Your opinion on the 370Z
 

Hey guys new member here and I dont own a 370Z yet. I do own a 03 G35
6MT that Ive have for about 2 years now and I really like it. I dont DD it but I havent had any serious problems with it. I am however looking into the 370Zs and would like your opinions. One question I have is what problems are starting to arise with this new redesigned car. I know that nissan and infinti were having big problems with their later models 3.5VQ with oil burning. Has anyone had that problem yet with 3.7VQ. Also how is the ride quality, my g35 rides great for a sports car, but ive heard in the mags that the ride is harsh in the 370. One other question, is the exhaust note similar to the 3.5 or is it a completely different animal. Any comments would be greatly appreciated and who knows I may be a proud owner of a 370 in the future

From what I understand,

Regular driving (including spirited) driving on streets has never raised my oil temp above 230F, that is in 90F weather.

But for serious riders, probably an oil cooler + better break pads are needed.

You can answer some of your questions by going for a test drive?
No major issues other than the guys with a lead foot needing to install an oil Cooler, other than that it's pretty solid. :tiphat:

Not sure on oil burning, but I've heard that oil temps become an issue if you're seriously thrashing it. So, if you plan on track days, plan on buying an aftermarket oil cooler.

As far as ride quality, bear in mind this is a sports car. It will be harsh in comparison to the g35/g37. It is meant to be. You will also often hear complaints about road noise. Well, again, in my opinion, I want a loud sports car that gives me road feedback from a stiff suspension.

Don't have feedback on exhaust note.

My best advice is for you to go test drive it and see if those issues are sticking points for you.

both my G and Z burned some oil while new but no more than 1/2 quart.

Coming from a 350z, there is more road noise, the ride is harsher than the g35 by a mod degree, howeve the stability in taking turns at higher speeds is a lot better. As far as oil issues etc, can't really comment on it. The stiffness and noise will be apparent, but personally I don't mind it, as I am more in touch with what's going on. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the feedback fellas, so basically what u guys are telling me is that the luxuary part of the equation doesnt really exist in the 370z that exists in my g35

My Z has burned a negligible amount of oil during break it. And my oil has never been above 230ish regardless of how hard I drive. Unless you track the hell out of the car you won't have an oil temp issue.

Yes. The touring interior is nice, but not G nice

Oh yeah and there is no exhaust note unless you are higher In the rpms, the vq in your g will sound better from an unmodified pov. The g sounds raspier than the 370 hands down. As far as luxury, if your looking for a more luxurious ride with the occasional spirited driving, might want to look else where. The 370 is more on the sporty side.

It depends on what you compare it to. Coming from a Silvia S15 the 370Z feels like a limousine.

I don't have any complaints. I have monitored my oil regulary and learn to drive with the blind spots.

Test drive ftw

I am having oil consumption problems from the start. I expect Nissan will take care of me. I came from a 300 ZX tt and feel it rode better especially with the suspension switched to cruising. I find myself reaching for that switch still. The stiffer ride gives the 370 much better handling. The power is better and louder inside. I have no qualms about my purchase.

no problems so far at 5k miles. Im 100% happy with my car

Oil consumption seems higher in those with the 6mt over the 7at (my judgement from reading this forum), perhaps because they are shifting at higher rpms. But that is just a guess.

Oil temps are not a problem for street driving.

Road noise is greatly impacted by the condition of your tires and the types of road surfaces you drive on. On regular black asphalt the car is as quiet as any car I've had. However on roads with alot of imbedded rock (for example) the cockpit can get quite loud. Also as my tires wear I am getting more road noise (I am a touch over 10k miles now) than when they were new. But the car is not so noisy that it bothers me. I like it actually. Plus I usually have the stereo pretty loud anyway.

The rear hatch springs will wear out and the hatch will stick after some time (especially in cold climates). There is a technical service bulletin to fix this free under warranty and is a 5 minute fix at the dealarship.

Some people hear a high pitched squeal from the ECU. I have this but it is very slight and you can only hear it when everything is turned off (except the engine of course) in the car with the windows up (while moving).

Overall I love the car and I think it is a huge upgrade over the 350z (which I also owned).

This is an excellent summary. It reflects what I've noticed in my zed.

I was unaware of the hatch springs. I'll have to call my dealer about that.

Thanks for the replies, another question I have is about mods. With my G35 it was very difficult to get any more noticiable power gains out of the 3.5 without FI. Is it the same case with the 3.7. From what ive learned about my car is that a $1300 exhaust system gets you maybe 10 hp and nothing that you will notice. The 3.5 was tuned to about max from the factory leaving very little improvement. Just like to know if its the same case with the 3.7.

