Alaska to Phoenix, where the climate differences are obviously a BIT different. The ECU in the new 350Z has a lot of capability to adjust it self for the conditions around where you live. (as in weather, temperatures, and the type of gas…ect). Driving the car with the gas that you will continue to use, the way you expect to drive it later on is the best thing you can do. (please do not kill me for the next comment, but… do not baby it too much either) It will show you improvements in about 800 - 1000km or about 2-3 tank fill ups.

As for the times, we did some tests, and ran 6 runs from 0-100kmh (62mph) on a cool dry day (about 10C or 50F ) no wind, between 2-4pm.

Test vehicle: ’03 350Z , performance model – loaded w/nav
Mileage: 3700km / 2300miles
¼ tank full , 94 oct gas from Sunoco,
Driver 180lbs
Gauges to measure times and speed: 2 lbs

Now for the score…. er , Times

1. 5.5sec
2. 5.32sec
3. 5.45se
4. 5.22sec
5. 5.29sec
6. 5.98sec - major burnout (sorry)

So the best is 5.22 sec from 0-100km NOT BAD in my opinion.

Yes, I do have to agree the new 350Z does not “feel” fast, but I have take on bunch of wannabe sport (race) cars, and the only one that beat me was the new 333hp M3, and not by much. The reason for the feeling “feels not as fast as I expected” is the extremely linear power / torque curve. The Z feels like you have the same power / acceleration at 2000rpm as at 6000rpm. It definitely feels much much slower then my done up WRX, but feelings (butt dyno) can be and often are deceiving.

Just my 2 cents worth….

Just give it time and enjoy the ride…. It will kill any car on the road …. just do to the looks alone !!!!

Dweeb


.

 

I have to agree that it's deceptivly fast. I've found myself pulling on to the interstate where the speed limit is 75, shifting through the gears and going for 7th (which it doesn't have) and realizing I'm doing 110.

I've also had the other end of the spectrum. I'm taking a corner thinking, "Man I took that corner fast and the Z was great", only to look my my rearview and see a land cruiser take the same corner at the same speed.

It's definitely fast, but I find the most "responiveness" between 4000 and 5000 rpm. Now that it's broken in, I rarely drive at less than 4000 rpm.

 

WOOOO 5.22sec 0-62???/

who are you? and can you offer proof? Im VERY optimistic about the Z, and its plenty fast, but I thought 5.4 was maybe the best Id see. but hey 5.22 is good too.

 

Dweeb is the name, and Geegdom is the game,....heheh ehehe...always wanted to say that aloud !!!

Sorry, just kidding... anyhooo, actually the best time came later, but it wasn't part of the test. The testing equipment was "G-Tech Competition" meter, and a friend’s laser gun hooked up to a PC. He uses it for testing at his job. He explained the way the program works with the laser is that it looks at the differences of the laser pulses...etc, way beyond me (want to call him a "rocket scientist", but he is actually jet engine engineer from Australia.)

As for proof, the only thing I can do, is video tape it. I will try to do it next time i have some spare time, and get to the track again.

Dweeb

 

while Gtech is hardly the epitomy of accuracy, it is also not THAT far off. and I assume the laser gun gave similair numbers?

I would love to see a video of the testing, or actually just a picture of the car, Gtech, and perhaps this laser setup. Im not trying to disprove you; but theres about 15minutes till someone comes in here and says B.S. as Im sure you can understand, there is some more proof needed.

 

0-60 MPH in 5.2 seconds is not slow. You need to learn how to drive this car, as explained above. Everyone needs to get used to the new electronic drive by wire throttle and allow time for break in. The numbers don't lie. Would I like more power? Yeah, about 50 - 100 more HP. But, stock the car is still FAST.

 

Well.... I was waiting for this... pictures of the car with Gtech will come next weekend or so, as I do not have a digital camera (yet !!), so I need to take pictures and have them developed, than scanned…..etc. As for James setup with the laser gun, that will be a bit harder, since he lives in Australia. But he is coming up again in April…you want to wait???

And I am not trying to prove anything, just wanted to share my experience with a Z and alleviate some doubt, someone was having regarding the performance of the Z.

