Potential Buyer With Questions/Concerns
 

Hi, this is my first post here, so just wanna say "hello" to everyone.

I'm shopping for a new sporty/sports car and it's come down to either a 370Z or a Mustang GT with the Track Pack; both manual transmissions.

I've been doing some research on 370Zs and I've read about some overheating issues during track use. Now, I don't plan on tracking my car, so this really isn't too much of a concern for me, but what is a concern is whether I'm going to be able to drive one like a sports car without running into issues; bombing around on back roads, hanging corners, blasting from corner to corner, etc. Just to clarify, it's doubtful that I'm going to be going full-throttle down twisty back roads, but I certainly want to "get on it." Am I going to need to worry about overheating?

Also, can anyone give me some pros and cons of the 370Z; what types of mechanical issues or quality issues that you've experienced, dealer treatment, any issues with warranties being honored, etc.?

Any help would be awesome. Thanks!

My advice to you is to scan this site thoroughly because every question you have asked is discussed and answered with fine detail.There is alot of excellent information on here as well as advice.
Good luck and hope you make the right decision that suits your needs.

:iagree:
you can get an oil cooler problem solved
or if you don't mind buying ester oil from nissan that works to

and for the comparsion to me personally
its a easy pick hands down with the Z

I've had mine for a little over a month. I have driven the car very agressively in South Florida (with 90 degree temps). Oil temp has never gone over 220 degrees. Limp mode resulting from overheating does not occur until you reach 280 degrees.

Nissan wins easily in quality and reliability. Considering that you have a camaro and sti I am surprised you're asking this question. The handling in turns of camaro will be similar to mustang and sti would be closer to Z. Z would definitely excel in the hills of WV. Warranty shouldn't be an issue with Nissan since you're not tracking it but I doubt you will actually have to use warranty.

Well you said you wanted to hit the twisties and that rules out the mustang =). I mean you have to get out at every corner, jack the car up, point it in the new direction, let it down, get back in, and get moving again. Who wants to do that?

All kidding aside I'm sure you'd be happy with either but you're asking a very biased crowd. I've had my 370 for 8 months now, put 12,000 miles on her and loved every one of them. Well except the one where some bastard hit my window with a rock. The car does not over heat even with "spirited" driving. If you plan on trying to track it just get an oil cooler. As for cons really the biggest con IMO is the blind spots, but I haven't been inside a new mustang to compare.

-William

I got out and drove a 370Z Touring Edition today. It had the 7AT transmission. While I love shifting my own gears, there are times when I'm just not "feeling it." Now, I'm kicking around the idea of the 7AT because I can use the paddles or just drive.

Without getting into a debate about "manual vs. automatic," is the auto as quick as the manual?

Back to the driving experience. Even though I plan on a Sport model, the Touring was a very enjoyable car to drive.

The 370Z is amazing. I got the opportunity to get down on the hammer, and also tour some back roads. I love the tight, direct handling, and IMO the transmission responds well with use of the paddles.

FWIW, the Mustang is not on my radar screen any longer. I still love it, and still think it's an awesome car, but the 370Z just makes more of a connection with me.

Without the debate all the numbers I've seen posted on this site, or anywhere else put the AT numbers as good or better than the manual. That being said I chose manual for the fun of driving.

-William

All of my tests show that AT is faster but manual is more fun and if you don't get a lot of traffic in your area I recommend it. On the other hand if you have found manual annoying in past, it's probably better to stick to AT.

If I had to choose between sport and touring, I would get sport. I didn't have to choose so I got both :)

Well, if the AT is faster, that's what I'll get. :) While I do love driving manual, there are just some days when I'm feeling a bit lazy. My wife and I bought her a 2009 Audi A3 2.0T Quattro back in January/February that has the DSG, and it's fun enough with the paddles. I think I can live with it.

Good luck and post up some pics when you get it. :pics:

-William

Tampabay Florida owner ( sport automatic) with 2500 miles. 90 plus degrees every day. I drive it every day with occasional stomp on the gas at toll booths and on ramps and have never seen temps go over 210. If you keep the car rev'd up at 4 to 5k rpms like the guy in the video on here, yes your oil temp is going to rise.

