Nissan 370Z Forum - View Single Post

AlphaSnacks · 07-08-2011, 02:22 PM

I drove damn near everything under the sun before buying my 370Z. And I drove a bunch of others after buying my 370Z. Everything below I intended on purchasing, either new or certified-used, it was all in the price range for me.

BMW M6 - This is one of my brother's cars. He got an R8 V10, and I wanted him to sell the M6 to me. He went to Aruba one week with his family, and I had the car. I've always loved this beast, it's a split personality grand touring savage. Comfortable, yet sporty and blistering quick. Nothing like a V10. And it grips hard. I love everything about it, down to its odd look - sure as hell looks better than the new 6-series. Though my brother kept the M6 as his DD, which made sense, the R8 isn't the most DD-friendly car. Still, I looked at a few pre-owned cars, and even though many were certified, I knew that maintaining this out of warranty would've been annoying. Plus it guzzles gas, and worst of all has a pretty small tank. I'd have also wanted to mod it a bit (badly needs a drop), and that too was extremely expensive for this platform. So I figured I'd give the E92 M3 a look, and still enjoy the M6 every now and then when my brother let's me borrow it.

BMW M3 - I drove the E92 M3 DCT originally, and while I liked it, the interior kept throwing me off, especially for the price tag. The gauges were bland, as was the center console, and something about it kept feeling cheap to me. I also couldn't help shake the feeling that the numerous 328i and 335i Coupes that passed me during the drive don't exactly help the M3 stand out. Still, the M3 is very quick, especially once those revs build and while I'm not a fan of dual clutch transmissions (they feel soulless and hollow), I do admit they are absolutely incredible in execution. More recently, I drove a 6MT E92 M3, and I loved that quite a bit. This one had a slightly dressier interior (the DCT had boring grey CF inserts), which increased the interior's appeal quite a bit. Still, all of the other E92s on the road hurt this car's exclusivity appeal - but there's no denying it's a beautiful looking machine and it moves well. Though I will say the lack of low-end torque is very un-V8 like.

BMW 335i - I test drove a 335i before the M3 and M6. The lack of dazzle in the interior put me off, I also didn't think it handled as well as most people claimed - certainly nowhere near as sharp as my 350Z with Hotchkis. The whole fuel pump issue also scared me off (this was before BMW announced the recall + warranty extension). On top of that, the lack of a locking rear-diff in a car this powerful and this expensive was the final curtain call for me. I do think that despite the spartan interiors, BMW's build quality is unrivaled - the materials and craftsmanship is so superb that nothing rattles! I loved that. Plus the seats were awesome. And I think 335i Coupes with the M-package look sensational. And of course the mod potential for this thing was high, which I loved. But again, at the time, the fuel pump was a concern. Luckily for me, my girlfriend is getting a 335xi Coupe very soon...

Audi S5 - Probably the biggest disappointment for me. I loved the V8 rumble, I loved the V8 midrange punch. But I don't love the price and I don't love how common they are in my area. Furthermore, the S5 is underpowered. Yes, it's a nice and quick machine, but it feels heavy and it could definitely use some touching up in the low-end torque department. Fortunately, the supercharged V6 is set to arrive for the S5, but I don't wish to wait that long. That said, there were also certain other qualities about the S5 that bother me...the doors close cheaply. Where as the BMW closes its doors firmly, the Audi's door closes with a bit of a rattle and I've even verified this on my friend's A5 and all the other S5s that come to my weekly meets. Plus there is virtually no room for modding - nothing adds power to this thing. On top of that, I already have an A6 4.2 - so getting the S5, despite it being in stick, would've felt like I just bought a car too similar.

Corvette C6 LS3 - This is the beast that I probably considered the most. It was balls out fast. 430HP - it weighs the same as a 370Z, with 100HP extra. There is simply nothing like the surge of power made by an LS V8 - simply nothing. My complaint was that while the interiors of the BMWs were spartan, they still looked decent...while the Corvette's interior wasn't that great in quality or aesthetic. Worst of all, they are absurdly popular cars and lack any sort of exclusivity - this has always been a major deciding factor to me. So as much as I love this car, I still decided against it. I was pretty much set on an E92 M3 I found...

