Hello All.... this is my first day here
 

Hi
SHHHHHHHHH don't tell anyone but i've just came in here from over at Corvette Forum. Ok first let me tell you my story... I have a C5 and was looking at going into a C6 here soon and decided.... "I also want a GOOD DD" So I started looking and 350SLKs and for the most part I was happy with that idea. While I was just out looking over cars they had a 370Z on the lot.... I have to admit I've never been a fan of any of the other Z's. I've had friends that have owned them just never cared for them. However, the 370's I REALLY like so for the last week I've been just looking and getting info of the Web....
What I'm seeing is 09,10 and some 11 around $25K or less. This struck me a bit odd because it seems like a nice car and thats about what I was looking to do for a SLK DD. After looking at the car I'd much rather do the 370.

I have a lot of question but I'll make this an easy one... Am I on the right track here....meaning is this car a good DD and do any of you think I could find a Vert in that price range?
Any years I should stay away from and are there anything's I can see right off the bat that I should walk away.?
Example:
I saw a 09 Fully loaded Vert in Utah (yes I'm willing to travel when I'm ready) on line for $24,990 Seems like a good deal but to me almost too good or am I missing something?

Anyway thanks for you time looking forward to picking some brains here soon.

They are great cars. Shouldn't have any problem dd'ing it (depending on weather). Only issues the z's really have is the steering lock can freeze up causing u to become stranded and about $1000 out of pocket. However, can be solved in about 10 min by pulling the fuse and freezing it open.

Engines are pretty solid. There were some oil consumption issues way back, but if u have found a car with more than 5000 miles, then its probably past the point of worrying about that. 5th and 6th gear synchros are sometimes prone to failure, but its not very often.

Other than that, these were solid cars that take well to dd'ing and modding. These 3.7's and trannies can handle over 500whp with stock internals. Also, with light bolt ons, such as exhaust,.intake, tune, etc.., u can get another 40-50whp pretty easily. After coming from the vette, the interior quality will be miles above what you're used to. If i were u, i would search for a z with the sport package, at a minimum. That way u can enjoy the lsd and bigger breaks.

The Z is a comfortable DD. I don't know how much time you've spent driving one, but you should definitely take one for a spin. My only suggestion is to take it on a long freeway drive, because road noise is pretty loud in this car. Sure, you can install some sound deadening, but there have been mixed reviews with the end results on that. Other than that, the answer is "yes" the Z is a good DD.

I've had my Z for just over a month now, it's my dd, only complaint is the blind spot, I just adjusted my mirrors out more than normal and it's fine. It's a blast to drive, now I look forward to my commute everyday.

I bought my first Z a few weeks ago. This was after almost 3 months of researching it and other vehicles (Cayman, EVO, STi, etc). I've been very impressed with the car and got my 2011 base w/sports pkg with 19K mi for what you were seeing for an '09. Good luck whether you get the Z or something else.

First off thanks you guys for the input...please keep it coming because this time last month I really didn't know anything about this car.
As far as "Road Noise" My C5 has Billy Boat Bullets on it so NOISE....doesn't bother me...LOL as a matter of fact I wouldn't drive the car without my Bullets.

As stated I was thinking SLK350 just to take to work and dinner blah blah blah...but for the same price there about I'm getting what seems to be more car.
The only think about SLK's is they all are Verts and I really want a vert...never had one.

Anymore I should know please all chime in...

Thanks

Ive had my '11 nismo for 3 months now and its my dd. Had my car shipped to me from seattle, had 8k miles on it and i managed to talk them down to 30.5k with warranty n all. I love the car! Car handles extremely well, theres tons of mods out and some are still coming out. You should check the classifieds here in the forums. Theres alot of good deals and most of them already have mods installed which will save u time and money for installation. The '09s and'10s had that steering lock problem....its a simple fix but if it makes u more comfortable go with 11 n up. Theres a couple '11s in the classifieds pretty well priced. Good luck with the search!! :)

Its a fine DD: very nicely put together for what it is, compliant suspension (sport model, 19" performance tires), and quite civil when you want it to be.

