370z as a first car

LMBmikeZ · 06-27-2012, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DjSquall

The Z is my first car and Pretty much learned to drive in it. The biggest concern is that you will want to have fun, but the car is so damn unforgiving. I didn't find the blind spots an issue, just correctly setting up the mirrors and looking out keeping track of other cars will help. My biggest concern was the lack of visibility around the car, especially in tight areas with curbs. I can't see anything within 10' of the car.

When you take it to a car wash, make sure you go to the drive through ones, not the ones where there's a rail for the wheels. The wheels are too wide to fit, you will destroy your rims.

And I can't stress this any more, but respect the power. This is a 2-ton missile that doesn't hesitate to break loose and out of control. VDC off = bye bye car. No joke. Avoid showing off, because it WILL result in a wreck. I personally pulverized 18" of curb and had to replace my rims after sending my Z airborne just in my second week of owning it. Be extra extra careful in the rain and easy on the right foot.

If you have a head on your shoulders and can be responsible, get the Z.
If you want to fool around just to impress friends and chicks, don't get the car.

Good advice, but better advice would be to never go through an automatic car wash! It will cause marring, swirls and scratches all over your paint!

Do it yourself and do it right! Two bucket wash at a minimum!

though just buy the car regardless of what people are saying, not to sure why you were even asking in the first place.... cause we all know either way "haters gonna hate!"

370Z Purist · 06-27-2012, 04:19 AM

One word. Respect. The car has a short wheelbase and even professional drifters have commented on it being more likely to spin than a 350Z. It has more power than you can possibly use on the road (realistically speaking, you don't need 330 horses to go places) with impunity, and the tires are worth **** in cold, wintry conditions, especially snow (I learned that the hard way from an unexpected quarter inch of powder and a bump in the road). I was lucky and did not do anything but bend a control arm and ruin a wheel.

Many of my friends have gone similar routes. Many of them also decently respect power in a vehicle. Mustangs (V6), Mazdaspeed 3's, Subarus (best sports car, in my opinion, being highly versatile), and Miatas. While a Honda isn't a bad start, the culture is generally so terrible that you're pretty much doomed to become a bad driver if you have any mind to do anything performance related. Which reminds me, I know of someone who went with a Genesis Coupe 3.8 after graduating from college. He might be 22 now, but he's such a damned fan boy that I'm sure he'll end up wrapping it around a tree, because he's used to a "holy torque steer, batman!" instead of a tail happy, heavy, slow cruise missile of a 3.8 liter RWD car.

That said, I've only had the one incident in the soon to be three (next month) years I've owned, driven, and understood my 370Z. I only just last month put a mod on it, which does (almost) nothing in the performance of the car, just the sound (AAM Short Tails). When I joined this forum, I was probably the very youngest. People were bitter, especially about this kid who knew nothing and his mommy and daddy got him a Z. You deal with it. I've earned a bit of my weight in salt, and I respect everyone on this forum to the best of my ability.

TL;DR: Don't know how old you are. Chances are, you're asking, and you don't exactly speak like someone who is older. It doesn't matter how old you are, because the Z makes you feel as giddy as a little boy. It's easier to suppress with time and age, but if you're already young, it's pretty easy to lose your head. After putting the axleback on my 370Z, I felt like I just got it again. Revved hard and drove hard. Got used to it and I'm actually already driving slower because it's so damned loud anywhere above 3.5K. It's real easy to lose your head especially when you see some car trying to race you, or when cops give you the stare of ticket-doom. Spare yourself and get a slower, but still fun car. If you live in an area with snow, get a four wheel drive car (hint, hint).

06-27-2012, 04:19 AM	#47 (permalink)
370Z Purist A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Zion, Illinois Posts: 1,873 Drives: '09 370Z-T BS M6 Rep Power: 19	One word. Respect. The car has a short wheelbase and even professional drifters have commented on it being more likely to spin than a 350Z. It has more power than you can possibly use on the road (realistically speaking, you don't need 330 horses to go places) with impunity, and the tires are worth ** in cold, wintry conditions, especially snow (I learned that the hard way from an unexpected quarter inch of powder and a bump in the road). I was lucky and did not do anything but bend a control arm and ruin a wheel. Many of my friends have gone similar routes. Many of them also decently respect power in a vehicle. Mustangs (V6), Mazdaspeed 3's, Subarus (best sports car, in my opinion, being highly versatile), and Miatas. While a Honda isn't a bad start, the culture is generally so terrible that you're pretty much doomed to become a bad driver if you have any mind to do anything performance related. Which reminds me, I know of someone who went with a Genesis Coupe 3.8 after graduating from college. He might be 22 now, but he's such a damned fan boy that I'm sure he'll end up wrapping it around a tree, because he's used to a "holy torque steer, batman!" instead of a tail happy, heavy, slow cruise missile of a 3.8 liter RWD car. That said, I've only had the one incident in the soon to be three (next month) years I've owned, driven, and understood my 370Z. I only just last month put a mod on it, which does (almost) nothing in the performance of the car, just the sound (AAM Short Tails). When I joined this forum, I was probably the very youngest. People were bitter, especially about this kid who knew nothing and his mommy and daddy got him a Z. You deal with it. I've earned a bit of my weight in salt, and I respect everyone on this forum to the best of my ability. TL;DR:** Don't know how old you are. Chances are, you're asking, and you don't exactly speak like someone who is older. It doesn't matter how old you are, because the Z makes you feel as giddy as a little boy. It's easier to suppress with time and age, but if you're already young, it's pretty easy to lose your head. After putting the axleback on my 370Z, I felt like I just got it again. Revved hard and drove hard. Got used to it and I'm actually already driving slower because it's so damned loud anywhere above 3.5K. It's real easy to lose your head especially when you see some car trying to race you, or when cops give you the stare of ticket-doom. Spare yourself and get a slower, but still fun car. If you live in an area with snow, get a four wheel drive car (hint, hint). __________________ -Phil "Since one of my brake light bulbs just went out, the forum told me that my piston rings are about to blow." Last edited by 370Z Purist; 06-27-2012 at 04:26 AM. Reason: tldr addition