Chubbs, you crazy

http://www.guitar.com/uploaded/profi..._Celebrity.jpg

First off let me say I owned a 2007 350Z for 2 years and my 370Z for about 4 months now...so I think my rebuff of your "observations" holds more weight than your brief encounter.

Tell your son his "cycle helmets" are to prevent the blue-tinted glass from reflecting the light which can prevent the dials from being read during the day. And just to let you know even my 350Z had the 'cycle helmet' guages. If yours didn't then you must of just bought the base package.


That's pure :bs: . Having had both the 350Z looked and handled like an idea...but the 370Z looks like the idea came true but fully refined in looks and handling. I have had the 370Z at about a dozen shows so far and it has received more compliments than my 350Z ever did doing 2 years of shows.


I have driven the 370Z into clover leafs at 70 MPH and held the curves without drift or roll. So again you must have bought just the base model 350Z as teh 370 Z Touring + Sport blows away the 350Z in regards to stability and handling.

I'm sorry but I would agree with you if you were even the slightest bit correct in your assessment but I'm sorry, your assessment just wasn't quite good enough....:gtfo2:

Were you driving with both hands? The reason why I ask is because when I first purchased my 370z I thought the car felt very unstable. I always drove my cars with one hand on the wheel but when you sit in the 370 that can not be done. As soon as I started driving with both hands the car felt well planted. When ever I drive aggressively the hands are at 10 and 2.

I traded in a 2006 350Z on my 370. I understand where you are coming from. It took me a while to adjust to the different feel of the car..... and there is definitely a different feel. I also thought the car felt a little "floaty" at first, and was not happy with the body roll. Now that I have owned my 370 for 5 months, I think the initial "floaty" feel was just a little more "compliant but planted" ride. I tried to drive it like the 350 at first, and it took me a little while to adapt/adjust to the 370........ now I feel it is very easy to drive quickly/at speed with confidence. I think if you spent a little more time in one Chubbs, you might agree with this assessment. I will add though, that I have decided that I need aftermarket sways. I want to dial out that little bit of body roll, that in the factory delivered form is just a little too much for me. I think the car will be perfect (for me as a daily driver) when I add the Stillen sway bars and 15mm spacers.

John

Buy a Cayman S. You won't regret it.

That's because the E55 weighs 4000 pounds.

so this high speed problem of 120+mph will stop you from buying completely....

plan to drive at those speeds everyday???

Between my 350 and my 370, I can feel a difference, but I have chocked it up to the fact my 70 has all the handling control BS and the 50 is a base, not even traction control.

Interesting post Chubbs, thanks for sharing your experience. Having owned a 05 350Z for 4 years and a 370Z for 7 months I have to say my opinion is quite different. I like the suspension in the 370Z, but its a subjective thing. It is my opinion that the 370Z blows my 05 350Z out of the water in terms of performance, looks and interior quality. I will admit that handling above 120MPH wasn't a huge factor for me, but it was interesting to hear your take on it. Hope you find a car you are happy with or just keep the 350Z, its a great car. To each his own, we all have our favorite Z's, mine is the 300ZXTT with the 370Z a close second.

I track mine, and when I drove the 370z NISMO, it was softer, didn't handle as good to me.

As I track my car all the time and an Instructor at one track, I get to drive many cars. I haven't driven the 370z on the track yet, but I have mine many many times. When I drove the 370z NISMO I can tell right away how good of handling the car is without needing to take it to the track or for a extended test drive as I have experience on what to look for. The 350Z NISMO (at least) handles better than the 370z NISMO. I can't comment on the regular 350z vs 370z, but I do know the 370z is much softer than the 350z was and that's hurting it.

zomg!! My Z handles better than the space shuttle!!! True story!!


Might as well lock this thread now. It isn't going to end well in my humble opinion.

I enjoyed the honesty however, I can tell that you have little to no track/driving school experience based on some of the comments concerning handling and how it felt at speeds over 100mph. If you do, good and as you gain experience you'll look back and laugh at your own comments.

However, you were honest so I'll tip my hat to that! The important thing is that you end up with whatever car makes you happy because in the end that's all that really counts.

the 350z has harder suspension then the 370z due to the fact that it needs it.
the 370z's chassis is much stiffer in all aspects and thus for the street you can soften the suspension up quite a bit.

put some stiffer springs on it and you'll feel the difference from 350z to 370z.

also the european models of japanese cars get softer suspenion than the usa and japanese.
japan has great quality smooth roads. the USA and UK do not.

I hope there is no such thing as different factory suspension setups for national versions for a car with such relatively low production volume.
Anyway, if so, I hope Nissan is aware that cruising at >130mph for extended times is absolutely normal on German Autobahns - traffic permitting...
I haven´t had the opportunity to go highspeed during my test drive but I loved the way the Z performed on the winding rural road we took.
Would be highly disappointed to find out about poor highspeed handling once I get my own car...

You have to have some good suspension mods on your 350z to make this statement. And that would be apples to oranges comparison as the 370z is totally stock.

