I just had my first test drive in a 370Z

A-Train · 09-08-2012, 11:50 AM

True dat. I've got a base model 7AT 2011. Test drove a manual, and coming from the silky smooth manual on my Bimmer, the Nissan wasn't nearly as good. The automatic, however, is way quicker off the line and with the paddle shifters I can still enjoy the thrill of shifting through the twisties. The two things that I will never regret are going with the automatic and the Solid Red A54 color. I get around five compliments a day when I drive my car. It makes Dudes jelly and chicks wet.

One caveat, though. If you're looking for a quiet car with uber luxury features and soft steering and practicality, then steer clear of the Z. Buy a Toyota Camry or Lexus instead.

wilsonp · 09-08-2012, 05:45 PM

I would say definitely a Cayman S over the 370Z (possibly my next car). Top Gear liked the BMW over the 370Z but I would only get it if you wanted a hard top convertible (interesting to me, but I'm not that into front engine cars). My personal issue with both is no local dealers (45 minutes away) and I was tired of taking the NSX to the Acura dealer.

I think I'd also miss some of the 370Z technology in the other cars (I have Touring sport with 7AT).

If you get an older Cayman S PDK, try to get one with the paddles, the earlier/cheaper shift buttons not as nice.

MacCool · 09-08-2012, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilsonp

Top Gear liked the BMW over the 370Z but I would only get it if you wanted a hard top convertible (interesting to me, but I'm not that into front engine cars)

Are you talking about this episode?

Arabian Drift | We Love Cars, Do You? - Top Gear - BMW Z4 vs. Nissan 370Z

If so, you might have drawn the wrong conclusion.

OldGuy · 09-08-2012, 08:21 PM

I bought my '09 base new 2.5 years ago and love it. Reduced the cabin noise by repolacing stock tires with Continental Extreme Pro DWS. My 7 sp auto tranny is great and I'm pleased I got it. Get a ClearBra. Value in these cars will depreciate a good bit.
Nissan dealership service has been excellent for me---I've owned several. Haven't really needed it with the Z, as my car has been trouble free in three years. Many are.
Test drive the car a bit more before you decide.

GTMat · 09-10-2012, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huck

Also, check out the audio section of this forum where you can get a free sample of GTmat, and get a great deal on more when you want to buy it. It has DRAMATICALLY reduced the level of noise in my car.

What he said ^^

Check out some reviews here: FREE! GTMat Automotive Sound Deadener

dmhenderson · 09-10-2012, 01:38 PM

It has taken me 3 years and 2 370zs to really master the cluch work on this car. It has a hair trigger and you have to know when to feather and ease off. Stomping pedals doesn't work with the 370 for sure.

hellmen · 09-11-2012, 08:11 AM

Thanks for all the input, I'm still looking at a purchase in the spring, but I'm more and more geared towards the convertible now.

I was wondering what the service scheme looks like, how often and what costs are involved. Are there any problems with the roof? Any maintenance costs the coupe doesn't have?

DIGItonium · 09-11-2012, 08:17 AM

All cars need maintenance of some sort. When you're under warranty, try to resolve whatever issues arise.

Oh, and if you think this car is fun wait until you get bit by the mod bug.

2theextreme · 09-11-2012, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DIGItonium

All cars need maintenance of some sort. When you're under warranty, try to resolve whatever issues arise.

Oh, and if you think this car is fun wait until you get bit by the mod bug.

What is this "mod bug" you speak of? I have never heard of it.

UNKNOWN_370 · 09-11-2012, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilsonp

I would say definitely a Cayman S over the 370Z (possibly my next car). Top Gear liked the BMW over the 370Z but I would only get it if you wanted a hard top convertible (interesting to me, but I'm not that into front engine cars). My personal issue with both is no local dealers (45 minutes away) and I was tired of taking the NSX to the Acura dealer.

I think I'd also miss some of the 370Z technology in the other cars (I have Touring sport with 7AT).

If you get an older Cayman S PDK, try to get one with the paddles, the earlier/cheaper shift buttons not as nice.

