Sup my350z.com, been lurkin on here on/off for about a year. I've owned a few japanese sport compacts, s2000, rsx-s (current) and a SR20DET S14. I've tracked the S2k and RSX and am looking into a Z now..

350z's exterior has always appealed to me and with rims they are chunky as fuuuuuk. The interior is blah & the V6 torque is what I'm looking for. Any tips for a new buyer? My RSX is for sale (plug plug http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/car/517201739.html ) and I'll be looking to pick a Z up before school starts up again.

mods planned somethin like i/h/e, full coilover (I've had experience with Tien working well.), wheel/tire up'd




TIA.

 

yeah, you will definitely enjoy the Z, considering your background.

 

You'll love it. What model year are you looking at?

 

depending on the amount of money your looking to spend.... i woudl say dont buy a base model... and from personal experience with friends i wouldnt suggest an 06... but then again i know alot of great 06's soo its kinda up in the air.... been thinking about gettin rid of mine for a g35 soo let me know what your looking for

 

Welcome! the 03-04 had issues with transmissions and tire feathering that could prove annoying. An 05 enthusiest would be the best bang for buck performance, without the headaches, that you could get.

 

or u can take the plunge and get an 07, its faster stock than a pre 07 with i/h/e

btw, headers do next to nothing for these cars, so really no point in wasting money on that (i hear they help if ur supercharged though, but not na)

 

I honestly don't get the whole interior being "blah?" The Z, well at least the 07, has a sweet interior. Everything is perfect, the plastic is textured (just like 05 and up Porsches) the guages are clear and theres plenty of them to play with, the seats are comfy for track but not for long distances. Plus its pretty quick. My buddy has a WRX and he was astonished at how much faster my Z is.

 

Search:d

 

I think when you compare the Z's interior to other's, it's one area that the Z lacks...compared to the few cars I've driven in ('07 IS350, '07 boxster, '04 E320 benz), the Z just doesn't come close; but then again, it's considerably cheaper and performance is great!

 

^lets compare apples to apples, what car in the same price range has a better interior?

our interior is better than the vette's, and they 10-40k more, depending on trim

 

^ I believe a 'better' interior is subjective. Think the Z's interior is very good for the purpose of performance driving / racing. The steering wheel is just right in size, the instumentation is right where everything should be. The driving position, even though visibility is limited for daily driving, it is perfectly focused on the view you're most concerned about when racing. Even though it has a high belt line, it forces the driver to look foward, something very critical when racing. The driver's seat is well bolstered for an OE seat and has the raised section in between the thighs for slightly better assist when cornering. As far as a racer oriented interior that is usuable for daily driving, the designers of the Z got it right. Although I would've liked the the shift light to be larger and in a more prominent location and the throttle and brake to be slightly closer for easier rev matching. But I think a size 10 or larger might find it better suited for their needs.

Now... w/ all that said; if you're not looking for a street car to race, care about form over function and comfort over performance; look for something else. For a sole daily driver, I think the interior is mediocore. The quailty of some of the materials and the way they move is slightly better than plastic parts for kids toys. The A-piar is wide and can get in your feel of view at times when at a stop attempting to merge onto perpendicular street, and the rear window is so short it becomes a little useless when you're traveling on roads w/ even mild elevation changes. Not to say that other cars in the same class have any better interiors, they're pretty lousy too. But this interior was obviously designed w/ a racer's needs and safety in mind and the needs of the daily driver a distant second.

 

^ u make a good point about dd duties visability, but i was more refering to interior layout and materials and such. most sports cars in general have relativly poor dd duties visability, in my mind thats the price u pay for driving a sports car

i think for a 30k sports cars the z has a pretty nice interior. what specifically are r u talking about when u compare plastics to kids toys?

 

Or you can buy my 07 Z Touring with amazing interior for the cheap price of $27,500!!!

 

The way the sunglasses holder is built and the cabin lights around it, the two small storage doors on the aft firewall and the plastic material around the base of the seats. Also, since the '03 there have been complaints about the material (small dot pattern) used for part of the dash & the door it does not clean very well w/ regular car interior cleaning supplies. Those items come to mind right now. Also the transformer-like cup holder in lower part of some models of Z's is 'awkward'.

Don't get me wrong, the interior is near perfect for what it was intended to satisfy. The car was ment to be a high performance car, not a DD. If that's what you're looking for then it's interior is perfect for that. For my needs, the interior is what I want in the Z. I can live w/ it's short comings for all that it gives in the areas that mater to me.

I think the $30k you pay for is mainly for the performance the Z gives. There are many $30k cars out there w/ better interiors for DD use, but none w/ the performance capabilities of the Z.

 

^oh yeah, i forgot about those, especially the stuff at the bottom of the seats, really flimsy. and the sunglasses holder thing rattles like crazy on the highway.

i do like the whole dot pattern thing though, i think it looks sweet, and i haven't had any problems cleaning it with nothing but a wet rag. i don't use "cleaning" supplies for the interior cause they tend to make everything shiny, and i hate shiny plastics, looks greasy

 

hey I just don't like the stock seats but I'll upgrade to some brides anyways, let me know local 350z guys when some meets are coming or if anyone wants to help me install some mods.. thx.

 

Just keep hawking this board, and you'll find the meets pop up.

 

whats wrong with the seats? i like them better than the rsx's (my sister has an rsx), and from what i remember of my short drive of an s2k, they aren't much better than whats in the rsx. imo the z seats are more comforable and have better support in the twisties.

is there anything specific that u don't like about them or just preference?

 

I haven't sat in them enough or driven the Z enough to make a ergonomics decision but based on looks purely my RSX seats are nicer (imo) and so were my s2000 seats, the shaping and lack of leather (at least on the Z I'm interested in) is what turns me off on the seats.

 

well, if you want to ride in 1, ill let u ride in mine...but only when the roads are dry.