370Z Observations After Test Drive
 

Well, I am still on my hunt for a new sporty car. Been looking for about 2 years now and just can't pull the trigger. Saturday I was able to take a Z out for a test drive without the salesman. It's really nice to be able to take a test drive without someone babbling in your ear.
I drove a 2011 Automatic with Sport & Touring

I had all the positives and negative remarks about this car from the forum in my head while I was driving and here are my impressions.

Performance: Just awesome, car handles great, accelerates fast and is very fun to drive. No problem here. :tup:

Cabin Noise: With so many complaints on the forum about cabin noise, I paid special attention to this. I made sure I found some roads with some loose gravel to see about the wheel well complaints. There is a lot of noise in the cabin, but I actually really enjoyed it. It was nice to hear what the car is doing. The pebbles in the wheel well was really not that big of a deal, I loved hearing the engine noise. My only minor complaint was a few times I checked to see if the window were up all the way, it seemed like there was more wind noise in the cabin then I expected.
Overall I don't think the cabin noise is an issue, the car sounds like I would expect. :tup:

Paint: The paint, as others have noted, is not great. They had a convertible in the showroom that just look awful. I could see all the usual complaints. :thumbsdown:

Side View Mirrors - I have read some complaints that the side view mirrors are too large and get in the way of lane passes. I did not see this at all. I think the owners that are complaining just do not know how to adjust and use the side view mirrors correctly. I was changing lanes with confidence and did not feel nervous at all. :tup:

Seats: This is probably my biggest complaint and may actually prevent me from buying a Z. The seats are just not as comfortable as they could be. During my 15 min. test drive, I was constantly adjusting the seats to find a comfortable position. I also notice that the top of the seats have a lot of flex to them. If you push on the headrest, the top of the seat flexes. You can also feel this if you push your head back into the headrest. I looked at the roadster seats and they are different. The overall seat has much less flex. I would of like to see nissan spend and extra $250 and offer better seats. :thumbsdown:

Overall I really liked the cars, but I am going to have to give a better look at the 5.0 and cayman

You should come down to the Fairfax Z meet this weekend, you can check out my 5.0. :tup:

I didn't like this at first, although I read, I believe in the manual, that the top of the seat is designed like that specifically to prevent whiplash (iirc).

lol steve always recruiting potential 5.0 owers on a Z site! :happydance:

Yeah, he's :superghey:

:icon18:

You know this from experience. :yum:

No, I do

dude, steve's mustang gets around.... it has seen its fair share of butts

hahaha, she's a Whore.0

:iagree:

:icon17::tup:

:bowrofl:

I really may have to go back and give the Cayman a good look.
I did test drive one a few weeks ago, and it was comfortable.
Also P's always rate 1st in quality. It's really interesting to read their brochures, so much information on the car compared to the sparse Z brochure

Are you looking at a new or used P car?

I test drove a new one, but would consider a used one. I really have not made up my mind on which direction to go. I need to give them a much closer look.

hunting for a sports car
 

first of all no way I could wait 2 years

second if i could afford a Porsche, I'd be driving one.

for the money it's the Z or the Mustang

I know, I am a very patient shopper. I actually really enjoy the shopping research process.

I have had my eye on the Z for those 2 years, but the last test drive and how uncomfortable I was may steer me away. To be honest, I do have some back an neck problems that were already giving me trouble on Sat before the test drive.
I really think the Z, with it's short commings is in general better choice then the Cayman. I don't really want to spend more then $40,000 on a car. But on the other hand, I would rather spend $65,000 on a car I can drive everyday and be comfortable in then on a $38,000 car that I don't drive very often.
:icon14:

I don't find the seats that bad. at first I needed to adjust them untill I hit the sweet spot.

lol that headrest is meant to be like that. its for whiplash. thought that was obvious.

be glad that they arent the seats they use in the GT-R they get uncomfy pretty quick.

but today I discovered the BEST seats ever.

sat in a renault WIND. god those seats are so ******* soft and supporting.

Sorry not obvious to me. Been driving for over 25 years and never seen a headrest like that. The roadster has completely different headrests.

If the seats are the thing holding you back and you don't want to pay more for a Porsche then how about buying some really nice after-market seats?:tiphat:

OP, did you mess with the lumbar support on the seat (I think you said you drove a touring, right?). It's the lever on the right side of the seat back. I find that adding even the slightest bit of lumbar support makes the seat extremely uncomfortable.

Yes I adjusted it, & I am the opposite, I can never seem to get enough lumbar support

I'm 5'6 and 110 pounds.

I've yet to find a seat (OEM) that supports me. :p

try working out?:rofl2:

I'd love to, I can't eat enough to gain muscle mass though.

More food!


I'm on about 8k calories a day most of the year:tup:

Damn, I'm surprised you don't look like Shado with that diet :roflpuke2:

OP, you should definitely come to one of the MD/VA meets at Starbucks every Saturday. You get to see a bunch of Z's, and possibly a 5.0 and a Maxima :tup:

the seat/headrest is for safety purposes... when you push back on the head rest it pushes your mid section forward to prevent spinal/neck injuries during a crash... see if the 5.0 has this kinds of features

Most all new cars do this, except some require significantly more force than the Z to actually feel it pushing into your spine. :yum:

:ugh2::ugh2:

That's cool to know, I thought it was a design flaw. D-oh:bowrofl: