Sport Package?
 

Forgive me if this is a fairly obvious question, but I'm not sure how to evaluate this. Is the sport package (on an auto or manual) create a noticeable driving difference in normal every day driving, relative to a base model? I mean, it -seems- like a good value, but I've driven several cars with "sport" packages that really haven't mad much of a difference, and I'm wondering if its worth the money if I'm never going to track the car.

Thanks!

An optional Sport Package, priced at just $3,000, has 19-inch RAYS forged wheels, BridgestonePotenza tires, aerodynamic front and rear spoilers, larger Nissan Sport Brakes, SynchroRev Match, and a Viscous Limited Slip Differential. this can be in either the 7A or Manual....
if your going to push the car once in a great while the sport pkg is well worth it, but if your buying it for a point a to point b car then don't..
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The sport package on the Z is quite a bit more legit than sport packages on some other cars (the Corolla 'S' model comes to mind) :rofl2:

Most significant upgrades are the wheels/tires, which on a car known for its handling make a significant improvement. The 18" base Einkei's are light enough but narrow compared to the 19" Rays in the sport package, which are also light for OEM wheels. With the wider wheels in the Sport package your tire width goes up 20mm front, 30mm rear, a significant difference. Brakes also improve, the BBK on the sport package is a big upgrade. Finally, aerodynamic improvement comes from a front chin spoiler and a rear hatch spoiler. The rear hatch spoiler is the main reason I opted against the sport package on my car, but I've been working on some bits and pieces upgrades to my base. One thing I can't upgrade to is the SRM, if you're going manual you should test drive the sport with the SRM feature before making up your mind. I didn't, and that one feature alone may have changed my mind. Oh yeah, LSD too.

In short, if you're even the least inclined to get the sport, the Z will not disappoint. You get a lot for the $3k price of admission.

Edit: Triple's beat me too it. :iagree:

It is not an upgrade like the M's for BMW or AMG for Mercededs. The car will drive almost the same (for daily use) and has the same power, engine mapping and suspension.

If you are going to track it a lot, save the money and do your own mods. I bought it for the LSD (I hate open diffs), the wider tires, and the fixed caliper brakes (I prefer the feel of fixed calipers). Just my 2 cents.

:iagree:

I think everyone here has already outlined the difference in the sports package. for me the extra 3k for the sports pkg was a no brainer.

If you drive aggressively you notice the difference in the tires, LSD and even brakes, but when driving conservatively you'd never know the difference.

I disagree with most of the above posts. The sports package can serve you just as well from a safety point as it does from the high performance. You get bigger brakes and wider tires which will help you stop faster in an emergency or get around objects quicker without loosing control of the car.

Aside from safety asthetically I like the 19" Rays better (and performance wise they are very very light for a dealer option 19" wheel) as well as the look of the fatter tires. The price of the sport package alone is worth the $3000.

Take the car to the track ONCE and you'll be happy you had the extra performance. Typically people focus on acceleration as performance but that is only one aspect - being able to go around the corner faster and come into the turn quicker are vital components as well. Going around the corner with more speed automatically gives you more coming out.

Lastly its a SPORTS CAR - the sports package is a no brainer (since this is actually a sports package and not fluff performance by increasing the size of your tail pipe or adding speed decals).....

:iagree:

I once new a guy who bought a 240Z because he liked the sports car image, but the ride was too harsh. So, he sold the 240Z and bought a cadilac and he loved it.

Personnally, I think the Sports package is worth having, but in "day to day driving" while commuting to/from work you may not know the difference. It really depends how you drive and what you want from the car.

If, like my friend above, you just want the sports car "look" then save the money. If you are an enthusiest then buy it!

If it were my money, I'd ask myself these two questions:

1) Am I going to be daily driving the car with some fun (canyons, HPDE's) thrown in a couple of times per year?

2) Will I be keeping it mostly stock?

If I answer yes to both, I'd buy the Sport package. It will be what I would need most of the time for the way I drive.

If I intend to push the car a bit harder and/or do some modifications or customizing, I would rather spend the $3k on aftermarket improvements as I'm likely to throw off many of the Sport package items anyway.

:iagree: So many people buy for image these days. If that's the case than skip the sport package. If you enjoy the hardware and the additional performance that comes with it, then by all means check that box on the order form...

This is more of an "image" thing, but the Sport PKG changes the look of the car alone enough to justify the up-charge, in my opinion. So then, it's like all the performance enhancements are a bonus.

Get it. Not being able to afford it is the only reason to skip it, in my opinion.

i bought it because i liked the wheels/tires/bigger brakes and the rear spoiler.

so that's enough for me.

When I bought my Z this past fall, I was more concerned about style and image than performance. Therefore, I bought the base model, got the ride and the feel I preferred and saved some money, as well. I'm perfectly happy. Plenty of power and performance there for me. Just depends on why you're buying the car and that's why Nissan provides these alternatives and purchase options to the customer.