370z vs ft86/fr-s/brz
 

I'm sure this question had been beaten to death, but can't seem to find the search function on this forum.

I am looking for a dual use daily driver/track car and kind of settling between these 2 for a new car (or s2000 or e36 m3 when including used). I track semi-regularly, would consider myself an intermediate driver, and plan on tracking regularly with my next car. I don't really want to have a second track car, and so plan on having a dual use car for the next few years.

I currently drive a g35 sedan and am not really pleased with how it drive at the track. It is fun enough and really taught me how to manage weight shift, but I drove an s2000, and the sheer tossability makes it so much easier and more exhilarating and less nerve-wracking to drive at the track. It's hard to explain, but when I get oversteer or power over in the g35, it feels super unsteady like the rear is going to get away from me at any second, whereas in the s2000 it feels like a go-kart and I can manage it confidently with steering and throttle input. So I was looking at the brz for the tossability and the lightweight dynamics, but then I see them at the track and they are basically a glorified miata. I don't know if I could live with the 200hp, with no real throttle steer or throttle over, and I think it would really bug me for daily driving. I was wondering if anyone had any input on how the 370z drives at the track, compared to like a brs/brz or s2000.

Also another miscellaneous question, does anyone know the smallest diameter wheel that will fit around the sports caliper and rotor?

You can't go wrong with the S2000 or 370z for the track, but S2000 is way worse as a daily driver

If I didn't fall in love with the Z32 as a child making me such a Z fanboy, I'd be driving an S2000. I love everything about that car, but at the end of the day, it's just too small and underpowered for my liking. I haven't driven the FR-S, but no matter how balanced that car is, 200 hp is for kids.

370z makes a dual use car. get the sport package. people usually track with 18'' wheels.

the fr-s is just too slow. i probably put down 2x the HP to the wheels as a stock fr-s. i'd go sk2 over it, so the fr-s would rank last for me.

^this. I own both the S2000 and a 370z. If I had to give one up it'd be the S2000. There is no way I could daily my S2000. It's too tight and not enough creature comforts. IMO the S out handles the Z where as the Z out accelerates the S.

since you live in ca and have access to canyon driving, and since it appears you need everyday utility, i think a honda fit would fit your needs perfectly. :icon17: :ugh:

Z would be best overall, but for tossability and handling, s2000 for sure. frs/brz if you want a new ride. i think you will appreciate the Z more after driving the other cars.

Mine's a dual use daily/track car once a month. I love this car on the track albeit it is a big heavy car in comparison to an s2000/frs. FRS is like you said a glorified Miata. S2000 is its own thing and the people that track them generally love them.

Hard to compare because I only know the 370, but once you learn this car you will love it at the track. It is a finesse car though and isn't going to be as forgiving on bad lines and overshoots-you will probably go off the track a lot more in this car while you are learning its braking and weight etc.

That being said, I think it has a lot more track potential than a stock FRS or S2000 once you figure out how to drive it. The guys I track with that are much more skilled than I am put in really fast times with stock 370+boltons. Make no mistake the 370 is a very fast track car-but it has a higher learning curve than an FRS.

I test drove the BRZ and FR-S, a Camaro 2SS, S2k, and a Z4M before getting my Z.

The BRZ and FR-S, as well as the S2k, are very "tossable" at slow speeds, if I was an autocross guy, thats what id go for, but im more of a track guy, so the low power was just not livable.

The Camaro was very powerful, but handled like ***, had worse blind spots than a Z, and had WAY too much plastic inside for the money.

I had a REALLY hard time not liking the Z4M coupe, it was powerful, small, well appointed, but it was an 07 so I had a hard time justifying that much money on a car that old, and the maintenance costs are insane.

I went with the Z because it had the right balance of nimbleness, power, reliability (compared to 'murican and de german cars) and build quality, and im very happy with my decision.

At the track the s2000 is a competitor. The BRZ is not.

wat is the BRZ at the track, mr. tam?

IMO, from what Ive seen, equal drivers, the s2000 will get RAPED by a 370 on a track. I like the s2000, love it actually buts its not in the same league as the 370 at this point, nor should it be. Dont get me started on the frs/86 car. I have pages of rants about that on the 350z forum. I HATE that BRZ. Most overrated POS on the planet!! My main point of contention is i priced them out, test drove two, they wanted $29K OTD for a BRZ. It handles....well its fun to handle. put it this way stock handling SUCKS!! Because its fun to handle does not mean it handles well. Fun is not fast either, that being its completely gutless in any gear at any RPM. My sisters Honda Odyssey will show its taillights to this limp wrist. If it were 20, 21K OTD, be a different story. Needless to say i picked up a 2013 Z for a couple grand more. Z will EAT that BRZ on ANY track at any time.

I've never driven it, but multiple automotive magazines would beg to differ.

Yes it has in many different ways. In the end it all boils down to the fact that a miata has better doors.
;)

Honesty the Z is a sports car that made some compromises to keep costs down from being a out of the box track car. Those compromises will cost you money (a few grand) to make it a worry free track day ready car.

With suspension and aero, the s2k is a beast on the track, probably faster than the 370z unless it's a long track with a lot of straights. however, it's not as much fun for DD since it has nothing down low. The car doesn't have any power until you hit the high RPMs.

