Nissan 370Z Forum

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-   -   370Z as a daily driver? (http://www.the370z.com/nissan-370z-general-discussions/4650-370z-daily-driver.html)

Caesium 05-18-2009 12:26 AM
370Z as a daily driver?
 
Hi all, I'm new here.

I've been considering a new car since I just got a new job and the Z has really caught my eye. I intend for my new car to be my daily driver except for maybe during the winter, since I'm in Canada and I frequently need to drive on snow covered roads.

So my main question is... how would the Z be as a daily driver? I commute about 100km (there and back) to work five days a week, highway and city driving (70%/30% respectively).

The other car I'm considering is an Evo X, but right now I don't really know which to choose from.

Sardis 05-18-2009 12:30 AM
I just drove a 370 Z for the first time today, I did however put 120,000 miles in about 4 years on my 350. I hated that car, because it was so fun to drive, I could never stop!!

I vow to own a daily driver next time I own a sports car, so I can keep it in perfect condition and track it without worrying about the constant maintenance associated with driving the car so much.

I found the 370 more civilized, refined, and easier to live with the 350. Aside from the issues of space, the car was meant to be driven. I say go for it:driving:

ZYUL8R 05-18-2009 12:39 AM
I drove the crap outta my 350z for 120k miles...loved every bit. The 370z is a MUCH nicer drive than the outgoing 350z...im daily drivin my Z...absolutely lovin it. The 370z will be a excellent daily driver.

Sardis 05-18-2009 01:01 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZYUL8R (Post 74355)
I drove the crap outta my 350z for 120k miles...loved every bit. The 370z is a MUCH nicer drive than the outgoing 350z...im daily drivin my Z...absolutely lovin it. The 370z will be a excellent daily driver.

I totally agree with this. So nice not having the bouncy OEM suspension. 370z feels very European in its ride now. This car was meant to be driven and is a huge improvement over the 350 in this regard

Forrest 05-18-2009 02:41 AM
Dont know about you guys but my oem 370z suspension feels very bumpy and soft compared to my 05 350z. It could be my imagination. ITs been a full year from z to z. so my memory may be wrong.

I feel it has less body roll but more bumpy on bumps. While the 05 had more body roll but less bumpyness

NotmyGTR 05-18-2009 10:17 AM
Hands down
 
No question. Hands down an easy daily driver. Sports car look, attributes....but done effortlessly. Drive mine every damn day on crappy Texas roads...............and couldnt be happier. Unless I was in my R-33. Go for it. Only up side of Evo is 4wd in my opinion. But Im a Nissan guy, and always will be.

SiXK 05-18-2009 12:11 PM
I drive 60 Miles a day round trip, got no clue what that is in kilometers. I had a 05 350Z and the 370Z is a great improvement for daily driving. From interior quality to ride quality its a great improvement.

Caesium 05-18-2009 01:39 PM
Sounds like the 370Z might be for me. Unfortunately it looks like people in Canada have had difficulty ordering because Nissan is apparently discontinuing the coupe to do roadster production. I wasn't going to order right away either, because I need to save up a little for a down payment, and the orders are taking 2-3 months to come in anyways... damn :(

Maybe I'll have to wait for the 2010 Z, because by the time I get the car it will be winter, if I can get a 2009 model at all.

VCuomo 05-18-2009 03:30 PM
Why wouldn't one use it as a daily driver? I'm not sure why you're asking the question...

Caesium 05-18-2009 06:21 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by VCuomo (Post 74601)
Why wouldn't one use it as a daily driver? I'm not sure why you're asking the question...
Due diligence. I've never owned a car like the Z and I like to do my homework before I make any kind of purchase. Some cars are for work, some cars are for play. The Z looks like a play car from the outside looking in, so I'm here asking the people who actually drive them.

europeankar 10-09-2010 05:44 PM
Is Z a good daily driver?
 
Hey folks,

I went for a test drive the other day and I pretty much decided I will go for a 370Z 7AT fully loaded, except 18" wheels. I know in states We get 19" :confused: I only know the brakes are 4 pistons in front and 2 at rear. No clue how big are the disc brakes.

1.Do you get paranoid by the Z for work, grocery, shopping, commute, etc
2.Do you find the wind noise annoying from your trunk area?
3.Do you find your steering wheel a bit too heavy for a stock car?
4.Do you find the blind spot very dangerous?
5.Is the 370Z's trunk space practical?
6.Did you ever wanted rear seats and more space. Or should have bought a G37?:icon17:

I already have a 997 so these are some of the concerns. Because Z will be my daily driver and I want it to be more comfortable then driving my 997 stick as a daily.