I'm still NA and about +55 whp over stock. Yes... I can feel it. :D

no problems so far. oil burning no issue but only got 4000 on it.
it rides and handles way better than the350
to me it was a major upgrade from the 350 and the 350 was a damn good car.
i think in the long run it will turn out to be one of the best z''s nissan has made.

its been said here over and over best in class for bang for your buck.

Well how much you got invested in mods and what all you got done

Well I can't give an indication as to how much the investment would cost other than give an itemized retail cost of each item since I got most of mine on sponsorship early on.

With that said the mods on my vehicle (that produce power) are as follows:

All my mods have been dyno tested extensively. I would have to search for graphs as it's been quite awhile. My car's got over 700 miles of dyno testing most of which went into the development of the ECU tune. anyway...

- Stillen Gen III intakes. These DO produce power unlike some other filters IN the engine bay that actually lose power.

- Stillen HFC's. Definitely the worst choke point on the 370 and the most bang for your buck. I'm sure just about any HFC will produce similar if not better results here.

- Stillen CBE. Power to be had here as well.

- JWT flywheel. It weighs HALF of what the stock flywheel weighs and does yeild a gain of around 5 rwhp on the dyno.

- ECU tune. Not a piggypack but a true ECU reflash. Chalk up another 10 or 11 rwhp and a nice torque increase to boot.

I've got all sorts of other stuff on the car such as sway bars, oil cooler, SS brake lines etc. etc. but it's not anything that directly produces power per se.

I came from an 06 G35 and find the ride a little stiffer (not bad at all) and the exhaust a little quieter than the G. I switched the Tony's (Fast Intentions) exhaust on the G and will do the same with the 370!!! Inside noise will be way up than the G but you have to realize they really are two different beasts. Like others said, test drive it. You'll probably like it. GL

The ride isn't bad at all in the 370. Actually I was quite impressed seeing that it is a sports car. However, my Lotus Elise is a different story.

I came from an 04 350z and I think the 370z is better in every aspect. The interior is nicer, ride isn't as stiff, sharp turning feels more stable, and has about the same road noise. My only complaint is I wish the stock exhaust sounded somewhat like the 350.... def need an upgrade on the exhaust. I did that and now I have a few rattles here and there haha...but the tone is worth it. The 370z is a great bang for the buck for a decent priced sports car IMO. But if you're looking for more luxury, such as a sunroof, classy interior, smooth ride..I'd go for the G37.

I've had my 370Z for 6 months and 3300 miles. I don't take the car to the track but in normal use oil temps and oil use are totally not issues. Road noise is a bit loud. Ride is firm but nothing more than would be expected from a sports car.
Beware of the paint. It seems delicate or thin and is vulnerable to chips and light scratches. Spring for a clear bra before you take the car out. I spent the $1200 or so and can relax and enjoy my car without worrying about chips and nicks to the front end.
Everything considered, I'm very pleased with the car. Many compliments and no defects. Fair price for all you get if you buy it right.

I came from an 03 G35 coupe and couldn't be happier. The Z is definitely way more raw than the G. But I like that in a sports care like the Z. You have to pay more for that "luxury feel". It's all personal preference though. :tup:

the G35C and Z are completely different cars. this is why i still have both. G is a touring car (as designed) and Z is more of a sports car.

:iagree:

I have only had my 370Z for a short time...about 1600 miles on the odometer now. Driving in Houston's heat daily, I have not experienced oil temps above 230. This is some stop and go, and definitely some spirited driving when conditions permit. I had a Mustang GT 2006 with significant mods, running at about 345 dyno-tested rear wheel HP, and the 370Z is better in every way, bone-stock. Obviously there are differences with muscle cars versus sports cars. Be prepared for some clunky shifts between 1 and 2 if you get the MT. After some repetition, you will get used to the shifts, but you will still get the clunky shifts if you are not constantly "on your game". Other than the sticking hatch issue, you might get a wobbly drivers side seat in the coupe with the sports package. I believe that there is a TSB and warranty repair for the seat issue. As others have mentioned, you will have to get used to the blind spot on the passenger side of the car, a rough ride on concrete with road noise...but this is a sports car. IMO this is the best sports car on the road for the money. The best part is that there are not 370Z's all over the roads...Mustangs and Camaros are a dime a dozen. You can put me into the "picky consumer" category, difficult to satisfy, but the 370Z is one of my better purchasing decisions.

I have had my 370z for 13 months (15,000 miles) now and the only time I have an issue with the oil temp is when aggressively climbing some pretty steep grades in the Rockies for some length of time. I have had it climb to 250 degrees so I back off a bit and it cools pretty quickly. On the flatlands with outside temps in the 90s and speeds in the 90s I've had no issues.
It's fairly noisy in the cabin on concrete highways but driving on asphalt is quiet. I really love driving this car!

I fully agree with this as i'm around the same in mods and power upgrade. You really feel and hear the difference, i went with an intake, HFC, CBE. :driving: