im getting a 350z very soon.. but i dont know wheather if i should get a coupe or a roadster. it'll be my everyday car.. plus i live in chicago so there are going to some harsh winter.. PLZ help me decide..

 

Depends if this is you're only car.
Living in CT. I have a winter ride and the roadster.
Get the roadster, goes like hell, feels like heaven

 

Ditto. I have an everyday driver, but I LOVE the Roadster. Get one if you can.

 

This is EXACTLY what I have been battling with for the last 4 months or so. A Touring Coupe or Roadster. I have test driven both on two different occasions (4 different vehicles). I really have been favoring the Roadster. My main concerns have been:
•I have never had a convertible.
•Concerned about excessive wind noise. (However, the 350Z is quite quite.)
•Concerned about possible mechanical problems with the top.
•To some extent, concerned about vandalism. It is so easy to slit the top.
•I keep vehicles until they totally give out (avg. around 180,000 miles). Will the top last.

Well, I went and took another look at a Roadster just yesterday. Spent about 45 minutes going over it. Needless to say, one beautiful vehicle. I have spent almost everyday for the past 30 years designing something. Big and small items. I wish I could claim to have designed any element on this vehicle. Just beautiful!

Well, all things said, I think I am about to pull the trigger and order a Roadster. I have been terribly practical my whole life. I think it is time to do some rolling thru the hills of Kentucky with the top down.

I, like NaK6iX, would love to hear input from others on this board.

Thanks!

 

Bet it was a toss up with lots of Z owners. I know it was for me.
I live in SoCal and we have 12 months of sunshine. Over time I wanted to Mod the car more into a Track/Race car. The Roadster is more of a cruising car for beautiful days.
The Roadster looks a little strange to me with the top up. But when the top is down it's hands down one of the nicest looking converts out there. Everytime I see one on a beautiful sunny day with the top down I always wonder what could have been. But My TRACK is a different type of car and it fits my Performance needs better. So I would say the Coupe is more of a racer Vs. the Roadster which is more of a touring car. Both cars Rock.
If your in Chicago I say go with the Coupe. Especially if it's your Daily ride.

 

For the drool factor alone! Beware though, cause all eyes are gonna be on you at the redlight.

 

I just got a roadster last week. I live in SoCal so weather wasn't a factor. I test drove the G35 coupe and the roadster and in the end it was easy. After a while the G35 would be just another car, not too different from what I was driving. Life is too short, I'm very happy with my decision.

 

Get the looks and performance... get a roadster. Of course you will pay through the nose for it. I got mine for $500 under MSRP and that was way down from $3000 over.

 

My understanding is that the roadster doesn't come with VDC. IMO that is a problem from a safety standpoint but not a problem for many or possibly most owners.

 

I have had 3 Z's in my lifetime -all coupes and though they were great. The new "03Z coupe just didnt seem that different to me over the past Z's Ive owned-'72,'78,'90 so I waited. Then I saw the '04 Roadster with the top down and man I got that "Gotta have it feeling again" After I test drove it-I was sold since there is nothing greater than cruising with the top down which I can do quite frequently in Texas. If I lived up North-it would be toss up between the coupe and Roadster for practical reasons as a daily driver.
Luv my Roadster

rapid ray
'04 SS Roadster Touring
Nismo cat-back exhaust
custom grille
3m Clear bra (soon)

 

whats VDC??

 

Your kidding right?

 

VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) causes oversteer. I'm glad they took it out of the roadster, the one car I would not like to flip.

 

Personally I like the coupe better. The roadster looks nicer with the top down. But with the top up,the Z loses its beautiful roof line..The roadster is practical if you live in a warm climate all yr round. A garage is a must have for a roadster too. Thieves just use a razor to get in

 

VDC causes oversteer? no way! it's the thing that saves ya!
Try to punch your car in corner in the rain, with VDC on and off, you'll see how VDC saves ya

 

Agreed.

I've owned both a 2003 Touring Coupe with VDC and a 2004 Touring Roadster, which does not have VDC, only Traction Control. I miss the VDC. But it was not worth keeping after seeing the Roadster. Damn it is a fine auto!!!!

I came from an Eclipse Spyder to a Z coupe
I felt like I was in a cracker jack box with no escape in my old coupe. It had to go!

A convertible is a must have. If you have never owned one, buy it, you will never go back to a coupe again, I can promise you that. It is too versitile, it's like a transformer.

 

Um, yah this is an incorrent statement.

VDC does everything in the world to prevent YAW. To stop you from spinning out or off the road.

The 350z has a tendancy to understeer most of the time. Only at the lower gears and heavy throttle is it possible to kick the rear end out in to oversteer. But it sure is FUN! And no danger of flipping over.

VDC is the best thing in the world when it's raining or you want to drive like a mad man in the twisties and are not sure you can handle it. The computer steps in and saves your ***.

I didn't get a roadster for two reasons.

1) Price
2) I am fat and sweat too much already!

However the roadster is dead sexy.

 

VDC saved my *** last week.

I was late to work heading down 1st ave from bankers hill into hillcrest.

I hit one of the DIPS and it rained (yes rained in san diego) that night.

The car came unstuck - next thing i knwo i was heading for some parked cars...I said "oh crap- she's gonna hit" but at the last sec...straightened out.

No VDC in the roadsters??? why???

 

Put those crazy roadster seats in the coupe and you have the perfect combination.

The roof line of the coupe is one of the things that really makes the look of the car in my opinion.

 

The answer to Coup or Roadster is purely what lights your fire.
If its the Roadster, buy it. I personally LUV the lines of the Coup & the Roadster sucks wind (imo...not judging for others) with the top up. Top down is another story........wish I could own two!!

I would not let winter climate discourage one from the Roadster.
I grew up in Michigan & owned a 62 T-Bird Roadster Vert for 7 years & 140000 miles in the 60s. Lord, I luved that car & never once regreted having the vert even with all the snow/ice.