Trading in GTR for a 370z
 

Hello,

I've just contacted my dealership to find me a 370z (no Z's left on their lot) and I will trade in my GTR for it. I'm just debating between black and blue... unsure which color I like more.

The last time I remember REALLY enjoying driving, was when I was driving my stock block 350Z with an APS TT kit. Simple TT kit on a stock block conservatively tuned, nice suspension, simple bodykit, wheels and tires. Nice unique little pocket rocket. Since then, I've spent a lot of money and time and built up the Z into a complete daily drivable show car. Lots of fun, but sometime in the build, it became more hassle than actual, uninhibited FUN. Always had to keep an eye on the gauges, listening to sounds, refilling water/meth, worrying if I want to go for a long distance road trip, etc.

Therefore I went for the GTR. With the GTR, it's an AWD all-season car, to the full extent. Fast, unique, 4 seater, good sized trunk, dual-clutch tranny, easily tunable, etc. Makes sense right? I spent the last 2 1/2 years of my life with the daily driven GTR. Full exhaust, intake, HKS BOV's, Cobb custom tune, wheels, suspension, lip kit, etc. Nice and simple. Sounds amazing. Makes sense in every aspect to keep it. However, I overlooked the most basic and primal factor in driving......the "fun". Don't get me wrong, the GTR is extremely fun on the racetrack, blowing past 911 turbos, GT3's, Lambos, Ferraris, etc. But on the street where I spend 90% of my driving time? Not so much. Fully stable and full of traction, it is not "fun" until you pass 140mph in a high speed corner. Yes it goes from 0-60 in under 3 seconds, but that's as much fun as it gets on the street. For me at least.

Therefore I've decided to go back to basics. 370z, simple GTM 500whp kit, wheels, suspension, kit, some other aesthetics. Simple little pocket rocket where I can have fun at 40mph instead of having to push up to 150+mph to have fun.

Now...I've been researching on this forum over the past few days. Great site btw. Read some of the little problems with the 370z (overheating, etc). Other than that, has anyone here found anything really annoying with the 370z? Not something everyone would KNOW from a test drive...but actually living with the car, any EMOTIONAL disappointments? I'm not looking for the fastest car. I'm not looking for the rarest. I'm looking for something that is rewarding emotionally everytime I get into the driver seat.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Alex

Hey, at least you get to say you owned a GTR, and seemed to have really had the chance to realize its strength (on the track, anyway!).

No complaints from me about the Z, although I've only had mine for 4 months. It is a blast to drive, and makes my short commute to work (about 6 miles) a lot of fun.

Just get the Sport / Touring package with Navigation and with the GTM TT kit I believe comes an oil cooler, you will be set. For what you are saying I would think you would be more than pleased with the overall package.

The one and only complaint I have about the car is the lack of sound dampening material. But if you are going to be putting a TT kit in it, a few lbs of sound dampening material will not hurt you.

GTR is one car that is close to perfect, but that sometimes is a problem for people like yourself... I personaly would always take a 6M over the superior gtr transmission and RWD over AWD just for the same reasons you described above.

Im not sure if the slave cylinder issue has been worked out completely but when you upgrade the clutch some people have issues with the slaves going bad, but im sure GTM has a solution to this because I dont hear it discussed often...

Post some pics/sound clips of the GTR if you feel like it!

dude I would definitely trade u my 370Z for your GTR in a heartbeat. The only thing I find annoying is the bad blind spots and the big *** F150 mirrors.

Thanks for the feedback so far.

I'm used to the blind spots in my 350z...and the GTR is not that much better.

Here's a short sound clip of my GTR on the dyno...

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If your interested in a turn key?

http://www.the370z.com/cars-sale-pri...win-turbo.html

I've daily driven my 370Z every single day for the last 21 months. The car has been a blast, but 21 months with the girl has shown me all of her qualities (good and bad). The road noise was initially a minor annoyance that was easily overlooked given the 'raw' factor of the Z. As a DD, it's bothering me more and more. I'd like to sound dampen things with some dynamat, but I'm worried about unmasking other noises that haven't bothered me yet due to the monotony of the road noise. For example, the high pitch whine from the ECM may be much more audible if I can't hear the tire hum.

If it weren't for the road noise and ECM whine, I think I'd still be very content. Or maybe I'm just Debbie Downer since the track season is over and I just put the winter tires on the car :(.

I will say that the MT makes the car. I'd be yawning if I bought the automatic.

i man who knows what he wants. i agree with everything u said and fully understand the reasoning. better to have fun in a car going 20 than be bored going 300 sorta mentality.

ur not a race driver, ur not looking for fast, just fun. well done. :tup:

I know stormcrow well and know the car, as he was in the same boat (GTR to 370z), but I'm in Canada and do not want to deal with importing through customs...and I prefer to build my own.

