Intrepid

My dealer called me today and said he had a 350Z available for a test drive. My Z won't be in until November (hopefully), but probably not 'till December. He had a 305Z Touring Auto which was damaged in transit. An Xterra on the car carrier banged against the rear of the Z damaging the rear bumper. The owner didn't want it. They promised him a new Z directly from Nissan Corp. allotment.

So, instead of saying "WoW - I love this car", etc., I thought I would just discuss the issues I had in my mind which I now feel are resolved.

1. "I'm only 5'6" and it will feel like a bath tub" Nope. Felt just like the 300Z. Yes, you sit low, but I didn't feel like I was lost in the car. My shoulders were about the same level as the bottom of the window. I had no problems seeing and the car fit me fine.

2. "The rear view is will be impossible" Well, the rear view is small, but certainly adequate, especially after you get used to it.

3. "The Car won't have enough power" The car felt very fast and I believe it's faster than my Mustang GT. The power is linear and there is an adequate amount of torque through out the power band. I felt it was fast off the line as well.

4. "The Auto will be lame" Actually, this is the best auto I've ever driven. Fast, crisp shifts. What more can you expect from an auto. Manual mode is cool too.

5. "The Bose will Suck" Well, the sound was OK, certainly no worse than many other stock systems. I believe when they resolve the auto base/volume function it will be much better. I didn't really play with the stereo much to be honest.

6. "The Fuel door won't be flush" It was flush except for one small area where it was off my mere millimeters which you could feel with your finger but could not see. I have no problem with this. For all practical purposes, it WAS flush.

7. "There won't be any room for groceries". Well, I was right. There isn't much room for much more than a light shopping day. Guess I will be taking my partner's Pathfinder when I go grocery shopping, etc.

All my other expectations were right on the money. Car handles like a sports car should. I owned a 300Z Twin Turbo for 10 years and it felt great to be driving a Z again.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask me or any current owners of the Z (if they're not all out driving!).

The Z is Back!

ToddLuc

Thanks for the update on the questions many of us are having. Although I never have driven one yet (mine is October), I sat in one. An honor to be sure. I agree with all your comments related to the non-moving aspects of the Z. (although I didn't try the groceries)

About the Bose, I am happy to hear it didn't completely suck. My only goal is that it is better than my stock Toyota Tacoma pickup stereo. (Won't take much to do that. )

When you say the Bose is no worse than other stock systems, did it sound tinny, or adequate?

Thanks,
Todd

fairladyZ in Japan

I had the opportunity to do 2 test drives on Friday, Sep 06 == before making the final plunge with absolute joy... Primary purpose was to see the Silverstone in person..

1/ test drive 1... Chrome Silver with auto...

Yes, I have to admit... this auto is really good. Upshifts in manual mode were very fast... downshifts a little slower, but not bad at all. If I had to order the auto... I would not be disappointed at all.

This test drive lasted about 20 minutes... with my wife onboard. She also loved the interior.

2/ test drive 2.... Silverstone with 6MT..

A 20 minute test drive with a Nissan sales AE and sports car nut.

What can I say... the shifting was fantasitic.. clutch was excellent with great uptake and very easy to use.


And then... my order was finalized on September 07...


Overall driving impression... going at full throttle... great torque.. only thing I missed was that mind blowing turbo kicking in like on my 300ZX... However, I'll take the torque.. and can't wait.

Intrepid

The Bose system sounded ok, just too much base compensation. I hear they may be fixing this soon.

keepupp

Intrepid, I too have a Mustang GT (2001) and have purchased a Performance model Daytona Blue 350Z. After driving both yesterday, I feel the Z is a faster car, but the powerband in the Mustang make it feel faster...although, the Mustangs rear end sits much higher and when you mash the gas the rear drops down and lifts the front end a considerable amount pushing you back in the seat giving the Mustang a more powerful effect. I've also noticed that my Z's tranny has better transitions from gear to allowing for a smoother and more controlled acceleration(and fast). I know you will love your Z when it arrives..

Tony Alonso

keepupp,

Hello from a fellow Cincinnatian. I am very curious to see how a stock (no mods at all) GT stacks up against a stock Z in the around-town SOTP driving experience. Specifically, I wanted to get your impressions in these RPM ranges - 1500 to 3000, 3500 to 4500, 5000 to 6000. It's obvious that the 1/4 mile terminal speed will be in the Z's favor with the additional horsepower. So, on the highway, at 60 mph, I would expect the Z to pull away from th GT. Under 60 mph, I would expect the GT to have a slight advatange from a standstill, but it will really come down to driver ability in getting the power to the ground without wheelspin.

Please comment for me - thanks! Perhaps I will get a chance to see your Z at some point.