Its the 17s that exhibit the most bounce, because of the higher sidewall, I assume. It is very uncomfortable on certain roadways, especially those damaged by 18 wheelers, not to mention embarassing that other drivers see you bouncing all over the road in your fancy sports car. I acknowledge the terrible roads in my area, but other sports cars, including Covettes and Miatas, ride a lot better on the same roads.

 

If you guys really want to get p----d off (did I spell that right???) then click on to www.nissan-europe.com (then click on Great Britain unless you speak other languages). I knew that they were offering a lot of goodies that we weren't offered but the fact that we can't get any satisfaction from Nissan on a lot of issues that were addressed in Europe, is really a double insult. We must be the testing ground for their marketing programs. My feeling is they have a very low opinion of the American market and our gullibility (count me in on that one) of their marketing campaigns and the ability to jumpstart their resurrection of the Z without any concern for making good on corrective measures. In other words we are guinea pigs and Europe is their main market. I don't know about you, but that makes me feel like a real pawn.

 

I can't believe that Nissan's market will be the Europeans. We're the richest country in the world with the most amount of disposable income. Plus, we got the cheapest gas in the world. The same Z's we buy here in the low 30's will cost the Europeans around 40's equivalent USD's.

Also, I've read that they are limiting sales in Great Brittain to less than a thousand. If Nissan gets bad PR in the states, they will be in for some hurt in all their line of cars. US is the biggest market for almost everything....we're king of consumerism!!! And, I'm not that proud of that fact, but that's a whole different thread.

 

We are Nissan's largest market, not Europe or any other part of the world and IT IS AN INSULT WE GET THE CRAPPY SETUP. They are in danger of losing my continued support of Nissans altogether and for all time for the above reason.

 

OK, this isn't going to be a popular post. But, I don't see from the website how we got such a crappy deal. First of all, we really can't tell what kind of suspension is on the car from the website. Yes, it may be better as rumor has it, but this isn't proof. Besides, I'm already ticked about the suspension, so this didn't make me feel any worse.

They do offer some nice options, like being able to get the Rays wheels on either model, Brembo brakes as standard feature, standard navigation, etc. The headlight washers and electric folding mirrors are typical in Europe, but I doubt anybody will miss them here. But, otherwise, the two models look like the Touring version and the Track version (or a combination threrof).

You still have the option of the crappy Bose stereo, the colors are the same (even though they have different names), the interior and exterior look substantially similar, if not exactly the same, and the engine has the same specs.

Having all of the additional standard features is nice, but they increase the price of the car. It's not like they're getting anything for free. I priced out a car that's like mine (Touring with curtain airbags, but without aero or navigation) and it totalled almost $45k - a full $10k more than I paid for my car (over $7k more if you include tax, license, etc.)

Would I have purchased the Rays if I could have? You bet. I wish Nissan would have allowed me the option. But, I would not have wanted to pay for the nav and the aero package to add them on. I could go either way on the Brembos. I have zero complaints about my current brakes other than the fact that they don't say "Brembo" on them. (The other option would have been to offer leather in the track model with the crappy Bose, which in retrospect, I would be happy to give up.)

If I missed something, I would be happy to admit my mistake. But, in my opinion, the main problem with the car is still the suspension, not the way they packaged the features.

 

Screw the options, its the upgraded RIDE they get that pisses me off to no end. Yeah, Americans will buy anything if the marketing is right, and Nissan spent $Millions on advertising. They seem to have nothing left to fix our cars.

 

Took mine out today and drove it on every type of road mentioned on this thread and I don't have a problem. Rides like my old NSX and that car has been judged as one of the best handling sports cars in the world. Guess I got the upgraded suspension.

 

anxious, I think you missed the whole point of this thread. We are not talking about the U.S. car VS The Europeon model as far as standard equipment and options and value, but comparing the suspensions which seem to be corrected ny upgrading in Europe. The real point of this thread are the problems with the suspensions of some of the cars.

 

No, actually I didn't miss the point. I did follow a tangent about what I found on the Nissan UK website that was mentioned a few posts back. It sounded like people were saying that the information on that site proved how we got screwed by Nissan. It doesn't. In fact, it doesn't say anything specific about the suspenion on the car.

