Considering a Nismo
 

Hello everyone,

This is my first post here but I have been skimming through some of the different threads on nismos and had a few questions about them.

I will be in a position of purchasing one come early next year, and wanted to know if others would chime in why they chose the nismo over the regular z or some other make/model. I very much like the looks of the nismo (honestly, how could you not), and it is one of the cars in my price range I am considering. I know it offers a stiffer ride than the rest, that is fine with me, I am currently driving a 2006 GTO lowered with very, very stiff springs- so I am used to feeling every bump, yet don't think I can go through the pain it offers again.

Apart from my first question on why you chose the nismo, let me ask a few more:

1) It is pretty hard to find nismo's in my area. If I could find one to test drive I would just go do that, yet I can't. So I ask you, how rough is the ride on the nismo? Do you find it annoying at times or will it really not be that bad coming from a car that is already very rough?

2) How loud is the cabin noise? The goat has a horrible drone around 2k rpms, which I find myself at on the interstate quite frequently, so I have to resort to earplugs for those long trips. Is the noise really not that bad and the car critics are used to more "normal" cars?

3) I can't decide on color. I was sold on black for a while but after seeing some of the pictures of white with tints... it really is damn sexy. Opinions?

4) The other cars I am considering are the Audi S4, the BMW 135i, and possibly (not likely because of the lack of stick) Audi TTS. I am concerned because I will be in a situation (working under a professor) where I won't have the most time to tend to my car or keep her in top shape, so am faced with the prospect of getting the most practical, albeit very nice, choice of the S4 (4 doors, more space, etc).

One final word, do you nismo owners feel "connected" to your car? This is important to me because I truly value what I am driving and don't want to feel like it is just some transport to get me from A to B.

Any thoughts?

i think this topic has been beatin to death man. search!!!!

1. i doubt you can find one at a dealer to test drive. the ride is rough but thats what you are buying.

2. the tire whine is loud. without dynamat or some kind of sound deadening its a bit much. but again you are buying a sports car. it should be much less noisy than the "goat" u mentioned.
"ear plugs are illegal while driving and i bet you look rediculous on the road with em)

3. color.... come on man, should we pick out your undies too?

4. audi is expensive to upkeep and mod. 135 looks like a midget clown car. its fast but to me it look silly TTS is a b1tch car.

ive never felt more connected to a vehicle, ever. it has character, and i love it.



you will miss the torque you had in the GTO.

haha ok thanks for the quick reply. I did some brief searching but I suppose not thorough enough :shakes head:

I could go into some long @ss post to answer all the OP's ?s, but in a nutshell... /\ x2 to the post above.

:iagree:

well put... +1

Oh stop dumping on the new guy. Although I will say the OP already knows what he's getting into: stiff ride, noisy tires (lack of sound deadening), and a car that's not as practical as something with 4-doors and a trunk.

You'll like it, given what you're coming from and say you're looking for. It sounds like a better fit than the others you are considering. My (mildly modified) s2000 was louder and more impractical than the nismo in every way, but it also felt more connected to the road. No torque sucked. With the nismo, yeah the tires are loud and the suspension is stiff compared to most modern cars, but in absolute terms it's not bad at all for this type of car.

i would also take the mustang gt and a used corvette out for a spin just in case.

I'll add a few things, I had originally a sport/touring 370z and then got the Nismo Z. Between the two I liked the sport/touring better. Had my original one not been totalled or had there not been a 3mo waiting list when I was searching for a replacement I would not be in the Nismo. Don't get me wrong, I love my nismo, but between the two I prefer the regular Z.

Don't get black. Mine is black and it looks dirty 30 min later after a wash with a slight layer of dust. Go with white or red

The stiffness and loudness doesn't bother me. Then again one of my other cars is a 77 280z with no sound deading material, upgraded suspension, and a really loud header back exhaust. It's a sports car, it's not going to be soft and quiet.

I'm very connected to this car.

You will miss your torque from the GTO compared to the Z. Test drive a Z, any Z, to make sure that the difference in power isn't a deal breaker.

I wouldn't get the audi simply for the price/performance ratio. The 135i is a fantastic car and will blow the doors off Z when you start talking about mods. Then again, BMW's can also be a pain to maintain.

Lastly, I've done 2-3 posts in the recent past comparing a NISMO to regular Z. Do a search for my name and you might be able to find them if you are curious between the differences, from my perspective anyway.

just buy one! if you hate it you can blame me.... i can take the yelling :P

I read another one of your posts comparing the touring to nismo, and after finishing I thought I should add a few things

I really won't be in a position to mod the car, at least for a while. I will already have to pay off my rent, utilities, etc, as well as the car so doubt I will have a lot of extra cash laying around, especially working as a postbacc/graduate student for a year. Because of this I like the idea of the nismo more, it already has a factory body kit, upgraded exhaust, rims, lowered, stiffer suspension-pretty much what I would shoot for if I got a base. That being said, I will probably swap out the exhaust at some point anyway for something more aggressive. On top of that, if modding is kept to a minimum since it already is modded, I shouldn't have any warranty issues with Nissan

I love the look of the red nismos. The only thing I have against getting red is I have owned a red car for a while now, and another in the past. I would like to look at something different for a while, and I have always wanted to own a black car. They just seem classy to me and I like that. White is gorgeous, but they are pretty difficult to keep clean themselves, losing that sparkly white after a couple days. I guess the dirt doesn't really show but it dulls the paint way down. I am not too fond of the other colors either.

