Nissan 370Z Forum - View Single Post

Jordo! · 02-07-2015, 01:49 PM

This will inspire a few gasps of shock but, my humble advice is:

Test drive a FR-S first.

Here's why I say that; I previously owned a Celica GT-S (heavily modified to handle and also SC'd, FWIW), which is a close cousin to the RSX. My original plan was to get an FR-S -- a nimble, RWD car with potential for boost --when it was time for a tearful parting with the Celica, but the damn thing hadn't been released yet.

So, needing a new car and wanting a sportscar, I managed to make a deal work out for the 370Z, and 10 sec into my test drive I stopped missing the Celica.

That said, the Z will NOT feel as nimble as the RSX (or the FR-S or a MX-5). It will DECIMATE both in every metric (other than weight), but it will not feel the same way. I LOVE my Z, and have never looked back -- so much so, that when I wrecked the first one, the second the insurance check cleared, I went and got another one.

And yet, there is something to be said for a nimble little car... if I can swing it, the next car after the Z may very well be an Alpha 4C (the best of all worlds, minus, perhaps, reliability... we'll see...)

Again, the Z is a completely different class of car, so this is a matter of qualia. Performance metrics aside, the FR-S will feel nimble and the Z will feel powerful. If this is even a remote consideration for you, considering the prices on gently used versions of each will not be wildly different, I recommend test driving both.

This is, BTW, an ever so slightly different version of what I would recommend someone to think about who was, say, cross shopping between a Z and a Mustang. It's a similar set of trade-offs.

02-07-2015, 01:49 PM	#13 (permalink)
Jordo! A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2010 Location: nirvana Posts: 6,394 Drives: 2023 NATM Rep Power: 417	This will inspire a few gasps of shock but, my humble advice is: Test drive a FR-S first. Here's why I say that; I previously owned a Celica GT-S (heavily modified to handle and also SC'd, FWIW), which is a close cousin to the RSX. My original plan was to get an FR-S -- a nimble, RWD car with potential for boost --when it was time for a tearful parting with the Celica, but the damn thing hadn't been released yet. So, needing a new car and wanting a sportscar, I managed to make a deal work out for the 370Z, and 10 sec into my test drive I stopped missing the Celica. That said, the Z will NOT feel as nimble as the RSX (or the FR-S or a MX-5). It will DECIMATE both in every metric (other than weight), but it will not feel the same way. I LOVE my Z, and have never looked back -- so much so, that when I wrecked the first one, the second the insurance check cleared, I went and got another one. And yet, there is something to be said for a nimble little car... if I can swing it, the next car after the Z may very well be an Alpha 4C (the best of all worlds, minus, perhaps, reliability... we'll see...) Again, the Z is a completely different class of car, so this is a matter of qualia. Performance metrics aside, the FR-S will feel nimble and the Z will feel powerful. If this is even a remote consideration for you, considering the prices on gently used versions of each will not be wildly different, I recommend test driving both. This is, BTW, an ever so slightly different version of what I would recommend someone to think about who was, say, cross shopping between a Z and a Mustang. It's a similar set of trade-offs. __________________ Enjoy it. Destroy it. Last edited by Jordo!; 02-07-2015 at 01:51 PM.