weird the Z got no exterior changes, but yet the maxima is supposed to get a different grill, headlights, taillights, and wheels......

I think they should have pushed the hp output a bit. I mean, they managed to squeeze out a few more ponies for the Nismo with some tuning and exhaust after all. As far as exterior changes, I really don't see a whole lot I would change or would want to change, so I really don't see a point. Although, I do understand why others would be expecting one by now. I think Nissan is taking the corvette style refresh cycle. Which means making the Z a low volume 10 year cycle model, wether they like it or not. If they want to keep their "sporty" image, the Z and GT-R namesake won't be disappearing anytime soon.

Dodge improved the Viper right up until 2010.
GM improved the C5 right up until 2004.
Ford is STILL improving the mustang line-up even though a re-design is on the horizon for YM'14.

For Nissan to use that excuse is petty. If they want to say that due to the damage their country sustained they were unable to perform YM12 changes, you have to either respect that--or buy something else if you don't like it, but if the stance is "We are killing it in a few years--screw the customer" then that would explain WHY they don't sell very many of them.

companies rotate through their models with changes it seems.

I think Nissan is about out of tricks for getting more power out of the VQ short of DI or FI. If they did what they did to the IPL and NISMO to the base Z, they would have nowhere to go with the NISMO.

Oh, right away Kimosabe, right away!

Yeah... maybe I should sue Blades for Plagerism. :roflpuke2:

Just reinforcing the idea :tup:

Good luck with that :tiphat:

I think you should!

pretty solid... and your just like the chubby kid, I have to laugh and poke at you! cuz your so damn cute

Stang, camero has over 400hp for about the same price as the 370z so why pay more for a car that has less power hasent had any decent updates? The genesis is cheaper as well. I dont think nissan really understands the american market or they dont care. If they want to sell more nissan needs to.get there heads out of there *** and start making more improvements bumb the dam hp torque add di and stop raising the price. Fire th ceo of nissan and hire someone from ford lol.

Because there's a lot more camero's out there than the Z. Even with less power, its unique. Every time i've driven with people, if they see mustangs or camero's, i don't see any special reactions. But, every time they see a 370z. They're always in awe.

I did better than two Camaro SS's at the drag strip 2 days ago :eek:

I agree to an extent. The Z turns heads, but the other brands are selling like hotcakes. Makes me wonder if Nissan has something up their sleeve or if they really don't give a hoot.........:ugh2:

Why does eveyome compare just HP? My Z is designed better, looks better, handles better...I can go on for a while. American Car manufacturers think straight line. Japan and Europe think, "How will this drive on a track?"

On a side note, the corvette is one of the very few if not only American sports car I'd buy.

Isn't this the truth. I just got back from a 1000+ mile drive and drove to some hick towns. I was amazed at the responses I got on my car! It was like they never saw a 370Z before. In sacramento, Mustangs, BMW's, MB, challengers and chargers are everywhere but rarely do you see 370Z's. I want to drive something unique.

Well the Stang is a pretty good handler these days, it can't be knocked for that any longer. Funny recently I had an SS Camaro as a rental on a business trip (got a free upgrade) and got more looks in that than in the Z and this was in Phoenix..:icon14:

It's not all about horsepower. The Camaro looks like GM hired designers from Pixar. And if it's built like anything else from GM it's will be falling apart at 50K miles, have no resale value and will be relegated to being driven by Joe Dirt looking meth heads. The Mustang is...well...it's just a Mustang. Always has been. No excitement since 1964 and a 1/2 other than when Carroll Shelby got his hands on some.

Montez, I am surprised you got looks in Phx with a Camaro. They are a dime a dozen and I seem more of them than Civics these days in Phx.

Even today I would take the Z over a 5.0 or Maro. Yes, the Stang's handling has improved, but still not Z level. The Z look better stock and modded (subjective). I just prefer Japanese sports cars (for example: if I was told I could get ANY car $ not an option, it would be the R34 Skyline GTR Nismo Z Tune). And, it is not all about going fast, hanging your rear end out, or doing donuts. The Z is a drivers car that I have much fun in. To be honest, I do not have as much fun in my buddies' Z06 than I do my Z.

These are all subjective, and to each his own. That said, I do give thumbs up to 5.0 owners; they are almost as rare as 370s in Phx.

yup, no excitement at all.

How much improvement do you all think would be realized with DI, I wonder?

I would add the CTS-V coupe

Than the Camaro, yes. Than the mustang? I don't know.

What is the 370Z's PPH? The mustang is in the 70's IIRC.
The mustang GT also out-performs the 370Z as a whole. The BOSS annihilates the NISMO.

*If you care about "better designed" regarding interior, I wouldn't get a corvette. The corvette is ALL about the chassis and the engine. The interior is an afterthought and "an embarrassment" (per GM!). The C7 is going to be a LOT! better on the inside, similar power, and more nimble/lighter, according to the best guesses at the moment.

What do you find more fun about the 370Z than the Z06, objectively?

_________________________

I love the 370Z, but the bottom line is that Nissan needs to do something to update the car. Ford and GM constantly update their sports-car line-up with little features (Magnetic ride control added to the Z06, another 100bhp added to the mustang for '11, a wide-body corvette replacing the Z51, etc...meaningful ****. Not a "unique shade of gray".)

The 370Z kicked *** in 2009. If this were 2009, it would still be kicking ***--because it hasn't changed ONE BIT, but it's not 2009 anymore (okay...okay...you guys now have back-up cameras OEM optional, and several more titillating shades of gray from which to choose.)

I am waiting for Nissan's next Z platform. I have a feeling that it's going to be epic. One way or another. The next "370Z" and the C7 are the two cars I am looking to choose between for 2013/2014.

The Z is a 'smaller' car and feels more tossable to me; takes less input to 'whip' it through curves. The Z06 does not feel as technical to me. That is not to say the Z06 is not a great handler; obviosly the Z06 takes the cake from a power perspective.

i'm not knocking the Z at all. I think the Z looks better than camero and stang. But the stang doesn't have that much weight over Z and it does have more power. And i get it that it's not about the power and what not, but nissan is not in the business of selling the Z to only a select few people (The GTR is only for a few select people).

But you have to figure especially in these times that i can get a stang or camero for as much or maybe less but have more power. You figure a lot of people might look at that way. Especially with some of the improvements ford has made with the stangs.

My thing is if the Z lovers want to keep and getting new Z's and stay around for a few more years nissan needs to do something or we may not see the Z very much longer. All i am saying give it something and not some little here and there year after year. Oh a new paint color scheme, oh heated mirrors, oh a new radio system, oh an i pod dock or something like that. Plus the Z is more expensive. Didn't they have these type of problems with the older Z's, supras, mitsu 3k and rx7 that they were to expensive did eventually died out because of this? Or least that was one of the issues.

I don't know all i'm saying is stangs and cameros seems to keep improving or doing something to give it an extra umph to their cars while nissan's executives are just sitting around with their thumbs up in their asses.

I'm sure they might give the Z some sort of an update in 2013 but by that time stangs or cameros will be one or 2 steps ahead.
I know you shouldn't compare the z and the stang and cameros but i'm sure a lot of people might cause they aren't really other affordable sports cars that are out there. Well you have that hyundai i forget the name of it.

Who knows what nissan is going to give the Z in 2013. Maybe a hybrid and that's it. That would really suck for the Z.

In my personal opionion it's either give it a major update like really soon (next year) or good bye Z.

I'm planning on getting into a Z soon and as others have stated, I'm more interested in having it for it's uniqueness rather than what the numbers look like on paper. Same reason I bought my RX-8 in 2004. 95% of people won't see a track with their cars anyway, so I don't really see why people are so hung up on the numbers. I still get looks and questions on my RX-8 all the time and my head gets turned every time I see an RX-8 or a Z on the road knowing they are pretty rare, unique cars. Camaros and Mustangs are a dime a dozen around here and don't do a thing for me. I could care less if they can kick the RX-8 and Z's *** in a straight line. I'll take the uniqueness and "poor" performance anyday.

:iagree:

Do you think that the shorter wheel-base of the 370Z is what gives this impression? That's sortof a double-edged sword there. I have not driven a 370Z through corners hard, but my Z06 just hunkers and is GLUED. Feels low and like NOTHING will pull it off the road. Is the 370Z a similar animal in the twisties?

:iagree:

Yes, but the Z06 is also known to be a very challenging car at the limit as once you exceed it's limits, it lets go very quickly. The Z is much more progressive despite a shorter wheelbase.

With sport package wheels and tires, the Z definitely feels glued to the road. I don't feel like the seating position in the Z is as low as the Z06, but the Z can pull similar skid pad G forces if that means anything.

I guess some people are just impressed with the Maro SS looks although sorta busy they are, probably stems from Transformers the movie....lol. Went to lunch with 2 business partners there and they were like man thats sharp you drive......

It is a good looking car...I think this forum is the only place that doesn't recognize that.
Not my style personally, but I still notice them catching my eye.


Sent from my iPhone

Kind of surprised Nissan did not at least offer an oil cooler as a factory installed option.

I've never cared for Mustangs...respected them...glad Ford makes them but I wouldn't own one.

I've found very little that's enticing about the Camaro (and I've owned several F-bodies since 1973)...I'm not saying that the Camaro is not a good car but the only really good thing about it that I can find is that GM is at least producing one; beyond that, I'm just not that impressed...a successor generation should be truly "better" than the previous generatoin; I just don't see that in the current Camaro (I onned a 2000 Z28)...more horsepower is always welcome but it takes a lot more than horsepower to make a car truly "better"; at least it does in my opinion.

I agree with the sentiments about the Corvette's interior...it would be more at home in an econobox. However, the biggest drawback to the Corvette is the attitude of the people that own them.

There is more to a car than it's HP/weight ratio, 0-60, 60-0, and cornering...the "Z" is special...always has been; hopefully always will be.

I totally disagree, if your looking for HP and not much else - by all means get a muscle car and drag race high schoolers in mustangs all day long.

The Z is not about raw torque and HP. Nissan is a Japanese company, and they build Japanese cars - not american cars. American cars have their own attitude and purpose, and Japanese cars have theirs. Nissan wont bump the Hp without the appropite chassis, brake, suspention changes. I dont think the Z needs any more power.

I drove the Z06's at Spring mountain and found the car to be VERY forgiving at my skill-level (which means I didn't push it for crap, lol).

I am strongly considering the 370Z in a year or two when I move. Depending on the value of my Z06 and the + equity in it. I could use the extra $$ per month as I plan on buying land and a house, and it sounds like I gain interior, lose power, and break-even on handling.

What's the deal with everyone wrecking their 370Z, though? Noone on the 'vette forums has this problem unless they get T-boned or something by a drunk. You mention the progressive nature of the 370Z's loss of traction, and it makes me wonder what's up.

How does VDC work? Is it anywhere near as good as PTM in the ZR1, or does it compare more to the yaw control in the Z06, or is it worse than both, or better than both, what? I love the nannies in my Z06. I have NEVER FELT them kick in, but I know they have, and that impresses the hell outta me in a 3100# 500+ horsepower car. VERY well managed.

To be fair, the mustang seems to have a very nice chassis for its hp level. The 'vette is world class, and the Camaro ZL1 runs the 'ring in the mid 7's.

American cars are not what they used to be.

I really think most of these accidents with the 370z have as much to do with young kids/first manual rwd sports car people/immaturity/stupidity as much as anything else. Average age of vette owners is a bit higher and therefore, generally speaking, a more mature crowd of folks (I said generally).

As far a VDC, I can't compare it to the vette's tcs, BUT I'm very confident in guessing that you'll find it intrusive and if you do track the Z, you'll have to turn it off like most everyone else on here that tracks does.

that said, for the price and what it is, if you can live w/o the 500hp, you should enjoy the car.

I did spring mountain too, and owned a widebody 05 C6. For me, the Z also feels lighter and nimbler, despite being similar sized (370z vs. std C6: C6 is .6" wider and 7" longer in wheelbase and track, and 24 lbs lighter, so they are pretty similar).

In an earlier thread you mentioned the Z06 being stuck to the road or something like that and forgiving, which is true. The Z is not so much without VDC, especially setup like I have mine to be neutral. But that is what I want in a car, something challenging and fun to drive.

However, keep in mind, I only use mine for the track, and mostly used the corvette for the same.

As for interiors, I actually loved the corvette interior. I stepped up from a 350Z to the C6 and it was a great improvement.

370Z VDC is very similar to 350Z. Its very intrusive. Sometimes I think it could get you killed if you try to pull into traffic too fast. I loved the Comp mode on the corvette, I used it all the time on track. I'd never dream of leaving the VDC on in the Z, even in the rain. (which is extremely challenging in the Z)

crashing is like FL 4 Motion said, mostly old men drive vettes and mostly younger drivers drive Zs. I find myself stuck in between and getting closer to the vette demographic, yet still feeling like a younger guy in my mind. My aches and pains every morning when I get out of bed tell me otherwise though.

Also, my main business is caliper exchange powdercoating, both with Vettes and Zs. Vette people return the calipers in days, Z people sometimes take months.

Funny how you say that. Most people say corvettes are very hard to drive and dangerous near the limits. Their rear ends tend to fishtail wildly, partly due to the tremendous torque of the engine.

VDC on the z is not a go fast item, but a safety item. Keeps you from spinning out on the snow or rain. But will ruin your laptimes if you leave it on while lapping. Expect to lose 3-4 seconds a lap.

Thanks! Yes, even with ALL the nannies on in the Z06, it's very well modulated. At no time did it cut in on me at Spring Mountain.

The 370Z sounds like some of my older cars where VDC/TC basically means "If you spin the tires, I'll kill the power, screw you!"

I like the lay-out of the Z06's interior just fine, it's just the crap "leather", the noisy panels (door panel is my main complaint), and the stereo is worse than what is in my 2002 G20 by a long shot.

It's a Cobalt interior in a Supercar.

I didn't buy it for that, though.

What it really boils down to is I have my 500+hp Supercar, it's fun, I love it, now I want land and a house and the power is something I will give up, but not the handling.

In a year or two, I will be pricing the '13 370Z unless the C7 is the same price as the C6 and is out/coming out.

The Z06 has GREAT electronic nannies and will keep all that from happening. You can get 90% of what the car has to offer with EVERYTHING turned on.

When we pulled the ABS and other modules, the car was also very predictable, wet or dry. No crazy fishtailing unless you wanted it to. The main thing people cite is that Randy Pobst article where he complains about it. Well, he's used to driving an AWD Volvo. I never saw any of the instructors or students have any issues with "unpredictable fishtailing" at Spring Mountain. Pobst (*sp) needs to stick with his Volvo.