Looks nice, but the automatic transmission and pathetic V8 nix it. I didn't know they even made V8's with less than 400bhp anymore.

sounds like you might have limited options then, got to give on the power to get on the lux if you want to stay under 60K. The S5 isnt a power house but it is fairly fast for a car of its nature (lux). 0 60 in 4.9 isnt bad for a lux car that is high quality. Maybe a BMW then like the Z4M (not sure if its under 60K but should be).

370Z is better in every way compared to the Z4M. The M3 is nice, but to get the decent options is $$$$$$$$$$$. I am liking the 370Z. I could buy a Z06 or something, but they just feel so ragged, and in a few years I can't imagine it would improve. You get used to speed, no-matter what you drive, but nagging things like rattles and cracked door-panels grate constantly. At least, for me.

From what I have read the 2010 vette has improved its interior quality about the same as the 370Z did over the 350Z and when I was in it, it looked to around the same quality build material wise as the 370Z. I didnt drive it then as I was at lunch and didnt have the time so I dont know about rattles and all. But I do know my 370Z has rattles in it so I guess thats a mut point now. Plus my 370Z squeaks now too. So I guess Im saying all cars have thier issues and none are perfect. Ive owned a few cars now and the vette will be my next car if I can work the deal, as Ive always wondered about them. I went down in quality from the Audi to the Z but gain in power. Now I will go up in power and performance with the vette but hope to stay the same quality wise with it compared to the Z atleast. And when Im used to its power I will just have add a SC to it. After the vette who knows what car will be next.

Im trying to catch modshacks numbers with vehicles owned. lol.

The 'vette is nice, but they have their issues. On the surface they look like a good deal, but consider who built the cars. The 'vette was built by Americans 9-5ing it, and the Z is built by a people who value their jobs as more than a source of income. The seats in the 'vette are junk compared to the Z, just fair warning.

I owned a GM, (2001 WS6) and even forgetting about the materials used, the attention to detail was not there at all. For instance, it would randomly die on the freeway. Why? Because the person who tightened the ground-screw for the fuel-pump stripped the hole in the body of the car out, and just didn't care. It would intermittantly lose contact and kill the FP. Further, they use inferior vendors. Almost every electronic sensor on the car died (IAC, TPS, etc.) The speakers weren't any good (died often) the window motors went out often, the water-pump gave it up at 70K miles, and so-on. GM uses the cheapest parts they can to assemble the car, except for the driveline itself. That is how they have a 505bhp car that they can sell for 64K new that will beat Ferrari's costing 300% as much in every way that can be measured on paper. Do you think Ferrari's name alone is worth $200K? I don't. Neither do their customers.

If you want speed, buy an old LS1 F-body and have a built 408 put in it, a Ford 9" out back, and spray a 2-stage 300 shot. Not much will catch you.

Or you could buy a 'vette and deal with the horrible cowl-shake, etc. I have not seen that much cowl-shake since I drove a convertable pre-05 mustang. I was honestly very shocked to see it in the 2008 'vette I rode in.

The 4LT package is nice, but all it is is leather over hard plastic. You could do that yourself with some time, energy, and a kit from a vendor. The Z is much more ergonomically pleasing to me and drips quality.

For all-out performance, though, the C6 has it. The 370Z performs very close to the C5.

To much jealously in here!

I own neither car, and am a potential customer for either. No jelousy possible.

um.....

2005 Chevrolet Corvette Reliability - MSN Autos



and 2009 model camparisons...
http://www.jdpower.com/autos/Chevrol...tte/2009/Targa
vs.
http://www.jdpower.com/autos/Nissan/370Z/2009/Coupe

As someone who has owned both Zs (350Z and 370Z) as well as a C6 Corvette these comparison threads make me laugh. :icon17:

Bottom line it's like comparing apples and oranges. Both cars are capable cars and great perfomrance bargains, but in different price ranges and with different target markets.

All things considered (including price) I prefer the Z. That doesn't mean I didn't like Corvette, just that overall I would rather have a Z. However, performance wise the Corvette is the king of the hill in almost every category. It really depends on what you want.

What I want is a Z with an LS3 motor. :roflpuke2: :driving: :stirthepot:

I agree. However, I came from owning an LS1 car. I loved the power, but after a while, all I could think about was what a POS my WS6 was, how it rattled, how it broke every other week in one way or another (literally). How the door-panels were cracking, etc.

Sure, beating NSX's and all that was fun, but in the end I drove a POS and I hated it.

The C6 isn't a POS taken on its own, but compared to the Z, it kinda is unless you get the 4LT package (or 3LZ), but even then the interior quality is lacking, the seats are unsupportive, the thing creaks and has horrible cowl-shake, etc.

Yes, it is fast.
Yes, with 325's out back it does have 1G lateral grip.

I went and looked at 911's today. I could not tell a difference in the 100K 911 Carrera's interior and the 370Z Touring's interior as far as quality or material use. I prefered the lay-out of the Z. I really don't think the P car had ANYTHING on the Z as far as interior in any way. Again, I don't own either car, so I am not trumping up "my" car. Just calling the shots how I saw it.

Looking at the MSN user-ratings, the Z scored a perfect 10. The 'vette did not.

JD power looks like they are handing out "most improved" awards instead of actual assessments of quality. There is no way the 'vettes I looked at held a candle to the Z in "initial quality" unless you just looked at photos of them and compared lay-outs or something. Touch the materials and appearance gives way to reality.

http://autos.msn.com/research/userre...?modelid=13868

vs.

http://autos.msn.com/research/userre...cent#reviewnav

My old Camaro SS LS1 engine destroys the v6 in the Z, I do miss the engine, but that's the least important thing to me. The Z clutch sucks too, as some have mentioned. Overall, I prefer the handling, interior quality, and refinement which makes the Z a better value than the vette. The vette is a stomping cool car - even though there are way too many of them on the road, but would be a bit of a downgrade except for the engine. I thought I wanted a vette, but my next car would probably be a GTR instead, which has the engine and the refinement to equal the Italian offerings, half the price.

I am not at all impressed by Porches, I think 911's are fugly, and the Cayman interior has nothing on the Z, but probably outperforms the Z by a smidgen - not worth the price difference. Audi, on the other hand, does interiors better than anyone, but have no car in the Z catagory (no, the TT is not really a sports car, it's a hairdressers car). The R8 or R10 is not quite as good as the GTR, according to the experts who have driven them.

so by MSN user ratings the Z actually outperforms the Vette! Wow! I think I see some real fanboi action there! :tup:

I went back and forth between the Z and 2010 Grand Sport Corvette for almost 3 months. The corvette's power is insane. But I have to agree there is a major difference in the quality between the 2. I spent months going over the corvette forums. On a regular basis Corvette owners complain about the seats deteriorating very quickly, horrible stock tires, targa tops that rattle, etc. The LS3 motor is really what holds the corvette above water. The LS3 is a beast of a motor but it's not the entire car.
In the end, I just couldn't pay that much money for a motor knowing the car with it has so many reported problems. I ended up with a Z and If I decide I need more power I can always use the money saved towards a TT.

I'm very happy with my decision!