370Z Exit Strategy

ImportConvert

Really weird considering they handle identical in every test I have seen (which is to say, the NISMO wins some, the Sport wins some. Kinda a wash).

Red__Zed

Do you notice it in the front or rear?

chknhawk

The best strategy is.....not to play. Now going to defcon 5. Prepare for impact.lol

Sent from XPARENT TAPATALK on my ATRIX 2!
2012 Base/Sport | 5% | Black emblems | touchscreen nav

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ImportConvert

Both, it just has horrible rebound control. My Z06, when it hit a bump, I felt the bump, and that was it. In my 370Z, I hit a bump, and then it catches air (compared to the Z06). I have provoked TC at 80mph on the freeway hitting dips with cruise-control on it's so bad. It's like a damn pogo-stick. Bouncy bouncy bouncy. Needs better shocks, I just don't feel like spending the $$ on them right now because then I would obsess over the poor weight dist. Then I would obsess over something else. Screw it. It's a cheap sporty coupe with a nice interior and great styling, and I feel like I got my money's worth with it. Better than a cheap supercar with a junk interior (considering I don't do HPDE's), lol. No regrets, just a few critiques.


After 10K miles experience in my 270Z, I think Nissan needs to:

-Get the car a LOT closer to 50/50 weight dist.
-Fix the rebound control issues. (Maybe NISMO is better?)
-tighten up the front end so that it feels crisper turning into corners. (Maybe the stiffer NISMO fixes that, I have not driven one).


No, I still do not wish I had bought a mustang 5.0 instead. The interior and styling of the 370Z make up for the BOSS's better handling and more acceleration. I consider my 370Z a nice, comfortable car first, and a sporty car second. If I wanted raw performance, I would have kept the Z06.

My largest performance complaint regarding my 370Z is the poor weight distribution. It is not 53/47. I weighed it. It is way worse. More like 55-56/44-45, based on DOT scales with me in the car (190#) and a full tank of gas. My Z06 was within about half a percent or less of 50/50 in the same configuration. It felt WAY better in the corners. That is the only thing I really miss about it. I mean, the power is nice, but you get used to it. Confidence in the corners and being able to more precisely place the car with gas/brake is something I miss.

With the 370Z, I feel like you enter the corner at a certain speed lightly on the brakes, and accelerate. If the corner is longer than you intended---suck. If it's shorter---you lose exit velocity. With my Z06, I entered the corner lightly on the brakes and could either stay that way, or I could balance with the throttle, or I could balance with the throttle and then lift a little, or...

With the 370Z, if you are in a long corner and balancing with the throttle---that means accelerating. When you get off the throttle because you are approaching tire-adhesion limits, you are then going way too fast for the shitty 55/45 balance the car has static, which is more like 58/42 coasting in gear, and you will not like what is probably going to happen.

Take into account that I am not a pro, and have only a few days of intense HPDE instruction, but this is what I take away from each car. The 370Z takes a lot more planning with a corner. The z06, you can plan as you go. It was a very forgiving car and would always ask you "Hey...I'm about to do something uncool, you sure?" The 370Z, it feels like it would say "Hey, you're going too fast now, because you had to go fast to make me happy, but now I'm uncomfortable with going this fast. Either you ride this out and hope your tires are better than you can reasonably expect, or let off and watch me rock your world."

Rebound control? It will matter a lot less to me when I leave LA and get away from our crap roads. Weight dist. will always suck, unless I need drastic driving help and am "doing it wrong".

Nikkolai

It's much worse with the Nismo. I've done the same with bumps on the freeway. It felt scary and thought I'd lose control of the car hitting the bumps. I've been in my friend's 09 Z06 and that car definitely behaves a lot more with bumps.

Compdoc777

Driving both the Nismo and the 370 sport I can tell you the handling on both is great. The Nismo is much more stiff and the rebound leave you able to feel the road a little more. I know when I get on the cars they both perform great yet when I get insane with the car the Nismo shows its prowless. The Nismo is bumpy and loud, but in the correct hands it's a powerful car and properly setup.

Add some r spec tires to the mix and your are on rails. The Nismo feels like i am glued to the pavement. The other day I took a corner I could only do about 40 around in them 370 sport and took it at 60 in the Nismo. The car never under steered or over steered and I was pulling so hard in the turn that I realized that I need a 5 point harness and nothing loose in my car.

ImportConvert

I think you just feel more confident in the NISMO because body-roll is buttoned down a bit more. The Sport and NISMO both pull near identical slalom numbers and skidpad numbers.

Could be wrong, though. Never drove a NISMO, but I know my Z06 inspired more confidence because it has 0 body roll compared to my Sport. However, it was false confidence. The Z06 WILL slide. You just get your feedback from the tires more than the body-lean. Better that way.

ImportConvert

Yeah, it almost reminds me of those civics you see with cut springs going bouncebouncebounce after they hit a little ridge in the pavement. People can say what they want about the composite transverse leaf-spring, but unless you are corner-weighting the car, it's far superior. Progressive, and insures equal rate over each wheel, and absorbs stuff like this flawlessly. Nissan could take a few lessons from GM in the suspension department. Ferrari has.

My dream car:

GM MRC suspension/PTM
Ford FI motor.
Ferrari body airflow management.
Audi interior
BMW transmission
Porsche's chassis
Dodge rear-end/axles
Kia's price structure

Red__Zed

:|

AlphaSnacks

My wife and I have a 335 Coupe along with my 370Z...the 335 is rougher than the Z. Don't get one if that's such a concern. Our 335 has a handful of mods too, which actually helped make the car smoother and less harsh surprisingly). We're trading in the BMW for a 2012 Jaguar XF 5.0, though....my wife is the ******* best.

Does your wife have a car of her own?

370Z_RACER

if you sell a z, you probably feel it in the rear

bigsix

Pretty interesting preferences... I like your transmission choice.

How about wheels/tyres ?

ImportConvert

I'm a Michelin man.

With big trucks, you can pick the chassis, trans, engine. I think it would be killer if cars came this way, that's all.

Rhinetom

Appreciate all the suggestions. I think I will go for the Audi TTRS all wheel drive, 360 hp. Unsure if I will private sale the Z or trade it in.

SalA

The e90 series 335i with a sport suspension is not an improved ride. I would say it rides harder then the Z.

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