Follow-up analysis to Car & Driver crashing Nismo 370Z at VIR

kannibul

I doubt Nissan's marketing intent is to promot the Nismo as being track-ready...maybe track oriented...but not track-ready.

I can't imagine the idea of taking a stock nismo and hitting a track with it, and expect it to hold up.

Brakes, diff cooler, oil cooler, maybe a transcooler - at the very least.

One day I'll track my Z, but, I certainly won't be pushing the limits of the car, as my limits are much more conservative - I don't want to risk out out of pocket potentials...

I would however, like to go fast and take some hard corners in a legal environment...as long as there is minimal risk if I lose it and end up "4x4ing" my Z.

ZKindaGuy

Perfectly said there Mr. K!! "track-oriented" FTW!!!!

UNKNOWN_370

One thing though... when you walk into a nissan dealership looking at Z's dealers love talking about the nismo, they Love stressing its track readiness. So I would have to agree that nissan is misleading... then again so is everyone else in the auto industry. I mean. They call the GTi a sports car? Lol. The 370z is a sports car but it needs personal touches to cater to driving needs. Its not like a porsche cayman S that is instantly track ready. Still and all, the Z is one of the coolest cars under 40k.
The brake issue... well it was an issue. We would like to believe it was a sh1tty driver or the guy didn't know what he was doing but, keeping it real. It makes sense that a $3,000 sport package that 2k of it are rims will have a BBK that would need personal upgrades to make it a true race brake system. New brake lines, rotors pads and fluid would probably increase performance significantly.
But I do have to agree that nissan amps themselves up. Then a few months later, you find out its really not as much as what it is, then you find yourself modding for improvements. Honestly this is a trait in all jap and asian cars and no one should be surprised. Still and all, looking past the hype. The asian auto market still gives more for your dollar than any other market. Weighing pro's and cons. I still think the Z is worthy.

kannibul

I never heard any of that - but then again, the Nismo wasn't out yet.

There was a Nismo Frontier - are you suggesting (in a sense) that the Nismo Frontier is track-ready?

Just sayin...

Also, in your $3K upgrade, you're forgetting VLSD and Synchro-Rev Match.

370Zsteve

It might be off-road-ready, which I believe would be it's intended use. Yet after this PR nightmare I have to question whether the Nismo Frontier could seriously contest in any off-road race, of any kind, without 'issues'.

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SOLD MY Z MARCH 2018 - another Core OG moves on - new ride 2019 Z Corvette Grand Sport - no mods necessary but already have eyes on HFC and intakes LOL IT NEVER ENDS.

ZKindaGuy

Nissan "the dealer" is NOT the same as Nissan "the manufacturer". You cannot indict the manufacturer for a "sales-pitch" made by the dealership. The dealerships buys the cars from Nissan, the manufacturer. The dealersships are customers to Nissan the manufacturer just as the person who buys the car from the dealership is the customer of the dealership.

So if the dealerships love talking up the Nismo as a "track ready" vehicle, that is a sales-pitch which needs to be sorted out and distinguished by the person who is interested in buying the car from that dealership.

So Nissan the manufacturer is NOT being misleading...the dealership who sells Nissan cars is being misleading.

Joehand1

I'm heading to Barber in June for a couple of track days.

Because I value my life, I'm taking my 1987 911 and leaving my 370 Sport Package in the driveway.

Maybe the Z would be OK, but I just don't trust it on the track.

The 911 is relatively slow, but it's bullet proof and the brakes never fade.

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2009 370 Z
2006 Ford GT
1987 Porsche 911 Carrera

jabrother

Can't say that I blame you there!! At least til you get a pad and fluid upgrade in the 370.

James

08 G37
09 Miata
96 240sx
00 Boxster

kenchan

the 911 doesn't run?

370Zsteve

Source: Nissanusa.com

Purpose-built and passionately engineered, the NISMO 370Z™ features race-bred, factory-tuned, extreme Nissan performance parts and accessories.

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Also, Nissan never repudiated many mags, blogs, etc that were referring to the car as "track-ready". On a Google search of "Nismo 370Z track ready", I came up with tons of links.

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SOLD MY Z MARCH 2018 - another Core OG moves on - new ride 2019 Z Corvette Grand Sport - no mods necessary but already have eyes on HFC and intakes LOL IT NEVER ENDS.

kannibul

Race-bred...means it was an Altima got humped by a race car. It's still a mutt...

Think of another main point - the Z shares it's platform (ie, the drivetrain, suspension, dimensions, etc) with the G37 - not exactly what I would think of as a race car.

Again, I - no matter who says what...would never take the Z in stock trim (nismo or not) to a track and instantly start doing "Lightning Laps", time trials or whatever, without doing a number of test runs and practice to get a feel for the car so I don't end up in a wall.

C&D made a point in their follow-up article to state right up front that it wasn't a talent issue - really? How much experience did that driver have with the Z? Why didn't the driver pickup on the fade that was clearly documented by C&D with later testing?


Again, the Nismo, or the Z in general - is not a race car - it's a sports car. It's mean for people who enjoy more power and performance than the average car...you add a helping of luxery and comfort, and you have the G37...

370Zsteve

I can't disagree with anything you say, Kan. Yet even car & Driver were dazzled by Nissan's marketing hype and threw it onto a race track in stock form. And as far as I can see, no other cars in the test had a FAIL like the Z.

__________________
SOLD MY Z MARCH 2018 - another Core OG moves on - new ride 2019 Z Corvette Grand Sport - no mods necessary but already have eyes on HFC and intakes LOL IT NEVER ENDS.

kannibul

Which takes me back to the driver being the issue, which is backed up with the point that they noted brake fade issues in their later testing.

Either that, or something else happened which tossed the car off to the wall, other than just the brakes failing - entered too fast, catastrophic loss of traction, etc...

There's no reason that brakes would go from great to piss poor in the space of 1 turn.

Maybe the pads were already worn down and they just melted off the remaining brake material...