370z Vs. 335i

Alexus · 12-31-2008, 06:29 PM

What I see as the main problem if you're going to buy a BMW is the maintenance. Every part on that car is expensive and it's going to cost you a lot in the long run. Nissans are not expensive to maintain. I think I've mentioned this before.

dutty370Z · 12-31-2008, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexus

What I see as the main problem if you're going to buy a BMW is the maintenance. Every part on that car is expensive and it's going to cost you a lot in the long run. Nissans are not expensive to maintain. I think I've mentioned this before.

Yeah in the long run it definately is gonna cost more. A friend of mine had to pay $1,200 to fix his brakes on his 325. But BMW also has that 4 year free maintenance thing, so atleast your'e ok for 4 years.

Crash · 12-31-2008, 08:20 PM

Agreed. The parts on my 300zx were dirt cheap. Even the aftermarket performance stuff. The week I bought my car, I ordered exhaust, brakes (rotors and pads), HIDs, and some other misc stuff.

ksfrogman · 01-20-2009, 01:33 AM

Having owned and still owning a '06 330i, which has essentially the same interior as the 335i, the quality, fit and finish is incredible. The 370z has really come a long ways in improving the quality of the interior materials, and I was pretty impressed with the dash board feel, and even the side panels. I did NOT like the cheap plastic fake chrome door lock switch on the Z doors.

As for the E90 vs the E46 (previous generation 3-series), the new E90 3-series no longer features a driver centric center dash. Everything faces forward, and the design emulates what you see in the E60 (the new BMW 5-series). I love the interior except for the silly iDrive knob, and not-so-secure dash mounted cup holders. As for comparing the feel of the Z, it is definitely the sports car, and the 3-series is a sporty 4-seater. I'd pick the Z for canyon driving by myself, but the 3-series for hauling my family around.

sbkim · 01-20-2009, 08:34 AM

Anyone with real life experience (ie owned BOTH) with 335 and 370z? I had an 07 335 coupe and loved the car. I haven't been able to drive the 370z yet but I presume both will feel about the same in terms of straight line accerleration given the numbers published in the mags. Love to hear any real life comparison between the two.

Two things I can comment:

1. Resale of my 07 335 was absolutely amazing. I sold mine in late 2008 with 10k miles and lost at most $3k after a little over a year. Not bad. But I am now seeing tons of 335s out there so it may be different.

2. Interior in 335 is boring as heck. I had the old iDrive which was bearable but I'd prefer the more "complicated" look of the Z.

3. In terms of reliability - I have mixed feelings. I bought the car just when it was released and had to replace fuel injector rails 2 times! Other than that, no issues.

OMGWTFBBQ · 01-20-2009, 11:57 AM

Isn't the 135 better than the 335 regarding performance? They use the same engine, if I'm not mistaken, but the 335 weighs more than the 135. Now if the Z romped on the 135, I'd only assume, from what I've read at least, then the Z would do the same with the 335.

Nismo 370z · 01-21-2009, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OMGWTFBBQ

Isn't the 135 better than the 335 regarding performance? They use the same engine, if I'm not mistaken, but the 335 weighs more than the 135. Now if the Z romped on the 135, I'd only assume, from what I've read at least, then the Z would do the same with the 335.

Did the 370 really "romp" on the 135i? In this video both cars ran to 60 in 5.1 seconds and the quarter mile in 13.4 at 105 trap for the Z and the Beemer in the same 13.4@104. The Z brakes from 60-0 in 101 feet and the 135 does it in 108 feet with a more linear feel. Slalom speed the BMW is quiker by a tenth than the Z's 69.8mph. The only part where the Z owns the BMW is in the skidpad with its amazing .99g of lateral grip compared to the 135's .90 since it has skinneier tires. So all in all both cars are equally close and in the real world it would be a drivers race. Now the 335i??? It is heavier than the 135i and so its pretty obvious that the 370z would "romp" that...unless it has the Vishnu reflash where it would take the 370z in a straight line only.

Video...

shumby · 01-20-2009, 03:13 PM

^^^ correct.

ksfrogman · 02-02-2009, 08:01 PM

I agree that price doesn't compare, but with that having been said, the N54 in the 135i and 335i is so easily modified with JB3 or Vishnu piggyback that it easily would take the 370Z in the straights. As for cornering, the E92 and E90 M3 share the same chassis, but with slightly different control arms, dampers and spring rates. Just search for E90 or E92 M3 vs whatever in Youtube, and see how this car handles. I think where the Z excels is in its wide track, especially in the rear, and its sticky tires. Cost for the boost increase in the BMW is a few hundred bucks. I hope the 370Z sees some factory installed turbochargers in the future reminiscent of the 300ZX and the Supra. In its present normally aspirated configuration, mods on the Nissan would show less bang for the buck.

One last comment: I've own a few Supras and Z-cars. The Supras were 2+2, but the +2 part was just an excuse to say it had 4 seats. The BMW E90, E92, E93 truly seat 4 people. In my eyes, the Z is more of a true sports car with only two seats. So we are comparing apples and oranges here. I would think the Z car would be more fun as a sports car; the 3-series would be super fun commuter with more passenger practicality, luxury and road compliance, but without the "razor sharp control" of a sports car

Crash · 02-02-2009, 08:42 PM

I look forward to turboing my 370z almost immediately after I buy it. I think turboing is the ONLY way to go if you don't have the displacement and room to grow in the motor like an American V8.

The 335i isn't all that special to me. The new M3 is an amazing looking car and performs like it looks. But to get that you have to shell out so much more. The Z is a bang for the buck car, but like frogman said, the N/A mods are going to be way less bang for the buck with the Z.

Namir · 02-02-2009, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crash

I look forward to turboing my 370z almost immediately after I buy it. I think turboing is the ONLY way to go if you don't have the displacement and room to grow in the motor like an American V8.

The 335i isn't all that special to me. The new M3 is an amazing looking car and performs like it looks. But to get that you have to shell out so much more. The Z is a bang for the buck car, but like frogman said, the N/A mods are going to be way less bang for the buck with the Z.

You talk about bang for the buck but you say you are going to turbo your Z immediately?

New Z is going to be 33-43k depending on what options you get, + at least 10k for a turbo set up with proper tuning, and then all the supporting chassis/engine modification to make it a balanced car it'll likely be around 15k before you are said and done. That brings your total to 48-58k dollars with no warranty.
Those 'expensive' 335s and M3's don't sound like such a bad deal after all. Especially since they can be had for invoice and under.

Just playing devil's advocate, I still love the Z

Lug · 02-03-2009, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Namir

You talk about bang for the buck but you say you are going to turbo your Z immediately?

New Z is going to be 33-43k depending on what options you get, + at least 10k for a turbo set up with proper tuning, and then all the supporting chassis/engine modification to make it a balanced car it'll likely be around 15k before you are said and done. That brings your total to 48-58k dollars with no warranty.
Those 'expensive' 335s and M3's don't sound like such a bad deal after all. Especially since they can be had for invoice and under.

Just playing devil's advocate, I still love the Z

I'd assume he'd want to bump the performance of the 335i as well since it's performance won't quite equal a stock 370Z.

Crash · 02-03-2009, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Namir

You talk about bang for the buck but you say you are going to turbo your Z immediately?

New Z is going to be 33-43k depending on what options you get, + at least 10k for a turbo set up with proper tuning, and then all the supporting chassis/engine modification to make it a balanced car it'll likely be around 15k before you are said and done. That brings your total to 48-58k dollars with no warranty.
Those 'expensive' 335s and M3's don't sound like such a bad deal after all. Especially since they can be had for invoice and under.

Just playing devil's advocate, I still love the Z

The M3 isn't putting 500HP down to the ground. And yes, I'm planning on spending that much on my car, but I'm not everyone else. Most people will not be turboing their cars. The block may not have a warranty, but everything else will. If I crack the block, that's on me (just like if you made a 500HP M3) and I'd replace it with a sleeved forged block.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lug

I'd assume he'd want to bump the performance of the 335i as well since it's performance won't quite equal a stock 370Z.

Exactly. I'm going for full performance. Anyone who races knows you've got to modify your car to do what you want it to do on the track. They're going to void their warranty anyway. If you bought an M3 for daily driving and you don't plan to modify it, good for you! But if you're going to race it, it's better to start with a cheaper platform that already performs well.

BerkTech · 02-03-2009, 02:33 AM

Coming from someone who's seen both....

They're two cars at almost opposite ends of the spectrum. Both are "sporty" cars, but one is SOOOO German and one is SOOOO Japanese.

Anyone who loves the styling of the Z, isn't going to really go for the BMW styling which hasn't changed much over the years.

As far as the interiors go, the BMW's do have a plain interior, but they are designed for the driver. Not the prettiest looking dashboard layouts but they are almost a study in pure function.

Throwing a few dollars into the 135 or 335 will beat a 370 in a straight line. Boosted engines are just easier to turn a knob and get 40 more HP out of it.

However, in the twisties the 370Z has a superior suspension layout and can be taken further than the bimmer. If you had a budget of $20K for either car, you'll be able take the Z further than the BMW's.

We know Z's!

and we know BMW's!

But our next car will be a................

370Z!

.

COR photog · 02-02-2009, 09:07 PM

Great thread

12-31-2008, 08:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
Crash A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,853 Drives: 02 Corvette Z06 Rep Power: 591	Agreed. The parts on my 300zx were dirt cheap. Even the aftermarket performance stuff. The week I bought my car, I ordered exhaust, brakes (rotors and pads), HIDs, and some other misc stuff. __________________ 2002 Corvette Z06 - Totaled 2003 Corvette Z06 50th Anniversary

01-20-2009, 01:33 AM	#4 (permalink)
ksfrogman Base Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 11 Drives: 2006 BMW 330i 6MT Rep Power: 18	Having owned and still owning a '06 330i, which has essentially the same interior as the 335i, the quality, fit and finish is incredible. The 370z has really come a long ways in improving the quality of the interior materials, and I was pretty impressed with the dash board feel, and even the side panels. I did NOT like the cheap plastic fake chrome door lock switch on the Z doors. As for the E90 vs the E46 (previous generation 3-series), the new E90 3-series no longer features a driver centric center dash. Everything faces forward, and the design emulates what you see in the E60 (the new BMW 5-series). I love the interior except for the silly iDrive knob, and not-so-secure dash mounted cup holders. As for comparing the feel of the Z, it is definitely the sports car, and the 3-series is a sporty 4-seater. I'd pick the Z for canyon driving by myself, but the 3-series for hauling my family around. __________________ 2006 BMW E90 330i M-Sport (ZSP, KWV2, Eisenmann Exhaust, GruppeM intake, Vorsteiner hood, Work VS-XX, Studie lip, etc.) / 1978 Datsun 280Z 2+2 / 1974 Datsun 260Z

01-20-2009, 03:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
shumby Captin Canuck Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: with your mom Age: 46 Posts: 6,288 Drives: your sister Rep Power: 238	^^^ correct. __________________ Originally Posted by SAM@GTM Engine detonation is not normal and it should never never happen, and whoever told that need to do something else for living . Sam

02-02-2009, 08:01 PM	#9 (permalink)
ksfrogman Base Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 11 Drives: 2006 BMW 330i 6MT Rep Power: 18	I agree that price doesn't compare, but with that having been said, the N54 in the 135i and 335i is so easily modified with JB3 or Vishnu piggyback that it easily would take the 370Z in the straights. As for cornering, the E92 and E90 M3 share the same chassis, but with slightly different control arms, dampers and spring rates. Just search for E90 or E92 M3 vs whatever in Youtube, and see how this car handles. I think where the Z excels is in its wide track, especially in the rear, and its sticky tires. Cost for the boost increase in the BMW is a few hundred bucks. I hope the 370Z sees some factory installed turbochargers in the future reminiscent of the 300ZX and the Supra. In its present normally aspirated configuration, mods on the Nissan would show less bang for the buck. One last comment: I've own a few Supras and Z-cars. The Supras were 2+2, but the +2 part was just an excuse to say it had 4 seats. The BMW E90, E92, E93 truly seat 4 people. In my eyes, the Z is more of a true sports car with only two seats. So we are comparing apples and oranges here. I would think the Z car would be more fun as a sports car; the 3-series would be super fun commuter with more passenger practicality, luxury and road compliance, but without the "razor sharp control" of a sports car __________________ 2006 BMW E90 330i M-Sport (ZSP, KWV2, Eisenmann Exhaust, GruppeM intake, Vorsteiner hood, Work VS-XX, Studie lip, etc.) / 1978 Datsun 280Z 2+2 / 1974 Datsun 260Z Last edited by ksfrogman; 02-02-2009 at 08:15 PM.

