So many Head Turns and Thumbs Up....but WHY?
 

I was driving with my friend over to the movies today (Hangover, great flick) and had a guy in a 350Z oogling my car as he drove past in the other direction. On the way back home, a driver of a massive greyhound bus honked incessantly at a stop light and it took me about 6 honks to figure out he wanted my attention...all to give me a thumbs up.

I looked over at my buddy who had an incredulous look on his face. He asked "why do all these people flock to this car and feel the need to give you a thumbs up???" I didn't have an answer. I could see a Ferrari Enzo next to me on the street which I would greatly appreciate seeing but certainly not feel the need to honk and wave at.

So, you guys tell me. What is it about the 370Z that gets people so giddy? The only other time I had a car that did this was my yellow LandRover Defender 90 laden with Hella lights.

Cant tell ya
 

Dont know what to say. I get that alot here in South TX as well. I just chalk it up to a new sports car on the street......and plenty of late teen to mid 20 y/o's on there way to South Padre to star in the next Girls Gone Wild video having a good time.

Maybe they're just giving you the thumbs up to congratulate you on not being in limp mode. :stirthepot: ;)

Yeah. Could be more of a question like 'still running?...everything ok???'

^^LOL!

It's because the 370 just looks bad*** lol!

I was pretty confused at the attention it gets too... I figured most people would just confuse it with the 350 and think no big deal.... the first stoplight I hit driving off the dealer lot I got my first compliment from a kid and his mom. A week later I had lost track of how many compliments, waves, and thumbs up I had received.

Same thing I've noticed too.. tons of people just staring and going crazy to talk to me about the Z..

I was at a fast food restaurant for lunch and noticed a guy pulled his car next to me mine and got out and just walked around my car staring at it and waited over 15 minutes until I came out (I guess he thought the owner was bound to walk out SOMETIME) and we talked a while.

Makes me wonder if people do this to higher end/expensive cars too? Or if people just look at a Ferrari and go "Oh, nice car, douchebag owner" and just go on their merry way.

Ferraris, Porsches and similar high-end cars are too "obvious" for the people to congratulate with the owner, I guess.
A Z is one original and unexpected car, it catches more attention. I'm not saying a red Ferrari doesn't catch the attention while cruising, but an unknown sports car is something to take a look for. Above all, people who already knows it congratulates with the owner because he's driving the car that represents the alternative, not the old-same-thing.
That's what I think about.

Yeah it seems people just feel more comfortable walking up to owner of a Z or equal (if any! J/k) because the person would be less likely to be an ***hole. Thus the friendly waves and compliments! Either way it nice of them! Enjoy it while it last fellas!;)

The reason why this car gets more attention then a Ferrari is that it's an affordable sports car. Just about anyone who saves their pennies and does some creative financing can attain. That's why all the questions and inquiries :tup:

ive had a number of occasions where people will literally extend their hand over their dash and point at my 370 and i can read their lips "OMG THATS THE 370!!"

I get it a lot too.. who knows.. I kinda like the attention though

:iagree: The exotics are unattainable for the masses. The Z is seen as something that could be attained, and therefore in many cases lusted after by the masses........ including many who could afford it but for practicality reasons (two seater) don't.

John

I'm on vacation in San Juan Puerto Rico. I just saw a red 370 parked by the beach and took a picture with it. Looks like I've found another reason for the oogling!

My car doesn't get nearly as much attention as my 350Z [knock on wood]. I did notice quite a bit of stares earlier today, but that's it. It's hard to tell what sort of attention I get when my lights come on at night lol.

Every day its thumbs up, rubber necking, etc. The odd "hey that's the new 370Z" which I think is cool. In the olden days when I had my 280ZX no one really even knew what it was. Its nice to see the Z back on top again.

Today I was driving around and this kid on a skate board was crossing the street and yells out "sweet car dude" then just about gets run down at the next cross walk by some guy who was merging off the highway and starts honking at the kid ON THE CROSSWALK. So naturally I had to yell at the driver in defense of my new fan ;P

Also had a 350Z convertable pull up slow down change lanes and basically do a few 360 degree viewings of the 370Z as we were driving down the highway. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I think the 350Z is a nice car but the curves and lines on the 370Z just blow my mind. Man I love this car!

You are showing the world that you have courage without fear.
The Z is a discresionary item. You are living your life to its fullest with that kind of purchase and Mortals feed off that kind of energy. Its uplifting. They want to be of part of it.

