There will always be haters, not realizing they are asking for luxury and comfort out of a borderline bare bones sports car. In which i actually believe the Z does a relitively good job at.

The number one complaint im having right now is... its just not fast enough. I love the feel, the look, and the rarity as posted earlier. That hit the spot for me. I talked to sam about a TT kit yesterday, and visited my friends tuner shop for details, ordering in 2 weeks. However, more power will make life in the Z worse up here in seattle due to all the rain. Such a curse to have power and be unable to put it down :tup:

Oh yeah number two complaint... back seats do have good uses, there are times i wish i had them :icon17:

and here i was unhappy that the car was too quiet and exhaust sound was barely audible you dont hear the engine when you have an exhaust that actually makes some noise ... but then again everything i own has an intake and ypipe and catback sooooo :hello: and im used to the tire noise the stock tires on my g35 coupe howled when i bought it used some avon brand .

You are not alone.

Even when I gripe about this car, it pales in comparison to the amount of love I have for it. I love its look, love its feel, love its speed, love that there's an active and warm enthusiast community devoted to it.

Those who hate on it simply don't get that.

+1 Shado

+3

Haters gonna hate. :tup:

:iagree:

Ok, a lot of people here obviously do not read my posts fully and go off half cocked, actually I am guilty of this myself. Let me reiterate. IT IS NOT THE ENGINE NOISE VOLUME OR ROAD NOISE VOLUME THAT IRKS ME. IT IS THE QUALITY OF THE ENGINE NOISE, I CAN'T EVEN HEAR THE EXHAUST NOISE. So, have I made myself clear? I am trying really hard to love this car and I have a sense of brand loyalty due to owning a really hot 240Z, ans also I am not one to gravitate towards Euro cars because I simply believe you're paying too much money for what you actually get.
The quality of the engine noise in the Z is not real sports car music to an enthusiats ear if you know what i mean. This is my only bitch really about the Zed, the other stuff I can live with and appreciate, but a sports car like the Zed should have a better sounding engine note/tone/timbre. I mean think of cars like the Corvette, Mustang, Alfas, Maeratis etc, hell even my MX5 sounds way better. To me a sports car is not just about power aand straight line stomp, which the Zed has in spades, it is also about the "feel" which encompasses sensory aspects like, feel, visual and auditory, and in the auditory sense is where i am saying the Zed lacks and for a sports car like this to me at least is not acceptable. I mean come on it reminds me of my first car, a 1980 General Motors product that had a wheezy agricultural OHV pushrod motor that only revved to about 5,000rpm and sound thrashy and harsh. I expected better of the 370z, much better considering the :pedigree" of the VQ engine. I wonder as some car mags have said that the cause of this harshness is because this engine design has been stretched to its limits.

I know my friend had a Maxima with a 3.0 litre version of this engine and it was a sweet spinning motor and was no way thrashy or harsh. Maybe Nissan should have kept the older 350Z motor and found ways to make this 370z lighter? Some people on this post have said the Zed is a bare bones sports car, umm no it is not, at least here in Australia it isn't, it is loaded with almost every conceivable luxury. i think the 370 should have come in at approx 1300kilos not almost 1500 that it is, but that's another story.

Anyway I think i have made myself clear and in the end it is my opinion and i am entitled to my opinion. It is critisicm that hopefully sometimes makes car maqnufacturers improve their product.

:bowrofl:

Although your intention may have attracted unwanted attention, you have to understand that this is a community filled with 370Z owners/future owners who absolutely love their/the car for what it is. The way you constructed your statement about it's engine noise seemed more like you came to rant and vent. This is why you got the responses that you did.

It was your fault for being vague in your first post. Should of been more clear on the engine noise.

I thought you didn't like how the engine sound. But that wasn't the issue as the issue has to do with it being to quiet... A simple aftermarket exhaust would of solved that problem.

For me though, my nismo exhaust sounds nice. No idea about the base/touring guys though.

As for your Australian luxuriest 370z, the Americans have three models and the only one that has any luxury is the touring model. My nismo has nearly nothing when it comes with creature comforts.

Sorry for the pic... I just had to do it.