Thanks!

m4a1mustang 10-09-2010 05:48 PM
The Z served me fine as a daily driver.

A 7AT with the 18" wheels should be a fairly comfortable driver. The Z has a lot of road noise (there is literally no sound deadening material installed in the car) so if that bothers you you could have some dynamat installed in the hatch and cockpit to dampen some noise. But otherwise it's a fairly well rounded car that will work for you on a daily basis as long as you don't need it to carry large items. :)

ImportConvert 10-09-2010 05:57 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by europeankar (Post 758710)
Hey folks,

I went for a test drive the other day and I pretty much decided I will go for a 370Z 7AT fully loaded, except 18" wheels. I know in states We get 19" :confused: I only know the brakes are 4 pistons in front and 2 at rear. No clue how big are the disc brakes.

1.Do you get paranoid by the Z for work, grocery, shopping, commute, etc
I wouldn't, it's the same price as most other cars. Anything under the 40K mark is a DD in my book.
2.Do you find the wind noise annoying from your trunk area?
On my test drives up to 100+, I never heard wind noise, however, the car does throw a bit of sand in the fender-well. In the rain it would probably "hiss". Not a problem if you are used to sports cars, if not, it might bug you.
3.Do you find your steering wheel a bit too heavy for a stock car?
No. Felt fine.
4.Do you find the blind spot very dangerous?
The 'vert has horrid blind spots, the coupe isn't too bad, but it is still not as nice as I would like as far as visibility. You could learn to overcome it though, it's not a deal-breaker.
5.Is the 370Z's trunk space practical?
Depends. You want groceries, or you want lumber?
6.Did you ever wanted rear seats and more space. Or should have bought a G37?:icon17:
I had a Trans Am. Every now and then I wished I had real back-seats, but not enough to have wanted a different car. My next car will be a dedicated 2-seater. It depends, is this your only, or not? How often are you the driver when your friends and you go places? You hang out in small, or larger groups?

I already have a 997 so these are some of the concerns. Because Z will be my daily driver and I want it to be more comfortable then driving my 997 stick as a daily.

If you DD a 997, I wouldn't worry about DD'ing a 370Z from a door-ding/hate crime standpoint.

I have heard that the paint on a Z is more fragile than about anything else, though.


Thanks!
My take after DD'ing a pony-car and driving a few Z's on test-drives, comparing things, take it with a grain of salt as I have not owned a Z, but I did drive 2 or 3 and have friends with them. Again though, just my .02 and I feel a bit out of place offering it without owning one. SOmeone else will give you a better view, but then I am not emotionally attatched to the Z either, so it offers a different perspective.

ProfessorDave 10-09-2010 06:05 PM
I think I need a frame of reference. For a 2 seater sports car, the Z is very capable as a daily driver. However, the road noise is loud (fixed that with an after market exhaust!), and the blind spots require those stick on convex mirrors (for me, anyway). The steering is a bit heavy compared to lighter cars (with less HP). But it is quite comfortable on secondary roads and highways.

doubleG370Z 10-09-2010 06:21 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by m4a1mustang (Post 758715)
The Z served me fine as a daily driver.

A 7AT with the 18" wheels should be a fairly comfortable driver. The Z has a lot of road noise (there is literally no sound deadening material installed in the car) so if that bothers you you could have some dynamat installed in the hatch and cockpit to dampen some noise. But otherwise it's a fairly well rounded car that will work for you on a daily basis as long as you don't need it to carry large items. :)
I changed my stock tires & sprayed the rear wheel well with rubberized undercoating, this reduced the road & debris noise by more than 60-70%...big difference now, so much quieter.

sonic370 10-09-2010 07:21 PM
It's my DD and have no problems..... Depending on my mood it does get old answering the same questions, how do you like your z,is that a z,how fast have you been in it,love the color,love the rims.............but i can deal with that..............

