How do you all think about a 350Z roadster as a daily car ?
My main concern is how much rain will leak into the car if driving through the rain.

Any tips about how to keep the interior dry on a rainy day ?

thank you
anatak

 

The Z Roadster is a fine daily driver. Just keep the top up and you won't get rain in the interior.

 

My 06 ZR is watertight, original top. Only water in is when doors open, no rain gutters. Love mine!

 

Drove it daily for 5+ years in south Florida - thru our famous monsoons and all. Never had a leak.

Bigger concern for me is storm debris and deep puddles, since it sits so low, like the coupe.

A problem in pounding rain is that it's LOUD - like sitting inside a drum!

 

??Have you ever owned a convert?
Modern drop tops don't leak.Now,older roadsters like
earl British sportscars,its a different story.Also,unless
you have a cabriolet top(padded) it gonna be louder.
Also,if you are into sound systems,the acoustics are
poor.

 

unless there is a purposely punctured hole on the soft top no rain will leak into the cabin at all...

 

I wouldn't want any 350z as my daily car, I don't like crawling over speed bumps and parking lot ramps.

 

thanks for the answers everybody.
to chitownpete
No speed bumps in Japan and the access to parking lots are no problem either unless you lower your car significantly.

 

Love my Z Roadster as my Daily. No issues with rain and I've had a few areas that I've self repaired. I stay in Louisiana now, and have yet to have any leakage or sealing problems.

chitownpete - you should never just hit a speed bump regardless, I never have issues where I just have to crawl over bumps or ramps. It just becomes driving habit to hit a ramp at an angle or heck around here I just avoid bumps, there is always another route.

 

They must do things differently in Chicago. lol

 

Dont do it. Get a coupe. Save the the trouble of the top in 5 years along with the motor.

 

My top is 8 years old and has holes all over the place (replacing it soon). You can look up and see the outside, put your fingers through the holes and for some reason it still does not leak water at all when it rains.

 

I had mine for just about a year now (Michigan). The winter seems to not have affected the top. The road noise is as expected. I do have two holes at the seams, but the water still does not leak. I'm planning on fixing it when it gets above freezing. The only time when it leaks is when I wash the car in the bay, and open the door to get in (as expected). One word of advise when purchasing the roadster, look the top over extremely well. That should be the number one thing to look at before the rest of the car(even before a test drive).

 

Interesting...

I agree with the previously mentioned post, I wouldn't suggest the Z as a daily driver; coupe or vert!

 

I enjoyed my roadster as a daily driver when I travelled constantly for work. Since I was mostly driving over one chain of mountains or another, you couldn't beat the fun/enjoyment or the views. Now that I have a pretty short commute to the office and it's all through the city, the Z isn't as much fun in stop and go traffic, so I drive my truck more.

Whether or not you'll enjoy it as a daily driver really depends on what your daily driving consists of... but you can't beat the fun on some twisties!

 

I own one of the first roadsters produced - 2004 model, bought it in early Sep 2003. Had the top replaced under warranty in late 2005 due to a seam split/separation documented on this site. Same material, stock top replacement.

Since then, NO problems. I've owned the car for 9 1/2 years, the top for almost 8 years and everything has worked perfectly. Never a drop of water leakage, the top mechanism has never malfunctioned.

Even though it has always lived in a garage when not driven, this car has been one of the best I've ever owned. It makes driving to and from work the best part of the day.

 

daily driven roadster here, parked inside garage during the day, no water leaks. love it.

 

Same thoughts here. Daily driver for me too and I actually look forward to the drive to/from work. Amazing car...

Ryan

 

Just picked up an 09 vert as a DD and I love it. I just drove this thing from CT to DE for college and if I can go back to school in it, anyone can daily drive this thing. Just a word of advice, if your transporting a decent amount of clothes, invest in some vacuum bags, they work wonders!!

 

I put a lot of miles on my 04 touring roadster, burnt orange interior, before trading for
this 07 gt and it's a daily driver also.

Traded the 04 @ 6000 with 187000 miles.