Jason, you're an ***. hahahaha j/k

I'll get some photos cropped down to a smaller size and build a directory for them. Maybe it'd just be easier to upload them to the gallery... I'll add some tonight for sure.

Just to avoid the questions later...

I was originally planning on renting a 350Z from Specialty Rentals in San Fran but after talking with someone at Nissan, I was offered a 350Z for the week. I freelance write for a couple unnamed (until I am published, then I have no problem saying what mags) magazines so this is what got me the car, incase anyone was curious why I got a free Z for a week.

I'll start uploading right now, but each photo is around 800k to 1.5 megs in size... so I might just downsize them first, that'd make it easier.

I'll get on this now...

 

Some of the photos were shot with a Canon s200, the lower res or smaller images were. The larger images were shot with a Canon D60 with a 24-85mm lens. Some of the night shots are a little blurry or not as well lit as I'd have liked... my bad.

https://my350z.com/gallery/JmanZ

Hope you enjoy the images!

 

When you guys gonna swoop through Alabama????
Yeah it's dirt roads and Dukes of Hazard...but the food is good!!
LOL

 

My review of the car.... it's easy, I can sum it up in one word.

Wow.

I had driven Dan Johnson's 350Z a week prior when he made his way through Spokane and I was impressed with the car. I held back of course being that a) it wasn't my car and b) Dan was sitting beside me.

This trip though, I could do whatever I wished to the car as long as I didn't thrash it and bring it back in pieces. The Z Nissan lent me was the EXACT car that Sport Compact Car had taken apart two months back, it made their cover as well. Nissan didn't know they were going to disassemble the car, but they put it all back together so no harm, no foul. In fact, right after I was done with the Z I was told Sport Compact Car would be getting it again... this time they're adding goodies but that's all I really know about what they're doing.

The car felt steady in every way, I have taken a few racing courses so I am more than comfortable with speed or throwing a car around a corner but this car just kept asking for more. I think Dan summed it up best when he first told me about his ride... it's like an arrow, you just aim and shoot.

I had traction control off almost all the time, and I wasn't really racing anyone because in all honesty, I didn't want the ticket associated with it. I did break my rule a few times though. When I was in Palao Alto, after meeting the gang my wife and I were sitting at the stop light and a red s2000 with upgraded rims pulls up beside me. I was curious what he was packing, for sure... so the light goes green and we both pull away slowly. Once thing Dan (Bobafett) had warned me about is the police presence in Palo Alto. Rich area, cops with time to kill just waiting for some idiot to break the law. haha

So the s2000 pulls out in front and I notice he's got a comptech (or what I think was a comptech) exhaust and body kit. Hmmm... I wonder if it's all smoke and mirrors? We all know many people change the outer appearance but leave the engine stock. I pull up beside him, depress the clutch and rev a couple times... basically getting his attention. My wife is looking at me saying.. "honey......." because she knows I have been dying to stretch my legs in this car.

Next light that is red, we're side by side... you can hear his engine reved up.. like he's preparing to dump the clutch so yes, I took the bait. I brought the 350Z up to 4000 rpm and I was just waiting for a green light....

side note.. my heart was pumping like mad, i felt like some high school student or something, it was fantastic! This car is the fountain of youth, I sweat it.

Alright.. light goes green and surprisingly, neither of us really squeeked a lot off the line, both cars gripped and aside from the 'slip' light coming on, I punched it hard. I brought the 350Z to redline through first, second and at about the 5000 mark of third, I checked the speedo, seeing I was doing 80 in a 35 zone, I let off the gas. The s2000 was behind me throughout this little jaunt, and I'd love to tell you it was way back, but truth is his nose was always inside 5-10 feet from what I could tell of the rear of the Z. It was close for sure. When I let off the gas, so did he... we both coasted as to not light up the night sky with our break lights, thus drawing attention (like the two accelerating sports cars hadn't done that enough already).

Next set of lights, he smiles and gives me the thumbs up. Light goes green and we both start off slow again, as if we never raced. Ahhh memories.

I went toe to toe with a Lexus gs430, which was closer than I expected but again, I handed the lexus it's walking papers. There were countless Camaros and Trans Ams.... and I only took the bait once because it had the SS on the side. As we're sitting at the light though, waiting for green (cmon, cmon, cmon)... I noticed a State trooper getting in his car acorss the street so neither of us went for it. I suspect the SS might have had that one though, I love the 350Z but I'm not stupid.. the SS is one tough customer.

Driving the 350Z through traffic in Beverly Hills, where Nissan's rarely get the time of day, was amazing. Nobody really has this car so people were rubber-necking, smiling, waving, even yelling. I parked it three blocks from Mann's Chinese Theatre while they were filming the new Mark Wahlberg movie "The Italian Job". Shell and I walked down, checked out the fiming... came back and there were tourists o plenty around the Z. Many were asian and while I don't speak cantonese or madrin (sp?), I think "Z" means "Z" in any language. haha.. I heard that a lot coming form their mouths... Z this and Z that.

