First 370Z test drive ... Mixed Emotions!

Magic Bus

Coltrain, I have a 12 GTI and enjoy that car, plus a 13 Z picked up this past Wed. I agree with most of this post, with the GTI it's the turbo you're feeling and on the Z, yes it's very linear.

On my first test drive on a 12Z, my driving impression was very similar to yours, not really impressed, as my test drive was very short and controlled as well. Then I had a long test drive on a 12 M3 on 2 hwy's and a mountain road, sales rep said gas it, don't be shy, so I did. I drove it over the century mark and was impressed, but this car was more than I wanted to spend. So I went for another test drive on the Z, this time I asked the sales rep if I could take it on a certain route (same as M3) and he said okay. He didn't know I was going to drive it like a bat out of hell, but I did and I was sold on the Z. While the M3 was a little faster with a smoother engine as you near red line. The Z more than holds it's own on acceleration and handling.

Based on your 2nd paragraph above. The Z will fill this criteria and then some.

Drove my Z on Wed, GTI on Thurs, Z on Friday. Honestly, it's no comparison, I love driving the Z soo much more. It doesn't have that push you in your seat like the GTI when the turbo kicks in, but the Z is just much faster all around. The GTI has become the practical hauler for me.

Get a 2nd test drive and drive that puppy. You'll be impressed as I was.

Obsidian

One square block is not even remotely enough of a test drive.

1) Felt good, did not fall in love right away. I test drove one 3 times, always more interested in the handling than the power anyway.

2) Honda S2000 and Evo VIII.

3 Yes, test it again. Ignore the salesman and floor it. The power in the Z does not hit like a turbo and the Z never feels as fast as it is. I have had my 2012 m/t sport for 6 months and I'm still surprised sometimes by what the speedo says in comparison to how fast it feels like. By comparison the S2000 felt faster than it was at any speed, and the Evo had a big turbo so I always felt that kick.

Also, it could be my imagination but it seems like the Z settles in after about a month. Try test driving a used one that's nice and broken in.

alcheng

1) First time I drove the 370, feel solid, stable, the power is linear and steady, you feel the power is coming, yes, you feel the car is big, but the steering is responsive, I won't say it's super nimble, but it goes to where you point it to quickly.

Overall, it is a N/A engine with 6 cylinders, you won't have that "punch" like from those turbo-charged, or those light-weight small-block 4-cyls that just give you punch only from 1000rpm to 4000rpm.

It is linear and it gives you more when you ask for more...

The 370z is a good step-up from the 350z, interior quality is far much better then the 350z, I can see Nissan did put efforts on the improvements

Engine vibration is gone in the 370z, you can push the engine to 7000rpm without worrying the engine is breaking-up like the 350z.


2) I drove a 350z prior to the 370z, and a bimmer 323ci with light engine-mods prior to the 350z.

3) You definitely need more time on a 370z, it's not a "Wow" machine, but it'll slowly grow on the driver. And you need to really "Drive" it to let it shows you the good, just cruise around the block doesn't mean anything...

It's a sports car, you have to test drive it like a sports car, test it at 35mph around the blocks I'll suggest you test a Camry instead.... LOL

Huck

yeah I'm agreeing with all the things the guys are saying here. You need to test drive it for at least 10 minutes, more if possible. I fell in love with mine, but then again it was love at first sight when the 350 came out back in '03. I went and test drove one the first week my dealership got them in. I get nothing but compliments from people that ride in my car, from the quality of the interior to the amount of room in the cabin. Also, throw on an exhaust and intakes and see if it doesn't fix your need for speed. That'll give it some kick in the pants

My last vehicle was a chevy s10, I've had everything from a civic to a miata to a mustang gt.

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Japanjay

Dude this car is way deceptivaly fast. I have had crotch rockets on the freeway toy with me several times. I play the, "I am completely oblivous to their antics till they roll into to the throttle to pull away." At that point they are not looking in their mirrors since they think me racing them is a wash and and punch it to start to the get the momentum going. They happen to glance back and I am right behind them. They always take a double take, usaully a big ole one too. But since I have the ball rolling on them, they roll full bore on the throttle and really tuck in and it is too late to shake me. As fast as they go the z stays right behind them even at that point with them looking back expecting me to be way behind them. It takes a really exspensive or really built car to honestly shake the Z. Cars that you only come across once in a super rare occasion. Everyday this car amazes me from the random compliments everyday to the sheer speed this car is capable of for $25k. It has the power to kill you really fast so you really have to respect it alot. For the first 4 months I drove all the time with the VDC on. Kinda worked my way into keeping it turned off.

