Hey All,
May sell my STi and pickup an Z to replace it (STi is new, w/ 3k miles) Anyone done this?

A few people have gone the other way (Z to STi) but those seem more hardcore/racer people, I'm not really looking for that.

Anyway I was wondering if anyone has done this swap and what they thought of the Z as a replacement for an STi

I'm trading cars with my friend that owns a Z this weekend for some hands on (not just riding around in them) experience.

Thanks

 

I realize you've asked for people that owned the STi - I haven't, but i drove one about 500 miles (friend's car, no dealers are that nice). I really liked the STi, but it's a different kind of car from the Z. First of all the STi felt quicker, but I had to roast the clutch to make it feel that way - otherwise the turbo lag made the car feel SLOW...and I prefer being gentle on clutches.

Second, the STi seemed less refined than the Z in terms of noise, vibration, and harshness. And then we come to handling, where I felt the STi was lacking - it had more body roll than the Z, and the steering didn't offer much road feel. I'm sure the STi grips well, but in terms of feel...I found it lacking.

In terms of interior and exterior, I'll leave that up to you...but suffice it to say that I prefer the Z.

NzZ

 

my friends have both evos and stis well 3 evos 2 STis and my car gets more looks than theres, theres handles better in snow and rain, mine is much sportier in design (they admit that) only major thing i dont like i guess is the word, is the lack of speed.. im sure everyone wishes the Z was faster if it could be that way for adding $0 dollars. So i give both of them the speed factor, however, i feel with some of my mods im doing, i will be very close to them since most r stock.. my friend with a silver evo is the fastes 12.57 last week at englishtown catback, 21lbs of boost, high flow cats, and downpipe + he CAN drive. But yeah both cars r nice depends on what ur more into/want.

 

I love when people make posts comparing the Z to any other cars. Way to get a non biased opinion!

 

No doubt STi's are nice. However to a non-car enthusiast, chances are they don't know what the hell an STi is and probably don't recognize them when they pass by. The 350Z might be slower (acceleration wise) by a small margin but I think both cars are pretty similar in the handling department. Looks goes to the Z hands down. Interior quality seems to be about equal. STi is more practical. The 350Z sounds better and probably has slightly better reliability just due to the fact it's NA compared to a 4 banger running 13+ pounds of boost. It all depends on what you're looking for. Of course, all of this I stated is my personal opinion.

 

i've never test driven an sti or evo because i know speed would spoil me for other cars. straightline performance is probably more appealing to me than any other single characteristic of a car. but the combination of characteristics of the z, including styling, price, handling, speed, fuel efficiency, recognizability, etc. make it a little more appealing to ME than an sti. depends on my mood though.

 

I really think i'm going for a little more upscale"ness" overall, the performance of the STi is great dont get me wrong (and yes it corners extremely well) but I find my biggest gripe is the interior and small parts about the car.
I'm unsure that its a 5+ year car... it seems more like a 2 year car and I'm not looking to modify cars like I used to. The Z seems to fill that gap (IE reliability past 3 years) and pretty good performance compared to the STi.
The interior also seems to be simple but more elegant and way tougher than that of the STi which I wonder how it will look after 2 years...

Maybe I'm getting too old (I'm 26) but for 30k I want the whole car to be at a higher level. And the only 2 cars i'm considering are the Z and the S2k but I think the S2k is a little tiny for me =\

 

Can't go wrong with either one IMO. I just don't like the riceboy-type hood and wing of the STi. Pretty slick car though. Good luck with your decision

 

I was pretty much sold on the EVO for awhile. I had a 2002 Maxima SE 6spd and was really happy with it, but wanted something more sporty/fast...and FWD was really bringing me down.

I lurked on the evo forums for awhile...and checked the STI ones out too. Seemed like the EVO guys were happier...and the engine was really strong.

Now, how did I end up with a Z? Well the car looks a million times better...feels GREAT to drive. This car will still look good in 5, 10, 30+ years. I wanted a 2nd car that I could be proud of...happy....and even though it isn't as fast, it's darn fast enough. Plus a TT or SC is always an option. Simple bolt ons will keep you happy too.

I love this car...I think you'll be happy to come over to the dark side.

 

you are kidding right?

imo...subaru's interior are alot more durable then nissans interior...the subaru has better plastic then the Z's flimsy plastic interior...but i have to say the Z interior does look sportier

otherwise...both are great cars, and you cant go wrong with either of them

 

I don't get these comments about the Z's supposed "flimsy" plastic interior...you want flimsy plastic? step into a corvette...the Z had a very solid interior...I can't bend or move any plastic parts without a considerable amount of force, and everything fits together quite nicely. No rattles or creeks either.

