Hello there.
I am in the market for a new toy. I have decided I like the fairladys. I am looking at either getting a 350z or a 370z.
Now I know there are tons of comparisons but in my case it's slightly different. I have a daily driver as does my wife who doesn't work so I can use either my truck or her car. This will be a purely weekend toy type car. I am looking at either a higher mileage 350z in the $3-5k range, or a older 370z in the 13k ish range. A lower mileage 350z can be had for roughly 10k so it seems to me that if I am going to spend 10k I would be stupid not to cough up 2-3 thousand more for the better 370z. Which is why if I buy a 350z it will be under 5000. I like both. But No matter which car I buy I will modify it. I am coming from the world of 500 and 600 horsepower v8s so I know I will want at least a little more power.
Given my parameters, and the fact that I know I will modify the car, which direction would you fellas go? Super cheap 350 or spend the money and buy a newer nicer 370?
Thanks

 

Do you want a banana or an avocado

 

I do see your point. Allow me to rephrase perhaps.
If I was to buy say an 04 z with 150k miles for 4500 bucks (just spitting numbers for the sake of the argument) and modify the car would I be spending more to repair broken and worn parts than if I was to spend say 13,000 dollars on a 2012 370z with say 65000 miles? Or better yet what would you say the estimate to replace worn parts on a higher mileage 350z should be?
My point being that I am leaning toward the older 350z. But if I am going to have to spend another 5 grand to repair the car to a better operating condition before I even start modifying it I feel like I'd be better off spending the money for a newer 370. Maybe that's a better way to pose my question?

 

Also I do realize that is highly subjective. A car that's been taken care of will have less issues normally than one that hasn't. I just mean generally

 

I have a 2003 350z you may be interested in but is not 3-5k.

 

Generally the 350Z is a reliable car with no expensive common issues. Common issues are cam and crank sensors, oil consumption on some years, broken door handles and window regulators, etc. All are easily replaced and the car is easy to work on. You will want to change all the fluids and most of the bushings when you buy the car, especially when it comes to the 350Z given it's age and mileage. I had a Q50S as well (same drive-train as the 370Z) and never had any issues with it. The 350Z is a great track and canyon car as it handles very well with just a little money into it. I've never driven a 370Z so I can't speak to the differences between the two. If you're into building your own cars, then a $5k 350Z plus $8k in mods sounds way more fun than a $13k stock car.

I come from the muscle car world and the 350Z has never scratched my V8 itch. You can do some minor bolt-ons or a blower / turbo kit, but once you hit about 400hp you will have to start looking into upgrading the motor internals which get expensive quick - plan on $10k-$15k plus forced induction if you fancy. You can get the best of both worlds - buy a 350Z and LS swap it. You'd have about $15k total into the car (assuming you can do it yourself) with reliable and cheap power.

Honestly if I was planning on having $15k-$20k into a fun car, I'd star with a C6 Vette instead.

 

I've had several v8s in a row now and have decided I want something different. I've also had a couple rotaries. As much fun as they are they are a pain to mess with.
I recently sold my blown mustang gt. Before that I had a stock 5.0 and before that I had a cammed 460 f150.
I will probably look into a 350z then. I am looking for something different. If I get a v8 itch again I have a buddy with a Pontiac safari in his pasture itching for a rebuild on that 455 if it's still in there.

 

No, you are not going to spend 8500 on a 4500 car unless that 4500 car needs 8500 worth of work, but then it probably wouldn't be a 4500 350z

 

Alright fellas. Well I very much appreciate the input. So now I'm on the hunt.
I'll let yall know. Thanks

 

When I was deciding between the two I saw that used 370Zs were actually around double what a used 350z was. I got my 07 HR for 8k with 105k miles on it. Most 370Z with 100k miles were at least 14-15k for a beat the crap out of one or up to 20k for a babied on. My 07 was driven super gently by an old guy and I flew all the way to Florida to get it. Talked him down from 10k to 8k.

I don't think paying double for a 370Z is worth it. It's not that much different of a car. It has like 25 more horsepower and a little better brakes. A few other little things here or there but they are really much more the same car than they are different.

For 14-20 there is NO WAY I'm buying a 370Z. In my opinion the 370Z is a bad deal (not a bad car) and the 350Z is an amazing deal (and an amazing car).

I sprang for an HR because I didn't want to deal with synchro issues and the engine is much better. 80% of the components in an HR engine are different. As are the spring rates. And you get better brakes. The HR is the sweet spot between 350Z and 370Z.

You can do what you want with your money but I wouldn't spend 370Z money on a 370Z. There are much better cars in that bracket. For 7-9k you can't best the amount of car you get with a 350Z. Really nothing else comes close

 

There's also the common thing that most people toss out their 370Z VHR head for the 350Z HR heads on their VHR bottom end block. Something about the VVEL being a PITA to deal with and I thought I read that HR heads flows better then the VHR heads. I read that somewhere but unsure where, it was a talk about building the engine for big power.

But welcome, I was in that spot myself.

Do I spend $20K on a 370Z or $13K for an HR 350Z? I even thought about buying a base black Corvette C6. (I would not be here now)
The logic was that I pay off the car quicker and I had money to start modifying.

 

VVEL just adds that extra level of complexity, if it was activated conventionally I don't see and issue, but but being constantly variable makes me want to stay away. 3.7 block is better but at the end of the day the NA power of any of the engines isn't enough for most. And if you add FI it really doesn't matter which is better, in order to do it correctly you still want to build the block.

 

just wait until your csc craps out.....

 

Its on its way. I'll probably drop the bell housing next winter and do that. Same time I drop the diff. I'll have all winter to do just those two things

 

if it were me, do the zspeed hd one, or the zspeed relocation kit

 

Yup, I was planning on going with the mechanical unit