Potential Buyer With Questions/Concerns

TXSpeedDemon

I too briefly considered the Mustang GT. My ex girlfriend had one (think it was an 07) and for the first year I thought it was a pretty nice car. I still like the styling, but after a year there were numerous rattles in the car, and the interior paint on the stereo was already peeling off. The overall quality was just a little low. Plus, while it was fast stoplight to stoplight, on the highway (80mph+) it was slower than my Mazda.

The interior of the Z seemed to be a much higher quality, and the handling was much better. While I could take turns quickly in the Mustang it always FELT like it was at 9/10ths - about to start sliding. At the same speeds the Z feels like it's at 6/10ths. It's just much more confidence inspiring while you're driving on twisty roads. I will admit tires prob had a lot to do with this feeling since she had all seasons on the Mustang.

Space wise - we could only use the backseat of the mustang for the dog or small storage. Not really enough room for people back there comfortably, and the big hump in between the back seats prevented us from putting anything big back there without the seats flat. Also the trunk opening was small too so it was difficult to get big things in even with the rear seats flat. It will still hold more than the Z, but it will never be your first choice to haul anything around.

And the little things on the Mustang were tough. Like changing the lightbulb... should be a 5 minute job but it's so impossibly tight in there that it became a 45 minute job requiring careful manuvering needle nose pliers. While I haven't tried it on the Nissan yet, my experience with mazda and an old 300ZX tells me the Japanese just put a bit more thought into every aspect of the car.

RatedZ

I know what you mean about the Mustang not feeling as settled as the 370Z, and given the nature of the two, it doesn't surprise me. I don't see how they can even be considered competitors, especially due to the fact that it's an apples to oranges comparison. The only thing they share are similar acceleration times.

In defense of the Mustang and it's rattling issues, the 2010 model has been greatly improved; gone are the tons of cheap plastic bits. It really felt screwed together nicely.

What makes this the toughest is that I am a Muscle Car fan, through and through. Sure, my STi is an awesome car, but in the end, my Camaro is where my heart lies, despite being light-years behind the STi in all categories but a straight line.

My Camaro's giving me issues, and I need a car that's going to "substitute" when it's out of commission, which seems to be quite often; things happen at 204,000 miles. I wanted a car I could drive to shows, and in most cases, nobody's interested in looking at an import car but the "Jellybean owners (SRT-4 owners). Not to sound arrogant, but I prefer to talk to people on the same level of mentality as to a bunch of little wannabe thugs flashing off their neon-lit door panels. The "domestic crowd" are a bit older and more mature. The Mustang is a car I could proudly display amongst a different crowd.

Showing a car aside, I'm at a crossroads where I want a "muscular" car that does it all and also looks good. I'm looking for the best qualities of the STi mixed with the best qualities of the Camaro. That means that I'm looking for razor-sharp handling and quick acceleration, but it doesn't stop there. I need a car with an engine that screams without sounding like a lawnmower under water when under full throttle, and also has a kick in the *** that a 4 cylinder, turbocharged or otherwise, is simply not going to provide.

After driving the 370Z and giving it some thought, it just seems to me that the handling is there, the acceleration is certainly there, the "kick in the ***" feel is there, and the exhaust note is pleasant.

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1994 Chevrolet B4C Camaro
2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STi

DooDooBrown

Oh yes, I did forget to mention the front chin spoiler. It is very low, and will eventually get scrapped to hell! I wouldn't worry about a huge change in space from a 4 door to the Z. Like I said before, my Z is my daily driver, and I work as a firefighter in the DC area. I have to lug my gear, clothes, sleeping bag, helmet, etc... It all fits in the trunk, you just have to do some creative packing to get it all in. Other than that, I would highly recommend you go to Criswell Nissan in Germantown. They had me 500 below invoice. If nothing else, see what deal they can give you, and you can compare the two. As of a couple of months, they had a massive selection of Z's (11-15), and they weren't really moving that much. Another way I knocked hundreds off the sticker was going through the USAA car buying program. That pretty much knocked it a couple hundred under invoice, and Criswell will either be very close, or match the best price. An advantage to Hamilton is they do have free oil changes for life, but there are several restrictions (I am sure if I told them I had to put more oil in, they would void my free oil change thing). I find the Z is liked by several different crowds, too. Everyone likes it, because it isn't really seen that much around the area (exp. OUR area!). As far as I know, I am the only one that has a 370. How many people do you seen in West Virginia with Mustangs? To me personally, a mustang is a mustang, I see too many of them to even pay notice, unless it is an exceptionally RARE car that happens to catch my eye. Muscle cars are great, but for country backroads (I am sure that you could show me a few, and I got a couple of them that I hit up all the time), you need handling. I have yet to drive a mustang that handles exceptionally well. Thats just me though!

TXSpeedDemon

I know exactly what you mean. I'm in my mid thirties now and dropped out of the local scene a few years ago for the same reasons

Good luck with your purchase

RatedZ

How are you liking the 7AT? Do you find it to be a willing "dance partner" with "spirited" driving; the "reaction" of the transmission when using the paddles, smoothness of downshifts/upshifts, etc.?

Thanks!

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1994 Chevrolet B4C Camaro
2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STi

VCuomo

Yup, pretty much how you described it - I like being able to just have the car in D when I'm just running errands or the usual drive to work, and then being able to put it in M mode when I want to play. The tiptronic and paddleshifters respond quickly, and it's great to feel the car pulling hard then launching it to the next gear!

But - go for another test drive before you decide. Put both 6M and 7AT models through their paces, then get the one you like best.

RatedZ

What about when passing on the highway, such as with "2-gear downshifts?" In other words, if I leave the car in drive, and then mash the throttle, does it sluggishly "kick down" one gear, and then another, or is it pretty much a "7-5" downshift?

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1994 Chevrolet B4C Camaro
2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STi

kannibul

If you don't touch the paddle shifters and mash the throttle, it does hessitate a bit as it's trying to figure out if it needs to go to 5th, 4th or 3rd...the shift itself is pretty quick, but more or less it's like it decides on 4th, makes the move, then changes it's mind and goes to another gear. It's enough that you'll notice it, and change how you accellerate if you don't use the paddles or tip it to manual.

If you use the paddles, two bumps and a stomp does nicely (7=>5, 5=>4)

When it goes into 3rd it's only there for a little bit before it drops into 4th. I think the ECU is thinking "fastest accel possible" and forgets where the redline/manditory shiftpoint is...

In that respect, the auto, in auto-mode, is lacking, is on heavy accellleration and how it handles downshifting.

Using the paddles it's easy, as you know when you'll punch it, and once you get used to the ratios, you know where it'll be ideal - and it'll hold that gear...

And after you pass, just drive to maintain speed and it'll slip back into auto-mode again.



One thing I have noticed is that with the automatic in auto mode, it's fairly smooth. Using the paddles gives it a bit more kick. Have it in manual-mode, gives it a lot of kick.

Kind of cool - it's a manual transmission with different levels of "manual" to it.