So how is everyone pleased with their Z performance wise?
 

Looking for comments that are as unbiased as possible.

So its obvious the Z is a win in several IMPORTANT categories.. Looks, quality, up to date, handling..

Just wondering how everyone feels about the performance? Power wise.. Satisfied? Surprised? Let down?

Dont want to make the mistake like I did with my G.. I came from an old V6 Acura so the G felt pretty fast compared to it and I didn't even get on it in the test drive years ago.. Once I got into the car game more with my VQ I realized that the G is pretty much nothing.. I mean its okay (Remember, power wise).. Not something to really even acknowledge... So by meaning I dont want to make the same mistake is this; I test drove a 370z a year ago, again just didn't feel right getting on it with a salesman in the car so I didn't get the full taste. It felt like the power was there for sure, obvious you could tell it would inhale my current car in a race but will I have the same disappointment as I did with the G? Why or why not?

I always left myself saying "Damn, I should have gotten a 350". The luxury aspects don't do me much.. I hardly even consider a G a luxury car.. Hell, my 91 Acura felt, looked, and was more luxurious than my 03 so you can see where I'm coming from..

I see that majority of members here that switched cars chose the 5.0.. Why is this? From what I've picked up I see that ma41mustang got annoyed by the small tick tack things that are annoying so he made the switch.. Is this it?

Sorry if this is an annoying post.. I just want to make sure that I absolutely adore what I buy next and have 0 buyers remorse like I did with the G... I still modded the hell out of it, made it pretty damn fun and make it look very sexy.. But there was always that emptiness inside when it came to performance ( Full bolt ons just wasn't enough, I had to resort to nitrous which I chickened out on installing).

Thanks for reading!

People will always be wanting more power no matter how much they got. The 370z is more exclusive on the streets and has a rich heritage. If all you are looking for is horse power, maybe the Mustang 5.0 is the way to go.

I know and accept that I don't drive the fastest car on the streets, but everytime I get in my Z, I feel good. Like what many response are going to say, we are happy but more horsepower wouldnt hurt.

When I had my 350Z I always said the Z needed another 40 HP. Now it has it. I am happy with it in stock form and will keep it that way for about a year then it is SC time for me.

Mustangs 5.0 cars are going to be a nickel a dozen in about a year. I like not seeing a whole bunch of Z cars everywhere you go.

Good to know, I really understand the point of you'll always want more power and there are faster cars from the street.. My friends 03 SVT Cobra would destroy any factory Z. If the power and fun are always there then Im happy.. The G didn't have this.

Too many cars were able to keep up an even beat me with the G, cars that shouldn't be beating a 3.5 V6 that was making over 300hp with mods.. I mean the car would struggle a lot against altimas, TL's, saabs(stock) Even with bolt ons it wasn't THAT drasticly faster, I could take out a 350 with same bolt ons as me but it would be close. Gearing was a huge part of it, I'll give it that.. the 3.3 FD is just pathetic, I can't believe nissan did that to the auto.

Honestly, coming from a modified G35, you'll not find 370Z fast at all. As a matter of fact, many people coming from 350Z felt 370Z didn't even have the low end tq of the VQDE (03-05). However, 370Z makes it up on the top range. It screams all the way to the redline (from 4000-7500 RPM) If I were looking for raw low end tq and power, I'd probably get the new mustang. It's a beast. However, I love my Z. It's just a perfect balance of power and handling.

I definitely do plan on modding though! I love the gains I'm seeing with simple bolt ons.. 300whp NA with 3-4 bolt ons is nice. Something less than 1% of DE's will see unless they are stroked or ITB's. I doubt the Z33 low end torque would really matter when going 60+ ;) that's where the real racing occurs

So I'm sure the mods on the 370 would cancel out what I had on the G and some. I also do have F.I. in my sights (after warranty is up.. I drive lots of miles so should be quick) which is why I'm not that worried about the 5.0. IMO if I want a fast car thats ugly I'd buy a GTO.

The drawback I'm seeing with modding the 370 is tuning the VVEL, I'm sure if someone finds a break through big gains will be see.

I absolutely loved my Z. It was just lacking in the power department for me. I'm used to driving V8s so the lack of torque with the VQ was a source of major frustration for me. I know for a lot of people that probably started off with smaller engines to begin with the VQ is probably plenty. It's a fast car for sure, it just didn't give me the driving experience I wanted. I really wanted that power off idle of a V8 and the 5.0 gives it to me, without giving up on other important things like handling and quality.

There are definitely a couple things I miss about the Z but I don't regret my move at all. Nor do I regret owning the Z for the 1.5 years I had mine. I had a blast with the car and, as you can tell, still love Z's as I'm still here.

