370Z Roadster - Initial Impressions
 

370Z Roadster – Impressions

As some of you know, I got my 370Z Touring Coue 7AT with Sports Package last January. Prior to that, I had a 350Z Grand Touring Roadster (I generally get vehicles with everything available). Now that I’ve had my roadster for nearly two weeks and have almost 500 miles on it I’m now an expert on the 307Z Roadster!!! Well no, not really, but I thought I’d post some initial impressions.

I have a 7AT Touring model with Sports Package, Navigation ( Pics Here! ). Everything I love about the 370Z coupe is still here and some things are better. One noteworthy change is the upgraded heated and cooled seats. While the weather has been too cool to truly test the effectiveness of the cooling units they seem to work pretty well.

The Black Cherry is growing on me as well. It isn't that I didn't think I would like it but my '08 roadster was San Marino Blue and I truly loved that deep blue color and would love to see it brought back. Anyway, the Black Cherry looks great in the sun and has an air of "class" to it that is difficult to put into words.

Another improvement is the navigation system including the traffic and weather information. It’s difficult (and would probably be pretty boring) to describe all the difference in the nav system but they are there and I like the changes. The weather is an especially nice feature (being able to see real-time weather info for both where you are and where you are going or any city/location you are interested in).

Most importantly, the roadster only gains about 175lbs over the coupe so performance is still readily available and while the coupe is truly inspiring to drive, there is nothing quite like opening up a drop-top sport car on a crisp morning.

The only regret I have with my roadster is that I know it’s going to be sitting in my garage far too much for the next three months or so. Thankfully, our winters in Middle Tennessee aren’t usually too cold or too long but I know I’m going to be looking forward to spring with a lot of anticipation this year. In the meantime, I’ll probably try to find some excuses for visits to Florida or South Carolina or some other more southern location over the winter!

As I live with the vehicle over the coming weeks, I’ll come back and add to this thread but any others who take delivery feel free to add your thoughts as well!

Happy roaderstering! :driving:

I will wave as I pass you on a motorcycle as if you were standing still, Bob!

Love the pics! Wish I could see the Black Cherry in person! :tiphat:

Hey Bob if you take it to FL you will have to stop by, I'm on the way.. We can have a mini meet of Roadsters :)

I took a quick trip down to Tampa this past winter (early February) for a Florida 350Z club show (I was one of the judges) just to stretch the legs of my new coupe (I had just picked up a few weeks earlier) and I'm hoping the club does something like this this winter.

Also the Georgia Z club generally has their annual show in Atlanta in March although I haven't seen a date announced for this year yet...anyway; maybe we can hook-up for one of these events or something similar.

Another thought...

As I shared in another thread, I had my J-Spec rear fog light installed in my new roadster last Friday which is a modification that I recommend as the rear fog does, I believe, make your vehicle much more visible in low-visability conditions such as fog or heavy rain.

As with my coupe, to which I also made this mod, I had this work done at a local dealership and by a tech who's been with the same dealer for almost 25 years.

In both installations, he ended up CUTTING the studs that held the dummy unit in place because these things are fastened on at the factory with lockite that just loosening the nuts is extremely difficult.

All this to say, if you are going to make this modification or something similar and plan to do it on your own; just be prepared for this problem...other than that, the installation is pretty simple and straightforward.

Happy motoring! :)

I'm definitely going to miss my 350 Roadster. The only complaint, one that I'm perfectly willing to live with, is the roll bars on the 370Z are too squared off for the lines on the car. I wish they would have stayed with the rounded look on the older 350 models. Other than that, the 370Z Roadster is light years ahead of the old 350's in terms of function and form.

Enjoy the new ragtop!!!

Hey Robert

Still nice roadster weather out there :tup:! Since you own a coupe as well, how do they compare..the coupe is raucous (picked mine up yesterday) but it's a wonderful noise.

How are you finding the noise with the top down? How does the drivetrain sound as well?

I bet there are no high-pitched ECU/Throttle-body noise issues :icon17:

The wind noise with the top down? No worse than any other convertible I've ever been in and not enough to keep me from enjoying the music system. :)

I haven't heard any "drivetrain" nose that I'm aware.

I've never heard any noise from the ECU/Throttle-body so I'm not really up on what people are experiencing/complaining about with that issue.

Overall, while I like my coupe; I enjoy a roadster a lot more.

Roadster 7at
 

Hi Robert,
I notice that your roadster is an auto,I have ordered my roadster here in New Zealand,which should arrive late Febuary,They are only available here in NZ as autos,so have been checking out as many reviews as I can.
I currantly run a 350z coupe track MT,along with a Lotus Elan Sprint 1971,I love both cars [each of course has a different caracter],so am wondering what the 7at is like to live with?.
Does the exhaust sound OK and not to strangled,as I believe this makes the difference in the overall enjoyment of the car.
Unfortunatly we have no demonstraters here in the country,so only have the coupe to go by.
cheers,
Steve.

My 370Z coupe is also a 7AT...frankly, while I have usually tried to have manual trans in my performance cars, I think the difference between a manual and an auto at this point is purely a matter of "preference".