I don't think it is an issue if you are not tracking your car.

Definitely buy this car, not the Mustang ( damn those cars are so dated)

The 370Z w/7AT has achieved a 13.16 1/4 mile stock at the track and at least one review (Car and Driver, I think) has matched that. I haven't seen any stock mustang touch that.

Nissan Ester oil does nothing for the overheating "issue". The issue is ONLY of concern if you track the car. Autocross is fine - roadcoarse you need a cooler. All other driving there have been very few who have been able to get it to limp mode. Regardless if you do track the car its a simple fix with an oil cooler which is a great idea for ANY performance car.

Hey man,
I just recently purchased my 370Z, I live in Ranson, WV, and I have to say that I am happy with the car. Something that you have to remember is that a lot of people on this form either rag on their cars an insane amount, or they absoultly freak out over the smallest things. I have known of 370's going to Summit Point for Friday At The Track, and I have yet to hear of any problems. I too tear up some of the back roads around the area, and I have to say in the Z, it is one of the most rewarding feelings I can get. As far as overheating, I have yet to experance the temps reach above 260*. The manual says that it will go into an engine protect mode at 280*. I wouldn't worry about it. I think honestly, it is an issue that has gotten a lot of hype, some warrented, some of it not. I tear up back roads on a weekly basis, and have never had a problem.
I would watch out for oil consumption. This is something that I have noticed/caught early on. My Z had a little over 2500 miles on it, and I was already adding a quart of oil to it. I have done some research, and am not really that worried about it (dont see any oil spots, and I know the car has oil), I am writing it off as a break in period. The Z is my daily driver, and it is a very comfortable car.
I purchased my car from Hamilton Nissan in Hagerstown, MD. The guys there are decent, however, I am begininng to have questions about their customer service. I called to inquire upon the oil consumption issue, left 3 messages, and never heard anything back. That to me has no excuse. I had to call two seperate Nissan Dealerships (who linked me right to a mechanic) in order to get an answer. The best deals around, in my personal opionion, can be found at Criswell Nissan, in Germantown, MD. They had Hamilton beat by nearly 1500, but I just had to have the Platinum Graphite. Other than that, I would say test drive both, and see which one you prefer. Hope this helps!

My first stop this morning was Hamilton. They didn't have any on the lot, but they said they were having one trucked in for someone picking it up from Morgantown. I asked when they had a few coming in because I'd like to take one out, and the reply I got was, "just come in tomorrow and see how you like it. You can't drive it because it's someone else's car, but come check it out." They didn't seem the least bit interested in my business.

I was a bit chuffed, but I figured I was halfway to Frederick, so I stopped at Frederick Nissan (?). I was promptly greeted, and within about a minute of being in there, I was offered a test drive. I didn't even have to ask. The salesman (Dave) was courteous, professional, and did not try to hard-sell me. I let him know I was cross-shopping other vehicles and he still did not pressure me to make a decision. Frederick Nissan will be getting my business.

Thanks for the info on the oil consumption issue you're having. I'm sure that prior to purchase, I'll probably do a bit of lurking around here to learn a little bit more about the car. Everybody's been real cool here.

BTW, if you see a blue/gold STi with the plate, "RATEDZ1," or a really loud Aqua-Metallic 1994 Camaro with the plate, "RATEDZ," throw me a wave. :cool:

I also cross shopped the Mustang before I bought my 370Z about three months ago, and this was pretty much my reaction as well. The 370Z just felt like it was more of a technologically advanced sports car. The Mustang is also bigger, and to me it felt like a much bigger car.

I came from driving an '02 WRX. I will say that the 370Z is a much tighter car, the clutch in the WRX felt disconnected and rubbery as opposed to the crisp and engaging feel of the 370Z. It feels like you are in more of an enclosed cockpit too. I have 2500 or so miles in my three months of ownership.