Guys, I don't mean to fart on anyone's cake, but aren't we getting a little carried away? You know, people who bought the VW New Beetle got the same type of attention when it first came out, as did people who bought the Mini Cooper. Don't get me wrong, the attention is cool if you're into being noticed. But it's nothing unique to the Z is all I'm saying. Once the novelty wears off, so too will the attention, just like it did for the Beetle and Mini Cooper. And the same people who go ga-ga over the Z may well be the same yahoos who went gaga over the New Beetle, so I wouldn't get my ego get too boosted by this.

A fellow Roverphile!! I have 2, a lifted and heavily modded Disco2 and a 95 Range LWB. We both know why a Defender gets attention! Amazing what $$ they can still get on the market 12 years after the last model was imported!

Oh how I loved that car! I put 30k miles on it in 4 years and sold it for what I originally paid. Darn thing started having problems at 60k miles and I didn't have the money then to keep up with it. Wish I still had it now though.

Defender owners would thumbs up each other going 75mph on the highway in opposite directions!

Semtex, 'don't want to fart on your cake'...love it. I plan to use that one in the future.

Its something new, shiny, attractive (to some) and potentially obtainable by most anyone. Of course its going to get attention.

In case anyone is wondering where that 'fart on your cake' expression came from, see CakeFarts - Know what I like the most?

WARNING: **NSFW**

+1 I got alot of that too when I had bought my Eclipse. I guess people hadn't seen one before and it got alot of attention as it was the first run of the 4th gen models.

And we all know how much those ones ended up sucking :) :roflpuke2:

I was getting attention with my MR2 even after I had it for 6 years. I don't think the Z will have the same effect for so long. The MR2 really did look like a tiny Ferrari.

yup. i agree with you 100%.

Ha ha yea i notice this as well... I was driving by this lambo the other day near where I live and the guy was pointing over at my car and i could see him mouthing to his GF/ wife/whatever - oh wow look how crazy that looks LOL

hmm...I guess in car-culture central socal there is too much competition. No one cares about the 370 here, no heads turned, no thumbs up, nada. Think I got the attention of one 16yo asian kid walking down the street - thats about it haha

From an outside perspective; the 350Z has always been a very respectable car; heck I use to want one. The reason I didn't go for one is because IMO, it wasn't as hardcore of a track car when compared to cars like the S2000 (which is my current vehicle).

IMO the 370Z is a creation that was designed to give redemption to the "Fairlady" name by creating a more hardcore package that out of the box, is more nimble, but still offers the power that the Fairlady line is known for. The 370Z is so well designed that people who know very little about cars still know that this is a car to be reckoned with. Again, this is just my personal reason for loving the 370Z so much and if I saw one on the streets, I would give a thumbs up.

Just my two cents.

-Hunter

That reminds me, in Baltimore I found I dont get NEARLY as much attention as when I drove it back to my hometown in Buffalo, which is a VERY middle-class area. Not that Im starving for attention, but I can sure tell when people are just driving around, and when people are suddenly craning their necks all over the place. I was a little surprised I guess.

This is very true. Maybe it's because if you divert your attention in Baltimore you may get shot.

Touche.

Try driving a Solid Red 370Z down Waikiki during the middle of the day. On our Anniversary my wife and I "acted" as tourist downtown, getting valet parking off the main strip when a mini-mob of real tourist came out of no-where.

One girl asked how much money do I make. Looking over at my wife, because I knew she was pissed, I answered..."Not much, I'm in the Army".



Semtex, do you visit importatlanta's RLD? lol

Heh...I had a car full of Asians take photos of my 370 in a parking structure, giving me the thumbs up afterwards. It was pretty funny to see a car full of guys all taking shots of the car with their iPhones. It was pretty gratifying since my friend was parked right next to me with his new Porsche Cayman S, with they didn't give a second glance at.

Then again, maybe that means I'm a ricer... :eek:

What's RLD?

Nevermind, I figured you found the cakefarts on IA's Red Light District.

:icon18::icon18:

-Hunter

Very soon it'll fill the street like 350Z did. So no worries.

Personally, the Z looks exotic, but isn't "as" exotic as the way too rare Ferrari or Porsche or (you name it)

It looks like an updated Porsche Cayman, to me.

Ah its all just fun. I bought the Z for a lot of reasons and people checking my car out wasn't one of them. Although many may disagree I don't need a pen1s extension ;P