Questions, questions and more questions for a potential 370z buyer!

Elia Cid

Go to any car forum and see for yourself Corvette, BMW, Porsche, none conjurer up the enthusiasm, excitement, passion this car does by its owners IMO.

This car has that indefinable quality “Soul “if you will, not found in cars costing much more.

For me it’s the right car, at the right moment, in time with the right performance and design, for the right price.

Sorry for the rant, but I guess you can tell I have strong feelings for this car by now.

Alex
P.S. I forgot to mention it’s a hell of a chick magnet as well!!

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Zsteve

I think that is a good statement. At certain points in your life, according to your income and all, different cars are the right car at different times. As I get older I still want a sporty car but not a Fast and Furious looking car and with my income increasing as I get older Ive been able to go from cheap family cars to nice sports cars and will be able to afford a 60K car for my next car.

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2010 LS3 C6 Silver coupe corvette

tag824

I finally went and got behind a 370z sport yesterday. First off I really love the look of the car, especially it's profile. I found myself staring at it for quite a while.

I had to go to three dealers until I could find a 370z sport. At the first dealership no one greeted me or asked if I needed any help. I had to hunt a sales guy down who gave me a look like I was interrupting his conversation with the other sales guys. Being I'm in my 3rd BMW I can't remember the last time I was ignored at a dealership. I guess I have been spoiled. The sales guy tells me they don't have one in sport and that the other nearest dealer won't either. Knowing dealers are mostly full of sh!t I called the other one and they said they did indeed have one. I arrive at the second dealer and then when we go outside to the car the sales lady notices it isn't there. We later find out one of the sales people took it home for the weekend.

So now I'm pissed, I just want to drive the car and the suspense is killing me. I call up the third dealer and they have one. I get there and FINALLY jump in for a drive in a black on black sport. Sweet.

First thing that struck me is I could hear the engine, very prominent in the cabin but in a civil way. After a little driving I noticed that the majority of the noise was the drone of the tires as I had read about. It's not too loud but has a low frequency to it that I could see getting under my skin. I really wanted to drive on concrete roads but all the streets were black top where we were. Then, out of the blue I go over a bridge that is paved concrete. Wow, I thought it was very noisy. It was a short span so I didn't really have time to fully judge it but it felt and sounded loud.

My other impressions of the car is it's bouncy yet compliant. Being so short in length makes it that way but at the same time I was impressed that it wasn't a hard ride. The steering feel was really good. Almost on par with my BMW, but not quite. I heard some squeaking in the trunk area over bumps, sounded like plastic and was very annoying.

I thought the car had very good off the line pull. More than what I expected for a naturally aspirated car. Exhaust note to me was very loud in a good sporty way. I heard some saying they wish it was louder etc. I think it's just right, not too loud or muted.

My lord does this thing put out some serious heat. After a 15 minute drive I get out. Standing next to it by the drivers side quarter panel I can feel the heat emanating off it. I never got a chance to got WOT, streets were too busy. Never really got more than half way down on the pedal. So at this point I feel cheated.

I will be going back today for another test drive. I really need to take the car on the expressway and on concrete roads. I need to go WOT at least once. Right now I'm on the fence but after one more proper test drive I'm sure I will know if this car is right for me.

sonic370

i agree but corvette guys show the same passion.

sonic370

There are only about 5 to 10 cars still on the road today that have the history
of the Z. Most of us can name them. And the Z still has the WOW factor
after all these years.

optiontrader

I can vouch for that, especially when one of my coworkers bought a Z06. It made ME passionate for the Vette - SWEET engine!

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40th Anniversary Z - 3M Paint Protection Film, CA Legal Tint! (70/40)

bullet1

I own a 335Xi (Wife's Car) and my 370Z and they are just 2 completely different beasts all together. Especially since the AWD Sedan is 3800 lbs. The steering feel in the BMW is definitely solid and it is extremely well put together, but the fun factor in the Z is a lot higher. The Bimmer is definitely quick and the twin turbo engine is much more torquey, but for the price, I'd get a Z. If I had to haul a family of 4 to soccer practice or to the grocery... the 335i would definitely be an excellent choice.

ZedZed

My view is you'll have to test drive one.

Let me put it this way, my father has an Aston Martin DB9 but once he test drove the Nissan 370z, he actually preferred the Nissan over his Aston. I'd agree with him, after driving both, the Nissan lacks the awesome supercar power that the Aston has but it's just MUCH more fun to drive and there's no squeaking or rattling (unlike Aston).

More to the point, I'd say comparing with your car, yours would be the overall better car for things such as for motorway driving but the Z will be more fun to drive for a quick spin.

My neighbour has a BMW 335i which sounds great & prolly drives great but it's no M3, it's quite boring to look at. Once I get my Z, it'll be parked right next to his Beemer ... muhahahahahahahhahaha

tag824

Hey guys, I came across this article and it really ruined my day. Have they made any changes to address NVH in the 2010 models?

2009 Nissan 370Z Long-Term Road Test Introduction

Red__Zed

Honestly, just test drive one. I almost didn't due to shifter and noise concerns, but it wasn't an issue for me.

FairladyZ10PG

I recently got mine (2010 370z base 6sp w/sp pkg) 2 weeks ago and it's been a blast. Car is just pure joy to drive. I've been getting nothing but compliments on this car.

Ride quality is surprisingly good and better than expected but the cabin could be a little quieter. Some forum members are using dynamat to improve the noise level with success tho with a few hundred bucks. See this thread.
Dynamat Treatment

However, if you are concerned with the noise level and ride quality, maybe this isn't the car for you. Not that its noise and ride quality is unbearable like the article says but my daily driver is a 03 Acura CL type-s and the noise and ride quality is noticeably better than my Z. But I didn't buy the Z for its ride comfort and how quiet its cabin is.

With A/C off, I did experience some legroom area temp issue but it's been over 104 degrees here recently. With the A/C on, no problems.

I am curious tho what made you consider the Z after owning a 335i. My friends have 335i's and they're great cars. I don't see them selling their bimmers to buy the Z anytime soon. Unless you want to save some money for other things.

optiontrader

I think they kinda overblew their opinion of the NVH issue. You do hear some road noise, but it isn't eyebleed territory. After a full day of it, though, I can imagine it getting a bit tedious.

But definitely test DRIVE one - you'll find out it's a great car to do just that. There is a difference between your 335i and Z, and only you can make that choice.

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40th Anniversary Z - 3M Paint Protection Film, CA Legal Tint! (70/40)

4r3s

"This is a fantastic car. Don't let others convince you it's too loud and too rough. This is a sports car, a man's sports car, and after driving it those 500 miles this week I'm convinced that the 370Z is just right how it is. If the NVH levels aren't to your liking, dig around in your purse and pull out some ear plugs, but don't ask Nissan to neuter one of the final remaining sports cars that is actually tuned for the male of the species."

^This

OldGuy

Reliability-Excellent (It's a Nissan)
Road noise-There but tolerable
Service requirements-minimal and affordable
Ride-Somewhat harsh but acceptable for a sports car and not as bad as others
Price-Excellent because if your a good shopper and a smart negociator, you can buy these cars "right"---meaning under invoice.

Reasonable on Fuel (Over 30 mpg on a trip and over 20 mpg in town if driven sensibly)

Only gripe: Paint is soft and chips and stains and scratches way to easily. Gotta' buy a clear bra at delivery.

Hootie

If you are test driving, try a base first and then go to a touring/sport...........totally different feel to me. Good Luck