^It's insight that one may only gain by owning the beast and learning first hand (your GTR experience). I think a 911 GT3 or Audi R8 would be fantastic. But maybe one day I'll regret that purchase :).

i don't think you'll be dissapointed if you just go for a fully loaded (touring/sport/nav) with a 6mt and the GTM Twin turbo kit. i think thats pretty much anyones dream 370z

I'm absolutely getting a 370z in 6MT. No auto for me.

You'd be surprised how much louder a GTR is than a 370z...road noise, tranny noise, suspension noise, etc. The suspension is A LOT harsher than the stock 370z suspension...

Oh gotcha, Good Luck :driving:

Ill trade you straight up right now...

ill even pay to have my car delivered to you and your car delivered back! :D

:bowrofl::roflpuke2:

I would trade you too and I am closer!! ;)

Really wanted a GT-R but just can not afford it. I do plan on trying to buy one in a few years when it comes down in the 50's.

The 370Z is a BLAST to drive though. I love it. Also have a 1990 300ZX TT and it never gets driven now. ):)

its nice to see that deep down, the Z still has some qualities that the GT-R just doesn't.

The paint job is horrible. Since my car is black I can see how crappy the paint is. If I had known how crappy the paint was gonna be I would have went white again.

Other then that the car is great.

I remember you, Nitrouz, from the 350 forums. You had the craziest 350(in a good way). Stroked TT if I remember correctly putting down insane numbers.

I had a 'basic' APS turbo setup and I gotta say I miss it also. I'm rolling around in an S4 DCT nowadays. Might have to add another Z turbo to the stable again also.

Only complaint I have "coming from a 400+whp evo" Is with a 500hp RWD I can't just put the gas to the floor and go... at least not until 4th gear. I guess thats part of the fun, feathering the gas , keeping the back end in line ect. I'll be going with some 12in wide rims out back this spring with some sticky tires.. that should help :driving:

yes sir that was me.

NITROUZ - The Evolution. - MY350Z.COM Forums

That's my point. My GTR goes 0-60 in 3 flat on a bad day with no launch control. But it's not fun. It's just mash and go. I need that borderline killing myself feeling...with my old Z, I just mash the throttle at 80mph in 3rd gear and I'm going sideways with a cloud of smoke going 100mph down a highway looking at the median. That's fun.

wow... your 350 was incredible. nice job why did you get rid of it??

Wow that was one bad *** 350!

i afraid you'll be bored of the z once you have it (since it happened with the GTR) :)

We did the same thing a couple of months ago, and haven't regretted it yet. I don't think I will regret it until the first time I take the Z to the track. But driving the GT-R around town every day was boring, and I don't get to the track nearly as often as I'd like. Enjoy the new Z! :tiphat:

Get the 370z! I'd like to see what you do to it after seeing your 350. :D

Juno you sold your GTR too???

Probably not too much...500ish rwhp will suffice this time. I just ordered a 458 Italia as well for those weekends I feel "exotic".....just hope it doesn't burn with me in it :icon17:

Your old Z had a distinct look to it too. ;) Body mods count too. lol

Yep! We'll get another one eventually, but when we do, we're going to keep the Z too.

I can't wait to see what you do with your 370! Ours is staying NA...you know, so we can save for that next GT-R down payment! LOL

Black paint is horrid.
Tt 370 will be outperformed by a gtr.


I had the very fortuitous option to choose b/t them, my budget was 125k and after doing my research and test driving, I chose the z. A lot of it had to do w/ not being a track rat, some of it had to do w/ having more car than I am capable of handling, a huge part of it came from not trusting myself to not do something stupid while street driving.


But the only real regrets I have about the car r the black paint and the fact that the gtr is a beast. I got to test drive a pretty fair number of exotics when I showed the salesmen my bank account, and the gtr launch outshined all of them.

Glad to have u over here and gly search.

:bowrofl:

Wow baller, uhh if you don't mind me asking what do you do for a living? Seems odd that you'd want a 370 when you can afford an Italia, unless you really miss that 350 *shrug*

wow...interesting.... we both went from my350z to nagtroc and now here...lol...

And there are many other cars that can outperform the GTR. There's always something better, something faster, something rarer. I just want something rewarding, that I can beat around and have fun with. I just want to DRIVE.

the Italia would be a nice weekend cruiser. But I need something for everyday use...that I can park anywhere without worrying, that I can beat around when I want to have fun. Everyday type of fun.

Yeah, that is a maze that is hard t get off of.
But w/ your experience w/ the 350, I think u are ahead of more than a few of us.

The positives will definitely be that as a daily driver or an occasional medium/long trip car will be noticeably more tolerable in the z. I love the straightforward manny tranny (no not that :rofl2:) of the z.

The driving experience of the z doent disappoint in any way that I have found yet and it does have this pretty cool forum w/ good info and members on it.

Side note- I'm not trying to trash either car, I love em both, just trying to share my $.02

And it's much appreciated. Thanks for shedding light from a different perspective. :)