 

I have to agree. I find the Z's interior far from flimsy. It's definately a little more durable than my old Celica's interior. Only problem is the texture on the door panel makes it somewhat difficult to clean, but nothing a damp clean microfiber towel can't take care of.

 

Y did you decide to trade>? Did you feel like you cant live without the speed the sti had now that you own a z? I would like to hear the op of someone who has had both cars.

 

umm...the STi and the 350z are VERY closly matched in straight line acceleration.

 

I read this opinion on another board (corner-carvers.com) and I wholeheartedly agree: the Evo (and STi) are basically $15k cars w/ a $15k performance option.

Meaning, they are less refined and have an even chintzier interior than the 350. But... they are beasts on the open track. The power/weight ratio is in the same ballpark as the 350 (if not better), but that AWD just lets the driver fly through the corners (albeit w/ understeer). Even if a driver enters a corner a bit hot, that AWD will probably save the day.

If you're looking for a track beast and don't care about the interior and boy-racerish looks, then keep the STi. Otherwise, the 350 may be for you.

Go spend some time w/ one and find out.

Michael.

 

Yeah I agree with alot,
First the interior of the STi (while I havent scratched my friends 350 interior ) seems to be ALOT "weaker" and and sometimes I wonder how it will look in 3 years. The Z's interior (pardon me) doesnt look much better... but it looks like its 1000x's tougher so it will at least look nicer in those 3 years compared to the STi's.

Also I dont track, and basically i'm wasting this beast, it sits in my garage 80% of the time unless I granny drive to work. I dont "streetrace" much usually only if one of my friends comes up and we hit it for a split second, I rarely even go to 90 anymore. I need (i think) a quick cruiser, not a "vette" i cant ever open up.

I'll be able to form a better opinion after this weekend and some time in the drivers seat obviously, but I am really leaning tward a Z for some reason already :P

I dont call another car "The dark side" btw, I can appreciate all kinds of cars and what their made for Besides if I wanted pure speed I know plenty of friends w/ supras

Thanks for keeping this a sane discussion!

 

Silverbane,

I had an 04 black STI for a while. I traded the STI in for a 04 Z not too long ago.

The STI was a great car w/ huge amounts of performance. The car handled like it was on rails, turbo lag was practically non existant w/ the 2.5 motor, and acceleration was great. I wanted to trade the STI because I am 25 and having a car like that was somewhat embarrasing according to my g/f, friends, and parents. They thought the car belonged to a high school senior or college student. I explained and showed them pictures of a wingless STI but the still did not like the looks. Ever since I traded in the STI for the Z, I've been recieving more complements from older people especially women saying how nice the car looked. One guy said the car looked like it was going 120 mph when it was just parked!!

The STI is no doubt the faster car (0-60, top end, etc.). The motor is bullet proof. Very upgradable and responds very well to mods. The build quality on the STI is not up to par w/ the Z. For example, the side windows would not go down straight sometimes. The car did have a lot of noise but that's expected in a high performance sedan. What annoyed me the most was the sound of water running when I had the A/C on when I was parked.

The interior of the STI does not compare to the Z. The Z has a better interior. The plastic IS of higher quality in the Z. But I could fit 4 bodies in the car while the Z, don't even try.

The handling of the STI was a little better than the Z. I expect the tires and the AWD had a lot to do w/ that department.

If you want a mature approach in a performance car, I would opt for a Z. If you are looking for a car w/ just pure perfornace, I would stick w/ the STI. I've had not regrets performance wise w/ the Z (I autocross and drag race once in a while). Either way, you can't go wrong w/ both. But expect to have a lot of young guys look at you and your car when you drive it around town.

Just my 2 cents.

 

I have both, 03 performance Z and 04 STi, no way a stock Z can catch up in straight line acceleration. No even close. I run low 14s in the a stock Z consistantly, and run low 13s in the stock STi consistantly.

 

That's because of the AWD launch in the STi....take that away....and it's A LOT closer. If both cars start from a 5mph roll where the STi can't launch like a bat out of hell...it wll be a good race. There are plenty of videos around that prove this....

If you're running low 14s in the Z....you need to learn how to drive it.

Coming on here and posting a relatively "slow" E.T. for a 350Z (low 14s) and about the quickest you'll find for an STi (low 13s) isn't fair either. I see STi's driven to mid to high 13s all the time...sometimes even 14s....same with the Z.

 

Fire-Ballz,
Yeah that pretty much where I'm at, I'm not going to really use the performance of the STi and the Z seems to be a good compromise while raising the bar for the fit/finish/quality you expect from a 32k car.
I'm 26 and while I do like the STi, I am wondering if the Z will fit me better. And I dont launch the STi (never have) so if the Z/STi are close from a pull then I doubt I will complain too much

Can I ask what the average RWHP for a Z is?

It looks stock to be 230ish while modded I/H/E moves closer to 250? (not a bad number at all )