Thanks for the replies guys!

OP, as some pointed out before, the Nismo is a bit raw compared to the other trims, some think that the suspension is too stiff (I personally was expecting worse during my test drive but I was positively suprised). It's an excellent value no matter what some will tell you. The body kit, the rims, exhaust among others are great extras. I'm very satisfied and pleased with the car. I absolutely love it every time I fire it up.

Do a test drive for both trims then you'll be able to make a definite decision for yourself.

Only problem is the difficulty in finding a nismo in the area. But seriously guys thanks so much for your posts this is really helping me narrow down my decision.

So Birdman. I just watched your vid in your sig. Honestly I am seriously being swayed by that white, it just looks so good.

Thanks a bunch boss. The current Z generation looks fantastic in all colors but white does standout a bit more to me as it shows all the curves on the car. Have fun with your decision/purchase process.

Also don't forget, if you get to test drive one ask to see if the sleeves that they put in the springs have been removed. They use these when the cars are shipped. This will make a big difference. :tup:

The Nismo is sick. I'm planning to either trade my Z for a Nismo Z or I could
just be done with it by buying the Nismo body kit Non-S-tune. :yum:

If you want a car that turns heads the Nismo is it. I get stares all of the time.

Which is why your first mod should be tints.

:iagree: it took a while to get used to the stares. Clearbra should also be a mod with an immediate priority otherwise you'll regret it soon.

I have just received word that the 2012 NISMO Z I ordered is slated to start being assembled the second week of this month. I'm guessing September 15th'ish. I decided to go with the Gun Metallic as the color since I've owned white and black before. Thought it would be nice to go with something new.

-Koffeegy

Did you order your clearbra from 3M? I am having trouble finding one that is cut for the nismo.

You should get it done at a reputable tint shop.

/\ this.

Ah, I wasn't aware they did that, thank you!

We love our Nizmos
 

As you can tell we're all zelots when it come to our love for the Nizmo. I have a Solid Red Nizmo. If your worried about the stiff ride then consider an Infiniti but for my preference there are a lot of them out there. As for the Nizmo...there is no other performance car that has it's looks and appearance. People often ask why I didn't buy the faster Corvette to which I reply that there are too many on the road, I hate being a "me-to" person or following the herd. To me it's just another car, yeah I know there are faster cars than the Nizmo...but they'll never have that look for the money. The Nizmo is in a league of it's own...it turns heads. As for color, I'd seriously look at the pearl white (be sure to tint those windows). I lived in Tucson for 5 years and black is a horrible color to keep clean. It was hard enough keeping my 350z (Daytona Blue-convertible) clean.

If there was one major complaint I had toward the Nizmo it definately is the stereo. I replaced it with an Pioneer AVIC/JL amp & 6 speakers and solved that problem. It's likely that if you bought a used Nizmo that the stereo will be an aftermarket brand. You'll need a great stereo to help muffle the tire wine...it can be deafining on roughly surfaced roads. Again, it is a sports car. Sports cars of yester-year were a lot more challenging to operate and maintain than they are today.

I don't have any regrets owning my Nizmo. It's a looker and the best damn handling car that I've driven.

Happy Motoring
Steve
2010 Nizmo #75 - Solid Red

PS: Invest in a good radar detector because you'll have your foot "in it" all the time...trust me - resistance is futile! My Passport 9500ix has saved my bacon more than a few times!

Great summary Fitguna :tup:

Thanks Birdman
 

I came close to a coin toss when I was trying to choose between the Solid Red and the Pearl White. I bought my Nizmo in Denver 2 months after my wife passed away from breast cancer...it had been a 5 yr battle and I decided it was time for me. The dealer, Go Now Nissan, had a black and red Nizmo and they let me test-drive the red car. I noticed a lot of people staring at the car and got several thumbs up during that 15 mile drive. I was hooked from the second that car cranked and heard that gutteral growl from that exhaust note. I had been looking at the 370Z since it's release in 2009 and knew I would have it to replace my aging 2004 350Z convertible and my wife said that one day my dream car should become a reality. God rest her soul, I wish I could have given her a ride. :tup:

Kind Regards
Steve

R.I.P. Debrah J Newton (4-9-51/ 1-10-10)

sry for your loss Steve.... :(