The *REAL* official 370Z test drive thread

[MutantChicken]

Alright, I finally got to test drive one today. A white ( not that the color matters ), auto, sport model w/o nav. Now just so everyone knows, I've been driving a truck for the last 20 years, I'm currently driving an 04 4X4 Ram. The last car I owned was a 1967 Firebird 400, so it's been a while since I've had a car as my daily driver .... lol. It's not to say that I haven't driven quite a few, I had a great job when I was younger working at a tire store and I was lucky enough to get to most of the delivery jobs, meaning I got to drop off a lot of really nice cars to either our clients or the dealerships, it was pretty cool for a 19 year old ...

But I digress ....

Today I got to drive the 370, the last Z I drove was a 300 ( yes, it's been a few years ) and I must say they have have come a long way. I was a bit disapointed as the car was both an automatic and almost completely out of gas, and the guy letting me drive it let me know that we would not be driving it long enough for that to be a problem. : (

As everyone else has mentioned , the visibilty stinks, but you get used to that pretty quick, I even got used to sitting on the ground pretty quick ( a stange sensation going from a 4X4 to the Z ! ). Quite frankly I don't understand what everyone is complaining about with the road noise .... the mud tires on my truck make more noise ... lol.

The power was a bit hard to gauge, I didn't feel like I was pushing it at all but I went from 0-80 in no time, and I was trying to be good, the salesman was kind of holding on to what ever he could ... the one thing I didn't care for was the transmission. I didn't really have much of a chance to play with it much, and the little I did, it seemed like it didn't want to down shift when I wanted it to, and then it would all of a sudden drop... I'm sure once you've had a chance to use it a bit it works great, but I would rather have a stick, I've been driving one of those for almost 30 years , I think I've got that down pat.

Overall the car was a dream to drive, I just wish I could have driven it a bit longer and taken a few more curves, I only really had one good one, but the car handled it great. I was already sold on the car, but now I know for sure.....

Red, Touring, Sport, Nav.

Gotta have one !

Oh, by the way, it's a good thing I was having trouble with the tranny.... while I was fussing with trying to get it to downshift ( after just having gone a bit too fast...) I had tested the brakes and was trying to get it to go again and could figure out the trans and was just sort of rolling... and there was Mr. Highway Patrol .... guess it's a good thing the dealer didn't have a manual for me to test drive ! : )

[dancetracks]

I went for a test drive today in a touring base model (no sports pkg). Here are some small observations from sitting in the showroom demo and driving the auto 7AT.

1-clutch feels a bit heavy to me (floor demo car was a touring + sport 6MT). Everyone has been saying its light. Maybe I need to work out my legs more...

2-shifter felt great. precise is how I would describe it. Can't comment on vibrations since it was the showroom demo.

3-Interior quality was acceptable for the cost of the base car at $30K. One you start adding touring to the car it becomes over priced, imo.

4-ride quality with the base 18-inch wheels is great for this type of car. BMW-like is how someone else described it in this thread. I'm a little worried about how the 19-inch rims might affect the comfort quality, then again this is a sports car afterall.

5-noise levels were acceptable to me as I've never owned a Lexus or BMW so dont know what it's like to have a quiet ride. it was no more louder than my girlfriend's highlander or my old 2002 Acura TL.

6-Rear view and blind sports didn't bother me too much. I can see moving the mirrors out a little to cover blind spots or getting a convex mirror.

7-acceleration was not as fast as i had hoped. everyone has said it was linear and I agree. because of that you don't get the head jerk acceleration like from turbo charged cars like the subarus or evos. I remember my friends old M3 was also like this.

8-the auto / manual mode seems to work as advertised. didn't really test it as the dealer was situated around a small town so I could not get up in speed to try more gears.

9-at 6K rpm the engine was rough. I was able to push the car once, from 20mph to 60mph and the engine revved to 6K rpm and i had to let go of the gas because it was a 50-mph zone and the engine baulked. the dealer said it would have shifted smoothly if I had continued to give it gas for it to pass 6K rpm but I didn't want to chance getting a ticket for a test drive. his theory was that it shifted down two gears because I let go of the gas, hence this engine braking. call it whatever you want but I think everyone has already read that this engine is rough at high rpms.

10-didn't test braking much as I could not go fast enough to really see how fast they would stop the car

11-didn't test the radio or gadgets since I was more concerned with the drive and feel.

12-rear view mirror is so big it takes up 20% of your front windshield visibility. No joke. Go to the dealership and get into one to see for yourselves.

In conclusion did i like this car? Yes. But I will have to test drive some others first. The main thing that stuck in my mind after the test drive was the high rev issue and somewhat heavy clutch (subjectively heavy) of the showroom model. Overall the car looks great, feels good on the road, is comfortable enough for daily drives, and can go pretty fast (although you wont feel it). I would go with the base 6MT, but the touring seems over priced.

just my 2 cents.

I'm going to try and test drive a 2009 Subaru WRX next. Priced between $25-31k, it may be the poor man's answer to cheap speed (assuming the engine doesn't blow up on you). I was also going to test drive a BMW 135i but rumors of fuel pumps going bad and poor product quality has me leaning towards the 370z even more. i just hope it doesn't start to develop the buzzing/whining or creaking problems that others have reported in other threads.

-H-

[k20z3]

I had a similiar test thread too now I have to wait forever

[OWSIU]

I got to check out the nismo 370z in person, I didn't get a chance to drive it since I was/still am here at the dealership pretty early getting my car serviced. I like how they left the showroom cars unlocked. I am totally blown away by the interior at first sight, it looks much better than I expected. It definitely doesn't look cheap, but some of the pieces felt a little cheap such as the leather wrapped cubby cover and the hard plastics, but if you never touched it you wouldn't know. Coming from driving nothing but sedans, I love the fitted feel of the interior...yes I did hit my head getting out of the car for first time .

Its the first 370z i've got a chance to sit in, but the base z's interior is no different. The have it right next to a GT-R and I spent maybe 2 mins looking at it and most of the time drooling over the nismo z. Automatic sports cars are not my kind of thing .

Can't wait to get a test drive of a 370z (base, not planning to get the nismo), the interior has got me sold.

[VCuomo]

Originally Posted by OWSIU

I got to check out the nismo 370z in person, I didn't get a chance to drive it since I was/still am here at the dealership pretty early getting my car serviced. I like how they left the showroom cars unlocked. I am totally blown away by the interior at first sight, it looks much better than I expected. It definitely doesn't look cheap, but some of the pieces felt a little cheap such as the leather wrapped cubby cover and the hard plastics, but if you never touched it you wouldn't know. Coming from driving nothing but sedans, I love the fitted feel of the interior...yes I did hit my head getting out of the car for first time .

Its the first 370z i've got a chance to sit in, but the base z's interior is no different. The have it right next to a GT-R and I spent maybe 2 mins looking at it and most of the time drooling over the nismo z. Automatic sports cars are not my kind of thing .

Can't wait to get a test drive of a 370z (base, not planning to get the nismo), the interior has got me sold.

There's more than just the base and NISMO... Try a Touring, and I'd make sure to get the Sport package with either the base or Touring.

[BillyGoatGag]

How exciting! I can't wait to pick one up.

-Clay

[6MT]

Finally picked up the Z today after a 90 day wait for the factory order. The weather wasn't cooperating though. It was windy and rainy when I pulled it out of the service bay at the dealership. (Now it's very dirty.)

The car is very tight. Very little body roll with the Stillen sway bar upgrade. The exhaust note is very noticable with the Stillen HFC's and CBE. We compared it to a sport model that was also being delivered today. Quite a difference. Sexy is the only way I can describe it. (If you do the upgrade or have done it, you'll know what I mean )

Although I kept the shift points at around 3K, the car has quite a bit of pull and loads of torque (even though it's at the low end of the scale until break-in is over). Because of the rain and very wet conditions, the 75 kilometer drive home was uneventful and rather boring. I did have a police vehicle come up behind me, then move to my left to pass and then slow down to come around the passenger side. My only guess is that he was having a good look. Also, lots of young males staring at it as they past me. (Believe me, with the attention that this car garnishes, no speed limits were broken.)

The car is very easy to get comfortable in. The gearbox and clutch were tight and responsive. The gas pedal felt a bit "splashy", but more on that in a few weeks after some serious kilometers and terrain. The seats are wonderful. My previous car was a 2008 Honda Accord coupe (V6). It took me months to feel comfortable with the seats and feel of the shifter and clutch. With the Z, it was almost immediate. After one seat adjustment and the mirrors, I felt really good behind the wheel of the Z. (Nice change.) Fit and finish are supurb and the interior is a nice change from the "cheap" look and feel of the 350z.

