By the end of this year, i plan to pay off some debts and buy a car.
I currently hav a maxima and simply love it. Ive always loved the Z but also love cars and performance in general.

1.With NO disrespect intended, Id like to know if you were NOT A 350z fan, and had the money to buy either a sububru STI or a 350z, what would it be and why?


2. STOCK, off the line im sure an STI can take a Z if im not wrong, but GENERALLY speaking, If i had lets say $10,000 extra....where would I get more HP AND PERFORMANCE for my buck?? on the z or sti?

3.im reading the sti forums too, just dont know which car is going to be more durable, reliable etc.

 

1: Z - looks better and is still pretty fast. Great overall value I think. If I want to go fast, I take my brother's STi out for a spin :-) But if he wants to impress a girl on dates, he borrows my Z.

2: STi

 

1. i test drove both and liked the Z better. overall feel and luxury is better (for me) then the sti.

2. 10k will go farther on the sti because they take to mods very well, but with an extra 10k on the Z you will have a pretty powerfull car that looks ten time better then the STI

3. depends on what year you get. 03 Z (like mine) are prone to more problems then the 04, 05. just read up on the problems.


overall the Z has a style all to its own that i fell in love with. but you are going to have to make up your own mind on that one. Test drive them both back to back and see for yourself

 

1) 350z

2) STi

 

I see them as 2 very different cars, so it really depends on what you want. We're talking a fast 4 door or a 2 seater. The STi, as a turbo, will always respond better to mods. AWD is nice for the snow, but you live in GA so that doesn't really matter.

Styling is in the eye of the beholder, but I prefer the 350z. I definitely think the Subie is hot too, but I always think "ricer" when I see them. I think they attract more of that crowd as opposed to the 350z.

If you liked driving the z better, I think you have your anwswer already

 

The way i see it you are in a win-win situation. Both are excellent cars. At the
end of the day it's your $$ and you should spend them on the choice you feel
will bring you the most bang for your buck based on what is most important to
you. i'm the kind of guy who values performance and looks equally i admit.

on that there are just some high performance cars i would never buy because i
can't get past the looks. and let's be honest, we buy sports cars not simply for
performance but the looks we get while driving them.

You either love or hate the look of the STi. As far as acceleration and speed, it
goes so far but becomes purely academic if you never intend to push either car
at the track. you can only do so much on your local highway or road before find
yourself wrapped around a pole, another car or in jail.

 

You should be asking yourself what you want and not us. Pure performance, go with the STi. If you want performance and style, go with the Z. I was where you were before I got the Z. I figured I couldn't really floor it redline everywhere I went so I went with the Z cuz I thought it looks better, in motion or not.

 

roguelite, i guess i understand your view.
I live in the chicagoland area and to me what im personally looking for is something with :
1- durability
2-looks
3-performance.

Im goin on 25, Im gonna earn and save hardcore after i get the car and im planning on settling down by 28 or 29 MAX. So i figure in these 3-4 years I have left, I REALLY dont want to spend spend more than $15k on mods AFTER i pay for the car.
But then I just got in the corporate world, so I work 40-50 hours a week... travel a lot, go out when I can, bodybuild and have all these other interests/goals.

I guess it all boils down to is getting a good balance of durability, performance and looks. 350z looks better than a STI anyday, no doubt there....durability, both are japanese but which one has LESSER problems especially with heavy feet ppl like me? and lastly, IF I GET MODS, which i kinda doubt cuz of my lifestyle, where would I get more for my buck?


Still being confused as I write this, i think its gonna come down to what looks nicer and IF i decide to get mods on a Z, how much is it gonna take to kill a STI. lol....tryin to get best of everything.


i sincerely respect and appreciate everyones response here.

 

FYI

Go to streetfire.net

In there you will find a video of stock Z's VS. Stock STI's. The Z edges them out. But that won't happen all the time if you find a STI owner willing to pound the **** out of there car.

 

If you want a fairly plain car, that will not turn any heads, go with the STI. Sti will win on the drag strip, however the Z is still a fast, fun car.

If you aren't only concerned with drags, and want a car with kicka$$ appeal and looks like the bad boy on the block, then 350Z, hands down, IMHO.

 

yea im kinda leaning more toward that myself. im not a track person. Just want some good speed, control,looks and maybe some mods if i can afford it.

just out of curiousity, has any modified Z beaten a MODIFIED STI?