Full coils and aftermarket sways and lighter rims on your 350z should make it feel much more stable and controled than a bonestock 370z suspension. I cant see anyone driving both the 350z and 370z, both being stock, and coming away saying the 350z is better so yours has to be modded. If that is the case you should logically figure that into your experience before you decide the 370z isnt worth it based on your perception of its handling.

To be fair, Chubbs' findings during his test drive, particularly the less than optimal ride at speed, would not be the first unfavorable review from across the pond. In EVO magazine's 'Battle of the Sixes' feature in Issue 131, the 370z's high speed ride is written up as "...the suspension felt jittery at the rear, slightly aloof at the front. It never crashed, but the damping couldn't quite keep up. It would deal with one bump but would still be settling itself when the next one hit... the 370z can't keep up with the work-rate this road demands, the steering losing feel, the whole chassis becoming a touch vague and woolly." (Issue 131, 1st column, p.65). They dug the Synchro Rev Control, and then sum the 370z up with "...the Nissan is emphatically not Japanese, though, more... Australian... a great car to spend time with, real fun and a step on from the 350z- a bit more focus, a little less gearlever shake. It's more practical than the Cayman, too, and far more imaginative inside and out." (3rd column, p.65). So maybe it IS something with UK-spec 370z's, but if that's the case, then Chubbs' opinion can be no more discounted than anyone else who has had experience with the Z. So, to the dude who completely wrote off Chubb's experience and so cleverly told him to 'gtfo' with that adorable little emoticon, please realize that your experience isn't the be-all and end-all. Chubbs has been a member on this forum for a long time and isn't the type of poster to start s**t for the heck of it. Relax and remember that everyone's entitled to their opinion even if (and perhaps ESPECIALLY) it doesn't completely jive with yours.

S.

:iagree: Chubbs is a good dude, and would never incite a riot...... well, maybe a small one :icon17: Seriously, I took his post as a request for "what gives guys? I really wasn't expecting this impression", not an open bashing of our beloved Z. I still stand by my earlier post, that driving the 370, if you own a 350, can be a very different experience, as the two cars, IMO, are a different "feel" on the road.

John

Mine's not modded in the suspension area.

i can comment the 370z is "softer" than the 350z. I pesonaly dont like it but its not a deal breaker for me. I still dont understand how the 370z has less body roll yet is "softer" but i feel it is.

I dont think any Z34 is "soft" really, regardless of model. Compared to my G, this thing handles like a Kart racer. And this "body roll" you all speak of, isnt prevalent at all.

G = Luxury Car, Z = Sports Car. Of course there is a big difference.

My G35 had a Tein coilover suspension with an EDFC unit. At its stiffest setting, my 370 still feels more responsive, with less over/understeer. Weight might be playing a factor, but 0 chance a 350 handles better. Nissan designed this car with track use in mind, thats why the wheel base was shortened, weight dropped, stickier tires applied, SRM used, and suspension IMPROVED, yes, improved, not downgraded. With the Z34, Nissan wanted to move forward. Worse handling than previous generations would be taking a step back dont you think? It might not "feel" like it handles better, but from a scientific standpoint, and proven faster lap times, it does. And lets not get into the "well the 370 has 332hp", on an auto x track, neither car will reach speeds where 30bhp makes a difference, and with 2 ft/lbs more, not a factor. Performance wise, the 370 is an all around better car. PERIOD.

LOL. A G35 is not a 350Z or a 370Z. Period. You can not compare the two cars. I had a G35, and went to a 350z NISMO. The 350Z and the NISMO handled way better than my G35 did just because it's a shorter wheel base, and it's designed to handle better.

Nissan is trying to get a different crowd this time. They want to keep the ride nice for daily driving, but also usable on the track. And that is what they did. It did cause the handling to not be as good in responsiveness, but you have to give or take sometimes. Nissan did this on the power plant from the Z32 to the Z33. They went backwards as the 350z was slower than the 300zx TT.

And truthfully, I haven't seen any TRACK times published where both cars were on the track in the same conditions to compare. So you can't say one had faster times vs the other till this happens.

Performance wise on the track, the 370z IMHO doesn't FEEL to be better because it is less stable at higher speeds vs the 350z.

That's because they never take the shipping spacers out of the coilovers on the NISMO 370Z.


....or so I've been told! :D

Mine were left in, and so were a few others that got them. LOL. BTW, they do not have coilovers. They have Springs and struts.

yours is a nismo though.. i think he is talking about a base or touring.

Funny thing is I've seen at least 3 or 4 comments on the spacers being left in. One guy went to complain and was told that they are supposed to be removed at the dock facilities when they get in-country, not at the dealer. Don't know if that's true or not.

Yea. I know the car has a sticker on the windshield that says remove before delivering with a picture of the spring. LOL

I simply don't understand how this can be if the 370z has a higher skidpad rating than the 350z??? Isn't that the ultimate test of handling ability? Yes, it's not occurring at 120 mph, but I don't see why things would be any different just cause you're going "a bit" faster. :)

I mean, a .97g figure on the skidpad at 69mph! That's quite impressive (from Edmunds):

"There's more than enough tire on the ground, as the 370 circles the skid pad at 0.97g in a steady drift that can be adjusted with the throttle. The shorter wheelbase promises better agility through the slalom, and the 69-mph run confirms it. Basically the 2009 Nissan 370Z fills out the performance envelope of last year's 2008 Nissan 350Z Nismo, but without the Nismo car's wound-up character."

The rest of the article is here: 2009 Nissan 370Z Full Test and Video on Inside Line

If I'm wrong on the value of the skidpad test, please correct me.

I think we all have to respect this guys opinion...but in MY opinion (coming from an 04 enthusiast) the handling of my 370 sport is greatly improved. NOT like night and day or DRASTICALLY improved but def more solid, stable, and flat. More of an evolution rather then a revolution. EVERY review by independent mags agree on this point, over in the 350 forums even they agree handling is the largest reason for 'upgrading' (along with interior). I think this guys review is biased as all hell but hey thats what an online forum is all about!

One of those guys, doesn't like syncho-rev because it takes away from the "skill of driving", doesn't like Clarkson because he is edgy and provokative..... It doesn't matter that the 370 has recieved raving reviews from several different automotive presses located throughout the world, what every single one did was forget to do high speed testing. Its a sports car, and I have no idea where you are saying it has poor high speed handling, however, considering I have yet to see anyone else but YOU raise that concern, I am not going to take it very seriously. I stopped reading there, got only knows what you wrote on the GT-R....:gtfo2:

Skipad G = Tires, MPH = suspension.

The NISMO 350Z had a higher mph than the NISMO 370z in all the tests. Which means it's the car that can go faster through the slalom without issues. It handles better.

But 350z vs 370z, that I can not answer.

Due to little weight savings, shorter wheel base is mainly why it handles a little better, the suspension is softer however.

how would a base+sport 370 do, compared to the Nismo 350z. We all know the Nismo 370z is not really the performance car everyone was expecting..added weight and too stiff suspension

The NISMO 350Z skidpads at .91 to .96 and slaloms at 69 to 71 MPH (Edmunds and R&T). The 370Z skidpads at slightly higher (.97 to .99) and slaloms from 70 to almost 72. Esentially handling is virtually a tie. The NISMO 370Z fall way off to the point where I'm convinced there is sabatoge going on!

:D

Where are the 70+ mph ones for the 370z in the skidpad? I have yet to see those.

Edit. Nevermind found it myself.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=143666

Impressive.

Uhhh...no we don't...

Wow!!! OP here. Bit of a hornet's nest here. I'm still moving house, so I haven't been online for a few days and it's been very interesting to read the responses and reactions.

I am truly sorry if I upset anyone here with one particular part of my review. Really - I truly did not want to annoy you, I was just reporting what I found.

It is quite possible that the UK suspension set-up is different from the USA set-up. I seem to remember that the 350Z's were set differently, so my experience may not be the same as yours. However, I WAS comparing similar UK cars (350 & 370) and the difference was quite clear to me. Naming no names, but someone who knows A LOT about these cars (with respect, quite probably more than most people here) agrees with me, although I was unaware of this before I made my judgement.

Having been a moderator on a UK 350z site for several years I know how passionate we all are about our cars and the last thing I want to do is upset anyone, but please don't think that I'm naiive or rash or indeed wrong (!) - I'm none of those things. I'm just not prepared to say something's OK when I don't think it is.

I went into the test drive really wanting to love the 370z - and I DID love many many aspects of it, but (to sort of answer one of nogoodname's points) high speed driving is of interest to me and every time I reached a highish speed I had to back off, to the point where I only felt comfortable cruising at a speed about 20/30mph below where I'm normally comfortable. For some people this would not be an issue, for me it is. An easy fix would be for me to change the suspension - and if I get a 370z, which I may well do in a few months time, I will prioritise changing the suspension over replacing the badges (that's how important it is).

There are so many points I would like to answer, but the one that sticks in my mind is the question about my thoughts on the GTR - to answer your query, I absolutely LOVED it to bits. The handling is sublime, along with everything else about the car, except for one thing - service & maintenance costs - they are ridiculous and make it too expensive for me. The dealer recommends that buyers commit themselves to a service savings plan that is the equivalent of about $250 per month just to cover the cost of the six-monthly services for the first 3 years. A set of brake pads & dics costs the equivalent of more than $8,000!! I can't justify that kind of expense, but I really do love the car. It's an amazing piece of machinery.

Thank you to all those people who understand that I'm not trying to trash the 370z and who respected my right to review what I found. .....And to the people who were just plain rude and insulting - I love you :tiphat:


ps - I don't dislike Clarkson because he's 'edgy and provocative', I hate him because he's a to$$er - and having tried it I still don't like the synchro rev match, I prefer to drive without it - so shoot me.

what's a To$$er?

:icon18::icon18::icon18:

It's english slang for someone who masturbates on a regular basis, whilst looking at pictures of themselves.