The tires really need scuffing though. They are very soft and "grab" every piece of road debri (rocks et al) and throw them about. I'm sure this will not be an issue once the tires begin to wear.

One thing that really surprised me was the road and engine/exhaust noise. It is LOUD! This is not a car that you should take any hard-of-hearing passenger into and try to have a conversation. The Bose does a nice job, albeit with gobs of volume, to drown out the harshness. I'm not sure why, but with the windows open, it seemed a wee bit better (?).

Now, a few more kilometers to get rid of that "burning metal" smell, and I'll be really happy.

So my first impression was .... WOW!! Cool car!! I can't wait to thrash it about in a few weeks after engine break-in. In fact, in two weeks, I'll be taking it on a road trip to the Canadian Rockies for a three day excursion. After that, and an oil change, we'll see what she can really do .

Sorry folks.... no pics yet. The weather really was bad today, and the ones that were taken are very poor. Just a few of me picking it up in the dealership service bay. When the sun shines again, and I can detail it again, I'll post a few.

[awesomez]

I have decided to write a review of my 370Z after seeing many posts asking to give pros and cons on the car. Hopefully it will either help turn you away from buying or it will encourage you to buy.

First of all I am reviewing a 370Z Touring with AT and every option available. Some things may or may not apply to even 6SP version with the same options. I have had it for 4 months and put on 8k miles which include long distance trips.

Cons first:
- Rear tires with sport package make a lot of road noise
- Huge blind spot on driver side
- Massive side mirrors to compensate for blind spot but create even more obstruction even for someone who is over 6’ tall
- It does not have 1 mph cruise control
- The speedometer will travel +/- 4mph while cruise control is engaged depending on terrain
- There is a major city in my state that voice recognition with navigation will not recognize no matter what (if there’s one, there must be more)
- No USB input on the deck, only compact flash card
- Stock exhaust should be a bit louder
- Remote key buttons are huge, plastic, not sufficiently indented and get pushed accidentally in my pocket all the time
- The gas pedal is too big (bus big)

Pros:
- Fun to drive
- It is fast and has a lot of grip
- The brakes with sport package are amazingly smooth and effective
- The manual mode of the AT works very well and has no slip from 2nd gear and up
- AT feels like manual but without the annoying clutch
- AT has rev match feature
- It has a luxurious feel for a change from 350Z
- The cabin actually eliminates a lot of outside noise (but not enough from rear tires)
- Gas pedal has been adjusted so that you can actually maintain speed, encourages gentle driving during low revs
- I’ve had better than advertised gas mileage when driving normally (3-5 mpg better than 350Z), during aggressive driving it’s much worse than 350Z
- Smoother ride than 350Z even with sport package
- I actually like the loud engine at high revs
- 19” Rays with sport package look great
- I like the rear wing with AD package
- Remote keys work from much greater distance than 350Z
- Leather seats are sticky so there is no slipping during cornering
- Leather seats will not make you sweat any more than cloth

Issues other reported but I haven’t experienced:
- Oil overheating - I have not ever reached 230 degrees even in 110 degree temperatures and 100% humidity
- I do not have any rattling noises so far
- I do not have an “oil consumption” problem so far
- No brake issues
- In fact there are no known problems so far

In conclusion, this car is either so beautiful that people can’t get enough or is so ugly that people can’t look away.

[370Zsteve]

Originally Posted by awesomez

Issues other reported but I haven’t experienced:
- Oil overheating - I have not ever reached 230 degrees even in 110 degree temperatures and 100% humidity
- I do not have any rattling noises so far
- I do not have an “oil consumption” problem so far
- No brake issues
- In fact there are no known problems so far

In conclusion, this car is either so beautiful that people can’t get enough or is so ugly that people can’t look away.

