Hey guys and gals, My parents are planning on getting me a new car within the next month or two and I was hoping you guys could help me make
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05-31-2010, 12:32 PM | #1 (permalink) |
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Going from a sensible car to a sports car
Hey guys and gals,
My parents are planning on getting me a new car within the next month or two and I was hoping you guys could help me make my decision. Obviously, since I'm here, the 370Z is one of my choices (well.. it's my only choice, thus far). I'm planing on getting the Coupe with the Touring package (don't care for any of the other options or accessories) with the 7AT (yeah, yeah, I know the drill... autos are for morons and I already have one person who's planning on hunting me down). My last two cars were a 1996 Acura 3.2TL and a 2006 Honda Accord EX (I4), both of which are tame compared to the 370Z. I've read a lot of reviewers on the 370Z and nearly every single one says the same few things: it's fast, looks great, and can't be beat for the price. But what I do want to know is how it fares for those of us who don't race on the streets or tracks, and just want a fun car for when you want to speed by that damn semi who cut you off and decides to go extra slowly... Some things I'd like your opinions on are: 1. How does it fair as a daily driver? I've read a few of the previous posts on this topic and most of it seems generally positive but... not really reassuring. I'll be driving to/from school (an hour each way) in the fall when I go back to school for my Masters and most of it will be fairly smooth roads. I know it's not going to comfortable, like my previous cars but is it at least bearable? In my city there are plenty of really bad roads which I'll have to drive through nearly everyday but they're short stretches. I'm only 5'8" and have sat in one already so space isn't an issue. 2. I've read a lot of complaints about road noise. Has that issue been fixed or is it still prevalent? 3. Now... I'm sure this will make some of you cringe but can this be driven during the winter, with the standard all season tires? (*My brother's IS350 has summer/winter tires and that's something I'd rather not put up with.) My commute will be done in the northern IL area and winters here are pretty bad... and I know that going from two front wheel drive cars to a rear wheel sports car is NOT going to be an easy transition. 4. The paint really that bad? I mean... I sofa-king hate swirls/chips on my cars. I understand it's unavoidable but from "Most Fragile Car I've Ever Owned!", it sounds like the paint just falls off for some of you. 5. To those of you with the 2009 model, is it a fairly reliable car? We've always bought Japanese since they make reliable cars but JD powers gave the 2010 Z a 6/10 rating in terms of reliability. I understand it's only an estimate but still, figured I'd get some of your opinions. And any other tips/opinions/advise would be well appreciated. If I learned anything from GI Joe, it's that knowing is only half the battle (they never did tell me what the other half was...). Thanks in advance. PS - I'm sure a lot of you will think I come from a rich family and I'm a spoiled kid and I can't help that (I'd think that too) but I can assure you we're not rich. I just want a fun car and am not planning on dressing it up or fixing something or another on a daily basis. My parents are just buying me a nice car since my undergrad was basically free due to scholarships/grants... |
05-31-2010, 03:41 PM | #3 (permalink) |
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NO comments on this topic... But
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05-31-2010, 01:01 PM | #4 (permalink) |
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Hi and welcome to the forums. I don't use mine as a daily driver, but plenty of folk do and find it plenty comfortable. I find the comfort and road noise non-issues. For me and I'm about 5'10 175 lbs I find the seats comfortable for long trips and the road noise is only excessive if there is a bunch of sand or gravel on the roadway.
Winter driving ... I would definitely get snow tires -- there are some very informative threads on here that go over some nice winter setups. Paint ... People complain about road chips and so forth, but those are gonna happen with almost any cars ...paint ain't what it used to be I guess. That said the color can make a big difference in the amount of upkeep required. The silver and platinum graphite are easy colors to maintain and don't show swirls like the red and black. On the other hand, lots of folk enjoy detailing their cars and would be at a loss if there were no swirls/minor scuffs to buff out with their new PC . Do you have a link to that JD powers survey you reference? I've heard that the Z scored well in quality. Other than a few flakey e-key issues, ecu whining (which I haven't heard much about lately so they must have fixed it for the '10s) and aftermarket oil cooler issues, I haven't really heard of any systematic problems. That's my $.02, I'm sure you'll hear some other opinions
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05-31-2010, 01:33 PM | #5 (permalink) | ||
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2010 Nissan 370Z Reliability - Best Cars & Trucks - U.S. News Rankings and Reviews Quote:
But obviously, there are somethings simple detailing and under-the-hood checking won't take care of. That's what I was more interested about. |
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05-31-2010, 01:43 PM | #6 (permalink) |
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im in Canada, snow isnt an issue WITH snow tires. not stupid enough to try without and crash my lovely z. start in second gear, dont drive with a lead foot, all that jazz. lots of tips from various places on how to drive in snow.
road noise isnt that bad if you get into the mindset that its a sports car not a lexus. same with comfort. other than that i would find its pretty low maintenance as opposed to what a few posts above suggested. not much to do. drive it, change the tires for winter, check/change oil once in a while. |
05-31-2010, 01:58 PM | #7 (permalink) | |
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05-31-2010, 02:14 PM | #8 (permalink) | |
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05-31-2010, 02:59 PM | #9 (permalink) | |
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05-31-2010, 03:58 PM | #10 (permalink) | |
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But ultimately the reason I believe you want a low maintenance car is because you expressed unwillingness to change out your tires from summers to winters. If you want to drive it during the winter, through snow and sleet, snow tires are your only choice; compromising with all-seasons would be disastrous. As for potential paint damage from winter driving, a good waxing before the season and a good detail in immediate post-snow period will suffice, but again, if it's black, you'll be putting in more work. Also, you'll probably have to do some rust assessment after the snow season, but that's pretty simple, too.
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05-31-2010, 05:38 PM | #11 (permalink) | |
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Thanks. |
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05-31-2010, 06:50 PM | #12 (permalink) | |
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The370Z Signature Pictures ll Want to rock our forum decals on your car? Then click here! ll How to Embed YouTube Videos In a Post STOP! (Hammertime) ll Become a Premium Member Click HERE ll F.A.Q. Are You a Nissan Dealer? Click Here to Become A "Supporting Dealer" and Start Listing Your 370Zs In Our Inventory Section My Monterey Blue Z ll My Exhaust --> My Intake --> G3 Nissan's Official Response Regarding Oil Temp Issue: CLICK HERE Need a Set of Cheap Winter wheels /Tires? Then Visit The Banner Link Below and Place Your Order. You'll Help Keep The370Z Alive. |
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05-31-2010, 01:05 PM | #13 (permalink) |
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I'm not really sure if the 370Z is the car for you honestly. It's a great daily driver, but it seems like you want a low-maintenance car, which the Z isn't necessarily.
Firstly, being in a state with harsh winters, you can't just throw on all-seasons and call it a day. It's either winter or summer tires, and any compromise would likely result in sub-standard traction. With winter tires, snow is barely an obstacle. The road noise is ever-present, and furthermore, you'll feel just about every bump and hole in the road. But you could swap out the OEM tires for 'quieter' and cushier tires. The paint quality, or lack thereof, is an especially salient issue, particularly with the black; swirl marks and scratches abound everywhere. You'll probably have to wash and detail the Z more often than your previous cars. Along with all of those factors, you'll have to regularly check your oil and various other normal car maintenance procedures. Do all of the above and you probably won't run into any reliability issues.
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05-31-2010, 01:44 PM | #14 (permalink) |
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There are lots of threads about each of your questions.. its almost like you already knew this and just want people to confirm what you've already read, bizarre..
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