"yitznewton" (yitznewton)
10/14/2015 at 22:05 • Filed to: nissan z
3
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"yitznewton" (yitznewton)
10/14/2015 at 22:05 • Filed to: nissan z | 3
| 28 |
I’ve been test-driving all the usual under-$40k rear-drive cars over the last year or so. My favorite so far is the S2000 followed by the ND and Mazdaspeed Miatas, but recently I realized that I am unfairly prejudiced for some reason against the 370Z, and ought to at least check it out - so I have a test-drive scheduled for tomorrow.
It’s heavier and larger than the venerable roadsters, but lighter and much smaller of footprint than the EcoBoost Mustang I tried, which is my benchmark for “way too big.” The Sport trim and up have a viscous LSD and upgrades to brakes and some other items.
Do we have any 370Z folks here? I have had a hard time finding reviews of the latest Z from many of my usual sources; it feels like it has less cred or something than the others (S2K, Miata, MR2, GT86) and so there’s less coverage. Here are a couple that I did find!
CB
> yitznewton
10/14/2015 at 22:07 |
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Have you tried out the Genesis Coupe yet?
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yitznewton
> CB
10/14/2015 at 22:07 |
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Aha, that’s another one I haven’t seen a whole lot about. Do you have one?
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CB
> yitznewton
10/14/2015 at 22:09 |
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Hahahaha like I can afford a car.
I don’t have one, but I’m pretty sure Fractal Footwork has one, and he seems to enjoy it.
Wobbles the Mind
> CB
10/14/2015 at 22:10 |
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Agreed, it seems like it would be right in between a 370z and G37 Coupe. I’m personally curious since the prices (new or used) are all really good.
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yitznewton
> CB
10/14/2015 at 22:14 |
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I mean, I read some reviews of the GC a while back; it seemed like the verdict was “nothing special,” so I went to look at the darlings and fell for the S2k. At this point I guess I’m driving other stuff out of curiosity and impatience as I wait for the next perfect-storm S2k to come up on my radar.
pjhusa
> yitznewton
10/14/2015 at 22:17 |
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I like them. I want one in yellow (which was as only sold for 2009-2010 model years, I believe).
Dsscats
> yitznewton
10/14/2015 at 22:17 |
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A friend of mine has a Nismo. He loves it to death. I’ve always thought the base model just looked sort of...mediocre personally.
TractorPillow
> yitznewton
10/14/2015 at 22:25 |
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Sub $40k? Lotus Elise!
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yitznewton
> TractorPillow
10/14/2015 at 22:31 |
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A bit too hardcore/delicate for NJ DD duty, but I’m always intrigued when I see them out and about! There’s an Elise a couple miles away from me which I see in the owner’s driveway when I go to Target.
BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
> yitznewton
10/14/2015 at 22:37 |
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I drove quite a few during my time in the car business. They are angry, fall in the unpolished side of the refinement scale if only just so, and an absolute blast to drive. It’s a car you should treat with respect if you don’t want any problems, but will reward you for your bravery if you can wrangle it by the scruff of its neck.
It’s one of the most Jalop cars I’ve ever driven.
GhostZ
> yitznewton
10/14/2015 at 22:44 |
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I haven’t driven one, but major complaints seem to be rooted in the seating position and steering/pedal feel, and the fact that they’re relatively old designs and haven’t been updated in a while.
That being said, base price they can be had for just over $30k new, which is enough to give you plenty of extra money for rims, tires and gas. $29995. They’re a huge performance bargain.
Hyundai Genesis vs 370z generally comes down to aftermarket availability. The Z has quite a lot larger aftermarket parts supply.
Nymphicus Hollandicus
> yitznewton
10/14/2015 at 23:25 |
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Yes, I think it Jalops very well. I actually feel it is a bit underrated these days.
I think what appeals to me the most is just how brash and unrefined this car is. I don’t understand the hate for the VQ37’s noise, but it sounds awesome.
TheRealBicycleBuck
> yitznewton
10/14/2015 at 23:34 |
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My mother-in-law owns a third-gen G35 coupe which I have driven several times. It is the more luxurious Infinity version of the Z. Hers is fairly quick, but it never really felt fast. Perhaps that was due to it being an auto instead of a manual.
It’s a nice car for cruising around, but I never thought of it as a rip-roaring sports car. Everything felt tight and responsive. The fit and finish is nice.
All that being said, there’s nothing about the car that makes me want to go out and buy one.
unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins)
> yitznewton
10/14/2015 at 23:58 |
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9/10 Jalop car. Only problem is the v6 needs an oil cooler, they run way too hot when driven hard.
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yitznewton
> unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins)
10/15/2015 at 00:07 |
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That’s what I’m hearing, also the diff? Seems a shame they didn’t build that into the car; it sounds like a critical weakness for track use.
