i can answer that its a good car in the elements, even snow but ONLY if u have a set of snow tires. Obviously that would be the case as who would try to drive summer/all season performance tires in the snow? Runs well in the snow and rain and wind dont really phase it. Keep vdc on in bad weather? It'll save ur *** here and there.

im slowly piecing together just how this car peforms just by the informative comments, ...

1. its good in weather with the right tires
2. rather safe (safer than my accent for sure)
3. gas mileage is decent for it being a sports car (right where i expected it to be.... 25-29 mpg
4. noise can be delt with by purchasing a few other parts, no biggy

need as much info on this car as you guys can give me, as im comparing them to other cars, and sizing them up

If you WANT to expose a beauty like the Z to the elements. Any car can drive in the snow, you just have to prep it and know how to drive in slick conditions. I store mine in winter and have an old beater that I drive around during winter. The plus to that is every spring getting it out is like buying it all over :tup:

Also you mentioned about getting an RX8. please, no........if you even compare an RX8 to the Z..then..just...:gtfo2:

Unless I'm missing something, the RX-8 hasn't been mentioned.

There are people who would consider the RX-8 (I loved the 350Z when it came out, but needed 4 seats so I bought an RX-8 instead).

OP, the Z does great in the rain and wind. Just get a set up snows or all seasons for the cold months :tup:

He mentioned it here. I was just giving my 2 cents. RX8's take an educated driver with the rotary engine. Also they are in the shop being repaired ALOT.

like i said before, the more info i can get from actual drivers, the better decision i will be able to make

Don't skimp out, get the car you want. Most of us on here would HIGHLY recommend the sport package, much is added for only $2-3k. Touring is nice if you want a good stereo and some other perks but not a necessity like the sport package.

If you like spirited driving, this is going to be a great car. It cruises smoothly, has solid power, looks sexy and makes you smile every time you walk up to it. While its not bad on gas like an RX8, it definitely isn't good.

Walk up to one at the dealership and if before you get in you get a boner, I say its the right car for you!

the gas issue, i am going to pay the car i have now, off (the accent) because it gets GREAT mileage...35 mpg...but i still want a car with decent mileage, as this car seems to fit that bill, at the end of the day i might end up getting the sport package, but by no means would i take it for racing or anything like that, my style of driving is to be simply enjoyed by both car and driver and outsiders, cruising along just machine and man, while others heads turn.... thts my style of driving..not Haul *** and see if you can catch me lol

it also depends on the monthly payment ill be paying, it cant be TOO expensive (500 or more a month) .... as im planning on putting anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 down on a brand new one, so that the monthly payments will be lower, can anyone tell me how much i would be paying a month for the base model AND the touring... for both of those down payment ranges (10 and 15 thousand)

the more info the better! =)

Well I just purchased a used (BARELY USED) 09 Base with Sport Package. I put 10,000 down and got it from the dealer for 25,500. The total loan after title transfer, tax, all those fees ended up being around 18 or 20 (ill have to look). My financing was at 4.5 percent and I think i am paying about 360 a month.

after looking a little bit into the touring.... that could be a possibility as well..

Touring is nice. I was in your situation and decided the extra wasn't worth the upgraded sound and leather seats. I had all that in my 350z..didn't drive it in the winter so heated seats were not a necessity.
My insurance company also was going to charge me a 100 more a year for the touring...not a huge deal but something to keep in mind.

hmmm that has me wondering what it would cost me to have the Z AND my accent...what the insurance would be...(course my Accent would be paid off) .... so id only pay the monthly payment for the Z and the insurance (i pay once a year now)

First off Nismo89, welcome to the forum, you will soon find out that there is a lot of excellent information being shared out in this forum, great people to provide support/answers to any questions you have; pretty much everything is covered here. ProfessorDave covered much of what this car is about. If you are a value shopper wanting a fast, thrilling, sexy car without having to take a hit in your bank account then this IS the car for you.

I would strongly advise to get a test drive the different trims (base, touring or nismo) to get a feel for what you want rather than going by people opinions; everyone has a specific taste and what one hates another may love. One thing for a fact is that you will have to learn how to deal with the attention and envious looks you get from driving around this car including from folks in high end Mercedes, BMW and porsche.

There is no problem with these cars that can't be addressed for a very reasonable price; road noise/vibration (you can use dynamat to help with that), silent exhaust (get a louder one), gas hog (drive slower)

As far as elements go, I wouldn't recommend driving these cars in snow, rain, winter tires may help but I just wouldn't do it personally. I lost my 300ZX to the rain. You mentioned something about having another car that does well in snow, you could use that car during bad weather and keep the Z for nicer, dryer weather - your decision.

Once again, welcome to the forum and have fun with your decision :tiphat:

Thank you for the welcome, i have a accent that i intend on driving to and from work and through the elements, the Z will be my weekend car/when i get home car, my fun car, my show stopper, is there a difference in safety between the base Z and the Touring Z? also, with the Touring being that its a little more expensive, how much exactly (from the experts on here) would you pay if i were to put 15,000 down for the touring..... its not that i wouldnt want the touring... but the price ...might be higher than id perfer.... im looking to put alot down... to bring the monthly payment of the car down to a reasonable 200 and something or so...

Insurance is going to depend on a lot of factors(age, location, driving record etc..), you can always get a quote for both of them to get a ball park. Im through USAA and its actually cheaper to insure a 370z than altima coupe. It costs me 138 bucks a month to insure my z71 and 370z, 1000 deduc on Z71 5k miles a year, and 500 deduc 5k miles a year on the 370z. Of course that is with a lot of discounts for multi, premier driver, and a few other discounts. There is a post already up on this if you do a quick search for it.

As far as the base package, I think the sports package just has too many goodies to pass up. For me the touring was not even something I was interested in. I cant add leather seats, and nav/backup for cheaper than the nissan package. As far as ride I dont find mine harsh quite comfortable an roomy at 6' 230. As far as road noise I think that will have a lot to do with where you are. In GA we have really good roads imho, thanks to no snow and extreme temps. Other than the occasional loose pavement in parking lots, my Z is quieter than the Z71 with oversized tires on it.

All in all I love my Z so far, still playing around with the clutch, but havent had any issues with the noise like some complain about. Remembering to push down for reverse has been the only thing I have caught myself forgetting.

As far as blind spots, that some folks address, with the mirrors adjusted I havent had much issues and just back in or pull through where I can.

So welcome, and if you do decide to go with the Z I think you will enjoy it.


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