Is sport package a must?
 

I have a local dealer selling a new 09 Touring 6 spd in monterey blue with navi for roughly $30,000. Sticker is $37,365. I am very tempted to go for it, but wonder what I will be missing without the sport package. Is the syncro matching worth it, or just a novelty? How about ride and handling? Thanks...

syncro rev is overated imo...kinda cool but i never use it..i say just get the touring

Sport isn't really neccessary. The LSD isnt so impressive. The brakes are nice but not necessary. If you're getting the right deal, I'd jump on it.

it depends on what you want to do to the car if your going to mod it with a big brake kit, coilovers, swaybars and so on then no you really dont need the sport pack, but if you really don't plan on doing much to the car then yes the sport pack is worth it, looks better IMO plus better brakes and handling and has an LSD

I would say that the biggest reason to get the sport package would be for the 19" Rays. Personally, I don't like the look of the 18" standard rim, but you can always buy after market rims.

yes

I only problem with the sports package is that if you want to upgrade the spoiler to the s-tune spoiler the holes don't match up and need to be filled. So if the sport spoiler is a must go then so is the whole package.

Pretty much depends on what you want the car for. If you are going to mod the car to place all the items you don't get with the Sport Package, you'll wind up paying more for it than if you had just purchased the Z with Sport Package. However, if you aren't needing those upgrades and won't be doing them in the future, then get the base.

Is it "a must?" I personally don't think so. Is it worth it? Very much so IMO. The rear wing, 19' Rays + tires, brakes, LSD, & SRM is well worth the 3K.

i wouldn't have bought the car if it didn't have the sport package... so to me it was one of the key factors in my decision.

i like the akebono brakes. i like the 19" sport wheels. i also like the syncro-rev match not that i can't heel&toe, i like how it can quickly blip vs the delayed throttle input doing it with the gas pedal.

my G35C's throttle is quite a bit more responsive than the Z...

Yep -> and to all those who say SRM is not a must - you must either drive at the track too often or not drive at all :)

Totally worth it.. To the whole world the 370z is known for the SRM. I love how people bash the LSD, it actually DOES ITS JOB!!! What more do you want? A full 2 way clutch type racing LSD? To those who say the LSD is garbage and not worth it, go have fun hopping around on your 1 wheeler. The brakes are nice and sexy, no need to replace those, nice wheels and better tires. You can get a lot of money for them if you want to sell when you upgrade your rims.

Forgot to mention even if you do upgrade the sport package brakes you could easily sell those for $1300+ You should see how much the brembos go for off the Z and G from previous generation.

My Z has the LSD, but I honestly don't think it feels different in anyway than my base model felt. What's it actually supposed to do?!!

Spin both wheels. Which results in a lot more good/better things.

I have the Sport/Touring...its worth it.....plus if you plan on trading it holds alil more value....

I agree, I think that the 07-08 350Z rims look better than the 18's on the 370. The subtle changes they did them made them look worse.

Got the sports for the wheels and the brakes.

I was in a similar situation as you where a Base model was left over and was offered to me at a VERY cheap price.. Mine was lease and it was something like 170 bucks less at the time to lease the base compared to the touring/sport I looked at first.

I settled with the base and traded my 18s plus some cash for the 19" rays and purchased a VLSD out of a wrecked 370z. So I'm short the brakes and SRM but I only paid about 1000 out of pocket for the tires and VLSD pumpkin.. Also as a deal when I got it, I received the rear spoiler so I have most of the sport package

Both those things drastically upgraded my Z ... The vlsd is not so entirely necessary if you have a light foot but if you drive spirited its most defiantly worth it.

Did the little piggy cry "wee wee wee" all the way home?

Sport and Touring both worth it. As far as the SRM it stays OFF for 95% of my driving, which happens to be as a daily driver/commuter. After driving for more than 42 years, about 38 of those in manual transmission cars and having learned to drive off road in a VW powered dune buggy, I find my muscle memory to shift pretty well ingrained. When I do go for a spirited mountain drive, I switch it on and try not to let habit conflict with the technology as it does work well. If you are a fairly young driver and/or don't have a lot of experience driving an MT you will have a different experience. But it's still a pain in the *** for daily driving/commuting and makes you look like a boy racer when it's revving coming up to every stoplight.

:iagree:

Yes

Yes, it's worth it. Keep looking for another Z.

I love the 18's on the base model. I prefer their look to the sport package rims, I just wish they were lighter and wider. That's just me though.

If the wheels are a selling point, you can pretty easily get ~$700 for the base model rims, and pick up the sport rims for around a grand.

I would skip the Akebono's and go straight to a real set of brakes if you need them, personally. For a small amount more invested, you can snag yourself a nicer set of brakes.

The VLSD might be nice, if you want one, you can snag one for ~$400. I am debating throwing one on my car until I decide which LSD I want.

Especially since you're getting a good deal on the car-- the sport package becomes a cost of more than $3k, and it's definitely not worth it at that point.

worth it, but not necessary. I'm almost in the same situation as Chuck, I have a Touring (6spd) and put the aero package on. I like the stock 18's actually, but the stock tires were too narrow. They really look pretty good with 245's up front and 275's in the back.