Top Gear loves the kia rio over the 370z...

DIGItonium · 09-12-2012, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2theextreme

What is this "mod bug" you speak of?

OP check out his photo album. He has a fairly mild case of this mod bug. Oh and I have one , too!

hellmen · 09-13-2012, 02:41 PM

I don't even have one yet and I'm already looking at what you can modify and improve he he.

Mt Tam I am · 09-13-2012, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellmen

I've wanted one ever since I saw a 350Z next to me in Miami. The looks are fantastic, the 370z really stands out. I booked a test drive at home (in sweden) and drove a black 2012 version for about 20 mins. It was hard to do it justice because of all the traffic.

Manual gearbox - seemed clunky. I didn't like it much. I've read reviews claiming the automatic does the engine more justice, does it?

Noise. My god. Ok, I've never owned a performance car before so what do I know, but jesus it's loud. Swedish roads are not in great shape, but the road noise was very much an issue. I'm not sure I could cope with this car alone, I'd need an A-to-B carrier for transportation and shopping or lose my hearing after 500 miles.

I also connected my iPhone via bluetooth and called a friend to check that function. I heard him fine but he said I came through horribly. Sounded like talking out of a tin can. Unfortunate since I was hoping for a good hands-free integration. Maybe it was just that one time.

But, driving-wise, hair on fire bad-*** fun which is what I came hoping for. I'm in the market for a fun and impractical sports car to thrill me for 1-2 years. No kids, no wife, not even a dog. It's readily available at good prices in Germany thanks to the cheap euro, much less than similar cars from porsche and BMW.

If you had the choice between a used Porsche Cayman S, BMW Z4 35is, 335i convertible or M3 convertible or a spanking new 370z which would you go for?

I've emailed the sales guy to get an idea of what the cost of ownership is, service intervals and so on. Any major snags to expect? As a brand, Nissan is pretty reliable isn't it? Much like Honda.

Anyway, I appreciate any input. I wouldn't want to pass up a great car based on it being loud.

Also, I'm not sure what it's like in the US, but in sweden cars like this tend to lose value quite quickly. The market for them is not great to begin with and people tend to stick with the well-known models and brands. In the segment, I think the 370z is a bit of an outsider. I've yet to see one on the roads here at least, but I've seen three GT-Rs so far.

Except for the guy who has never heard of an AT guy wanting a MT later, all the input was good.

MT not as nice as a BMW's buttery smooth clutch.

Noise gets tiring on a long trip. I disliked it so much I bought a better exhaust and tires that made the entire car more enjoyable.

The Blue tooth works so well people do not know I'm mobile, until I start bringing up the revs. By 6,00rpms it is hard to hear and everybody now knows I'm mobile.

If you live in Sweeden get the heated seats. The convertible can too.

Good luck.

SailFree · 09-13-2012, 06:25 PM

Howdy! Lizbet Salander might like the Z, but she'd probably add a supercharger and other go-fast stuff.

Seriously:

1) I have 2012 Sport/Touring 7AT and find it perfect for my driving, commuting to work in city traffic, and yet can switch to manual mode if I feel like it on occasion.
2) Performance on the OE tires on dry and wet roads is fine--haven't yet run into snow, and won't see much here in Virginia. If I lived in Sweden, I'd go for a set of snow tires.
3) Tires are relatively expensive compared to passenger car tires.
4) My prior auto was an Infiniti, relatively quiet, and the road noise was briefly annoying, but I've grown used to it and it hasn't made my ears ring any worse than they always do. Too many howitzers in Vietnam.
5) Bluetooth works well 90% of the time, but wife says occasional problem. I don't know why. No streaming audio feature, but I doubt I would ever use it anyway.
6) Essentially same engine in my Infiniti, though earlier version and less horsepower, but it ran perfectly with no maintenance for 8 years--and then I had to replace a throttle motor. $400 American.
7) Infinitis (basically same manufacturer, engine, etc.) have a good rep for low maintenance and good trade-in value. The 370Z seems less so, but whether due to the car or the drivers or the use is not clear to me.
8) I had a friend with the roadster, and it actually seemed LESS noisy to me, perhaps because the coupe directs the noise from the rear tires right into the driver's seat.
9) I suppose if I had plenty of money lying around, I might have gotten the GT-R, but then I would expect the maintenance to be a lot more expensive, not to mention the sadness of having no roads upon which to get anywhere near full potential. The Z acceleration, top speed, and handling are very good and to a greater degree usable compared to the GT-R. Wish I lived where there's an Autobahn or Autostrada. Though I think they set limits in Italy a while back, since I drove there. On good tires and a good surface, the Z will come very close to a 1G lateral acceleration, not significantly worse than the GT-R. Now if they just made an AWD Z!
10) Irrelevant to this, but have a friend who owns a GT-R--as well as a Lamborghini Gallardo and several other megabuck cars--and he prefers the GT-R to all the other much more expensive vehicles. Nissan and the auto/computer wizards have created an amazing vehicle for the price.

