Hi guys, seeing as you lucky lot have managed to get your mucky paws on the lesser spotted 350Z can you shine any light on the build quality ?????

My problem is I love the shape and performance but I don't know weather or not to sell my Porsche Boxster....will I be very disapointed with the way it is bolted together as the German car seems to be bullet proof for build, even on our English roads.

Any remarks are welcome especially on the dash/materials/squeaks.


Cheerz

Muchas

 

Well, I don't know exactly what you're looking for, but I do have a couple of observations.

The exterior build quality is fantastic. This body is tight - everything about the body panels & trim pieces is perfectly put together and there is not a single piece on the exterior that I've seen any complaints about.

The interior, however, is pretty classic Japanese design & build. I came to the 350z from an Audi A4, and I could immediately notice a difference in terms of how "insulated" pieces felt, etc. However, considering the price difference between ur Porsche & the Z, I'd say the Z is a better bang-for-your-buck. I took apart my entire dash to put in a Delphi XM system, and the Nissan engineers are smart - they used as few bolts as possible to accomplish their goals. There are limited interior rattles, probably the most common one being the passenger seatbelt rattle, which just needs to be tucked in to a provided clip to go away completely. I also get some rattle off the cupholder when its out, but thats kinda to be expected. The seats are phenominal, much better than the Porsche, although you won't have as many adjustments for things like lumbar & shoulder support.

Behind the dash most parts are held in with 1 or 2 plastic pull-tabls, in conjunction with 1 or 2 bolts. The stereo is bolted down so many ways its not even funny - taking this thing apart requires patience - and if you're not sure if you're pulling on plastic or metal - a little bit of faith too.

The cloth seat material is junk. I've had the car for 6 months now, and the drivers seat is already coming apart. I'm planning on a completely new interior within a year (keeping, of course, the factory seats).

Controls are located logically and offer relatively good feedback, although the climate control twist ***** could use a little more "click" to them as you rotate them around. The stereo is adequate, with a clear layout and the base radio (not BOSE) is decent if you just want cruising noise. If you like your music above road noise w/ windows down at 80mph, then you need an amp.

Build Quality = Decent. Not Porsche build, but no where near porsche price.

Good luck!

 

Hey thanks for the break down, I can tell you know what I'm asking as you drive an Audi. Very fine cars, my last car was the Audi TT, superb in every way....just tad common now !!
I'll be taking your advice and going for the Tourer with leather seats......and the Bose.

The problem is that we get ripped off in the UK, they are talking £30,000 for am ST (rumoured) when Porsche Boxsters start at £31,000....tough call... I just can't wait to see one in the flesh.


Cheerz

Muchas

 

yeah if your driving a porsche, and had a TT, its safe to say your a pampered *** just like me, go for the touring that will give you nice heated power seats.

as for squeeks, I dont have any, but I know others do. or maybe they just have better hearing. not sure. you can often times track a squeek down and put some padding in the problem area.

as for under the skin quality, it is solid, all panels line up evenly cept for the gas cap... not a huge deal, but it should be metal. but for a car that is rumored to be faster than a boxster S, and like 20grand or more LESS, I can handle the gas door.

 

I had driven the TT Coupe and the Boxster before I decided to go for the Touring Z. First off, the TT doesn't compare to the Z. The build quality seems about the same. The Audi TT interior really sucks though. It looks ok, and the quality seems great, but personally I found it so incredibly uncomfortable and cramped. The seats hit you wrong in the lower back, which is a sin for a daily driver. The performance of the TT also was a let down. It handled good, but nowhere near the Z.
The Boxster is very impressive. When you sit in it you notice the quality. Everything is textured and done with very high quality parts. the interior is comfortable and the finish is absolutely great. My only complaints are that that the interior is very stark (The German Way I Guess) and too many people have them (mostly old balding white men).
If you choose the Z, you are giving up the Interior of those cars for a very Japanese sports car style interior. The layout is great, the controls are very useful, and the seats fit you perfectly... The door panels are the weakest part, they look kinda cheap, but they grow on you. The Z is much more fun to drive than the other 2 cars, and the style in my own opinion is hands down the best of the 3... much more handsome. Not to mention the Nissan colors are great. You really cant judge them until you see them in person. Blue, Lemans & Brickyard are must see colors.
You really need to sit in a Z and drive it before you make the choice. I would definitely do it over again, but then again I went from a daily driver 2001 Tahoe to the Z, it may be different for a Porsche owner... Although we have several Lexus's (SC430/LX/IS), the Nissan stacks up pretty well... Not as plush, but it is by no means a Honda Civic.

 

Thanks again guys for your valid points/comments and comparisons. I was looking for, another 'pampered asses' out there that had considered buying the German cars and who compared them to the Z while considering there options and flipping the coin..

As for the Civic comment......that made me chuckle, Honda UK is in my town where the Civic is made for world wide consumption, they are everywhere.....lol and NO I don't work there...


One last question...
what goes in the big square hole if you don't have Sat-Nav...?

Cheerz

Muchas

 

storage, the cover flips up. there are aftermarket options, such as an aftermarket nav, or a LCD with DVD, or Chazzg or something is creating a car computer that will include nav and any other feature of a computer you can think of, including playing DVDs, recording camera footage, ect.

it seems not having nav may become a good thing since the computer is sposed to price out around 1000$ with the best of everything, still half the price of factory nav.