Once a Z owner, always a Z owner. :tup:

Just make sure you test the car and let her rip a little bit. If it puts a stupid grin on your face that you can't wipe off, buy it and never look back. :tup:

It all depends on where you live. In NOVA I routinely see 10+ 370s on my way to work in the morning. Maybe the Z is exclusive elsewhere, but not if you live in an area where the Porsche 911 is the most common car. :rofl2:

I live in the south, and I see quite a few 370's. Even in mustang/camaro-ville down here.

As to low-end grunt, the Z really gets toasted here. It takes 5.8 seconds to do a 5-60mph run. That is compared to 5.1 from a stand-still. Nearly 3/4 of a second difference.

The 5.0 manages the 5-60 in 5.1 (same as the Z from a stand-still) and 0-60 in 4.6. Roughly a 1/2 second difference.

Is that a G sedan you got? The sedan in AT felt much slower than my MT G35C.

And i think in real world it is.

That seems odd to me so I'll have to test that when I get a chance. Where did you get the 5-60 numbers for the Z? Personally, I'd clutch it, rev it up, dump it and catch a moving launch that would be just as solid if not better than a standstill launch [only on closed roads of course]. Not sure how the Z will handle this though since I've only done that on lightweight Hondas.

If you are going to test drive a performance car then drive it on the test drive like you will when you own it. I have test driven several sports cars/coupes and have a few of them over 100mph. Salesmen never said a word.

all you seem conserened with is going fast in a straigt line, if so then your in the wrong car forum.

i'll give you my take on it. My previous car was an 02 SS camaro, ran consistent 10.75@128 at the track. It also only had 20,000 miles on it when i sold it earlier this year. Now the Z don't have near the power the camaro had, but I have always been a muscle car guy, but fell in love with the Z so i got one. It handles great, and its quick (not fast). It is quick enough to have fun in and comfortable enough to actually drive. the camaro was a pain in the *** to drive (it had a huge cam..... 239in/242ex .649in lift and .609ex lift @ .050 on a 111 lsa). It is 2 different worlds, but i love my Z. Also I can't really work on this car like i could the ls based motor which will prevent me from dumping money into this car and losing it all if i sell it like i did on the ss. I hate paying someone to work on my cars, only work on the camaro that i didn't do in the garage was the tuning.

It takes 5.8 seconds to do a 5-60mph run. That is compared to 5.1 from a stand-still. This must be a typo. What did you mean to say?

it took me 3 seconds to read that post.

I've driven G's when I used to own my 350 and it just never felt as fun to drive. And the 350 DE felt torquee compared to the 370, as hard as it is to believe. I don't know how or why, but it definitely felt that way to me. The test drive doesn't do the 370 any justice. I knew it was faster and better in every way than my 350, but I never felt that during my test drive. But numbers don't lie, and after the break in period I didn't wast any time. I think coming from a G you'll find the 370 WAY more fun to drive. You'll definitely need to make a few mods since that is what you're used to. Good luck!

The money I've spent... the 370 has met all expectations. No issues, no problems. I'd do it again. Thanks Nissan.

If straight line acceleration is the most important thing to you in a car, the 370 Z is not the best choice. The 370 for me stands out in the handling department. When folks read a magazine like Road and track etc, the Mustang puts up some pretty good numbers and the Z better. The Z is easy to drive fast on the turns where the Mustang driver needs to be an expert to wring the top performance out of it.
Mustang's, Challenger's and Camero's are local jokes around here because they are always holding up somebody or strings of cars. I have yet to see one break away from the pack alone. My observations are frequently made driving the other direction (ex. south bound while they are north bound).

If it were permitted on this forum I would talk about sticking like glue to the bumper of an M3, another time a GTR. It is not permitted so I wont.

i was pleased with the power until i drove GTM's SC Z...im ruined forever..haha

:iagree:

I love the car's performance. I drive it "vay too vast" sometimes, but the day to day stuff, I like that it can behave in the low revs and then scream like a banshee in the high revs. I love that I can gently drive it, but any time I want I can gun it into a turn and get the rear end loose, and if I want I can throw it through corners at a high rate of speed and it will grip. I love everything about the way it performs.

That said, the Mustang is faster and more spacious in the same price range. It's not my cup of tea, but it is what it is.

I think it has great power, and it responds very well to mods...I came from a full bolt on and tuned 350Z DE that dynoed 271rwhp and i Still could tell the 370Z is faster. The 370 is really smooth with its power delivery, it has a perfectly progressive linear power band, i love it...do I want more power!? hell yeah am a car guy and thats what mods are for! If you looking to buy a car and never ever mod it, the 5.0 is the way to go...shiet if you plan on moding the 5.0 is the way to go!~ ok ok ok Just get what you like and can stare at every day and love...becuase really in the end any car can be fast with the right cash.

i think of the Z is a great all around car. more specifically, i think its a great handling car that has some balls in the power department, and less so a powerful car that handles well.

