350zQ45a

I really like the 1. Have had the opportunity to abuse one a few times. The engine is just a dream. It reminded me of my MKIV Supra.. Inline 6 twin turbo with even less lag.. Engine is just so smooth and pulls effortlessly all the way to redline. I guess some would prefer toe more abrasive VQ, but I would always take an inline.

The 135i sport seats are a dream. They are possibly the best seats I can recall sitting in. Interior is very minimalist and clean.

I love the 1, I just have a hard time getting over the exterior. I like the small dimensions, but it sits too upright. It's a great car and there are M parts available from the catalog for the performance oriented.

It's more of a stealthy car. I hope they give it a more sleek redesign soon

phatz33

iTrader: (11)

I think it looks pretty decent. My Z and 135i (bad pics sorry):




Right when I got her

Endgame

[QUOTE=BIG Z;6790924]

4. As far as the 135 looks, obviously it's a matter of opinion, but I think it is perfect. I agree with everyone that said the 3 series looks bloated and too big. The 135 is tiny; pretty much the same size as the Z. I think this is the nicest car BMW has ever made under 50 or 60k since the last M3.
QUOTE]

I agree with you on the looks; I actully thing the 135 looks good. Before the Z came out, I was getting a 1'er... BTW, the Z is smaller than the 1; the 1 is more comparable to my RX8 in length and the 370Z is about 6-7 inches shorter than the RX8.

350zQ45a

Nice 1 phat.. Black is the choice color for the 1 series IMO.. I like the design overall just not how the stance is in the cabin/roof area..

I also love the steering wheel, it's so nice and thick. Are you enjoying the free maintenance

You kind of having me lust for one again, damnit..

ITillinois

Before any of you say it, yes this is my first post here. Gotta start somewhere. I have been lurking for a couple weeks because I am seriously considering trading my 135i for a 370Z.

This post (and a couple others) forced me to register and comment.

The engine is smooth but it does NOT pull all the way to the redline nor is it lagfree as it was advertised. There "may" be a fix on the way here in January from BMW, but good info is still lacking about it. You can also feel at least one dip in power about 2/3rds the way to redline and near redline...well you should have already shifted.

I have a sport/MT/premium and the seats are decent, but the Recaro's in my (now gone) EVO8 were much more comfortable.

But the biggest point of disagreement I have is with the minimalist comment. Even in a non-idrive car like mine there are buttons and tech everywhere in this car. This is actually one of the things I dislike about it the most.

Ergonomically the car has many quirks. The reach to the drivers seat belt is best by reaching between the seat and the door, scraping your watch on stuff if you are not careful. The windows buttons are too far back and awkward to reach. The cup holder situation is a joke, there is only one usefull one unless you got the more awkward "stalk-like" one, then you sort of have two. You cannot see your current setting of the auto-wipers because the wheel blocks it. The "electronic" wiper stalk is annoying, but I have kinda gotten used to it, still hate it, but used to it. The radio display can blackout if you have polarized sunglasses.

It understeers, oh wait no it oversteers, no wait...the car is very inconsistant in handling. The brakes are NOT linear in feel. The 135i has this stupid brake booster thing for safety, but the end result are brakes that work like an on/off switch when you are driving aggressively. They are linear in normal driving however.

Before anyone from 1addicts chimes in lemme say this- yes I know some/all of this can be fixed with mods, but what can't be fixed with mods. In stock form the car comes up short in MANY areas if you are being honest.

How the car looks to anyone is of course a very personal thing. I am kinda neutral on it. It's not awful, but it's not pleasing the way my S2000 was to me, or "right" like a Cayman S is. I have seen one 370Z in person and I am kinda neutral on that as well. I didn't get a chance to see it outdoors yet, only a black one, in a darkish garage.

I am looking forward to getting a test drive in a 370Z soon and I will post back in this thread if the drive is lengthy and aggresive enough to make worthwhile comments in comparison on the two cars. I may wait until spring though, so I can drive aggresively on the standard summer tires of the 370Z.

2SwiFt29

wow.. triple post

nice black w/ coral red interior.. i have the 335i coupe space gray w/ coral red

twitch579

iTrader: (3)

Yea but put one of those Vishnu flashes on that 135 and its a supercar. My friend has one that runs low 12's with just a reflash. It is seriously fast.

350zQ45a

Hmm I don't recall any noticeable turbo lag. Nor do I remember any in my friends 335, but I have no reason to doubt you. I find the interior minimalist, just compare it to something busy like the Z.

You don't seem very happy with the 1, but I think most *35 drivers would disagree with the lag and not smoth power delivery. As for the handling, I did prefer the way my 350 handled, so I am sure you would prefer the 370 for sure.

You don't seem thrilled overall with the 1, I am guessing you would like the 370. As for smoothness, I'm sure not even you will be able to say the VQ is anywhere near the refinement of the inline 3.0, but it just depends on what you like most of all

Really the only reason I would take a 1 would be the ability to simply upgrade the power. I prefer the interior, especially the seats, but I am a power and handling ***** ultimately

Chaser720

iTrader: (30)

...yea, if its standard then its standard, the covering on the seat makes no difference...


...and TheStig??? I don't think that you really deserve to have that name...

phatz33

iTrader: (11)

Thanks man. I'm loving the free service and the loaners they give you haha. The BMW dealership near me acutally caterings food around lunch time so I love bringing my car in and getting the free meal out of it.