Michael Cohen
> yitznewton
10/15/2015 at 04:00 |
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I had an Infiniti G35 sedan. It's a nice car and reasonably fast. I'm guessing the Z is fairly similar. Having said that I'm hoping to buy a cheap S2000 this winter. A much more fun and rewarding car. If I had a lot of highway miles the S2K would not be so great. I would guess the Z is more of a GT car than lightweight sports car. I agree 100% on the Stang.
37deezee
> yitznewton
10/15/2015 at 08:39 |
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I’ve owned 2 370z cars so far. Had an 09 model that I loved. Base model with sport in 6 speed manual. Drove it at COTA. Traded it for a 14 touring with sport and nav 6 speed manual. Really fun ride. Great bang for the buck, genuine 2 seater sports car, budget Porsche in my book. Lacks some refinement but it's really 2/3 Porsche for half the price. I added fast intentions exhaust to both and LOVE the sound of the VQ now!
theuserformerlyknownasaluminumfoil
> CB
10/15/2015 at 09:05 |
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I have one as well, 3.8 GT (Ultimate, in US Markets)
Hopefully you get to drive one, one day. I’d love to hear your impressions on it.
The only quip I have, is the shifter is a bit rubbery, and stock, there is a bit of understeer, but that can be resolved with a nice hit on the throttle.. The “new” front end design is not for everyone.
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yitznewton
> Michael Cohen
10/15/2015 at 09:12 |
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Yeah, I had the same impression on the S. I drove an AP2 and it immediately made sense to me, but it clearly is not a highway cruiser.
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yitznewton
> 37deezee
10/15/2015 at 09:14 |
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How did you find the switch between open and limited-slif diff?
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Michael Cohen
> yitznewton
10/15/2015 at 09:19 |
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I might take out the interior and lay dynamat everywhere. Its supposed to be more tolerable. Lots of info over s2ki.com
WiscoProud
> yitznewton
10/15/2015 at 12:21 |
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I don’t own one, but have looked at them rather extensively (no test drives yet). I like them. They don’t get the respect that the 350z does, but they have good power, good looks, and check all the right boxes for options. 3,200 pounds is a bit much for a sports car, but 330hp base offset it nicely.
Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz)
> yitznewton
10/15/2015 at 13:46 |
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I haven’t driven a 370 yet (mostly because I know when I do, I’m going to have to buy it) though I’m hoping to get one as soon as we have a second garage spot, I did have a 350 for about 3 years. It was certainly not refined, but not overly aggressive. I didn’t really notice the extra size and weight of it when driving and I found that when I wanted it to be a pleasant drive, it could be - and when I wanted it to be fun and quick, it was.
From what I’ve seen, the 370 keeps these values and characteristics while giving you the option for a bit more interior refinement and slightly more aggressive exterior, slightly. I think the 350 was a very Jalop car so I would imagine the 370 is as well. Also, don’t worry about the stereotypes of Z drivers because as all of us around here know, while those stereotypes can be true, not all drivers of a certain car fit into them. Keep in mind though, I’ve not driven a 370 so take what I say with a couple grains of salt.
Let us know your thoughts post test drive!
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yitznewton
> Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz)
10/15/2015 at 15:43 |
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Soooo it was kind of a lousy test drive for environmental reasons, so I’m not going to make a whole new post...
First of all, they offered me $300 on a trade for my Jetta, jackasses... their neighbor Ford dealer offered me $1000 a few weeks ago. My minimum target would be $1200. NADA
As far as the car goes, I would echo the EverydayDriver video that there was a lot of random noise. Steering was pretty heavy, fair amount of feedback. I think there might have been something wrong with this particular car, as the wheel had a huge amount of vibration at times. The traction control light (not “TC off”, but the plain indicator) was on for the second half of the drive. Not sure if it had to do with my turning auto-blip off though.
I didn’t get the chance to push the car, but it felt “OK” — it didn’t impress, scare, seduce, etc. me. The shifter was probably the weakest point for me: it felt plucky, in the sense of a rubber band.
I’m still gravitating to the roadsters for overall experience, but this seemed like a viable option for someone looking for a small-to-medium sporty coupe.
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Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz)
> yitznewton
10/15/2015 at 16:05 |
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Hmm, ridiculous trade value aside — I think the 370 is a little more bloated than the 350 was (though I don’t know actual numbers) so I can see the steering being a little heavy. The strong vibration (usually not a good sign alone) and traction control light sound a bit odd to me. Was it used or new?
I will certainly concede that there are far lighter, far more agile, far quicker sporty copues for the money, I’ve just always been a Z fan.
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yitznewton
> Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz)
10/15/2015 at 16:19 |
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It’s a 2011 with 20k miles
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yitznewton
> yitznewton
10/15/2015 at 16:24 |
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Oh, also: side visibility is non-existent. Head checks are useless; you have to set up the side mirrors carefully, and having only just got in the car, I was pretty scared of sideswiping whoever was next to me.
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Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz)
> yitznewton
10/15/2015 at 16:41 |
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Oh yeah, changing lanes is always an adventure in a Z!