Hi, my name is Josh and im new on the boards as you can tell by this is my first post, anways im currently looking to purchase a Z...I was looking for an 03 or an 04 and had a few questions. I have been doing some research but not sure if they are correct cause i have seen different answers.

First i was wondering if the Track version is the only one with 300 hp or if they are more or if they all just have 287?

And what are the big differences in the different versions and which would you all suggest I get.

o yea sorry if this is already in another thread, if it is you can just give me a link.

anything will do thanks

Josh

 

Hey josh, welcome to the board!
Track version is where you get cloth seats, vdc, tcs and all those goodies for "track" purposes.

the 300 hp is for the REV-up motors which are 05 anniversary addition and the 06 350z's

the 287hp with more torque are the 03-05's

and the new 306 or 307hp (around there) are the new dual intake VQHR 2007 350zs

You have to ask yourself a couple of questions.

1. Do you want leather, crappy bose system, heated seats, and luxury items (Also this comes with VDC TCS)? Get a touring

2. If you want TCS,LSD and small stuff to get you rolling. get an enthusiast/performance.

3. If you think your going to spend a lot of money on this car, then get a base.

4. If you want all that track necessities with brembo brakes. get that a track.

But if you want the luxury + track , get the grand touring!

Also test out the 06 , 03-05's, and 07 to make ur decision

 

Welcome. Complete specifications for each year and each model can be found here: http://www.nissanhelp.com/.

 

03-05's(except the 05 35th anniversary) all have the the same exact engine...there is no difference.

06's got the Hp bump but they also lost a bit of tq and the performance differences between an 03 and 06 will be negligible.

 

thanks guys for the info,

and one more question for now..

Does the Bose sound system sound good or is it crap?

 

i think it's pretty good, but i have my ipod hooked up through it...everyone else will probably say it's crap, and honestly a decent aftermarket setup will probably be better.

 

Way to tell:

Base: no controls on steering wheel
Enthuiast: TCS but no leather or Bose
Performance: VDC but no leather or Bose
Touring: Switches for heated seats.
Track: Brembos and VDC.

Lots of other differences but above is simple & will tell you quickly.

 

Which model have you decided is best for you?

 

davidv, is there any way to get you to stop drudging up old posts and asking what they did? 9 out of 10 never reply. And I hit the thread only to discover its you bringing back the dead.

I mean this reply in the kindest possible way...but you drive me nuts with this.

 

Its my most enjoyable part of the day. I hate to give it up. But I will give the idea consideration.

 

Q: Whats the difference between models? Which one is right for me?

A:This question really depends on what you want to do with the car. If your building a track monster from the get-go, a Base or Enthusiast is probably the way to go. If your looking for a nice touring car that you don't have to do much too, the Touring or the 35th Anniversary Edition in 2005 might be best. Please note this guide only covers coupe options, not roadster.

Abbreviations

TCS - Traction Control System
VDC - Vehicle Dynamics Controller
VTC - Variable Timing Control
MT - Manual Transmission
AT - Automatic Transmission
VLSD - Viscous Limited-Slip Differential


Model Breakdown (2003-2004.5):


Base: 3.5L V6 with 287hp/274 ft-lbs of tq., 17" rims. Only available in 6-speed MT.

Enthusiast: Added Cruise Control, HID headlights, Aluminum pedals, Auto-dimming rearview mirror, VLSD, and TCS. Available in either 6-speed MTo r 5-speed AT.

Performance: Adds VDC , 18" rims (18"x8" all around). Only available with 6-speed MT.

Touring: Adds Leather seats w/ power adjustability, Bose sound system, and optional DVD Navigation. Available in either 6-speed MT or 5-speed AT.

Track: Adds 18" Rays Track Rims (18"x8" front, 18"x8.5" rear, approx. 18.3 lbs per rim), Brembo Big Brake Kit, underbody aero kit w/ rear hatch spoiler. Only available in 6-speed MT.

*Please note all automatic models Enthusiast up only had TCS, no VDC.

There were no major changes until the 2004.5 model, in which the suspension was changes slightly to help alleviate the "tire feathering" problem a bit. I'm not sure the exact change, but there were some small changes in the suspension that seemed to help lessen the cases, though there were some still sporadically appearing.

The next major changes wouldn't come until 2005. Nissan introduced the "Rev-Up" 300hp/260tq variant of the VQ35. It was featured in the 2005 Track and 35th Anniversary models (6-speed MT only). Major changes included VTC on the exhaust cams, improved internals, higher redline, and modified lower plenum. Also, all models recieved a new, redesigned front suspension which appears to have helped to combat the problems with tire feathering.

The 35th Anniversary model that appeared in 2005 was a mesh of the Touring and Track model. It featered the same Brembo Brakes and 300hp motor of the Track model, but all the comfort amenities of the Touring such as leather, Bose sound system, and optional Navigation. It was available in 6-speed MTor 5-speed AT, though the AT recieved the 287hp/274tq engine and did not feature VDC, just TCS. The 35th Anniversary also feature unique 18" 5-spoke rims.

The Z recieved a small redesign on 2006 to both the car itself and to the model lineup. The car recieved a slight facelift with a subtly redesigned front bumper, new Bi-Xenon headlights, and LED tailights. Also, all 6-speed models except for the Track and Grand Touring were equipped with the 18" rims from the 2005 35th Anniversary (Enthusiast AT's get the 17" rims, Touring get the 2003-2005 18" Touring rims). Under the hood, all MT models recieved the 300hp/260tq Rev-Up motors. All AT models recieved the 287hp/274tq motors.

Inside, there were some spots of added aluminum trim, as well as new steering-wheel mounted audo controls in all Enthusiast-up models.


Model Breakdown (2006):


Base:Bi-xenon HID's, 18" rims, 6-speed MT only.

Enthusiast: Adds TCS, VLSD, Cruise Control, Auto-dimming rearview mirror, aluminum pedals, Illuminated audio controls on steering wheel. Availble with MT or AT.

Performance: No longer exists in current lineup.

Touring: Adds VDC (manual only), Bose Audio w/ MP3 playback
capability, leather seats w/ power and heat. Available with MT or AT.

Track: Adds Brembo Braking system, underbody aero package, rear
hatch spoiler, lightweight Rays rims (18"x8.5" Front, 19x9.5" rear). MT only.

Grand Touring: Adds Brembo brakes and Rays Rims from Track model, underbody aero package, Bose sound system, and leather seats. Available with MT or AT.

*Please note all automatic models Enthusiast up only had TCS, no VDC.

 

"Its my most enjoyable part of the day. I hate to give it up. But I will give the idea consideration. "

Your a good man, davidv!!

 

So which model did you decide is best for you?