If memory serves me correctly, (and I think it does) I don't recall anyone disrespecting the base model. I think this is an instance of someone creating drama out of thin air in order to facilitate their 15 minutes of fame.

 

actually if anything, this whole thread feels like a bunch of jeoulous base owners trying to prove their car is better then everyone elses.

I could care less, do what youd like. I dont think anyone here knows how expensive a good LSD is, along with labor. the bose system is quite nice, it has one problem which is being fixed. other than that, its fine.

as for better BRAKES. good luck, brembo is the best, and their kits are about 3000$ each.

as for rims, styling is to that persons taste, I agree, and thats why I didnt end up with track, however if a track owner wants to swap rims, he can sell his track rims for twice as much as you could sell your 17" rims for. and have an easier time doing so.

vdc is hardly autopilot. it is a safety measure, one which I bet all professional racers use in their own cars when off the track. no one is perfect, and as soon as you start thinking otherwise is when you will get hurt. Im am not too big nor too proud to have VDC on while driving down the road. I like the peice of mind it gives me, and when I hit the track, theres a button to turn it off.

Im not sure why this thread was started, no one put down the base model, its a great model. 26000 for all that, that however does not mean the others are all over priced.

 

Yeah well I don't feel like a schmuck paying the 2K for the nav cause every aftermarket nav system out there costs at least 2K anyway. Also, these overpriced dealer options still retain their value way more than aftermarket options do. When people go to sell their Z's in a few years to get new ones or somehting even nicer, they will be getting at leat 50 percent of what they paid for opposed to zilch if they went aftermarket.

 

This thread is stupid. Lots of people will agree that the Base model is the best bang for the buck. Seriously, it's a great deal, especially if you're very interested in going the aftermarket route. I don't think many people here would put down that decision.

However, for me (Touring), I wasn't interested in aftermarket leather, I want the backup of TCS/VDS, I'm a big fan of my heated seats, I wanted a LSD, and I'm slowly beginning to think the Bose is getting broken in (Not sure about that yet....).


Basically, we all agree, the Base is a good deal and provides a great car, especially to build on. I'm sure we'd love to see pics of your car when you've got all your goodies added on. However, it's really not that cool to bag on other people for wanting to spend more for factory options. Not everybody wants to mod their car, and yes, factory options will probably hold their value better than anything aftermarket. Personally, I'd really shy away from a used car with lots of aftermarket parts. You really don't know about the history.

So, lets just say, Base is great, as are all the other models. Put up some pics soon!

 

Wheels - probably not
Hallogens - YES
Brakes - YES
LSD - YES

You are breaking the warranty for those items. Nissan will not cover your aftermarket brakes, lights, or LSD. If your aftermarket stuff breaks, you have to deal with the aftermarket company. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT, unless you buy quality aftermarket stuff, which may cost you more than OEM factory equipment.

 

people who bought the car were a bit dumb then. mods are a signal that the car was pushed, and that is not good for a person buying a used car.

mods are not supposed to bring up resale value, they often reduce it, which is why its good practice to remove mods before selling and do it seperatly if possible.

and LSD will require replacing the rear differential if you didnt know, which they could contribute any engine problems to. and they will.

 

You're probably right about the legally voiding the warranty thing. But have you ever tried to have warranty work done on your car with any aftermarket mods installed related to the problem or not? It's a pain, which is why on my cars I take all my aftermarket stuff off before I go in for warranty service. Just think about who we are dealing with here, the dealers, entities not known for being fair. I guess it all depends on the dealer, but I can attest and I'm sure most people can too, that the majority of dealers will give you some BS about your aftermarket mods voiding warranty whether its related to the real problem or not. A sad but painfully true fact, especially here in CA where most cars are modded in one way or another. I can't count how many stories I have heard about people getting harrassed because of their intakes, when they were in for service for something totally unrelated.

Ohh...and guess what. Something goes wrong with your electrical system, I bet they'll blame it on the halogens. Suspension problems...they'll blame it on your aftermarket brakes and rotors.

Bottom line, its a pain unless you got a mod friendly dealer.

 

I take suspension and brakes to show the car was pushed. but maybe thats just me. body kits a other appearance stuff, no, but that wasnt what was brought up here(except maybe headlights) otherwise base looks the same as the rest.

 

Guys...guys! don't fight Nissan was to smart having 5 models to choose from, tell me another car that have 5 model to choose, having the same hp, transmision, suspension, ect.
Nissan knows that the 350Z is for the true enthusiast.

In P.R. we dont have your privileged prices, the base model cost
$ 42,000.00 and the Track $50,000.00 this is the list prices, the dealers sell them even more because of the demand,(no control prices law) the most expensive Z selled was $58,000.00 Track model.

P.S. the base model is 3,188 the track is 3,247. oh and buy the way I beat a Track model allready. but I dont count it because is a Z. Sorry!

 

i take it you've never had nissan warranty work prior?

they ***** at EVERYTHING.

if you change your brakes, especially to SS lines or racing pads, they have every right to cancel the warranty on it . its really stupid. just have to get a good mechanic at the dealership to hook you up.

i've seen a dealership cancel a maxima's entire powertrain warranty cuz he put in a racing flywheel and stage 2 act clutch.

retarded.

 

TCS and VDC CAN'T be installed as an aftermarket option... So basically, the base model is screwed in that regard. Those two alone in rainy or less than ideal conditions justify the performance model. And no arguing about how if you're a great driver you don't need VDC, that's BS...

 

I bought the track model, but I think the enthusiast model would probably be the best platform to do aftermarket work on. The price difference is small for the items you get.
I bought the track model since I wanted the Brembos and the Rays which I think really make the car. I will probably do some aftermarket stuff (exhaust, cams, etc.), but I wanted the best possible platform to begin with. The wheels and Brembos are awesome, I don't see any need to upgrade the brakes. Plus, if I decide to sell the car 20 to 30 years down the road, I am sure the touring or track models will command much more money than a base (sort of like a malibu vs a chevelle SS). Plus, you may be able to get more for a car with aftermarket parts if you can find the right person, but that right person can be very hard to find. The base model is a good deal, but I'm glad I went with the track.

 

z461- agreed anyone who thinks they don't need TCS or VDC are kidding themselves, and just don't have enough experience with driving a car like this. When conditions are good you can just turn it off, but in rain, sleet, or snow. the extra security (w/responsible driving) is priceless. This is a higher power, RWD car.

 

computers have faster reaction times than humans do. but i agree at your point that HICAS was lame.


but hey. what's a RWD car if you cant swing out the back and make your own OPTIONS drifting videos?

 

I have a base model. Why? Well, frankly because I'm a CHEAP BASTARD. Seriously. Way back in January, when I ordered the car, I didn't know what the hell LSD was (well I knew what LSD was, but it didn't have anything to do with a car ). I knew what xenon bulbs were, but I figured I could live without them. I wasn't living at a place that had a garage, so I could go without homelink. The aluminum pedals were cool, but I could live without. I've never had cruise control before, so I could live without it. VDC/TCS was another thing I didn't really know about and what little I did know made me figure that I wouldn't really need it here in San Diego.

So, I went base. After finding this website in April, I started to learn about all this stuff. At that point I really wished I had gone for the enthusiast. But, we knew so little about the preorder process that I didn't want to screw myself by trying to change my order, so I stuck with the base.

Now that I have her, I'm not really bothered at all. I'm likely never going to race, although it would be pretty fun to take her out for a track session sometime. That looks like it's pretty damn fun. If my time suffers because of no LSD or TCS/VDC, so be it.

I'm just happy it's here!

Dave

 

Are there any aftermarket lsds out there?? Kaaz??