The rampant misunderstanding of your post no doubt arose from your pervasive use of Australian, not American, English in your narrative. American English is, of course, the correct version -- especially for its readability. I hope this helps and that you have a great day.

OK fair enough, maybe i did not make myself clear enough. As to American English...I actually agree. :tup:
I think Americans who have a job are very lucky at the moment, you guys have cheap cars and cheap houses at the moment compared to what we have to pay here. We are getting torn real bad. I have seen houses, nice houses in America that would be worth over a million dollars here getting sold for like $200,000 and less in some cases. For some of you it is a good time, others not so good. I hope your economy recovers soon and well!

O.K. i understand what you says,i agreed,the sound of our V6 is not the best around,of all the 6 cylinders engine around,i pick the BMW's the sound is the best....

i'm with the op on this one, i love my '09 pw 370z 7at sport and i loved my '06 mb 350z 6spd base and i will prolly love my '73 s30 (once finished) but..

i didn't like how high the 370z was so i lowered it on hks coilovers.

i didn't like how the front chin spoiler rubbed constantly as i drove my 370z daily so i removed it.

i didn't like how the 370z sounded so i got injen cai and went through 4 different exhaust setups (amuse r1000 :mad: > mxp :mad: > hks ti :icon14: > akrapovic :tup:).

i didn't like how i couldn't see much with the stock 370z rearview mirror so i put in a broadway mirror.

i didn't like how the stock 370z sport rims didn't have any lip so i put volk te37's on.

i didn't like the 370z fangs or how the rear valence looked like it was stolen from the rogue so i blacked them out.

i didn't like how shiny the 370z headlights were so i blacked them out.

i didn't like how i'd have to drill holes in the 370z's front bumper to mount my front license plate so i made my own mounts ($2.00 mod).

i didn't like how dim and yellowish the stock 370z d2s bulbs were so i swapped in polarg 6k bulbs.

i didn't like how the 370z oil temps were crazy high so i got the ae oil cooler.

i didn't like how the 370z took corners so i installed hotchikis sways.

i didn't like how my 370z's rear rims weren't as flush as my fronts so i put in h&r spacers.

i didn't like how unresponsive and gray the 370z sport bbk were so i got orange project mu 6/4 bbk set installed.

i didn't like how my te37's filled the 370z's wheel wells so i got 20in ssr sp1s.

i didn't like how my new 20in tires rubbed the 370z's fenders so i rolled/pulled them.

i didn't like how the 370z doesn't know what gear to be in when in auto mode so i drive in manual mode 100% of the time.

i don't like how there isn't a proper rear-under diffuser for the 370z so i'm in progress of making one.

most of all..

i didn't like how someone who doesn't own a 370z can bitch about how it doesn't fulfill its sports car image / heritage and how he/she prefers his/hers pos-zoomzoom on a 370z forum and expect to not offend me so i unsubscribed from his/her thread after placing this post about my '09 pw 370z 7at sport.

no offense to you mr./mrs. kiwi.

Lmfao your complaining about noise? Hahaha try riding in my car with the windows down at WOT the open dumps will make your ears bleed...

Pos zoom-zoom/\ lmfao!!!!!!

The stock exhaust note is definitely subdued, and I'm perfectly fine with that because some people prefer something more quiet. Those who want to alter the sound of the exhaust can simply go aftermarket.

The engine sound at high revs may not be the cleanest (coming from a VQ35DE), but it is still exhilarating.

I think I prefer angry V6 sound compared to tiny 4-banger-like sound. :)

I do not take offense, as you have not fully read my post and if you have read my post fully then you have come away with prejudice. No i don't own a 370Z but until recently I was seriously considering it. Remember Motoring journalists don't own the car either but they make commentary don't they? That is all i did. Oh and the MX5 is obviously not as fast a 370z in a straight line, but please understand there is more to driving than straight line performance.


I think whoever that poster was quite a while ago wqas onto something regarding MX5 doors. Don't knock until you have tried and i have tried the 370z on numerous occasions. So in a nutshell.....aGIAN..... the Z is a great car, no doubt, it has many things in its favour, looks, handling, quality, braking, features etc BUT for me this quality of engine noise for a car such as this just turned me off, for now. Maybe I'll revisit the Z showroom again and drive a manual Z like I originally did and then i thought WOW. The auto simply made the engine too thrashy.