IbarraZ33

iTrader: (6)

id take the bmw anyday ... nice rideee !!

Leppy

i had an m3, and currently have a '06 350. the bmw is def a better built car with tighter tolerances(hood to fender gap, basic fit and finish) and a more solid feel. bang for the buck has to go to the z. it's all about what you want to pay for. i'd also have to say bmw is better about their warranty, nissans 12 month/12k mile noise/rattle policy is some bs.

FLfinfan

Can we switch the rims on the BMW with the ones on the Z. I think the rims on the Z look like the Max and Rouge rims kinda,...yuk.....

ITillinois

Test drive report of a 370Z, touring, sport, manual, and navi.

This will be a comparo against my BMW 135i sport, premium, and manual.


Looks (very subjective of course)- The Z wins, by a good margin. It looks far better in person than it does in the photos. It’s very tough looking with good proportions all around.

Interior overall- BMW wins, better materials are the main reason here.

Interior, driving perspective- BMW wins, seats are more comfortable and more supportive. There are massive blind spots in the Z, the view out the rear window is a joke. Driving positions are similar but the BMW is a bit better. Reaches for the various controls are similar, the Z has a slight advantage here, but it’s close. The storage space in the Z is an insult. My S2000 had more usable space I think. Golfers need not apply, unless you are a mini-golfer! Take your helmet with you on your test drive!?!?!?! Headroom is…well, what headroom, and with no sunroof, it really makes no sense to have this little room. Why can’t car makers seem to make a good center console anymore, really, is it THAT friggin’ hard to give me an easy to reach cup holder and a place for my cell phone???? Both cars fail here.

Engine- Toss up here. BMW has the satisfying surge of the turbo’s, but the Z pulls hard as well. If forced, I would give the nod to the Z, because though some people don’t care for it, the Z’s engine sends a great feel through the whole car, letting you know what it’s doing.

Clutch- Z wins. The first time I pushed the clutch in on my test drive of the Z, I actually thought something was wrong with the car. The travel of the clutch pedal is SHORT. But as it turns out it’s very easy to modulate and has a nice feel to it.

Shifter- BMW wins, barely. The Z’s shifter is on the edge of crappy. But I do judge this coming from an S2000, arguably the best shifter ever.

Rev-match feature- BLECH, another feature like that of the BMW hill holder. Yet another techno-crap thing I don’t want or need. Hey Nissan, do I really need to rev-match when pulling into a parking spot? Answer…NO I DON’T. On the track this may be cool/better, but around town it’s distracting and annoying. YES, I know you can disable it….

Steering/handling/suspension- Big, big win for the Z. The steering has a similar feel to that of my old 2003 EVO8. It’s very tight, very sharp, a real joy. I wish I could have driven the Z on warm roads to see what it would really do. The Z felt “right”, sporty, yet doesn’t pummel you on real roads. Again without being on those summer tires in warm weather I couldn’t push the car real hard, but the car did corner flat, with a nice feel for what it was doing.

Brakes- Big win for the BMW. The Z’s brakes need something, stainless lines maybe? I was very surprised at how weak and mushy these felt. The aftermarket should start here for the 370Z.

Exhaust note- Z wins. It’s sportier and more aggressive stock for stock of course.

Overall I would say the 370Z is a more focused sports car than the BMW. If you lean toward a true/truer sports car, the 370Z is your car. If you have a longer commute and lean more toward the comfort side, the BMW is the car you will want. Unfortunately the lack of headroom (I am 5’10) and the joke of a trunk are preventing me from trading the BMW for the Z. I used my S2000 as a DD for 5-6 months a year and got by just fine with the room it provided. The usable space in the Z is not adequate for me, if that tells you anything.

Sensi09

^Nice review.

newtkindred

Isn't the comparison between the 370Z and the BMW not the 350Z, which I think we all know Nissan might have been a little more budget conscious than the 370Z as far as build quality? I have heard the 370Z is a much tighter car inside and out.

Brandon26pdx

Same here. I was gay for the 135i for months when it first came out...a sub-compact 6spd RWD twin-turbo powerhouse with BMW quality and panache? Yes please!

Then, meh. Problems with the DI fuel pumps, software revisions that changed the wastegate/turbo performance (more lag), Styling that never quite grew on me enough to feel "right" about it...nowhere near as handsome as an E46 M3, and of course it's not the best bang for the buck out there. German cars never are. You're paying for the name and high cost of manufacturing.

In short, I don't want one anymore.

Brandon26pdx

Eh, go take a 6spd E46 M3 through a canyon run with the windows cracked and tell us it's a "boring sport sedan". Thats a serious machine...noisy, raw, intense, and rides like a brick on wheels.

You just don't want to know about the repair bills or all the potential crap that can go wrong with them. We're not talking Japanese reliability here.

Rexy7

iTrader: (3)

I meant boring to look at not to drive Im sure the new m3 is a blast to drive I have yet to drive one..I do like the styling of the new e46 especially the use of the carbonfiber materials of the roof..very exotic...but for the money I would choose a Porsche caymen s over the new m3 in a heartbeat..looks are main priority..at least for me..

badbee

Although performance is similar, drive both and they are night and day apart in the overall driving experience. Just depends if you like Night or Day