 

That's a pretty tough question. I really like the STI but when I bought my 350Z I bought it because I like Nissan and they were "market adjusting" the STI's like crazy. I would say that the STI is faster and with all wheel drive and 4 doors more practical. However, it's already pretty modded out and really it is a lot more than you could get a Z for because there aren't as many used ones. If buying a new one they are pretty comparable price wise. However, it kind of comes down to what you want. If you want a car simply because it's faster stock go with the STI. I went with the 350Z because of it's heritage and the beauty of the car. I know it's not the fastest thing on the road but I still love it cuz it's a Z.

 

corporate=350z

 

Yeah, I would say the Z is definitely more sophisticated than the STI.

 

Since your already asking other people go with the Z. The Z car is made for those people who like the opinion of others since most other people love the Z. If you dont care what other people think then get the STI bc no one will care when you pull up in your 4 door econo box look-alike except for all of us gear heads.

 

I say this, if you want to get challenged at every red light by 16 yr old kids, get the STI. It screams, Im looking for a race!!! If you want to pull into a nice club with a lady on your side and drop your car off at a Valet next to M3, Porsche, Vettes, Ferrari, get the Z. Blends in nicely. If its groceries your worried about carrying in the Z, you will be surprised how much stuff you can fit in our little Z. I once fot 350$ in groceries comfortably in the Z with 1 set of golf clubs in the back also. lol BEN

 

a car with a factory turbo will almost always cheaper to see gains on compared to a NA car...

These cars drive complete different you should go test drive both and you will fall in love with one of them.

EDIT:

just wanted to add that an STI w/ 15k in mods would be pretty damn insane... you asked how many mods you need to beat the STI? you can beat a stock one from a roll with basic bolt ons but since the STI can be modded pretty cheap too if you run into a modded STI you will be in just as much trouble. I don't know for sure but I would be willing to bet a Z+15k in mods would be slower than a STI + 15k mods but both would be pretty insane...

 

Well I think the STI takes to mods a little better but in the long run the 350z is cheaper to mod. You have a lot less drivetrain problems with the Z than the STI. AWD and lots of hp is killer on the trans I went through 2 trannys myself. But all in all I think it comes down to personal preference. It's hard to get over the feeling of a awd launches but the 350z is a much different beast and the only car in my price range that can compare with the suby. But also im a big guy and I think the 350z interior is much more inviting. I was like wtf how can this be. We cant make the decision for you. You have to figure out what YOU are lookn for in a car that fits your style.

 

I have had the STi, modded it, and passed on it. I currently own a heavily modded EVO and a brand new 05 350Z Track.

Out of all three cars, there is no car I'd rather drive daily than the Z. I live in cali and I don't need the "boy racer" attention. You won't get that with the Z because it is a more sofisticated "gentlemans sportscar". If you do some reading on here, you'll find out that Zs are making even more power (modded) than many modded STis, and at lower boost levels. Getting it to the ground is harder without the AWD, but the Z is respectable out of the box and can be a beast when modded. Handling is great and can be vastly improved with wider tires and a good coilover setup with swaybars. The 350Z is very nimble and in my opinion, the most fun to drive because of its layout.

Yes, the STi is faster stock, and it takes to mods well, although not nearly as well as the EVO. The problem with the STi is that it feels like you are driving a bus. It "feels" heavy and sluggish. Steering has been improved, but is still light years away from optimal. While the STi's EJ257 is stronger than the WRX's EJ20, it is nothing to write home about with its stock pistons. Going to the semi closed deck hepled a bit over the WRX open deck.

The EVO. Wow, what a machine. This thing was really meant for a track. It feel so nimble and you'll get out of the car and forget its a four door. If you're concerned about taking mods well, than the EVO is the winner, hands down. I make 460whp daily on my EVO's stock motor and stock head with cams. That is at 24psi on 91 octane. I've made 565whp on on 110 octane. I haven't tried for much more although the turbo (GT35R) will go way further, especially on C16. I just think that mid 500's is a good place for a well tuned stock motor EVO. One of my clients makes 731whp, but he is on a built motor.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but c'mon, the 350Z looks better than the other two, hands down. There really is no comparison there.

I say go 350Z.

 

great post STFU thanks for the info