Anyway I was not claiming some ridiculous times, yes they are faster than what is published (5.4sec), but not by much.
It’s called a good start: tires: Yokohama A032R (up to operating temperatures)

Dweeb

 

you want proof call the MANAGER David at Maroone Ford Delray
he has an 02 330i and his was totally broken in an we raced i toasted him and my car was just past the 1200 mile MARK...

he knows how to drive and even had the tranny chip put in his car so he was very impressed yeah we dont have the great european interior but if you want that get the beemer
the Z is a blast stop fartin around at 4000 rpms an let it rip
BRICKS Z TOP SPEED SO FAR 146 RAN OUTTA ROOM IT GETS THERE TO QUICK

 

ah so you have tread as well, any other modifications?

sounds good to me. I need to get myself one of them Gtechs, even if they arent 100% accurate, they are pretty accurate to themselves so you can atleast see the difference from one run with respect to another.

I wanna go try some 5.2sec times

did you do any quarter mile tries?

 

I think its accepted that the gtech is optimistic. Am I right raceboy?

 

transmission chip? sounds like an auto 330i. you must have wasted him (not a very tough kill though....)

 

bmw makes a pretty good tranny, I bet you couldnt shift much faster, other than benifits like power shifting and dropping the clutch... but thats not real great for the car....

 

Actually the Gtech Competition had about .0 - .1 sec difference from the Laser gun. The numbers posted were from the gun, rounded of to 2 decimal places, I didn’t think we would need any more. The gun is (as was told by James) very accurate. They use it to measure the rotational speeds and vibrations of fan blades in Turbofan plane engines or something like that… I will find out…

As for modifications, not yet…. “YET” being the term,

What will be done:
- Suspension geometry
- Quicker steering rack, working on it now…
- A bit quicker shifter (titanium) ya ya , just for show… have to do that !!!


Dweeb

 

Guys . . . all I can say is this. I don't believe a 330i is faster than a Z--there is no doubt about that. But what I have said is that the 5spd BMW 330i with 12 miles that I drove is faster than my Z w/ 7 mi. and there is no question about that either.

I'm not Mario Andretti, but I def. know how drive. Forget about all the "feel/seem fast" observations about the Z. It was not fast w/ 7 miles (+ the 10 mi. I put myself). I have test driven just about every decent car under the sun in the last few months so I have a lot of benchmarks.

Also a good guage of a car's potential in the real world is how quickly you are able to maneuver around other cars (passing, stopping, avoiding obstacles, etc.) Relative to other cars, the Z wasn't very fast at all. It's def. possible that the Z needs more of break-in to reach its full potential. So that's why I asked and from what I'm hearing, things get much better after the break-in.

That said, right now I'm leaning toward passing on this Z and instead going for an enthusiast model (and maybe even wait for VPP). The leather in my car was not properly fitted, VDC isn't crucial and I'd much rather hear the engine than the Bose stereo.

I think Larry Webster had it right in the C&D article when he said (I'm paraphrasing) that the Z is a helluva car for 27k but he'd look elsewhere at 35k.

 

bmw's slushbox isn't anything phenomenal. A decent manual driver will take it out. SMG is a different story of course. According to BMW's website, the autotragic 0-60 is 7.0 vs the manual of 6.4.

 

Well, what you said is true. But I submit that a Base Z with Michelin pilot sport a/s tires is better equipped to handle adverse weather conditions than a track z w/ the RE040's.

 

hmmm Im not so positive of that, and either way, neither should be driven in the white stuff. as for rain, my touring went through a deep puddle with VDC on, and I didnt even notice that it kicked in, the car was solid.

I only see it kick in 2 times, on is when I burn out around a turn, and second is when I completely break traction engaging second.

 

Many people have said the same thing I have. No one had higher expectations for the Z than me. I feel sorry for you if hearing something negative about the Z makes you feel insecure.

 

"After having the chance to actually spend time in the Z, it does not have the interior quality of a 35k car."


Why does everyone say the Z is a 35k car. It's not. It's a 26k car with options that bump it up. Leather is basically the only interior aesthetic change.

I want to smack everyone that says the Z doesn't perform like a 35k car. Well...it does, and its a 26k car. Looks pretty f'ing good to me.

 

I'm very open-minded when it comes to flaws in the Z. No insecurities here.