I learned the first day I bought how fast it can kill you. It was still really cold, the tale end of winter, left the dealership and kicked the VDC off. Wasnt more than 5 miles or so and changed HWY's heading home. Came down the on-ramp and decided to drop to third doing 60 and hammer it a little and it totally broke loose and had me crossing 3 lanes of HWY with the tail wagging. For the next 4 months VDC stayed on. The Z is not firendly at all when the tires are cold or when it is raining from what I have seen on here with a few spinning out in the rain. I dont drive it in the rain but I can only imagine it wouldnt be fun at all....

bdavis89

1.) First time you drove a 370Z ... How did it feel? Fall in love right away? Fell in love right away. I had my mind set for a 5.0 and drove the Z for kicks. The Z, while technically slower, was the only one that threw me back in my seat. The 5.0 felt like a boat. Also drove a new GTI, fun, but not ready for practicality yet.

2.) What car did you own before the 370Z? 01 stang

3.) Do I just need more time driving the 370Z? Or, if I didn't get that tingling sensation right away, should I just move on? Drive it again, then move on if you don't feel it.

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UNKNOWN_370

You need time to get comfy in the car to learn the best shift points to extract the most aggressiveness from the Z. I can assure you i can throw you back pretty hard in my Z. Unfortunately, not camaro SS hard, but harder than you'd expect from a v6,
i dove a 09g37s coupe/09 370z(accident)
This car is fun. Get a real test drive. Did you drive a 12 or 13?

w0rM

1.) First time you drove a 370Z ... How did it feel? Fall in love right away?

I'm probably one of the few who didn't fall for it right away. I knew I was interested but the autos I drove were ok but really didn't excite me. It took doing some thinking about what I really wanted out of a new car and driving a 6mt before I was ready to pull the trigger. I know it's shallow but it honestly came down to looks.

I knew I could pick up a late model, low mile used Corvette that would blow the doors off the Z for about the same price. As weird as it may be to some people, I think the Z is way better looking. Is my Z ever going to be the fastest thing on the road? No, but unless you have a super car and deep pockets, that's never going to happen anyway.

2.) What car did you own before the 370Z?

A 2006 350z (so I'm a little biased)

3.) Do I just need more time driving the 370Z? Or, if I didn't get that tingling sensation right away, should I just move on?

As I said above, IMO, it's all about priorities. Decide what's most important to you in a car. Then buy the car the does the best job at meeting your needs. It's as simple as that.

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coltrain

I drove a 2012 Sport Package 6MT

You guys have officially gotten me excited about the 370Z again

sonic370

give it time it will grow on you.. in any language this car is fast imho straight line or the curves.on public roads and for safety you can only do so much neck snapping.

between the 350 and the 370 there is no comparison sorry 350 guys.
except for exhaust which i have said before. oh and the radio shack radio..

my2004Z

1.) First time you drove a 370Z ... How did it feel? Fall in love right away?
The first time I drove my 370Z 7AT I knew it was better than my beloved DB 2004.5 350Z 6MT w/ bolt-ons. Everything I touched or did in it was simply better. The looks had me at hello for everything except the headlights which are now one of my favorite attributes because of how they flow with the rest of the car. The speed of this car has to be respected as it seems so slippery cutting through the air and so planted if you know what you're doing through the twisties.

2.) What car did you own before the 370Z?
DB 2004.5 350Z 6MT w/ bolt-ons

3.) Do I just need more time driving the 370Z? Or, if I didn't get that tingling sensation right away, should I just move on?
If you didn't feel it while walking up to the car then maybe your priorities in a car are different than what this car brings to the table. If you have a single reservation then you should get something else as this is a purpose built sports car with very few compromises for the price. Don't expect a purebred pit fighter to be gentle...

