I have seen two-tone 350Zs before and hated them. But yours is more restrained. Maybe its the black over silver that works well. Sharp.

 

Brains, naaaaaaaaa who needs them at that speed your
car does all the thinking for you automatically!

 

Agreed, however I think the new heads/block/internals will be more important than just the new hp --- the potential for creating more power will be greater with the new HR motor and thats the best part of the coming Z in my mind

For those of us who have a current Z its a bit of a toss us to build the Z we have or trade it in for something laying in the wings like the new Supra/GTR etc....until they come out if you can --- hold off and see what becomes of the new rides

If you went out and bought a used Z for 18K youd be pretty happy with it --- a few mods and the car would be plenty for basic fun ---- if you want a street racer look elsewhere or bring $$$$ the Z isnt cheap to make extremely fast but when its done, it looks damn good doing it

 

i'm also considering a 350Z. Just not sure if it'll be anywhere near as fun as my S2000 is/was (i got hit n run'd). it's not a fast car in my books but then again neither was the S. I like the Z for it's refined look and comfort though. doesn't come off as a raw sports car but still something decent.

 

I see that all the time. the Z may not be the best in every way, but it is the best all around car for the money.

 

your tail lights say it all

 

NO the Z is a slow car, and theres no point modding it, unless ur gonna SC it or Turbo it. I have a 03 Track, and I think its slow.

 

its quantity not quality!

+1 the z is very respectable for a 6cyl sports coupe, its faster and handles better that a new mustang GT.

 

What were you driving before the Z to make you think it is slow. It is if you are used to a Z06.

 

the outside of the z is the main attraction of the Z IMO.

if the exterior is the most important aspect, get a Z.

pros: 1 looks great both outside and inside...
2 semi-fast stock
3 one of the best shifters (shift feel) in price range


cons: 1 RWD,
2 no space (if you are using it as a daily driver)
3 unless going fi (forget the warranty), hard to make big power
4 comparitely expensive...i.e. most of the cars sub $30k are now coming w/ power seats, premium audio (w/ aux inputs) etc.
5 NISSAN'S NISMO is a joke compared to Subaru's autotechnica, and mazda speed
6 depending on the service dealership ... mods are almost a no - no except if they are Nismo.
7) considerable depreciation. Z's are a dime a dozen, and RWD is no fun in the winter.



IMO... 300 hp na and 300 hp fi is a totally different feeling.

if you think that someday, you may want to add a few more ponies, a stock fi car, as you know is way easier to mod w/ instant results.


I, like the other poster, think that the WRX should have been my choice.

 

I bought the Z because it was fun to drive. The steering feel is excellent and it has that great RWD handling balance. Even though it doesn't feel THAT much faster than my old turbo'd celica (thought the Z is actually a lot faster), the difference between the two cars is night and day. If you're just gonna floor it every now and then, maybe you should get something else (GTO or evo/sti). However if you're all about the twisties/track work the Z is an excellent all arounder. It feels like a true sports car without beating the crap out of you. Basically i'm saying all out speed matters a lot less than fun. And the Z is a lot of fun.

 

This is the first time I have ever heard that RWD is bad. If you want to drive in the snow and pack a bunch of stuff buy a SUV.

 

I could not agree more. Who would buy a Z with snow or cargo space in mind?

However, I am here specifically because I want to get info on the Z to see if it's worth a purchase, and some good points have been made.

A common theme that I'm seeing here and in the rest of these forums is that the Z is slow and therefore it is expensive to modify for significant power. Being a Z n00b, I'm not sure how prevalent this sentiment really is among owners.

Contrasts with the STI do seem valid but only to a point. Subaru markets the WRX AWD system as a performance feature but then applies it to a car that is jacked up (like all Subarus) as if it's made exclusively for running the Iditerod. The STI's Fisher Price-inspired lower body additions only enhance the impression that one could roll a bowling ball under it. That combined with the aesthetic abortion of a wing and econobox style only serve to make the car look like a $34K parody of an '80s riced-out Honda Civic.

Obviously the Z doesn't suffer from that visual fate, but the Subaru Boxer engine does put out great power and the AWD system is impressive. So the obvious question is which car handles better? Can an STI out-corner a Z? The Z appears to have more of a sportscar layout with a more amidship design and the wheels on the corners while the STI teeters on it's short wheelbase accentuated by poor engine placement, but does all of that translate to an overall handling advantage for the Z?

Then there is the issue of weight. While the STI at least has somewhat of an excuse for its 3351 lb mass, since it's basically a 4-door any-sedan with a heavy drivetrain, why does the Z weigh the same, despite all of Nissan's advertised weight savings from aluminum and carbon fiber?

Beyond that, the Z's packaging options seem to be designed to spread the good stuff out among the fluff. I'd probably like a fairly stripped-down version of the car, possibly to modify, but is it worth going to the Enthusiast package to get the LSD or the Track package to get the Brembos? What about the VDC? Will the GTS be worth the $40K?

 

nondezkrypt: if people think high 13's stock is slow I guess the Z is slow. My car has a pop charger and borla exhaust (the stock exhaust is about as effecient, I just changed for the sound) and I run 13.70 - 13.8 at the drags.
I have a 5AT touring and I don't take anything out of it so it is heavy. At the drags I will smoke a stock WRX with a passenger in my car. I beat most WRX STI's because they bog at the starting line, but if they don't it is a good race.

On a road course I am all over most STI's, (yes, I run an 5AT on the track in manual mode) but I have a Nismo S suspension and used to have a SCCA comp lic. A lot of this stuff is about the driver. There is a guy on the board that I drag race with that has an essentially stock Z that consistanly turns 13.4 at the drags. I don't think anyone would say that is slow for a stock car.

VDC takes the fun out of driving so I don't have it. You don't need Brembo's unless you track it or want the look. The stock brakes stop faster until they get hot. I put on rotora's because of the tracking.

I like STI's especially if they change the trunk and don't have that big *** basket handle spoiler on the back. they are good cars but the Z looks a lot better and is a sports car. sports cars are not made to be practical. There is no room in it to haul things.

it is true that you can make an STI much faster for a lot less money than you can the Z. it is an individual decision. I love my Z and I have had a lot of faster cars than this car. it does everything very well in stock form, but maybe isn't the best in everything, but neither are any of the other cars in this price range.

 

Thanks much. That was helpful feedback.

Given your experience, do you think that the >=Sport package is worth it?

Also, how much handling improvement from the aftermarket can you get vs. that of an STI?

 

I have a 03 so I don't know what you get in the sport package. The Nismo S suspension made a tremendous difference. I changed wheels and tires too and that made a difference. I am running light 17" wheels and Michlin Pilot Sports.
255/275. it's funny because most people think I have 18"s because of the way the wheels look, the front bumper I have and the 1" drop.

I am not familiar with the WRX suspension so I don't know what the aftermarket suspension will do in terms of improvement. I would guess that it wouldn't be cheaper than anything you do to the Z though since you have to change the same things.

 

Although an auto beauty contest isn't what I'm going to base my decision on, that is just a commendably funny and true line. If you have to explain what makes a car cool in order to sell the idea that it's cool to the lay person, then you've already lost the battle.