I think you need to step back and more clearly ask your questions :)

Harshness and noise are very subjective.

I am in the camp of the OEM exhaust sound is under tuned: many ways to fix this (I went with a NISMO, which still is a bit understated but a step up). Example: The OEM G37 exhaust is more aggressive then a Z, which is unacceptable :)

The second part of the engine sound equation is intake, which IMHO is actually quite good in the Z. Its got a good growl without sounding obnoxious.

Coming from the honda world, then into a Miata (I known them inside and out, having driven NA/NB/NC, and owned a FM II NA6 for 12 years) the NA/NB engines were very harsh compared to a Honda engine...but I learned to live with it just fine. I think that quite a few Z owners are in that camp too.

Mazda spent a lot of R&D on the exhaust tune of the Miata, its one of the defining characteristics of the car.

NVH often is a function of chassis and tires. We own a 2010 roadster (which basically replaced my FM II Miata), and I can tell you road noise in the car is because of those enormous tires, but compared to the NA6 miata, the Z is quieter in every respect. Even with those big donuts, road noise is subdued compared to running 15" Kumho V700's on my old Integra...tires matter :)

The Z has a much stronger chassis with almost no bump shake, quieter top (layered cloth vs. 1 piece vinyl), and less wind noise at speed.

Subjective still, but if you actually measured things with a sound meter I would bet you will show lower readings. If you are not happy with how the Z feels then don't compromise on such a thing: continue to drive a MX5 or whatever ride makes you smile the most.

When we went to replace the miata, we had a list of must haves...we didn't sway from that list. Somehow, we ended up on the Z. Is it perfect? Hell no. But for the money, we thought it was a fantastic package for what we were looking for.

My top 3 wishes would be:

A real exhaust note from the factory
smooth out the valve train above 5000
Can a brother get a clutch that doesn't clunk at low speed please

- b

I do agree with you on the harshness and sound of the engine up top. But from my personal experience, that "harshness" diminished significantly after 2k miles. The engine became much smoother, but the gross engine sound remained. This was resolved after installing some breather mods; and on top of that, the engine became even more smooth. The road noise is it's biggest downfall. But it actually only sounds loud if you have a passenger. It doesn't even bother me when I'm alone. I'm still riding on the stock RE50's which has gotten even louder with tire wear. But I'm confident there are some tire options out there that can solve this without losing performance. Every car has its "kinks" but not every car is as rewarding to drive as the 370Z.

I would suggest riding with a local forum member that has intake/cats/exhaust. And then come to your conclusion. We all agree that stock the exhaust/engine leaves much to be desired as far as enjoying the sound.

Again please check my videos on you tube, Nitek09Z. It may help to hear the car with modifications. Again GL :icon17:

I really do think i have made myself perfectly clear. IT IS JUST THE QUALITY OF ENGINE NOISE I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT. I DO NOT MIND THE ROAD NOISE OR LACK OF EXHAUST NOISE. TOO MANY PEOPLE HERE GO OFF HALF COCKED. I THINK THE CAR IS GREAT JUST NOT THE ENGINE TONE, IT IS HARSH AND THRASHY, VERY UNBECOMING OF A CAR WITH THE zED'S PEDIGREE. Some guys on here say a CAI fixes that, really?? I believe there is more to it than putting on a CAI, i can not see how that would "fix" the top end thrash/harshness.

I'm out this got old real quick!

I installed the k&n typhoon th engine sound now is music to my ears improved the sound 100% in my opinion. I did not think it was horrible in the first place though. I did notice under 3k is seemed to loose a lil torque it feels like, but above 4 it seems to pull harder...?

taken directly from another post of nicknicks:

Oh give me a break. I do not own a 370 but I have a driven a few. People like you bother me, you winge and complain about things that do not merit complaining about. It is a sports car mate as opposed to your cruise BMW. Get over it and enjoy the 370 or go buy another snoozemobile!~ "incredibly loud, harsh suspension, and sensitive clutch"?? C'mon.

see, now that to me just cries out hypocrite in all sorts of ways when compared to this thread lol

Bvl, your post had lots of concise well thought out points...but I gotta tell ya:
You had me at "Can a brother get a clutch that doesn't clunk at low speed"!:bowrofl:

Didn't someone early say the vq has won award after award.
what noise? harsh ?
0 to 60 in 5.5 and less
155 mph. daily driver less than 40 grand
no rattles handles as good or better than most
gets stared at daily. I'll keep mine

:icon14:It's a fvckin sports car turn the God dam radio up.:shakes head:

Hmm...I don't think you really have seen just how half cocked some responses can get on the inter tubes. Folks are kind here so far :p

Your chief complaint is something quite subjective. How do you quantify quality of a sound?