TreeSemdyZee 10-09-2010 09:02 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by doubleG370Z (Post 758731)
I changed my stock tires & sprayed the rear wheel well with rubberized undercoating, this reduced the road & debris noise by more than 60-70%...big difference now, so much quieter.
What rubberized undercoating did you get. Is it spray can?

antman22 10-09-2010 09:12 PM
1.Do you get paranoid by the Z for work, grocery, shopping, commute, etc
No, its always bloody fun. If you're concerned that people are getting too close to you, that's what 7500rpm is for. They will move, trust me.
2.Do you find the wind noise annoying from your trunk area?
What noise?
3.Do you find your steering wheel a bit too heavy for a stock car?
Nope
4.Do you find the blind spot very dangerous?
Push the side mirrors out wide, you have no issue on the road. The only concern for me is when I back out of parking spots. Nice and slow and pray people aren't barreling down the lane.
5.Is the 370Z's trunk space practical?
If you're concerned about practical, then you shouldn't be looking at a sports car. I can fit my golf clubs or my large suitcase, so its good enough for me.
6.Did you ever wanted rear seats and more space. Or should have bought a G37?
If I wanted those things, I would have bought a sedan. I think its a matter of figuring out what you want, then finding the car that fills that gap. If space and practicality is top priority, its time to find something else.

autopc25 10-10-2010 12:02 AM
Fun car for daily driver. Blind spot can be an issue. Not a real problem in traffic with mirrors adjusted. Backing out of a parking space can take a leap of faith.

IS2000 10-10-2010 12:16 AM
I'm daily driving my Z in Bangkok, which has one of the worst traffic congestion and road surfaces. It's quite fine here, except the blind spot can be a little bit annoying since we have a lot of motorcyclists weaving through the traffic. We also have a 997, and I think the Porsche is more comfortable as a DD though.

Cjanik 10-10-2010 12:18 AM
1.Do you get paranoid by the Z for work, grocery, shopping, commute, etc
No, Just paranoid about car dings, I park farther away than normal.

2.Do you find the wind noise annoying from your trunk area?
No, not annoying.

3.Do you find your steering wheel a bit too heavy for a stock car?
I LOVE the way the steering is, i feel that I can control my car.

4.Do you find the blind spot very dangerous?
honestly, i don't feel there's a big blind spot. You get used to the car and learn where to aim your mirrors and where to look to see most of your blind spot.

5.Is the 370Z's trunk space practical?
Eh, ive had issues a couple times.

6.Did you ever wanted rear seats and more space. Or should have bought a G37?:
Sometimes I do wish I got a four door. Only because I have a son thats 8 months old.

europeankar 10-10-2010 12:57 AM
Thank you all, very helpful replies. I don't know! I think I just want something new.:yum: I am quite sick of the P cars I have been through. There are only 30 370Z in Taiwan. If I get it. It's very rare and unique. My biggest concern is the back seats and the trunk space. My 997 is already not very handy in many ways. I have no clue why I went to Nissan dealer to check out the Z. I guess it attracts me.:happydance: I also went to test drive an Audi A4 2.0TQ with dual clutch. I know it's a sedan. It also drives pretty good to me. The reason I am all over the place is because of the price range is very similar. I know Z might be not as comfort than the 997 but the price and the looks attracts me. Audi, oh well. Quiet, nice interior, nice options, plenty of space and it's a sedan. :confused::confused:

europeankar 10-10-2010 12:58 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by IS2000 (Post 759058)
I
we also have a lot of motorcycles around, i don't know! Z must be very pricey in bkk.

Chan Chee Hoe 10-10-2010 01:06 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by europeankar (Post 759077)
we also have a lot of motorcycles around, i don't know! Z must be very pricey in bkk.
Cheaper than S'pore.!

IS2000 10-10-2010 08:48 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by europeankar (Post 759077)
we also have a lot of motorcycles around, i don't know! Z must be very pricey in bkk.
The Z here costs US$140K for a fully loaded JDM car. The Thai spec w/o a sport package costs $170K! There's a 328% tariff on import cars with over 220hp :thumbsdown:

doubleG370Z 10-10-2010 12:58 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by TreeSemdyZee (Post 758880)
What rubberized undercoating did you get. Is it spray can?
undercoating was a spray can, comes in rubberized or non-rubberized...used rubberized type b/c it's alittle thicker & better soundproofing properties than one's indicated for wheel wells...beside soundproofing helps protect wheel wells area from all that road debris.

in future, planning to spray inside trunk area to help reduce further noise, that squeaking noise from styrofoam inserts around spare tire is annoying.

cab83_750 10-10-2010 01:44 PM
Too bad you're not local. I'll trade your 997 for my Z. :)


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