I had tow 350s with autos (an '04 coupe and an "08 roadster) and while they were fine, I prefered my "07 coupe which was a manual. However, this new 7AT with paddle shifters is a blast to drive...I upshift/downshift with the paddle shifters a lot but enjoy the fact that I don't have to do that at all if I don't want to and the transmission seems more than willing to operate the way I want it to.

As to the exhaust, unlike my coupe; the roadster with the top down has a nice, exhaust note which makes it all the more enjoyable.

Hope that helps some.

engine notes
 

Thanks for the reply,will follow the posts of new roadster owners with interest,roll on February,and post some pictures from New Zealand,
Steve

Would love to see more pictures with the top up. Plus some of the interior too.

I'll see what I can do...the weather hasn't cooperated much the past couple of weeks or so.

I'm hoping to have it out to be in a Christmas parade on Sunday which may give me some opportunity for more pics.

I have 4 or so pics with the top up in my album :)

Thanks John....your Roadster looks great, but I wanted to see the profile of the black cherry with the top up and I really really want to see photos of the wine interior with the black cherry.

Touring NZ in a 370 Zed would be a dream! I had fun driving a campervan on the roads there even with left side manual, right side drive, and flipflopped turn signal/wiper (the hardest thing to master surprising!) The roads are perfect for a well handling car or bike and scenary absolutely amazing even by Colorado standands! Which island, town are you from?

Robert

I just ordered the exact same car. Have to wait approx 5 weeks. Going crazy about now. I have alot of questions about the NAVI. I downloaded the NAVI manual but still have questions. That black cherry is the nicest color I have ever seen.....

Al

Nz 370z
 

Hi NizmoZ,
My hometown is Alexandra near Queenstown,South Island.Really looking forward to the new car[370Z roadster],even though the 350Z coupe is great,never did like the aesthetics of the 350Z roadster,looked like a bathtub with a pimple on the top for a hood,but Nissan have got it right with the 370Z roadster it reminds me of something Aston Martin would have done!.
Yes we have some great roads here in the South Island! also there are only 1 million of us in the whole island,and although the roads are well policed if one is careful and with the help of the trusty radar detector,you can extend it out now and again.
Of interest we are getting an odd spec 370Z roadster here in NZ,auto only,no nav console etc,19" rays wheels and the sports brakes,and no cooled seats!!.
We have ordered a solid red one,and it will be one of the first into the country sometime late February.
Hope you guys in the States,keep up the reports on your roadsters over there.
Steve.NZ

The South Island is awesome, especially the scenery and the roads. I camped one night next to Lake Dunstan and went into Alexandra to Mt Bike (forget the trail name, bike shop on the main road pointed me where to go) and tasted some of the great Pinot Noirs down that way. I hit Queenstown the next. My cousin wrapped up her Undergrad at Victoria U in Wellington, thus my excuse to take month and tour your beautiful country! Alexandra was the furthest south I made and Paihia to the north. Enjoy your Z and the summer! Cheers!

Cheers Mate,thanks for the kind words,if you are ever in this part of the world ,contact me.
Steve

If I may add to the 370ZR impressions...

A couple of surprises (for me, anyway) -- The wind deflector is actually lightly tinted tempered glass. Very elegant touch for a piece that is typically clear plastic, or mesh plastic on other cars.

The Bose system on the touring is very good in the Roadster -- it sounds better than the coupe version, in my opinion, for two reasons: a) shape and volume of the space with the top closed (also effects of sound deadening in the top itself and rear bulkhead for top storage. and b) positioning of the dual subwoofers -- I'm guessing they are under the seats or ported there, as very crisp bass can be felt in the seats at even moderate volume. I'm no fan of Bose, but this system is really good in this car.

The flat tire repair kit includes not only a bottle of fix-a-flat-like stuff, but a small compressor, too.

The synchro-rev feature works on a missed upshift (for instance an errant 2-5 shift), too, by blipping the throttle to keep from bogging down the car. Nice touch, and don't ask me how I know this.

I drove coupe and convertible back-to-back. The road noise in both seemed equal (though a bit too high). Bottom line on this point, the road/tire noise, top-up or down, is pretty quiet for a roadster and a bit too loud for a coupe, in general.

The Roadster gives up almost 1" of legroom, compared with the coupe. However, I am 6'2" and fit comfortably.

Great comments. One thing however, did you actually measure the legroom between the coupe and roadster? The published specs for leg room, hip room etc... between them on the Nissan web site are shown as exactly the same. I test drove both as well and did not notice any real difference.

On the road noise topic, I did drive a coupe with the 19" Rays and a roadster with the 18" standard tires and the roadster was noticeably quieter to my ears. I would agree the Coupe was a bit too loud for me.

Legroom was measured by butt dyno only. Perhaps the difference is in the seat, itself. Whatever the reason. I based my estimate on adjustment necessary to the seat position to get comfortable. I still had a little travel room in the Coupe seat. In my Roadster, I'm very comfortable, but the seat is pushed all the way back.

Both cars I drove had the 19"s they were identical in road/tire noise, which is to say it was about where I expected the convertible to be and louder than I expected the Coupe to be.