IMHO I think the engine sounds well matched below 5K. This is mostly from the dual OEM intakes and engineering involved. To my ears, its a sports car growl of its own identity. V6's don't tend to be the easiest engines to tune for sound from my experience. The 3.7 is quite different then the 3.5 in our 06 G35 for example. Very similar engines with significantly different engineering.

Changing the intakes to CAIs and such will remove any of the OEM engineering used to quash various frequencies and resonance that will change the sound without a doubt. Will you like it? Depends what you like, but you will need to hear it first and only you can be the judge.

If the only black mark on the Z is the sound from your perspective, then only you can decide if the entire package which includes the tactile responses, looks, and feel is enough to overcome the aural short comings from your perspective.

<shrug>

- b

Outstanding response!:tup:

+1 Rep

Huh?

totally agreed, when i had my 370 i never felt it was too harsh

when i switched to pennzoil platinum and redline the engine was barely noticeble

Never bothered me at all, sounds like you wanted excuse to get something else.

:iagree:
To the OP, please do us all a favor and DON'T buy a 370Z. Thanks.

Yes quality of engine sound is subjective. Ever heard an Alfa V6, Honda S2000, Maserati, Corvette, Mustang, Lancia, BMW Z4 and others too long to mention. All these have great engine noise and exhaust noise, now when i say noise i mean "tone" "timbre".

Do you guys get it now? That is all i am saying yet some of you leap to defend the Zed blindly. Read my posts and you'll see i am not knocking the 370Z just its poor engine "tone" and again NOT THE ENGINE VOLUME.

this one is easy
 

thank goodness we live in a golden age of automobiles.

I really bekieve Detroit has been forced to get their act together and now great cars are affordable and better than ever.

You get to pick from all the others. Let us know what you get!

Guys i will not be posting anymore about his subject. i meant no offence but unfortunately some of you took offence. Sorry. I wanted to add a 370Z to my 2 car stable but not anymore, maybe the next model. I have now set my sights on a Z4 E85 model. Who knows maybe I wont like that either.

i really find it funnty about the sound issue. The G37 guys are removing the felt liners and sound deadening to make the cars lighter and then you get the other side with the 370Z where some are trying to make it quieter and adding weight. End of the day if the road noise is an issue get a G37 simple done and dusted. Personal tast i guess but I like loud cars.

Took you long enough to decide if the 370z is the right car for you. But whatever, good luck on your next car. Please come back and let us know what you purchased.

wow the fact the we just completely crucified this guy for voicing an obvious complaint about the engines in these things says a lot. He did not create this post to flame on anyone. ALSO, as the owner of a 370Z i agree that the engine noise at high RPMs from the factory is exactly as he described "harsh". i love my z, and yes an exhaust + intake mod fixed this, but for any of you who don't think this motor is a little coarse sounding from the factory need to ride in a porsche or m3 and see exactly what he means. our cars don't sound BAD, dont get me wrong, just not as pleasurable of a sound of some other 6's.

Before i get any negative comments along the lines of "Judas" or anything like that, consider that everyone is entitled to their own opinions and should not be condemmed for expressing them.

Furthermore, i would like to say i hope you harber no hard feelings for everyone on this forum nicknick, as many are just extremely proud of there cars, and some get defensive. as to be expected.

No harsh feelings to anyone on here, i love this forum and 370's, but i think we can do a little better at politely disagreeing.

Cheers!

:iagree:

Well stated.

Nicknick, I am truly sorry to hear that you have decided against the Z. Im sure that with some tuning and time you may have come to love the vehicle as much as a number of us on this community.

I am truly interested to hear what you do choose to purchase when it's all said and done. Come back and let us know, k?:tup: