370Z Test Drive - Questions

Dave N

Hello Everyone,

Since this is my first post, I'll combine this as an introduction, of sorts, as well as questions I have after taking a test drive over the weekend. I'm not new to Z's having owned a couple of 240Z's, a 280-ZX, and a couple of Z32's. I currently have a TT Z32. I'm most active on twinturbo.net under the same screen name. So if there are any members that are also members on twinturbo.net, you'll recognize my screen name (Hi Seb@SZ ).

Let me preface this post by saying that I've done some searching and still plan to continue searching the site for answers to the questions below. However, I would still welcome feedback/opinions from anyone that can offer additional details on their experiences with their car.

I dropped by a local dealer and test drove a couple of 370Z's and I wanted to pass along some observations/questions to see what is normal and what isn't normal with regards to the 370Z - both cars had about the same mileage on them (just over 24K miles).

First car: 40th Anniversary Z

• When accelerating normally (typical in-town type of driving), I didn't observe anything out of the ordinary.

• However, when accelerating onto the freeway and running it up through the gears the engine seemed to run out of steam around 4,500 ~ 5,000 rpm. Pushing it past this point yielded more noise than acceleration. It wasn't pressing me back in the seat like I was anticipating (maybe I'm too accustomed to the acceleration of my TT).

• Exited the freeway and got on going the opposite direction and had a chance to accelerate hard through the gears (fast gear changes). I noticed what seemed like a delay in the clutch engagement. For example, with each rapid upshift (2->3; 3->4; 4->5), I had the clutch fully engaged but there was a delay (roughly 0.5s) before you felt positive lock-up with the clutch. I couldn't tell definitively if it was slipping but that was almost the sensation it was giving. (SyncroRev Match was OFF)

• Once off the freeway, I had the opportunity to accelerate hard from a standstill and noticed the rear end squatted tremendously with each up-shift(it was reminscent of my '83 280-ZX - and that was bad).

Beyond that, it was a nice/pleasant car to drive.

Second car: '09 Touring w/Sport Package
While looking the car over before the test drive, I noticed that the previous owner had changed the OE struts to adjustable aftermarket ones (there are holes in the cargo area trim for access to the adjustment shaft). So I was curious to see how this car rode in comparison to the 40th Z.

• The ride was more firm (closer to my TT), but it did jump around under moderate braking on uneven road surfaces. I didn't notice this on the 40th Z, but then again I didn't have to brake for a red light as suddenly during that test drive.

• On hard acceleration from a standstill, there was noticeably less rear squat.

• Freeway acceleration was the same as the 40th Z - you really hit a mental hardstop when you encounter what feels like resistance/reluctance from the engine to willingly rev higher than 5K. It's quite a contrast to my TT where it's smooth all the way up to the rev limiter.

• I did not notice the odd clutch engagement as I noticed on the 40th Z.

• There was a strange situation (at least to me) when driving the '09. We were taking an on-ramp to the freeway and just about the end of the on-ramp just before it straightened out, I accelerated up to about 7K rpm in 2nd gear and lost power. The engine didn't die but momentarily it would not go above idle speed no matter how far the accelerator pedal was pushed. It recovered and I started to accelerate normally and within seconds it happened again. I coasted off the freeway and within 10-15 seconds it recovered and never happened again. The car had just over a 1/4 tank of gas and I don't think the on-ramp speed was so great that it would have starved the engine of gas. Was this VDC intervening?

So I guess I've got some questions to ask:
- I've read about the engine being coarse at higher RPM's but was really suprised by what felt like a significant drop-off in power. Since I experienced it on two difference Z's, I presume this is normal? Do you get used to it?
- For those with stock suspension, is heavy rear-end squat normal under hard acceleration?
- For the odd clutch engagement I noticed on the 40th Z, is this an anamoly or is this somewhat normal?
- Lastly, can anyone offer their insight as to why the '09 would lose power under hard acceleration? There was no tire slippage and the car was pointed straight, so I am not inclined to think it was VDC kicking in. I wondered if perhaps the VDC started to intervene thinking maybe the accelerator was stuck at WOT.

I'd appreciate any insight on these observations and I look forward to hopefully meeting some folks in person one of these days.

Thanks,

Dave N.