Originally Posted by ImportConvert
(Post 1952107)
My 370Z is crap in the rain. I spun out on the freeway with 9/32 left on the tires while doing the same speed as surrounding traffic. Sorry, the 370Z is not half the car the corvette is in the suspension department. Anything over about 55 and it hydroplanes. I have a 2012 Sport model. I did not know a modern car could BE this pathetic when it comes to handling rain on the OEM tires unless you count the ACR Viper or something on DOT's.
Nothing about the 370Z is superior to the corvette in the suspension department except for: It has less propensity to wheel-hop, and steering feel, as well as parking-lot turn radius/maneuverability. Those are the only improvements I have noted as compared to my Z06. Base C6 without Z51 felt very planted to me, and I beat on Grand Sports doing over 120mph down the back stretch of Spring Mountain and they (Z51 suspension, basically) felt great as well.
Performance-wise, it feels very bad in corners, comparatively. 55/45 (what it REALLY is, yes, I weighed it on DOT scales that do biasing) is crap for performance driving. That is weight distribution though, not suspension. The bad part is when you hit an irregularity and the pogo-stick at each corner upsets the whole car.
I still like my 370Z better than my C6Z06 as a car I drive on the street, but the suspension is horrible, the weight distribution reminds me of my 1980's 5.0, and the OEM tires...I don't drive in the rain above 50-55mph anymore. Period. I slowly worked up to that 55mph limit during light rain on open roads, that is where the OEM tires with good tread begin to lose contact with the road and steering input becomes iffy if you hit any water what-so-ever. I'm not talking puddles, I'm just talking rain coming down and running down the crown of the road in any significant quantity (if you can see it, it's too much to hit at over 55!!!). As it is, If I ever see the sheen of water on the road too late to drop under about 55, I just point the car straight and try to be calm so that when I get control back, I am still pointed the right direction. I leave 10 minutes early for work when it's raining.
I never drove my Z06 in the rain, it was a toy. I cannot comment on that. I did drive my WS.6 in the rain, though, and it was rock solid. Even my old highschool car, a crown-vic, on bald tires was more solid. My G20 was more solid. I have literally never owned or been in a car that was crappier to drive in the rain than my 370Z Sport w/OEM tires. Ever. Crown Vic with no tread up front, WS.6 with no tread up front (when you're broke in school, tires are the last thing on your list). None of them would lose it like this 370 on Potenzas.
Like I tell people, this is my luxury car with a little pep. I don't consider it a performance automobile, just luxury "with a bit of edge". Hell, I already warped the rotors in it at 10K miles and had to have them turned. All street driving and my front tires still have over 1/2 the tread left on them.
I'm sorry, but no. I cannot tell you my 370Z Sport is anything near what my Z06 or any other corvette I have driven (Grand Sport, ZR1) in the suspension department.
Planned fixes: Tires that aren't crap. Don't drive the 370Z like it's a 'vette and you won't end up in the ditch. It can't handle sweeping corners. It's meant for short, tight corners. Long corners are bad in this car. You have to accelerate to balance the 370Z, and you can easily run out of lateral traction, or you will have a low exit velocity...or you can hit it JUUUSSTTT right...but you have to do EVERYTHING perfectly.
I'm sorry, I hate the way this car handles compared to a true sports car. I still love the interior, looks, and the acceleration and brakes are plenty good for the street as long as they don't warp on me again. But the handling is very disappointing in every way unless you are on a very "tight" series of corners. I think that's how all Japanese cars are, though, or most of them. That's just how those people do things. American cars are great in high-speed sweepers and on the open road, Japanese cars are meant for those tight little technical type tracks/corners.
Since I am moving to NW Arkansas, I hope to be in the 370Z's element, though, with the tighter corners, and with the smoother roads there, plus better tires, a lot of my complaints will dissappear.
I hate somewhat going so bluntly against your opinions, but they are polar opposites to mine. Maybe the ADVAN tires on your NISMO are way better than the Potenza's on the Sport model, and maybe the stiffer suspension keeps it from feeling like a pregnant yak in corners with the front plowing unless you're on the throttle pretty good.
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