Roadster is 2010+: 09 was first year for 370 coupes. 25K seems like a great price if its a touring or a sport. If its a touring/sport I would expect pricing closer to 30-32K unless its got a lot of miles on it. List was 42-50K depending on options for the Roadster.

Inspect the top closely if you are getting into a roadster: there are a few pinch points that have rubbed for some people. If caught and under warranty, dealer should work with you but a dealer also can claim 'wear item' if they want to as well.

Roadster Forum covers this in a few threads: spend some time there :)

- b

Five Time FTW

:icon18:

I've had my Z for a couple of years and DD it. The only issue I had with mine was an ECU whine. ECM? ECU? Certain early models produced a high pitch whine that only certain people could hear. I guess I'm one of the luck ones with good hearing. I took my car down to the dealer and they took care of the issue under warranty. Other than that the care has been flawless with 45,000mi on it.

To be honest if I do this the Z wont be the car I Mod... I do that to the Vettes. What I wanted was something cool just to have on non vette days which is kind of a lot considering I don't drive them ever day. The reason I'm asking about the DD because I've used Vettes for DD and it doesn't work out all that well I don't think. The Z wouldn't even be pushed all that hard, just wanted something fun and the prices seem good for that.
I kind of disappointed right now, there's one near me at a dealer i was going to take a look at just to look around the car but it's snowing a little.... lol so maybe tomorrow.

So are all of you pretty much saying the things I've read here about a few bugs aren't that big of a deal and should I stay away from 09... first year and all that?

5 time
 

:driving::driving:Oh 5 time gets the 6 pack in 2013! :)

Get a z man , we were in my buddies z06 this week and he was jealous my z gets more looks even though his car is another monster on another level.

If you want to get a Vette, then you'll have to differentiate it from the other bazillion ones out there. I like Vettes and all, but when you see 15 Z06's on a Sunday drive, they all start to look like Chevettes. If you want something that you probably won't see in your neighborhood, GET A Z!!!

Good luck with your selection...

:iagree:
I see a Corvette here in Charlotte every other day. I see a 350Z here about the same rate, maybe once every 3-4 days. I only see another 370Z here once a month, and it stops traffic like the hott blonde jogging everyone gawks at because of her.....headband.

It definitely is a rare(r) machine on the road, and I like that. Too many Porsche, Corvette, Mercedes, and waaaay too many Mustang/Camaros here.

My opinion: for whatever it's worth-
Get the 370Z as a DD. If you want a track car, then get something you can build for the type of track you run (even if another Z). I run Club Rally, and my DD has to be very close to stock.
Running 1/4mi straights would make me want a V8 with higher base HP that can mod easily. Running straight rally, I would want a EVO or STi.
I wouldn't dare try to buy a EVO or 5.0 Mustang to use as a DD and then try to run 1/4mi or pro-rally with it. That would make it about useless on my DD.
The 370Z fits right in the middle. I can use as a DD, run my laps with the SCCA *as-is*, and if I choose, I could take it down the straight for a modest run (though I wouldn't do it often).

:iagree:

U will be fine with an 09. Any problems an 09 will have, a 10 will have. Which isn't much.

Hi

The Z is my travel car, road noise sucks on the interstate combined with my exhaust. But that is what good music is for;) i am completely happy with my Z, sexy and cute!

Change out the stock tires with some Continental Extremes. Much easier than sound deafening and much of that road noise will go away.

:icon14: never heard the words 'continental extremes' and 'less road noise' go together...

What about the Vette makes it not a good DD in your opinion? Everyone has different expectations from their DD they need satisfied and I feel like the Z and the Vette might come up short in the same categories. The would for me at least.

I've had 4 Corvette..(On one now) And this is the first one I didn't use as a DD and it's held up much better. The roads in Pa. suck and I'm sure that plays a part into this as well.
As far as Z's vs Vette's I'm still a 100% Corvette guy and as stated my first pick was to get an SLK350 as a DD but I'm pretty much off that idea and I'm liking this 370 more and more it's just 10 days ago I had no interest at all and now it's become a pretty big deal. I still haven't driven one and thats real important before I decide if I really like the car. Maybe it's the time of year but there doesn't seem to be a whole around here at the moment, i'm sure this will pick up after Xmas is over.