I made my way through the crowd and felt like a celebrity or something. It was weird, but cool. I am sure the other Z owners in the forum can back me up on this.

So driving the car through stop and go traffic is a pain in the rear. The car begs to be driven and in LA, well, that's not easy. Once you get on the 405 though...whoooosh. Most people got 80 on the 405, so the Z felt at home. It brings attention, and endless challenges from riced out cars, but the coolest thing about the Z isn't the looks you get, it isn't the 2 points on the scoreboard after you hand someone their butt, no, it's the way the car makes you feel. Alive.

I did have one embarassing but funny thing happen to me on my trip though. On day two, I was lining up a photo shoot with a couple bikini models on the beach in Newport Beach, California. I was doing some principal photography to prepare for the next day's shoot, I brought the car down to the beach to see how it'd play off the sand etc.

(this will be known as mistake #1)

I then decided to pull forward across the boardwalk on to the sand itself. I thought, if I leave the rear wheels on the boardwalk, I can get out easy enough and no big deal.

(this will be known as mistake #2)

<img src="http://www.jmanz.com/sand-1.jpg">

I just slipped off the boardwalk.... reverse wasn't an option, the sand was too soft. Forward wasn't an option, same reason. No, I had to suck it up. I was an idiot and I screwed up. I checked the back to see if there was any damage and there wasn't, the boardwalk was about half an inch from the exhaust so if I didn't drop lower... I was fine.

So now I have people rollerblading past, biking, jogging, walking their dogs... I felt like a moron and rather than insult me or tell me what a tool I was, they were stopping to say... WOW, is this the new Z??? They just wanted a closer look at the beached baby. haha

So I walked out to the main road and flagged down a parking control cop. He then called the Newport PD. Dave (the police office that responded) was great, he thought it was funny. He didn't give me a ticket, which I felt I perfectly deserved for not taking my common sense pills that morning.

<img src="http://www.jmanz.com/sand-2.jpg">

So now the 'how do we get this car out' problem sets in. It's obvious a tow truck will be needed but where the heck will they attach to? The car's rear is too far in the sand. Ahhh...we need TWO tow trucks.

Ack, this is going to cost me after all.

So they show up and they knew exactly what to do. Again, this happens quite often I guess. They attached nylon ropes through the rims and lifted the rear up and pulled it back six inches so I was sitting on the boardwalk. From there it was as easy as filling in the sand under the car so the undercarriage wouldn't rub.

<img src="http://www.jmanz.com/sand-3.jpg">

So yes, I got the car out of the mess. Now what will it cost me? I asked one of the tow truck guys and he tells me it's $300 per truck so $600. Dave (the police officer) tells the tow truck driver that I'm cool, and that I am not getting a ticket so the tow truck driver goes... oh....umm.... $50 then. Total.

$600 down to $50? and no ticket? The Nissan gods must me smiling on me for some reason.... ahh, let's give the little red headed idiot a break, he feels stupid enough as it is. hahaha

So I reached into my pocket, I had $100 cash on me. I handed it to him and thanked him for his help. A $50 tip didn't seem out of place all things considered. They offered me a receipt, but the photos are all the memories I need of this little adventure thank you very much.

I then took the car to Newport Nissan and had them put it up on the rack so they could look at the bottom. No way I was bringing this car back damaged. It was fine, other than being dirty from the sand that is... so I took it to a washing bay and quicly washed away the proof that I tried to surf with a Z.

So there you have it, not so much a review as a book. My bad.

After having the car for a week, I regret selling my place in line more than any other thing I have done in the past. I simply can't wait to get my Redline now.

Transmission note: The stick rattled a little after 4500 rpm, as posted by many people prior. Outside of that, wow... this car is one hell of a steal. I defy any car company to bring a better deal to the market for this price.

I can't wait for Motor Trend's annual Bang for the Buck issue... cause our baby will be the cover car!

 

Sorry Rob, I wanted to get down to meet you and Nate, do some photos, go for a beer but I ran out of time. Sorry man.

 

Tom... those were taken on the PCH just after Carmel, California. There was a great place to pull over and then I scaled up the side of a rock to get the shots looking down.

Will... yup, I love the PCH something fierce! Although leaving Palo Alto, taking the 84 to the PCH is simply incredible. I am pretty sure it's the 84... it is total twists, single lane both directions and at times you're *supposed* to slow down to 5 mph for some corners, they're THAT tight. Several 180 degree twists. Up, down, left, right, it was a roller coaster ride I won't soon forget.

The PCH has it's moments where it's VERY simular, but then being that I took the PCH on a Saturday, I got nailed behind those infernal min-vans. Although there was one Toyota Previa that was funny, I think the guy races Sprints as a day job cause he was tossing that van around turns that made me think seveal times he was going to flip it. I stayed with him of course, laughing like a kid playing tag. What a trip.