Once people get a chance to drive the euro version for a while, we'll know for certain what's changed. Until then, it's all speculation. We're pretty sure that it's different, but we won't know exactly how or if it's better until people get some time behind the wheel.

 

Anxious, you did miss the point. An earlier European article quoting a Nissan Engineer said,"we changed the suspension according to their(UK, Europe) expectations and it came out better than the previous settings". When he was asked for specifics, he said "we stiffened the springs more, and softened the struts quite a bit, it worked so well, we are going to change to the new settings in all markets"(paraphrased).

The Euro version is going to be the WORLD version because it has a more supple ride w/o giving up any handling! We have been asking for this since September, 2002, on this site!!

 

Lost another post. Oh, well, it was a total rant and Its a privately owned site anyway.

 

I've read the article you're talking about (or at least an earlier paraphrase of it), but I was commenting on what Nissan UK's new site added to the discussion. My only point was that it doesn't add much to what we already know about the suspension and therefore we shouldn't be any more upset now than we were before. Apparently, I did a lousy job of making that point. I'll do a better job next time.

 

Anxious, your viewpoints are perfectly valid. I had responded with some thoughts of my own earlier, but this website logs you out after a while and all of my pearls of wisdom are now in etherspace. Maybe somebody on Planet Blotz is now reading it and wondering what the hell is going on out there!?

Anyway, one thing I wanted to mention is that our fellow poster RPT from Holland has advised that he will give me an update on the Z in the EU. If you have been following these posts he had mentioned a while ago that he was to take possession of two Z's sometime in Sept. or Oct. He said he would write me in the next few days about the latest in the EU. So I will keep you all posted and in the meantime everybody keep their cool.

 

Anyone know when all of the Z's will get the euro suspension???

I am seriously thinking of waiting another 3 months to get my Z so I can get the new suspension.

 

I am curious to know what indication anyone has that there is a "new suspension" expected on the US 2004 Z's?? Except for our gut feeling that their probably will be some movement by Nissan on the subject on future models, I have heard nothing substantive about changes on the next model year. If anyone can reference a source for this information I would be happy to read it.

 

I've got a 2004, and have offered to meet up with anyone with an early 2003 do a comparison ride along stretches of concrete pavement around Sacramento. No one has responded, so perhaps some of the other folks can hook up for a comparo.

 

Hopefully i can get this all in before this bounces me out again.
Called a dealer sales person and asked if they have any 2004 Z's. Yes he replies. Any changes over the 2003, no he says, only a price increase. Then I call NNA, I speak to a nice lady named Pearl. I ask her the same question, she says I have to check. I give her my old case number regarding the putrid suspension system. She comes back on the line and informs me that the only change for 2003 is THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They changed to the EUROPEAN SUSPENSION SYSTEM FOR 2004.
Great I say, does that mean there will be a retrofit for the poor shmucks who bought into the 2003Z??? Nah says she. Nissan does not regard the 2003 suspension as a defect. BS says I. I want to speak to someone higher up. The spleen is now in high gear. She says she will have her Supervisor (management she claims) call me back. Big whoop. I end the call in anger helping neither me or my Z. Any class action lawyers out there???
Our reward for being the first in line was to have Nissan say Tough S--t! NEVER EVER NISSAN AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I forgot to mention what else Pearl of NNA told me. She said that I was the first person to complain about the suspension problem to her. After I caught my breath and picked myself up off the floor etc. etc. You can imagine what I said. I advised her to check in on this site but I don't think anyone at NNA would officially admit to reading any website posts. Are we THAT small a group of dissatisfied Z owners? I am beginning to think so. This is starting to read like the Emporers new clothes. This site is so big that I wish there were a way of asking all of the correspondents just what there take is. I guess its every man and woman for himself.
Ciao

 

Mines an 03 built in May of 03, they started building 04's in June. My Z rides great, I doubt that Nissan said lets change the suspension and stopped everything and got rid of all of the 03 parts and brought in all new stuff the first of June. I am sure that changes like this are started on a running basis. It will be interesting when we know what to look for.

 

dnguyent,

The worst stretch of road I have found is 101 South from Menlo Park to Mountain View. The first time I drove that stretch was in commuter traffic going about 45 mph. The bounce was severe enough to give me a huge headache. I don't commute often in the Z and when I do, I plan to hit this stretch of road at low traffic times. If I drive 65 or faster, the bounce is significantly reduced.