Oh for anyone that doesn't know some c5 Corvettes have the same steering column lock issue as this car seems to have...crazy when you think about it.
Also what I'm getting from you guys is an oil cooler seems to handle the over heating problem.

Just so you guys know I really have no plans of tracking this car at all... this is just for trips and Day to day stuff, I'm single...no kids so I really don't need a back seat...LOL Oh before someone says it, in case of snow I have a 02 Ford Ranger for the bad days so having this and a Vette is easy.
:tup:

As I stated above I have a Vette with Billy Boat Bullets on it.... THATS LOUD! LOL So that doesn't bother me.:tup:

But would I be better off with at least an 11 ?

Welcome! First let me say that my '09 is currently at a Nissan Dealer getting the dreaded steering lock problem fixed. Fortunately it's under warranty otherwise it would have been a $1,500 repair. Keep that in mind if shopping for an '09 or '10. Other than that, I have put almost 15k miles on it and have had no problems. I use mine as a DD and I drive back and forth to work an hour each way. Gives me something to look forward to when I get up each morning to go to work. You don't have to wait until the weekend to enjoy the ride! Except for the blind spots, I find it very comfortable to drive and the M/T shifts smoothly. One thing I don't hear very often in the forum is in regards to the stereo system. It's the best I ever heard in any car I previously owned and at 59 years old, I've owned many. Turn the volume up and you'll feel like you're at a concert. SAT radio works well enough but I do notice that for some reason, it looses reception easier than other cars I have driven in the same area. As others said, road noise is substantial. I just put new Michelin Pilot Super Sports on it which I hoped would minimize the noise but not so. Hey...it's a sports car! Gas mileage isn't bad for this car and when I'm very careful (easy start/stops, under 65) I have gotten 25 mpg. Even at spirited driving, I get about 23 mpg on ave. One thing about the Z is that I wished the stock exhaust system was more aggressive. The engine noise inside the car is a little too passive for me. Of course a different exhaust would solve that issue. I have the Touring model and the heated seats and auto seat adjustments work great. The ventilation/heating/cooling system works fine. I love the gauge cluster lighting, bright orange/red much more than the 350Zs which were a dull amber color. The only really negative as I said is the blind spot which really would come into play while driving in rush hour traffic. Nissan needs to put traffic indicator lights in the side mirrors which tells you when a car is in your blind spot. I owned a MazdaSpeed 3 and that had them in it's tech package and that really worked great. The MS3 really didn't need them, the Z does! Bottom line...you'll love the Z as a DD....just stay home when it snows if you live in that kind of climate! I live in New England and the number of days that I couldn't drive to work because of snow is minimal. Good luck!
:tiphat:

I have an '09 Touring w/7AT. No performance mods, but I did add some sound damping material (GTMat's free sample) to the rear area. I also pulled the fuse powering the steering lock unit and have a ScanGaugeII on top of the dash. Ie, pretty much a bone stock, middle-of-the-road 370Z - not a Base model, but no Sports package, either.

I think a stock 370Z would make a great DD for anyone that likes to really drive a car. It is well-behaved around town, has more than enough power to merge onto busy freeways, gets reasonable gas mileage (I average around 21-23 MPG, mostly in-town, and my foot is not very light), handles very well on winding country roads, and will put a grin on my face when I put my toenails in the radiator.

The main complaint I have is that it tends to run hot in stop-and-go traffic during South Arkansas Summers. Not a huge problem, but the ECM will definitely reduce power until you get moving at 40+ MPH speeds for a few minutes. High engine compartment temperatures and slow speeds can cause intake air temps to rise above the point where the ECM starts to pull timing advance.

From what I have heard, the marginal cooling system will not do the job if you drive the car hard for very long. An oil cooler and better fan management and/or bigger fans are needed.