Cuban Z

1.) First time you drove a 370Z ... How did it feel? Fall in love right away? The first time I stood next to a GM 370z Nismo I fell in love with it. Unfortunately the dealer would not let me drive it...something about it being super exclusive or whatever. Same guys that wouldn't budge on their price, same guys that didn't get the sale, same guys who had to close less than 6 months later...but I digress. A week later I walked into another dealership, test drove it like I stole it, and then literally stole it because we got a helluva deal. Haven't looked back since.

2.) What car did you own before the 370Z? 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8...ridiculously fast. Love the Z so much more. It's fast and can handle. Probably also part of the reason it doesn't feel as fast as it is...because its very stable, much more stable than the Jeep. I wish the interior was a little more upscale, the Jeep's felt richer...but I've seen some builds in here that are both beastly and plush and that's part of the fun of it all. The wife had a 2010 Black on Black Camaro 2SS. Sexy car no doubt but it was huge. I wanted something that felt more like the cockpit of a fighter jet and the Z fit the bill.

3.) Do I just need more time driving the 370Z? Or, if I didn't get that tingling sensation right away, should I just move on? I would say spend more time. Visit a dealer that will let you drive the car, and if they don't... drive it anyway. If you're going to spend 30-40K on a sportscar you need to drive the hell out of it. I've never had a dealer refuse to sell me a car because I drove it too hard. But remember you really shouldn't be pushing the RPMs until its broken in and as most have noted, this car just gets sweeter when she's broken in. I'd like to make two recommendations. 1st find a dealer that has a used one and really put it through its paces. 2nd, find your local z meet and go. Really check out the cars and see if anyone is willing to take you on a spirited ride. If you were in SoCal I promise to take some years off your life and I'm bone stock. This car is meant to be driven with intention...it needs emotional content.

Here are the cars I test drove before I got my Z for the sake of comparison...keep in mind that both my wife and I were looking and this wasn't about price...I was looking for a tough but sexy driving machine, she was looking for a luxury sedan with some respectable kick. These were all tested in an 10 month span:

Audi: S5 Coupe & Convertible, A6, A7
BMW: 335ix, M3 Coupe & Convertible, 550ix
Cadillac: CTS-V
Ford: Mustang GT
Infiniti: G37, M37, M56
Jaguar: XF
Lexus: GS 350 & 550, LS 460, IS350 F Sport, ISF
Mercedes: E350 Coupe, E550 Coupe & Convertible
Nissan: 370z Roadster, 370z Nismo

After considering what you wrote I belive that this car has everything you want. It has looks for days...my wife catches people nearly breaking their necks almost daily. The car is that sexy. It looks fast standing still. Drive it hard and it'll snap yours too. Fun factor it has in spades, especially in the twisties. As everyone else has been saying it's deceptively fast....but if you want you can make it even faster. You can also make it your own with all the mods and accessories you can imagine. Plus you're also buying into a 40+ year old legacy and a brotherhood (and sisterhood) of incredible people. For that alone its worth it to me. Good luck with your decision. Z Nation!

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Alexshen1

which part of bay area u at

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forza370z

coltrain, I know exactly what you talking about. My buddy has an 06 GTI and after he drove my car he said exactly the same thing. He felt the car is heavy. But indeed that's because the power deliver by 370z is linear, it doesn't have the kick in a GTI but it continuously pushes you while you press the gas. A GTI gets its peak torque at 1700 rpm while the 370z has to hit 5200 rpm. Wonder why a GTI driver won't be too impressed by a 370 at the first drive.

Not only you, me as an example. I drove an 06 G35 coupe before and I wasn't too impressed by the 370z at first too. I felt my g35 is more torquey and faster(throw you back to the seat). But when I let my buddy drove my z and I followed him in my g, I was surprised I could hardly keep up with my z. So there you go, the 370z is not a slower car then your GTI by your butt dyno. My g35 has more throw you back to the seat feeling but it dies down at the higher rpm.

drallafi

Couple things to consider.

Firstly, if you are questioning whether or not you like it, you probably shouldn't spend 40k on it. That's how buyers remorse happens.

Now that that's out of the way, a couple questions. 1. Was the A/C on when you were driving the car? My experience is that the A/C being on saps more power and throttle response from the Z than any other car I've ever driven. It really is a different beast with the A/C off.

That said, the 370 will always be loud. The acceleration, while not torquey, is thrilling when the A/C is off. The vehicle is sexy as hell, and as another poster said, you will have a great deal of fun if you add some corners to your test drive.