So how did I end up with a 370Z when I never even considered one? My 350Z had left me with such a bad taste in my mouth that I vowed I'd never get another Nissan or Z-car. I loved my old car, it was great, but the interior had gotten so drab and the absolute lack of refinement had began to drive me mad. I couldn't tolerate it anymore. At my weekly meets, a number of 370Zs started showing up - and one of them was fully loaded. Previously I had only sat and seen 370s without the navi. This one was loaded and I couldn't believe the difference between a loaded interior and a base/Bose one. Absolutely massive. So I decided to test drive one, but I went in with very low expectations...

Three weeks later I owned one. I swore I wouldn't own another Z, but it happened. Nissan simply fixed damn near everything wrong with the 350Z, including the sh*tty 6MT (my 350Z was 5AT for that reason). It feels marginally slower than the E92 M3, but around town felt livelier because torque is delivered nearly in full below 2500RPM. Huge plus for me. And it simply rips to its redline with the quickness. It felt quicker than my modded 350Z. And it felt quicker than the 6MT Audi S5 I test drove. I drove a 7-speed Auto Z, which is a superb transmission for the car, though I still opted for a 6MT.

I really liked the interior, the quality of the materials was exceptionally high for a vehicle in this class. The suede on the doors is a superb touch. The steering wheel felt thick and grippy, not like the 350Z wheel. The doors closed great, even when the window was rolled all the way down, there was no window rattle (like 350Zs do). It had everything I loved from nearly every car I test drove (excluding the Vette) - build quality comparable to the BMW, driving dynamics and the solid feel comparable to the M6 and M3, the punch of the M3, the interior aesthetics comparable to the Audi (perhaps even better looking), reliability of a Nissan, low-cost maintenance, great aftermarket potential, and so forth. It simply clicked.

Sometimes I still can't believe I ended up with another Z, simply because of how much I began to dislike my 350Z.