Edit: I have to agree with an earlier comment about the blind spot to the right side. It can be a real PITA. /edit

I'd buy another one.

lots of great stuff there guys.... I'm about 75% on this thing but again need to drive a few. Which believe it or not I kind of hate doing. What I mean is I'm not 100% sold on the car yet and I've always felt like I need to drive about 6 different models of a car before I get a feel of what they really are. You drive one and it's bad you're done you'll have a bad vibe for a car forever (at least I do) 5 or 6 and you can say "ok this is what this car is" and you either like it or you don't. Of course from all you guys I have some concerns about the blind spot and some what the over heating issues that still need to be looked into. But Corvettes have their little bumps too so i fully understand that.
The reason I hate test driving of course is sale people AGHHHHHH!
But it has to be done i guess.

You guys have been a big help... but still just so I know SHOULD I get at least an 11? Were the improvements that big a deal from the 09-10's?

Thanks again

imo no. Also, since you're only going to DD the car you will not need an aftermarket oil cooler by any means. If you were thinking of tracking it, which you have made clear you will not be, then you would want/need an oil cooler.

I may have overstated the cooling problems, but, since you have "Racing" in you username, I thought you should be aware. I have never had a serious problem with overheating (even with 100+F ambient), the ECM just reduces power until the temps come back down. From what I have read, an oil cooler is only required if you drive very hard for more than a few minutes, eg, at the track. I don't have a cooler, but I don't drive real hard.
For a DD that only sees spirited driving, it's not really a deal-breaker. I can zip through the corners and sprint down the straightaways all day with no problems, even during the dog days of Summer. It's only during stop-and-go or very slow moving traffic that the temp gets high.
Now that the ambient temps are down in the 30-50F range, no problems. She'll idle in the driveway for extended periods without getting hot.
BTW, if you plan on doing any tuning, the UpRev software will allow you to turn the radiator cooling fans on sooner and alleviate most of the problem.
Believe it or not, it helps to turn the A/C on - this kicks the cooling fans to high.

The blind spot is something you get used to and plan ahead for. I've driven other cars that were just as bad. Defensive Driving FTW.

All-in-all, it's a LOT of fun to drive.

I drive a 2009 370 every day. Yes I have had cooling, oil consumption problems. Oil cooler and warranty fixed both. Look at my sig to what else I've done. I do track my car and a 2001 Corvette and I hang together on the track at Laguna Seca. He pulls a little on straights and I close on the turns.

Since you won't track the Z, you should be fine without any mods.

It is so unusual to see a 370, I recently had a Ferrari California checking the Z out in his rear view mirror.

There's no real model year to avoid. I think '09s were the only one prone to the steering lock failure but I don't think there was that many affected by it.

09-12 have the fangs :) 13s don't

It affects all 2009 through mid-2011 370Zs. They deleted the SLU in mid-2011. If your 370Z has a SLU, it's prone to failure.

I guess it depends on what one's definition of is "that many" is. I've counted 112 ppl reporting SLU failure on this site alone. There are more reports, but I'm almost two weeks behind on updating the list.

I agree with other members who have said the 370z is a perfectly competent (and fun!) DD, but there are some caveats.

If you already have a toy car, I suppose what you're looking for in a DD is pretty important. There's a lot of road noise in the Z and the fuel efficiency is nothing to get excited about.

My guess is that a slk250 will have better fuel efficiency, and might even be quieter with the top up.

Fuel efficiency is that much better if at all on SLK's believe it or not... I was a bit shocked which is another reason I was thinking I wasn't losing anything by going 370....
As far as track time I save that for my Corvettes so this would be just a fun car show... going to the beach.... work car and as I think I said I have a truck for snow and rain I'm going to keep around.
I see coups I like but I've never had a vert and I'm thinking I really want to do that. Have 2 cars set up to drive next week and I'm looking forward to it after hearing from you guys.:driving:

What part of the QC are you in? In South Charlotte I see at least a 370z every other day.

In regards to OP, I DD my 370z and have taken it on long road trips (>1500 mi). Hasn't given me any problems and is pretty comfortable. I've gotten used to the blind spots, and it's tons of fun! Road noise is fine for a small sports car with tires right behind your back (and different tires can make it quieter). I get around 17mi city, 29 hwy

Welcome, on any weekend drive, we see vettes, mustangs by the dozens. No 370 "Z".