Blah blah blah.

I have drifted my stock z ALL the way around buttonwillow's west loop, and around the bank at irrwindale. You don't need any mods to drift, you just need to learn.

You can drift the car just fine, turn of the vdc or better yet take out the large red fuse in the engine bay that takes of the abs too.

RSR has an s2000 that alex phiffer drove into 3rd place at formula D. They had a lot of troubles keeping it sideways, but I think they finally found a setup that works.

By the way ReavTec, Tsuchiya has not drifted in a competion for over 20 years, and he retired from road racing a few months ago. The car does nothing to control you when the VDC is off, both tires start spinning when you want them to.

 

To say the Z was meant for drifting or even that it is especially good at it is a fairly bold statement. It's a heavy *** hell sports car with noticiable understeer at the limit. Sure you can kill the understeer with the gas or just could just enter the turn slamming the gas but that's a powerslide not drifting. You just dont have the neutral steer characteristics of a small car like a Miata. The Z was made to rule the Wangan. I own a Z, and yes I drift it, but it is not the best car for it and sayin it is is simply untrue.

 

No car is meant for drifting, but the Z does drift fairly well in the stock form. I can't think of another car straight of the lot, that could get the job done better. Your understeer could be coming from your setup and/or your driving. Try running used tires in back, or smaller wheels. Use feint motion, if you though the weight back and fourth before the drift the car will turn in very well. No car is the best for drifting, it all comes down to personal preference and what the driver wants out of the car.

Yea, the Z is heavy, deal with it, I certainly do.(not for much longer)

If any one wants video give me an email.
shmately@earthlink.com

I also have some awsome canyon drift footage, with some tandem I do with my buddy in his s13.

 

the z doesnt have understeer problems unless your afraid to push it.

 

The Z has understeer. Disputing this claim is ignoring the way the car is built. It is an FR layout vehicle and very very heavy, it has natural understeer, this can be killed by powersliding but it does have natural understeer none the less. The 350 has mild understeer whereas the Miata is neutral steer and the MR2 is oversteer. It doesn't mean one is better or worse than the other, but my personal preference is oversteer so the 350 isn't the ideal to me.

 

then why did you buy it?

 

What ever understeer problems the Z has can be overcome with aggresive driving. That understeer makes the car much more stable at high speeds. Drifting is not about an "oversteer" setup, this would be slow(bad for tandem) and hard to keep on the track. I think that rear grip helps you get more angle, simply because you feel more comfortable swinging it around.

All cars have understeer, if you suck. (I did at one point)

 

yeah actually, they cannot have more power than they already have. well.....yes if they boost, but aftermarket intake, headers, exhaust, etc....will probably only improve like 2 hp. if that. so it sucks for those s2k owners.

 

I thought the 350 was built on an FM platform? Got this from FreshAlloy.com



The 350Z utilizes Nissan's new FM (front midship) platform meaning the engine sits behind the front wheel axle thus technically making the Z a mid-ship engine car just like the Acura NSX and Toyota MR2. However the Z's engine will be mounted in the front of the car rather than rear unlike the NSX or MR2. The Honda S2000 can also be classified as a front midship car. The advantage of the FM package is an almost 50/50 front to back weight distribution and thus more neutral handling. The FM package also specifies 4 wheel independent multi-link suspension along with newly developed ripple control shock absorbers.

 

no, he knows everything cant you tell?

 

lol, I'm not the greatest when it comes to mechanics. His post just got me confused and got me wondering. btw, google rocks!

I see his love for the MR2 also. I didn't think the MR2 was a good drift car. I'm not up to snuff on drifting either. Looks pretty fun and I'm thinking of trying it one day. But from what I've seen, only 1 MR2 drift. It was Tsuchiya and I believe he was showing off because it's a hard car to drift.

 

it is, i love mr2s, but would i drift it, naah. the Z is a wonderful drift car, the mr2, not so much.

 

Nice post. I love my 350z, dont get me wrong. But for drifting it's sheer heft can be annoying. For me, there is more fun in stringing together dynamic drifts with a neutral steer car (Miata) that doesn't need to be mashed on the throttle or have to use heavy weight transfer. As for my love of the MR2, well to me the fun of drifting is the difficulty in controlling the vehicle, to me this shows skill. An MR is a very oversteer prone vehicle that needs delicate throttle and steering input to drift perfectly. This is so incredibly fun since it's so difficult to master. Whenever I see an MR2 or MRS sideways at the local drift meet, I can't help but smile. That MR driver has a long road ahead of him, one of curbs, close calls, and spinouts but he will be a better driver for it.

As for the 350z, I bought it because I wanted a new car with alot of HP for my buck. My only other option was the RX8 since I'm a big rotary fan. After hearing alot about false HP claims and Top Speed numbers as well as engine failures, I decided I would get an RX8 once they prefected the Renesis, and get a Z. I am glad I went with the Z, its Wangan made performance with loads of Low End Torque is just for me. I kind of yearn for a 9k redline (ala S2000) or the vacuum exhaust note (Rotary ownz) but the Z is amazing. It's incredibly well built and I plan on keeping it to pass on my future children. I am getting a few more power upgrades soon and will be working on handling right after.

 

Don't get power for the z, spend that cash on driving school.
Then you may realize what that car can do.

Good luck drifting a stock miata or a mr2 all the way around a race track.(I mean tires spinning the whole time, around corners and swinging down the straights)

Been there, done that. Next time I'm going for 2 times around, come and watch at buttonwillow raceway (socal) on november 22nd.

 

Don't get power for the z, spend that cash on driving school.
Then you may realize what that car can do.

Good luck drifting a stock miata or a mr2 all the way around a race track.(I mean tires spinning the whole time, around corners and swinging down the straights)

Been there, done that. Next time I'm going for 2 times around, come and watch at buttonwillow raceway (socal) on november 22nd.

 

i love how this thing drifts. feels like an extetion of my own body. it does feel a little heavy but that only helps me predict its momentum. realy good for knowen were im gowen when im side ways.

 

Our cars are the shiyt for Drifting!!!!!



-Travis

 

more or less, i enjoy the hell out of it now.