Disclosure: I do not own nor have I driven a s2k, this info is from my friend who tracks often and has one. Since he has also tracked an STI, Evo, c6 z06 and an open wheel race car, I believe what he says.

I test drove the FRS prior to the 370z. The FRS handles well but has no power and the interior sucks. If price is an issue, just buy a used 370z for the same price as a new FRS plus you won't have to worry about the initial depreciation.

I agree with most other posters, the frs/brz is last unless you plan to boost it. Driving balance and all that is great, but slow is slow and it runs on like prius tires...

Small track = FRS/BRZ

Larger track = Z/S2K or another car

Tracked my Z at a small track and over powered cars means squat at a small track. ;)

I'm planning on getting an S2K as well.

I just don't know how to justify having 2 summer cars + I'm going to have to be a primary driver for insurance if I get another car.

Is the difference in driving feel worth the extra expense?

Nissan 370z is an overpriced niche car, don't be dumb like me and get into this car wait untill they release their brz fighter in 2015.

Everything is overpriced. The BRZ is just SO ridiculously overpriced its obnoxious.

Im pretty sure, failrly sure, very sure, that with equal drivers, same day, same track, the 370 will dust any FRS/BRZ in time attack-stock for stock. Im not a nut hugging Z fan to think its the end all of all cars. its not. Its **** in some areas. Im talking OTD price of BRZ is Z territory. Two different classes of performance. Much like a 370 against a c6. Failrly sure the Z gets its *** handed to it on any track at any...etc.

i think so, especially if you have canyons in your area you can take to every weekend. :)

or just wait for wat honda churns out on their next gen S1500 coming out like 2016 or something.

Just to add one thing: If you want daily driving fun, the s2k might be more fun since you can run it harder and still be fine on the street. You can't push the Z very hard and have a lot of fun with it with street-legal driving or having it bite you in the worst way possible.

Another way of saying it: You can probably drive the s2k at 7/ or 8/10ths far more often than you can the Z.

That said, I have a Z, but an s2k was and is a close second if I had to downgrade the budget. (For perspective, I also have a beater DD...)

I'm sure you said this between the lines, but I'd agree with the one exception being a new or poor driver where the Z can get out from under him while the BRZ/FRS stock likely isn't going to be so easy to spin; basically just a lack of power keeping it safer.

the frs/brz engine has an issue with injector seal and also blowing engine with high revs... I have a friend blew engine TWICE, something about a bad tune while shifting at high rpms...

Truer words have never been spoken.

Ever drive one? Im not exaggerating that you easily step out at 20 to 25 mph. Theres a lot of preamble before she does but spinning that car is comically easy. Swap ends real quick.

on a side note, FRS is MUCH easier to drive than a Z. The Z has bit me a few times playing around. Then again I suck. That being said, doing what i did in the Z, the FRS would not bite me like that. For me its all about performance. What the car is capable of. right now the car is far more capable than myself. Couple weeks going to Sebring with a friend who has a modded Zo6 (thing is a beast, runs 2:20's).

Just for future reference....

http://www.the370z.com/attachment.ph...5&d=1382036639

My brother owns a s2k and I drive it all the time along with my 370z. With s2k, you can toss the car around and manhandle it with ease. It's quite forgiving. 370z has a very aggressiveness to it. It's not as forgiving as s2k and has very little room for error. 370z is no doubt faster than s2k in track, but I kinda feel more comfortable in a s2k because its a very fun car to drive while 370z is all serious

haha, thanks, i feel like an idiot. I'll say it's because it's in a different place than the g35 forum.

This is kind of my worry. I am not really too concerned about track times (or i would be looking at sti/evo). I am more concerned about improving my skills as a driver and having fun driving. I feel like currently, the g35 really holds me back in terms of managing rotation because I am too scared to let it rotate at all because it feels so unstable. I really like the s2000, and would probably go for an ap2 if they still made new ones, but mostly don't want to get it because they are getting old and they are relatively expensive for how old they are.

The s2k is pretty frustrating to daily drive though, with the lack of torque compared to the g35, so pretty sure i'd be unhappy with the brz as well. And the lack of hp/torque makes it harder to throttle steer and power over, but it is so well balanced you can rotate easier with breaking or slight lifting, like a go-kart.

basically, want something like an s2k, but new. The 370z has more hp but is more boat like, the frs-brz is ever so slightly lighter but no power. Just wanted some input on how boat-like the 370z, is it at least better than the g35/350z?

Get an RX8 because they also look pretty in my rear view mirror... :stirthepot:

s1500 is going the wrong direction. If I wanted something like that I would just get a miata.

As I track more, don't really have fun driving around canyons. You really can't push your car on the canyon roads. I too once was one of those young noobs who thought you could, but it isn't anything close.

Ehh, I don't do anything crazy/stupid on the streets. You just really can't get to 7/10ths on public roads without being flagrantly unsafe. But even still, the s2000 is just so much more of a joy to drive than the g35. Maybe the steering input is more precise, maybe because it is just more nimble and responds quicker, maybe just because the seat is low and the driving ergonomics are better. But on the other hand, it is more frustrating to daily drive when you have no power.