As far as issues and non-issues:
-I had a "Service Engine Soon" light, due to improperly tightening the gas cap after filling up. I had to take it to the dealer to reset it, but this has been the largest issue thus far.
-Oil level is at about 3/4 between the low and high mark and has been that way since 500 miles.
-I've never seen an oil temp higher than 210 deg F.
-I found that if you adjust the mirrors just right that when cars are in your blind spot you can see them in the mirror up until the point that you begin to see them peripherally out of the windows.
-The car handles fine in the rain as long as you take it easy and understand/respect that you are driving on wet surfaces and the rules of dry pavement no longer apply.
-If you happen to go to a festival/event and you have to park in the grass and it just so happens to pour down rain, make sure there are no hills or you have three good friends to help you push.
-The chin spoiler is low, and I have scraped it considerably. This is probably due to the fact that I got too used to the high clearance of the WRX.
-Adjusting from a four door with a trunk to a two door hatchback has not been as drastic of an adjustment as I thought it would be.

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.

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.

I'm not easy on mine, and I've yet to crack 260F, even when I was REALLY trying to get it over that mark to see what limp-mode is all about. After about 20 minutes of doing illegal 1-man street racing, I called it quits and went home, confident the car won't have any issues with oil temp.

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!

i have no heat issues either and im at ~600 miles now. 80-85 degree temp today, never went over 220.

I shopped for the mustang and 370z last month. after driving both, hands down the Z. its a real sports car and handles like its on rails.

Agreed. The Z is an awesome handler.

One more question. Is the seat in the 370Z height-adjustable? The salesman said it was not, but I couldn't help but notice the 2 "dials" on the left side of the seat. These were separate from the power-seat switches on the right side, of course.

Yes, both front and rear..

You have me confused LOL! There aren't any rear seats in the Z. :D

During my test drive yesterday, my head was a bit too close to the roof. When I sat in one at a car show on Saturday, I felt like I was closer to the floor.

When I tried to look behind me (to the left side) yesterday before pulling out into traffic, I had to "bow" my head and look back in order to see out. I didn't feel like I had to do that at the car show.

There's an adjustment for the front height of the seat and the rear height of the sear.

Ah, gotcha! It's height adjustable, but just separate adjustments!

If you just plan on bombing backroads....the Z is ready to go!! you won't have temp issues at all.

Full throttle for like 10-20mins, like a track day, then you need the cooler but otherwise you don't.

I seriously doubt I'll find a road where I can drive with the throttle pinned for 10 minutes straight. :) If you know of one that's not travelled by the cops, let me know! :happydance:

The auto is quicker. :)
4.6/13.1 vs 4.9/13.3

The Auto probably is quicker in a straight line, but in real life driving with twists and turns I believe the manual is not only more fun to drive but also faster. I have the manual and did not test the auto. However, my wife just got an auto BMW 335i which to me feels faster in a straight line. However, pulling out of a curve it is way slower than my 370Z.

Awesome. That's what I'll be going with!

While I'd love to go with a manual, I have a car with a manual (STi) and while I like it a lot, there are times when I just don't feel like shifting. With the 7AT, I can shift when I feel like it, and don't have to shift if I don't. My wife has a 2009 Audi A3 2.0T Quattro with the DSG and that's a pretty decent transmission (I guess...). It's fun to snap off shifts when the urge arises, but if I'm just in "relax mode," I can just relax and drive.

Oh, I got a few....:driving:

Don't even say the "new Route 9."

I really enjoy a 6spd manual tranny. It complete's the "experience" of driving a true sports car for me.

Auto's are definitely a lil quicker now on the strait 0-60 times. get whatever you are happy with! :tup::tup:

Well, being mainly a Muscle Car guy, quicker in a straight line is always better, therefore I think I'll go with the 7AT. :tup: The handling is a wonderfully added benefit. :tup:

I'm interested in seeing how the 7AT performs on the back roads while operating the paddles. I totally forgot they were there during my test drive. :mad:

Trust me, they work just fine! ;)

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

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!