07-08-2011, 02:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
AlphaSnacks A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Windermere, FL Posts: 1,618 Drives: '13 XKR-S, '10 370Z Rep Power: 18	I drove damn near everything under the sun before buying my 370Z. And I drove a bunch of others after buying my 370Z. Everything below I intended on purchasing, either new or certified-used, it was all in the price range for me. BMW M6 - This is one of my brother's cars. He got an R8 V10, and I wanted him to sell the M6 to me. He went to Aruba one week with his family, and I had the car. I've always loved this beast, it's a split personality grand touring savage. Comfortable, yet sporty and blistering quick. Nothing like a V10. And it grips hard. I love everything about it, down to its odd look - sure as hell looks better than the new 6-series. Though my brother kept the M6 as his DD, which made sense, the R8 isn't the most DD-friendly car. Still, I looked at a few pre-owned cars, and even though many were certified, I knew that maintaining this out of warranty would've been annoying. Plus it guzzles gas, and worst of all has a pretty small tank. I'd have also wanted to mod it a bit (badly needs a drop), and that too was extremely expensive for this platform. So I figured I'd give the E92 M3 a look, and still enjoy the M6 every now and then when my brother let's me borrow it. BMW M3 - I drove the E92 M3 DCT originally, and while I liked it, the interior kept throwing me off, especially for the price tag. The gauges were bland, as was the center console, and something about it kept feeling cheap to me. I also couldn't help shake the feeling that the numerous 328i and 335i Coupes that passed me during the drive don't exactly help the M3 stand out. Still, the M3 is very quick, especially once those revs build and while I'm not a fan of dual clutch transmissions (they feel soulless and hollow), I do admit they are absolutely incredible in execution. More recently, I drove a 6MT E92 M3, and I loved that quite a bit. This one had a slightly dressier interior (the DCT had boring grey CF inserts), which increased the interior's appeal quite a bit. Still, all of the other E92s on the road hurt this car's exclusivity appeal - but there's no denying it's a beautiful looking machine and it moves well. Though I will say the lack of low-end torque is very un-V8 like. BMW 335i - I test drove a 335i before the M3 and M6. The lack of dazzle in the interior put me off, I also didn't think it handled as well as most people claimed - certainly nowhere near as sharp as my 350Z with Hotchkis. The whole fuel pump issue also scared me off (this was before BMW announced the recall + warranty extension). On top of that, the lack of a locking rear-diff in a car this powerful and this expensive was the final curtain call for me. I do think that despite the spartan interiors, BMW's build quality is unrivaled - the materials and craftsmanship is so superb that nothing rattles! I loved that. Plus the seats were awesome. And I think 335i Coupes with the M-package look sensational. And of course the mod potential for this thing was high, which I loved. But again, at the time, the fuel pump was a concern. Luckily for me, my girlfriend is getting a 335xi Coupe very soon... Audi S5 - Probably the biggest disappointment for me. I loved the V8 rumble, I loved the V8 midrange punch. But I don't love the price and I don't love how common they are in my area. Furthermore, the S5 is underpowered. Yes, it's a nice and quick machine, but it feels heavy and it could definitely use some touching up in the low-end torque department. Fortunately, the supercharged V6 is set to arrive for the S5, but I don't wish to wait that long. That said, there were also certain other qualities about the S5 that bother me...the doors close cheaply. Where as the BMW closes its doors firmly, the Audi's door closes with a bit of a rattle and I've even verified this on my friend's A5 and all the other S5s that come to my weekly meets. Plus there is virtually no room for modding - nothing adds power to this thing. On top of that, I already have an A6 4.2 - so getting the S5, despite it being in stick, would've felt like I just bought a car too similar. Corvette C6 LS3 - This is the beast that I probably considered the most. It was balls out fast. 430HP - it weighs the same as a 370Z, with 100HP extra. There is simply nothing like the surge of power made by an LS V8 - simply nothing. My complaint was that while the interiors of the BMWs were spartan, they still looked decent...while the Corvette's interior wasn't that great in quality or aesthetic. Worst of all, they are absurdly popular cars and lack any sort of exclusivity - this has always been a major deciding factor to me. So as much as I love this car, I still decided against it. I was pretty much set on an E92 M3 I found... So how did I end up with a 370Z when I never even considered one? My 350Z had left me with such a bad taste in my mouth that I vowed I'd never get another Nissan or Z-car. I loved my old car, it was great, but the interior had gotten so drab and the absolute lack of refinement had began to drive me mad. I couldn't tolerate it anymore. At my weekly meets, a number of 370Zs started showing up - and one of them was fully loaded. Previously I had only sat and seen 370s without the navi. This one was loaded and I couldn't believe the difference between a loaded interior and a base/Bose one. Absolutely massive. So I decided to test drive one, but I went in with very low expectations... Three weeks later I owned one. I swore I wouldn't own another Z, but it happened. Nissan simply fixed damn near everything wrong with the 350Z, including the sh*tty 6MT (my 350Z was 5AT for that reason). It feels marginally slower than the E92 M3, but around town felt livelier because torque is delivered nearly in full below 2500RPM. Huge plus for me. And it simply rips to its redline with the quickness. It felt quicker than my modded 350Z. And it felt quicker than the 6MT Audi S5 I test drove. I drove a 7-speed Auto Z, which is a superb transmission for the car, though I still opted for a 6MT. I really liked the interior, the quality of the materials was exceptionally high for a vehicle in this class. The suede on the doors is a superb touch. The steering wheel felt thick and grippy, not like the 350Z wheel. The doors closed great, even when the window was rolled all the way down, there was no window rattle (like 350Zs do). It had everything I loved from nearly every car I test drove (excluding the Vette) - build quality comparable to the BMW, driving dynamics and the solid feel comparable to the M6 and M3, the punch of the M3, the interior aesthetics comparable to the Audi (perhaps even better looking), reliability of a Nissan, low-cost maintenance, great aftermarket potential, and so forth. It simply clicked. Sometimes I still can't believe I ended up with another Z, simply because of how much I began to dislike my 350Z.