02-02-2009, 08:42 PM	#10 (permalink)
Crash A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,853 Drives: 02 Corvette Z06 Rep Power: 591	I look forward to turboing my 370z almost immediately after I buy it. I think turboing is the ONLY way to go if you don't have the displacement and room to grow in the motor like an American V8. The 335i isn't all that special to me. The new M3 is an amazing looking car and performs like it looks. But to get that you have to shell out so much more. The Z is a bang for the buck car, but like frogman said, the N/A mods are going to be way less bang for the buck with the Z. __________________ 2002 Corvette Z06 - Totaled 2003 Corvette Z06 50th Anniversary

12-31-2008, 06:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
Alexus Base Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Montreal, QC Posts: 178 Drives: The Beast Rep Power: 18	What I see as the main problem if you're going to buy a BMW is the maintenance. Every part on that car is expensive and it's going to cost you a lot in the long run. Nissans are not expensive to maintain. I think I've mentioned this before.

01-20-2009, 08:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
sbkim Base Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: nj Posts: 177 Drives: RRSC Rep Power: 18	Anyone with real life experience (ie owned BOTH) with 335 and 370z? I had an 07 335 coupe and loved the car. I haven't been able to drive the 370z yet but I presume both will feel about the same in terms of straight line accerleration given the numbers published in the mags. Love to hear any real life comparison between the two. Two things I can comment: 1. Resale of my 07 335 was absolutely amazing. I sold mine in late 2008 with 10k miles and lost at most $3k after a little over a year. Not bad. But I am now seeing tons of 335s out there so it may be different. 2. Interior in 335 is boring as heck. I had the old iDrive which was bearable but I'd prefer the more "complicated" look of the Z. 3. In terms of reliability - I have mixed feelings. I bought the car just when it was released and had to replace fuel injector rails 2 times! Other than that, no issues.

01-20-2009, 11:57 AM	#6 (permalink)
OMGWTFBBQ A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: the OC Posts: 1,886 Drives: 08 SGM IS350 Rep Power: 4551	Isn't the 135 better than the 335 regarding performance? They use the same engine, if I'm not mistaken, but the 335 weighs more than the 135. Now if the Z romped on the 135, I'd only assume, from what I've read at least, then the Z would do the same with the 335.

02-03-2009, 02:33 AM	#14 (permalink)
BerkTech The370Z.com Sponsor Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Irvine CA Posts: 279 Drives: Lots.... Rep Power: 274	Coming from someone who's seen both.... They're two cars at almost opposite ends of the spectrum. Both are "sporty" cars, but one is SOOOO German and one is SOOOO Japanese. Anyone who loves the styling of the Z, isn't going to really go for the BMW styling which hasn't changed much over the years. As far as the interiors go, the BMW's do have a plain interior, but they are designed for the driver. Not the prettiest looking dashboard layouts but they are almost a study in pure function. Throwing a few dollars into the 135 or 335 will beat a 370 in a straight line. Boosted engines are just easier to turn a knob and get 40 more HP out of it. However, in the twisties the 370Z has a superior suspension layout and can be taken further than the bimmer. If you had a budget of $20K for either car, you'll be able take the Z further than the BMW's. We know Z's! and we know BMW's! But our next car will be a................ 370Z! . __________________ While the others type fast... Berk Technology goes fast.... See you at the track! OUR NEW PHONE NUMBER: (714) 546-BERK READ THE BERK BLOG HERE

02-02-2009, 09:07 PM	#15 (permalink)
COR photog Base Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 99 Drives: M3 Rep Power: 18	Great thread

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