+1

[Brandon26pdx]

I tried out a yellow 09 touring last week. Had 6mt but no sport package so unfortunately didnt get to see the Syncro-RevMatch in action (They didnt have a 6mt/sport on the lot)

Coming out of my 08 6mt the car's controls felt eerily similar so it was a snap to jump into and drive off in without hiccups. (The first time I drove a manual 350Z was pretty hilarious...these cars have much touchier controls than average.) The clutch engagement was much more abrubt than my car, but a lot of that probably had to do with the fact that it had 8 miles on it The pedal was definitely not any lighter than in my car though...if anything a tick heavier. The transmission felt very similar but seemed to shift smoother into 2nd than my car does, but maybe I just got a notchy transmission and this one was unusually smooth...hard to say on that. I didn't get to get on it much but I goosed it once in 2nd gear at about 3500 rpms...definitely more thrust at throttle tip-in with this engine, and noticably louder compared to my car, which can be good or bad. I like loud when it's a good loud...I liked it. Not as sophisticated as, say, the blatt of a Porsche flat-6 or as awsome as the roar of an Aston Martin V12, but not nearly as dissapointing as it's been made out to be. I liked the engine sound better than my car.

The interior on a 370Z touring is pretty exciting compared to my base 350Z. The materials seem much higher quality...borderline luxurious compared to a 350Z. Doors close with a more reassuring "thunk". Alcantara seat/door inserts and keyless push-button start are hot. Leather on the seats was soft and not at all cheap feeling (ie. light years better than cheapass feeling leather you get in a Honda) The guage cluster has less of a low rent feel to it. The digital fuel level gauge was probably trying a little too hard, but it's interesting and colorful to look at nonetheless. You sit much lower in the car compared to the 350, so it's more difficult to see over the hood if you're vertically challenged When I got back in my car I felt like I was sitting on the roof, which is really saying something, considering you already feel like you're sitting in a bathtub in a 350Z a little bit!

The only thing about the exterior styling I though was a swing and a miss was the sideview mirrors. Big. Gaudy. Not nearly as attractive as the svelte 350Z mirrors. Otherwise the exterior is much more grabbing to look at IMO. The 370 will turn heads than might not have noticed a 350 and as well as *almost* any P-car.

Overall, easily the best true sports car you can buy for the money now. A 2010 Cayman S is better. A 2010 Corvette with Grand Touring package is (probably) better (havent driven one). But, those cost $20-30k more. All depends on what you're comfortable and able to spend on a car.

[370Zsteve]

Good honest post +1

[Benibiker]

I decided to test drive some 370zs today, stopped by at King Windward Nissan, parked my Mini right in front of the lobby, went inside and went straight for a PG Touring w/sport package. Sat in the car, instantly felt comfortable in the seat. Played around with the shifter, it felt pretty good. Got out opened the hatch, plenty of room now that the brace is gone. Opened the hood, things looked pretty nice under there. Spent about 15 minutes in there and no one ever asked if I needed help or had any questions so I left and decided to go across town to Tony Nissan where I was instantly greeted. I went for a base GP manual, took it out for a spin on the highway and didn't like the feel of the transmission. As with my 02 and 05 350zs, the clutch would engage too high and you couldn't engage it smoothly. Either it wasn't engaged or suddenly it would engage, made shifting gears very jerky. At about 65 I felt a vibration up front somewhere, the whole steering wheel vibrated. Outward visibility sucks, you just have slits looking back, out the sides, and forward. The base model has too many empty buttons all over the place, makes the car look cheesy. The digital gas and temp gauge look out of place, hard to read in sunlight and again pretty cheesy. The car feels heavier and more planted than the 350z, definitely more civilized but not sure I like that. Wasn't impressed with fit and finish, front chin spoiler was hanging on one side, windshield strip was loose on one corner, door panel was loose on the driver's side, and one of the three stack gauges was loose. I could probably find more issues but didn't spend enough time in the car. Next I drove an auto MB base model, lots of the same fit and finish issues but the transmission was marvelous. The whole car felt more solid than the manual. The manual's drive-line just felt too loose and cheap. Next I drove a Black Touring auto w/sport package, the interior was much better, the leather was nice, no empty buttons. Again the auto is amazing, when I buy one it'll have to be an auto and black, black was the best color in my opinion. All in all, not sure I was as impressed as I thought I'd be, mostly disappointed with fit and finish. I'll wait for the 2010s to come out so the can fix their issues...

[m4a1mustang]

Could it be that both of those cars were dedicated test cars and rather beaten up?

[Benibiker]

They had between 30 and 50 miles on them, the paint looked like hell from being outside, not sure how long they've been on the lot but they're the last of the 09s.

[xetexuk]

Hi - from the UK here - just drove a 370z on Saturday and absolutely loved it, le mans blue with black interior, can't wait to order. Fantastic stuff!