hellmen · 09-14-2012, 04:49 PM

Would you say the car is good to go straight from the dealers or is there stuff that needs adding or fixing to make it "right"? I ask because there seems to be many people with overheating issues and oil cooling. Maybe that's just for people who drive on racing circuits? Seems like the 370z was built for that on the other hand. Can I pick up a 2012 and just drive it normally without any mods or tuning and expect a good experience or is there a list of points to fix that Nissan overlooked in you opinion(s)?

09-08-2012, 05:45 PM	#32 (permalink)
wilsonp A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,134 Drives: 2009 Touring Sp Nav Rep Power: 16	I would say definitely a Cayman S over the 370Z (possibly my next car). Top Gear liked the BMW over the 370Z but I would only get it if you wanted a hard top convertible (interesting to me, but I'm not that into front engine cars). My personal issue with both is no local dealers (45 minutes away) and I was tired of taking the NSX to the Acura dealer. I think I'd also miss some of the 370Z technology in the other cars (I have Touring sport with 7AT). If you get an older Cayman S PDK, try to get one with the paddles, the earlier/cheaper shift buttons not as nice. __________________ 2014 Cayman S PDK Sport Chrono White/Black Was 2009 370Z Touring Sport+Nav 7AT Metallic Black/Persimmon Was 1991 NSX Auto Black/Black

09-10-2012, 01:38 PM	#36 (permalink)
dmhenderson A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 5,930 Drives: AWD TT 370z Rep Power: 26	It has taken me 3 years and 2 370zs to really master the cluch work on this car. It has a hair trigger and you have to know when to feather and ease off. Stomping pedals doesn't work with the 370 for sure. __________________

09-11-2012, 08:17 AM	#38 (permalink)
DIGItonium A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Kansas Posts: 3,800 Drives: 09 Z34-TT 6MT Rep Power: 42	All cars need maintenance of some sort. When you're under warranty, try to resolve whatever issues arise. Oh, and if you think this car is fun wait until you get bit by the mod bug. __________________