The Sports package is a good deal, but only if you plan to keep it stock for the most part. Since the Touring w/o sport doesn't have a spoiler, no need to worry about filling in the holes for an aftermarket wing for example. The sport Ray's look great, but you could always find them used or go with a custom set. The only regretable thing is the SRM, but that's more of a personal preference than anything else.

Take a look at a base model brakes (front and rear) and then look at a sport model... The base model brakes look cheap compared to the sports. Especially the fronts. That big caliper and huge rotor round off the performance look of the car. The base model brakes ruin the look in my opinion. Sorry base model guys, just my opinion.

Besides that, the added performance out of the box with the sport is worth it. Sure you can replace brakes, LSD and do without SRM, but do you want to start swapping parts out like that right away? And do you even intend to push this car beyond the limits of the stock equipment?

Its what you like!!! I don't have it... It just gives me lower payments and more options to how I want my Z to look. Just a thought...

:ugh2:

I agree 100%

The sport package was a must for me. I wouldn't have bought one without it hands down.

:tup:

If you are getting the car to overhaul it, then get the base with nothing else. If you want a car and just install basic bolt ons, then the sport package is a must. If you don't get it you will probably regret not getting it when other owners tell you that it was well worth the price.

If you park the base and the sports package model side by side and compare, you wont be asking this question.

Does it not work that well and you still do 1-wheel-peels, or what? Even if it doesn't work the best with corners, it would be worth it for the stop-light if it locks it up well enough.

Noob question! whats LSD?

:iagree:
If the sports package saved me six inch's braking 70-0 down hill, then this alone completely paid for itself. My panic stop was SRM on, and it helped without question. A hard brake, down shifting into second, and revving 7,000 RPM's so smoothly, no rear wheel lock up, nose dipping down, wife sucking air to avoid screaming.

The SRM makes heel and toe obsolete, yet I tend to heel toe anyway.

Limited Slip Differential.

Interesting. That's exactly what I did before I signed the papers on my base.

For myself, I just didn't care to spend 3k on sports. I didn't like the 19's (I know, probably the only person here to think that, but I think they look pretty horrible.), I liked the wingless look (well kinda) and I didn't care much for the brakes. I'm sure the brakes are much better, but I've never run into any sort of issue where my current brakes weren't sufficient. When I was on my test drive I turned SRM off half way through, so obviously that wasn't something I cared for.

Depending on who you ask about the sports package you'll hear a different opinion. To me, it wasn't worth the extra 3k solely because of how much I dislike the wheels. I'd rather take that money and put it towards wheels and coilovers personally.

That's as good of a reason as any to get or not get the sport package. It's all personal preference.

People on here have such diverse requirements. Clearly there are advantages in the sport package, particularly if you don't plan to do major modifications (I don't). I don't think the wheels are that cool looking, but I have never made a decision to buy or not buy based on how the wheels look. After all, I am inside the car. Other people see the outside so it's their problem.

From a practical perspective, the $3,000 is a reasonable price for larger tires, bigger wheels, better brakes, and LSD. All of those things make the car more nimble and safer. The touring was a no brainer for me. That affects the inside of the car! That's where I sit. I like the Bose sound system, love the navi. It is really advanced (in the 2010, at least). The voice recognition is decent, even with all the road noise.

As for bolt-ons. Since I will never race (watching the laps on Top Gear is scary enough for me), the only mods that make sense to me involve safety and roadworthy driveabilty. For safety, I changed the brake lines to stainless steel and the brake fluid to DOT 5.1. Also for safety I added a backup camera (hooks right into the nav). I also changed the tires (big expense!) to Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus, stock size, to improve cold weather performance. I don't plan to drive in anything but light snow. Here in the Seattle area we don't get much snow. On days it is snowy my wife can drive me to work in her 4X4 Tacoma.

People here seem divided on the need for an oil cooler for non-track Z's. It is concerning that the engine oil could go to 260 and above. Of course, synthetics don't lose the ability to lubricate at 300 degrees, but it would be a royal pain to find myself limited to 45 mph while on a 10% grade. As far as I can tell, adding the Nissan Sports oil cooler ($795) will set me back about $1,100 bucks with labor. So I am taking a wait-and-see position.

The reason I included all this extra information is that in my case, at least, I always regret not buying some option when I get a car. As a result, I get true peace of mind if I order everything. Yes, it added about $5,000 to the base touring, but it saved me the $45,000 of getting a new Z next year cause I can't stand not having (fill in the blank...sports package...navi, etc.). I have seen more than one thread on here where others have turned around and replaced a 2009 with a 2010 because of buyer's remorse over unpurchased options.

The bottom line, in my opinion, is that if you can't afford the payment for a well-equipped Z, you might have a hard time with the more expensive care and feeding it requires. Then again, it's all a matter of personal preference.

If you do elect not to buy the sport package, be sure you won't find yourself back at the dealer next year for one that includes it.

are you male?

Yes.

:wtf2: