:facepalm: Sorry Ken, what did I start?!?!?!?! :D hehe

:rofl2: i kenchan'd. :icon17:

I saw a G35 sport yesterday... dark blue... very clean, very tastefully modded with chrome rims on it, but it overall just looked really nice. I've always liked the G35 sports... perhaps the OP could even consider a very low miled one? I would definitely do so... quick, not fast but quick, never driven one, but i'm sure they are nice to drive.. it's an Infinity, so likely the interior is better than either the Z or the Gen coupe (though again, i've never driven one so I don't know).

OP are you only considering the RWD sports cars or are you open to anything?

I also give the styling nod to the 370Z, see my original post.

And that's exactly what I'm looking for, someone who considered both that can tell me why they prefer one over the other. Maybe this sounds totally crazy, but to me there's a huge gap in quality between a post that shares an experience, actually compares the two and draws a conclusion versus an insulting post that implies that anyone who would even consider a Genesis Coupe (or shops at Wal-Mart for that matter) is a low-class, low-intelligence person who can't differentiate between products of varying origins (especially Asian). Give me a break. I know he's just "trolling" as the internet folks call it, I shouldn't have taken the bait and responded.

I'm aware it's a Z forum, but I think it's fair to expect sound advice, which I've gotten an abundance of here already (and keep it coming!). I've gotten the same in the thread where I posted the same question on the GC forum.

To the posters who have given useful opinions and comparisons (the vast majority of folks), thank you, you've been a big help. Sorry I got off track...

As it stands now, I'm starting to lean towards the 370Z, chiefly for its powertrain. I own several VQ powered cars and love the engine series. I'm a little disappointed that the once signature smoothness is nowhere to be found in the 3.7L. You could blame it on the type of car, but the engine is the same way in the G & M too, and all VQ's have been losing that buttery-smooth torque delivery as displacement and power increased. A testament to Nissan's craftsmanship and engine design, at 224K miles, the VQ in my Maxima is to this day the absolute smoothest V6 I've ever driven.

Overall, still a tough call for me. It may come down to dealer experience. I'd have to order either one, no dealer close by has one in the color combo's I want.

For its price range, I'd rather get the new BMW 1M as you get bits of better of everything, except the maintenance cost.

http://images.thetruthaboutcars.com/...1m-550x350.jpg


Unfortunately, like everyone said, my personality would more likely make me buy a Boss Mustang for the price...and I'm Asian. =P

if you do chose 370z and want a smooth experience look up some of the dealer sponsors on this site. They are known to have good dealings.

we have to give Hyundai reps for doing a great job with marketing! :tup:

hey OP - you will one day learn that wat i posted was not there to insult you (hell, if i wanted to insult you it will be much more direct), rather to help you understand what the real world sees... and how hyundai is focusing on people like you to actually in my term 'confuse' you to possibly make the decision for their benefit. they really got into your brain well and for that we need to give them a :tup:

GL with your decision watever it is! :)

See, this makes a lot more sense to me than any of your other posts. Fair enough, and thanks for the change in tone. I probably fit the demographics for a typical G37 buyer more than the other two, but it's not quite what I want. It was on my initial list of cars, but I moved on for a couple of reasons:

1) Dealer is just too far away. An hour+ is a long drive for routine service and hell of a tow bill. Already played that game with an awd FX35, not willing to again.
2) I really liked the car's appearance (and the G35's even more) but was a touch disappointed driving it. Thought the GC 3.8 Track was a more engaging drive, and the 370Z even better still. I was also put off by its ride quality for the type of car it is.

It's a very nice car, but not for me.

hummmmm... i didnt change my tone at all, this is how i post all the time including the first post and all the other posts. wat im saying is take a step back and take a close look at what you are about to do and make sure you want to buy what you really want.

cause typically a car enthusiast would NOT be looking at a gen-coupe to begin with. :) GL!

Honestly, the way the car is marketed had initially turned me off from even considering it. While doing the auto show circuit in NA, I had checked them out. I was unimpressed for 2 years. With the general trend in the auto shows of companies putting more basic models on the floor that represent what customers actually buy, turns out I had only been in the basic trimmed, 4-cyl. models. I thought they felt cheap and hated them.

For 2 years I kind of made fun of the GC actually. A couple months ago I was helping a friend car shop, and noticed one on the used lot where he was shopping. On a whim, I decided to take it for a spin. It was a well-trimmed V6, and after driving it let's just say it served up a nice big piece of humble pie for me.

Let me ask you this: Have you driven a 3.8 Track? See what it's like if you haven't, preferably a 2011 rather than the 2010. It probably won't change your mind about owning one, as you are very opinionated on the matter. But it might help you see it's a solid and capable sports coupe. The naming is stupid, don't expect it be a track car. It's really like a touring model with a sport package rather than a stripped out track-ready special...that would be the R-Spec.

It's no threat to the Z's market position as it stands now, and I agree with you that for the most part they target two different demographics. The overlap is very little, even smaller when put in perspective with the tiny production numbers of both. Next generation, all bets are off. Hyundai has too broad of a target now with its coupe, it needs to focus on one area really. With the Veloster hitting the market soon, I wouldn't be surprised if in the future Hyundai positions the Genesis Coupe as a more serious sporting machine, letting the Veloster take over much of the market that the 2.0T may have served.

I am Korean and still hold Korean citizenship for my patriotism. I am very proud of Hyundai for its progress of auto industry, and I really want you to buy Gen coupe so that Hyundai can make some profit. However, I chose my Z for many reasons and am willing to buy another Z rather than Gen coupe. End of story.

FYI, Gen coupe F/L comes out September in Korea but I have no idea in North America market. You may want to do some research about that version due to its highly equipped options and 8 speed tranny.

But I will keep my Z :)

ive not made fun of the genesis coupe directly. i think it's a great compromise to something like a G35C/G37C for people that might be looking for something sporty but doesn't make economic sense for them. this is where my comments about the walmart shopper comes in. i wanted the G, i got the G. if i wanted a M3, i would get the M3, although that will take a considerable more chunk of change from my allowance but if i wanted it that bad i would get one.

that said, and my previous posts, i do not fit in hyundai's demographics and have not driven the genesis coupe because i am not interested in getting one, cause gen-coupes to me is nothing but a copy of the G35C and 350Z and putting some hyundai goodness into one which i dont care for. and that's okay because they weren't targeting folks like me. :)

i never even thought of buying a hyundai so from that point you and i are different demographics. as you said, there might be a slight over lap in demographics but to compare the genesis coupe to the 370Z to me is like comparing apples to oranges. since you compared the two that says to me you consider these two cars similar... thus reinforcing my smart-shopper remark. it wasnt to really to offend, i just stereotyped you as one more in a playful manner but you originally took it offensively i guess.

even my G35C is a completely different car to my 370Z and it's both made by the same people. why would i have both cars if they were similar, right? would be a waste of money. :)

i suppose a valid comparison would be a used G35C vs the gen-coupe. that would be a good comparison, i think as G35C's are already phased out. i just happen to have mine still cause i still luv the car and im the original owner. :p

Well Nissan dealers will do your basic services on the G37, have had my wifes G35 oil changed and a few other things done there for the reason you mentioned distance to dealership. Now for Warranty stuff you would have to take it to the Infiniti dealership.

I like the 135i series... the M really is just overkill IMO, though it is very nice looking, but 45 grand.. it's pretty high up there. A used G35 wouldn't likely even be half of that... now the G37 vs the 135i? For the price i'd have to go with the 135 or even a 3 series.

OP, have you considered the Nismo model as well or just the touring? I assume the ride isn't as good since it's a stiffer set-up, but it's a nice looking model.

The one thing that I like is that while I know there are a decent amount of 370's out there... there aren't A LOT ... at least where I live... I see the GC a lot more often. I don't think the GC is bad looking at all though... I see a blue one all the time that's local to me and it's a great looking color.

The Nismo obviously being more rare than any of the cars we are talking about... BUT keep in mind that the resale will be higher on a 370 if you ever do decide to sell it.

Anyone happen to know the difference in insurance rates for the two for the average drive? Not sure if that matters to the OP.

I don't... i'm 32 and my insurance is 70 or so a month ... it actually went down going from a 2010 Mazdaspeed 3 to the Z.

Go Z man. I feel you'll love it more. Plus all the meets the Z community offers.

At least the people here aren't asshats like the MS3 forum people... total losers.

Cause we roll that way.:tup:

You've done your homework and you sound well informed. So imho the choice
boils down to what you feel in your gut. I can only go by my experience.

IMHO again the 370 in it's class range has no equals. The cars are rare and you will stand out in a crowd,though thats not why i bought mine...

It's hard to explain but the 370 is to nissan what the corvette is to Chevrolet.
Tradition and History... In fact the vette is the only car i would trade my 370 in for.

Lol I'd take a 370Z any day, or even a 07-08 350Z Grand Touring 6MT loaded up. I've driven the Genesis coupe few months back. The Genesis Coupe wasn't very appealing to drive and simply lacked the wow factor. I've seen tons of Genesis where I live and most of them don't even sport the Hyundai badge and replaced it with the Genesis badge, almost as if they were ashamed of their purchase.

Plus where I live, there are tons of Genesis Coupes and hardly any 370Zs. If I am lucky, I may see 1 or 2 370Zs per week. Another benefit for getting the Z is you'll have a car not everyone and their mothers have.

You obviously seem to care about what car you would want to get since you even bothered posting on forums about the 2 cars. I mean it is your hard earned money. Go get something you can be proud of and stands out from the crowd. Otherwise, just go buy a lame family car that you can find a good deal on. If you still can't decide, then go test drive both cars again. And this is a Z forum so peoples' opinions will be biased.

You're right, you can safely drive a RWD car in the snow with correct tires and all. However, if that had been a factor for me I wouldn't have even considered the Z or the Hyundai. I've driven in snow a lot and I just can't see how the Z would be fun in those conditions. I guess driving in snow is not supposed to be fun but a low, powerful, RWD sports car will likely make the experience a little more unpleasant even with good studded winter tires.

What about an Evo or STi? Even the regular WRX is good fun and much cheaper. It's sort of hard to compare those to the Z and Genesis Coupe I know. Not that they're better or worse, just very different cars. Personally, I find the STi a bit ugly but the performance is there. The interior is pretty cheap looking in all of those choices though. I think the Evo comes in a trim without the giant boy-racer rear wing too if that's a concern. I agree, AWD is not a substitute for sensible winter driving, but it certainly doesn't hurt.

Ok..I have finally read through all of the posts and now will commence to comment.

I too was looking at the Gen Coupe in addition to the Z. I test drove the 3.8 GC Track, but found the fit and finish (as well as the general quality of the interior) to be somewhat disappointing. I also found the transmission to be somewhat notchy and in need of being pushed a bit harder before it was really fun. Yes, the cabin noise is somewhat quieter than the Z..but so what, it's a sports car. While you do get a lot for your money with the Gen Coupe and they have truly improved in leaps and bounds from the early 90's Excel fiasco, the transmission really worried me. Hyundai owners are finding it necessary to get them replaced with alarming regularity. This was enough to dissuade me from looking further.

In the end I preferred the styling, fit and finish of the Z. The transmission is strong and I have no concerns about whether it is reliable enough to make it 100k miles.

Good luck with your decision.:tup:

I would say buy the Z to help boost sales but... honestly, you seem to be a gencoupe man. Your sporting intentions are practically nill. As a matter of fact sport packages on either is a serious waste of cash. You can have a smoother ride that would be more compliant to your lack of an aggressive driving style. If I were you i'd look into the genesis coupe grand touring 3.8 or 2.0 premium if you really want to get a great bargain. If you want a little flash and class to your style try a certified G37 with premium package. I highly recommend test driving that car as well.
It just seems like after a few months of driving the Z and the kool factor has worn down some. You will look at how impractical a 2 seater would be compared to a gt. Remember. The Z has only 6.9cu ft of angled trunk. The gen gives you a 10cu ft box trunk and the rear seats so there's ample storage. Someone who isn't aggressive in his driving should truly consider practicality as part of the whole package
If you were a performance nut. I would say go with the Z. But you aren't so the Z is near pointless.

ClevelandCWRU , very good descriptive write up! Welcome to the forum.:tiphat:

:iagree:

it shows that you really put some thought into your question, and I certainly appreciate that. It's so much better than a number of the first posters that create a new thread and say such nonsense like:

"I think the Mustang is so much better than the Z in every way. Let the flaming begin."

:barf:

Your post was to the point, well organized and eloquent. :tup:

Welcome to the community. i hope you purchase a Z so you can continue to provide support for what I believe to be an awesome car.

:iagree:

Mustang vs 370 come on now that's a total different animal.

But a Hyundai,is aHyundai and always will be..They have come a long way.

But no one on here has mentioned so has the Z cars. I'm not a hater it just
sounds like something you might mow your grass with.

I think this is the first thread where someone was kenchan'd, and then kenchan'd him back. Followed by a string of kenchan's. This should be stickied!

OK, back on track: OP, I was somewhat in your shoes several years ago when I was ready to re-enter the sports car market after a truck phase. The 350Z had just come out, and I loved the styling and performance. But I still had 2 kids to tote around, so I bought an RX-8. If I were in that situation today, the Genesis Coupe would definitely be on my list.

I would argue that while similar in some ways (RWD, price, etc.) the Z is really a different animal simply because it is a true sports car. But there is nothing wrong with getting a sporty car instead. And is Hyundai's warranty still crazy long? That would get my attention.

As an aside, the most reliable car in my household is the 2005 Hyundai Elantra my son drives. Bought it from a friend and know the service record. Other than scheduled maintenance, it only has required plug wires. Komapseumnida!

Yea but its like at least $10,000 more...

:icon18: Now that's some funny stuff.

yah, i spent waaaay too much time on this tread. :D lol

especially your blue... they couldn't find a single one at my dealer when I was looking for Z's, the white was a very close second choice though so I was ok with it.

OP, one thing that has been mentioned by myself and others is what I consider a "special car" the Z is one of those, always has been and always will be. The Evo, is a special car, the STI, GTR, Corvette, special edition type mustangs (I don't consider all V8's to be that, but some may), the GT-R... etc etc. The thing is however that with some of these cars, there are still A LOT of them... the Z there isn't so much. I don't know what the numbers are, but you can ask certain dealers and they will tell you how many that are here. I remember my first Evo was an RS which is the stripped down model with crank windows and door locks. The sucky part is that I found out for my year there were only like 350 or so of these cars nationwide. It would have held it's value greatly.. but oh well.. I wanted something better than a 2 star side impact rating (which is why you saw no 2007 model)

Anyway, again if you think you might sell the car in a few years, you'll lose a lot less on the Z than on the GC.

Just wanted to add that... I feel comfortable in saying come on and join us!

OP...have you considered an RX-8? Slower then the Z and 3.8 GC, but still has all the nice creature comforts. The extra you will have to spend on gas for the Mazda will be more than made up for with the much cheaper price you can obtain one for compared to the other 2.

The Z is in a class of it's own and the RX-8 is a more tame version of the Z. Honestly I consider the 8 and Z together in a class of their own. Not much to compare them to in the same price range. I think it's been mentioned in a previous post, but the thing that would concern me with the GC is the alarmingly high number of folks that have had transmission problems. 100k warranty or not, that's something I would not want to be dealing with on a new car.

Get a TC. Sporty looking and drives okay, but nothing special.

The RX-8 has been one of the most disappointing cars that was made... the power output is absolutely pathetic for a supposed "sports car". It's such a shame too because it's such a great looking car IMO and with an excellent heritage. Why they took the power down, the turbo's out etc is beyond me. My friend had one and he took it to the track... he could never get it to run under 16 flat!! and the thing is, he's been to the track many many times and run great numbers in every car he's run. I had read somewhere they were supposed to run a 14.2 or 14.5? I don't know but his just wouldn't do it. The Mazdaspeed walks all over that RX-8... i've seen some new ideas that are supposed to be coming out with the next model RX... i'm interested to see what they will do to the car to get it back in competition with the rest of the sports car group.

Thanks you (and dad, hansoac and others!)! There's a reason for the way I'm approaching this purchase the way I am. I''m trained to seek factual information obtained through data and/or observation (hence engaging previous/current owners) as well as to recognize and account for bias. Without getting into too many details, I work in a heavily technical field and in my role its necessary to maintain as objective of a view of issues/problems as possible. I also do a fair bit of technical reading, occasional writing. That's the scientist part of me, the engineer part wants to know every @#$! detail..


In all honesty I actually know quite a bit more about either can than I initially let on. Believe me, I could fill up pages with observations of the minutia of each car that would bore even the enthusiasts here.

In other news, 370Z pulling ahead as my favored choice. Drove it again today, may just end up purchasing one off the lot if an agreeable figure can be reached. One dealer has a 370Z in the exact color, options I want, but it's a leftover previous model year. Not surprisingly, saying they don't sell well in rural Ohio would be an understatement. Most folks around here prefer (ok, demand) their sports cars be of the American variety. Anyway, it's brand new, no miles, not a demo, never titled and I'd definitely be open to buying it. While they have discounted the price, it isn't far off what I could buy a 2011 for with my corporate discount. It's not an inconsiderable amount, but it's not enticing enough to make buying it over a 2011 worth my while. I know they must really, REALLY want to move it by now so I think I can get a better price. Wish me luck!

No thank you. Scions are okay cars I suppose, but the TC doesn't fit what I'm looking for.

As for some of the other make/model suggestions...

Corvette: More $$$ than I wish to spend. In terms of MSRP's, even a stripped out Vette is more expensive than the well-equipped Z I'm considering.

RX-8: I have limited driving experience with them but what I is Chassis dynamics are great and handling is off the charts. Shifter is excellent too, which is a plus given the rowing required to to keep its torqueless engine in its narrow, high RPM powerband. I dropped the RX8 from the shopping list because I want this purchase to be an automatic and I don't care for its looks inside or out.

370Z NISMO: I'd prefer an automatic, plus its appearance is 2fast, 2furious for me.

G37: I mentioned before.

BMW 335i Coupe: BMW is the only "premium" brand that interests me. I came THIS close to buying one a year ago, but ultimately did not. I'd be willing to forgo the purchase budget for the 335. Truly the ultimate driving machine, it's simply a dream to drive. After putting one through its paces, all I can say is the dual character of the car is unmatched. It's as fast as the 370Z when you choose to really get on it and as docile as a 4cyl accord when you don't. It's a pretty much a civilized M3. What scared me away was the high pressure fuel pump issues. Yes the part was covered under a recall, but that doesn't do me much good if it leaves me stranded. Still, if BMW ever got the reliability issues sorted out once and for all on this model, it's the only car I'd be willing to jump out of the pre-set price bracket for.


Really though, my final two choices I've narrowed it all down to are the 370Z Touring with Sport Package & the Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track. I'm leaning more towards the Nissan currently, but not a done deal.

And I DO want the sport package (or "track" on the GC). Not only do I want the sharper handling, but the limited slip and upgraded brakes are must-haves in my eyes.