09-13-2012, 06:25 PM	#44 (permalink)
SailFree Base Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Yorktown, VA Posts: 173 Drives: 12 370Z GM 7ATS NavS Rep Power: 13	Z Plane, Z Plane...Z Noise, Z Noise... Howdy! Lizbet Salander might like the Z, but she'd probably add a supercharger and other go-fast stuff. Seriously: 1) I have 2012 Sport/Touring 7AT and find it perfect for my driving, commuting to work in city traffic, and yet can switch to manual mode if I feel like it on occasion. 2) Performance on the OE tires on dry and wet roads is fine--haven't yet run into snow, and won't see much here in Virginia. If I lived in Sweden, I'd go for a set of snow tires. 3) Tires are relatively expensive compared to passenger car tires. 4) My prior auto was an Infiniti, relatively quiet, and the road noise was briefly annoying, but I've grown used to it and it hasn't made my ears ring any worse than they always do. Too many howitzers in Vietnam. 5) Bluetooth works well 90% of the time, but wife says occasional problem. I don't know why. No streaming audio feature, but I doubt I would ever use it anyway. 6) Essentially same engine in my Infiniti, though earlier version and less horsepower, but it ran perfectly with no maintenance for 8 years--and then I had to replace a throttle motor. $400 American. 7) Infinitis (basically same manufacturer, engine, etc.) have a good rep for low maintenance and good trade-in value. The 370Z seems less so, but whether due to the car or the drivers or the use is not clear to me. 8) I had a friend with the roadster, and it actually seemed LESS noisy to me, perhaps because the coupe directs the noise from the rear tires right into the driver's seat. 9) I suppose if I had plenty of money lying around, I might have gotten the GT-R, but then I would expect the maintenance to be a lot more expensive, not to mention the sadness of having no roads upon which to get anywhere near full potential. The Z acceleration, top speed, and handling are very good and to a greater degree usable compared to the GT-R. Wish I lived where there's an Autobahn or Autostrada. Though I think they set limits in Italy a while back, since I drove there. On good tires and a good surface, the Z will come very close to a 1G lateral acceleration, not significantly worse than the GT-R. Now if they just made an AWD Z! 10) Irrelevant to this, but have a friend who owns a GT-R--as well as a Lamborghini Gallardo and several other megabuck cars--and he prefers the GT-R to all the other much more expensive vehicles. Nissan and the auto/computer wizards have created an amazing vehicle for the price. Last edited by SailFree; 09-13-2012 at 06:37 PM. Reason: New thoughts.

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09-08-2012, 11:50 AM	#31 (permalink)
A-Train Base Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Seattle Posts: 41 Drives: 2011 370Zed Rep Power: 13	True dat. I've got a base model 7AT 2011. Test drove a manual, and coming from the silky smooth manual on my Bimmer, the Nissan wasn't nearly as good. The automatic, however, is way quicker off the line and with the paddle shifters I can still enjoy the thrill of shifting through the twisties. The two things that I will never regret are going with the automatic and the Solid Red A54 color. I get around five compliments a day when I drive my car. It makes Dudes jelly and chicks wet. One caveat, though. If you're looking for a quiet car with uber luxury features and soft steering and practicality, then steer clear of the Z. Buy a Toyota Camry or Lexus instead.

09-08-2012, 08:21 PM	#34 (permalink)
OldGuy Base Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Greensburg PA Posts: 899 Drives: '09370Z Red Base A7 Rep Power: 16	I bought my '09 base new 2.5 years ago and love it. Reduced the cabin noise by repolacing stock tires with Continental Extreme Pro DWS. My 7 sp auto tranny is great and I'm pleased I got it. Get a ClearBra. Value in these cars will depreciate a good bit. Nissan dealership service has been excellent for me---I've owned several. Haven't really needed it with the Z, as my car has been trouble free in three years. Many are. Test drive the car a bit more before you decide.

09-11-2012, 08:11 AM	#37 (permalink)
hellmen Base Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Sweden Posts: 5 Drives: nothing Rep Power: 12	Thanks for all the input, I'm still looking at a purchase in the spring, but I'm more and more geared towards the convertible now. I was wondering what the service scheme looks like, how often and what costs are involved. Are there any problems with the roof? Any maintenance costs the coupe doesn't have?

09-13-2012, 02:41 PM	#42 (permalink)
hellmen Base Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Sweden Posts: 5 Drives: nothing Rep Power: 12	I don't even have one yet and I'm already looking at what you can modify and improve he he.

09-14-2012, 04:49 PM	#45 (permalink)
hellmen Base Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Sweden Posts: 5 Drives: nothing Rep Power: 12	Would you say the car is good to go straight from the dealers or is there stuff that needs adding or fixing to make it "right"? I ask because there seems to be many people with overheating issues and oil cooling. Maybe that's just for people who drive on racing circuits? Seems like the 370z was built for that on the other hand. Can I pick up a 2012 and just drive it normally without any mods or tuning and expect a good experience or is there a list of points to fix that Nissan overlooked in you opinion(s)?