It will be as fast as you want to buid it.

The stock 370 was an alright car, however after tuning the bolt-ons and improving the suspension, the beast can breath and growl now, and it's claws can grab and spit out all corners!
Sure, TT will make it a different animal, but for me, daily driving the Z, it's a perfect balance of handling and power.

I am pretty sure the 03 sedans were just as fast if not faster after a few mods than the coupe. I know a sedan w/ a upgraded tq converter and higher stall speed that would walk over a similarly modded 6mt coupe.

Personally, I found the Z to be OK in stock form. I was very very disappointed with the handling. I have since installed larger sway bars and have coil-overs. It is accepable now.

On the power side, I am not HP crazy. 300+ HP is more than what I need. However, as others may have already know, power delivery is not as linear as expected. This could be the tranny, the computer, the throttle-by-wire, etc. or a combination of all. So far, having been a member of this forum, I have yet to see a final fix to this issue. Bottom line...."Power is nothing without control." VDC is way too sensitive reducing the fun-factor. VDC can be turned off obviously.

I am an easy going person. I did notice the paint quality but it was a non-issue for me. My engine was replaced and that did not bother me. I have hit 260 temp on casual and traffic days, but have not encountered the limp-mode. I have not gone to Las Vegas yet, so it might be a let-down when I do go to Vegas and be in limp-mode :)

As others have said, if you are a straight-line person, the Z is not the car. My car is a daily driver, so straight-line is at the bottom of my list.

I still love the Z and she may be a keeper. However, I am itching for a black Roadster. I may stop by the dealer again today to see if I could get the same deal as our Canadian member, R6????-something. I am in California and my ROI off a cab could be well worth it.

GZ3,

Don't mean to be the devil, but don't you have the lag of the throtle by wire when you dump on the gas? Don't you find shifting from 1 to 2 gear as too senstive and jerky? I am just wondering as most members here do have this issue. Do yo have aftermarket-tune/ECU?

Thanks.

This is true. Sedans are lighter and can easily be made faster than a coupe..

I have a coupe right now, it was fast in the NA VQ world. 6MTs wouldn't stand a chance with my gearing unless the MT driver was a wicked fast shifter then it would be closer. I've driven revup 6MT Gs with full bolt ons and it was very clumsy down low. The extra 500 rpms redline wasn't really anything crazy. A revup Z I drove with same bolts was much more alive.


Anyways thank you guys so much for the replies. I learned a lot.. I'm definitely not a straight line guy.. I love being able to have the throttle stomped through a turn with VDC off and still grip and go. I would lose cars like that easily BUT the worst feeling in the world is once that pavement straightens out I get creamed by the other car.

Not many twisty roads in AZ unless you drive out an hour or two.

:yawn:

Ok?

difference of opinion. It doesn't bother me in the least. It would if I were on a track or at a drag strip. But driving on a road with a 65mph speed limit, I don't let it bother me. I bought the car for the twisties, and that's where I feel it's insanely fun. When I drive it to work on the highway, Priuses blow my doors off at 90mph. Who cares? It's his wreck/ticket/whatever. He's not gonna pay for my traffic ticket.

Edit: plus, there will always be someone faster out there. You might think you're the bee's knees in your Z, and then a GT-R shows up and makes you look like you're standing still in a straight line. Or you'll have the hype GT-R, and then two years later the new one comes out with more power. I don't live my automotive life by anyone's measuring stick, just what makes me happy.

well i never considered the G to be a sports car, rather a touring coupe... you know the kind you relax and motor in. so in that respect i think you got the wrong car to begin with as you mentioned... especially if you're wanting a fun car get the MT.

i think you'll be happy with the Z, but might also want to consider american muscle too.

I kinda agreed that some members went to the Mustang route. How is the reliability of the domestics lately? I do understand they have improved. I don't mean to hijack and please don't respond if this is off-topic. (well, duh?) :)

From what I have read they are =/better than the imports, the only place an import still gets ahead is with regard to interior quality in some cases.

Definitely think the Mustang's quality has improved greatly, including interior, over the last few years.

this doesnt make any sense :bs:

The Z is only so-so in the power department. It's not slow, but it's not quite as quick as it should be. It pulls pretty well in 3rd and 4th, but I don't think stabbing it in second gear is all that exciting.

To be competitive in the future, the car either needs turbo power or a more advanced, Direct Injected NA motor. Porsche's getting over 400hp out of their NA 3.8L, now (in the new Carrera GTS and Speedster). Nissan should have no problem building an affordable 360-370hp 3.7L DI motor.

Just to stir the pot here a little bit, is it my imagination that Porsche-comparos occur so often here? What happenEd to Bimmer/M fans and comparos? :)