370z vs 335i Coupe

wolf370z

From what I've read and seen and heard, the 370z surpasses the 135i in every performance category... stock. After a few bolt-ons and tune just forget about it, the 135i will leave the 370z in the dust every time...

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Good drivers just drive.

christian370z

Not in handling it won't, you still can't overcome a substantial weight penalty. Besides, if you start mentioning bolt ons, the cost savings of buying the Z versus a 135/335i is not exactly small. A couple grand invested in the Z and it would keep up with a 135/335i in a straight line (even or at least close) and would outhandle the BMWs in my opinion.

That said, I have a huge amount of respect for the n54 and how well the BMW packaged comfort and performance.

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Push370zzz

They are pretty much identical stock for stock. 0-60 in 5 seconds, 0-100 in about 12, quarter in low 13's. After just a tune, a 135i will leave a full bolt on and tune 370z in the dust...

It won't...at all. It wouldn't even be close. Plus, I bought my 135 used with same miles/year as my Z was for thousands less than I sold the Z for. The Z handles much better stock, and I'm interested to see how close lap times will be with my largely stock 135i suspension wise. I'm planning on doing a few hot laps with the stock tune first to see how it compares as the 0-100 & quarter times are identical on the stock 135 and 370. I'm probably going to end up putting sway bars and coilovers on it, but the first few sessions will be with the stock suspension.

BLM

YouTube - Nissan 370Z vs. BMW 135i, Mazda RX-8 R3, and Pontiac Solstice GXP - Car and Driver

370Z beats the 135i stock vs stock and is $4000 cheaper. The straight line accel is identical and the 135i has more low end torque (duh) but the 370Z is the clear winner in this comparison. Also, I've been doing some reading and if you just do an ECU tune and turn up the boost on the 135i it wont perform nearly as well or as reliably as if you added supporting mods like FMIC, exhaust, fuel pump, etc, which will bring the modding cost over $2k. So, yes, a bolt on 135i with tune will make close to 400 whp, but that's total about $6 grand more than a stock Z. The point? If you make the cars equal in price, that is invest $6 grand into a stock Z just for power (SC or TT), the Z will still make more power and have the superior handling if left stock in that dept.

They're both great cars for sure, but in independent testing, the Z wins and comes in a lot ($4000 to me is a lot of money) cheaper than the 135i.

HOWEVER, if all you want is performance at a price, you'd be better off with a 5.0 Mustang GT. So performance on a track and in a straight line is surely not the only criterion for selecting the car for you.

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wolf370z

No offense but you're smoking some good stuff if you think you can get any sort of forced induction on a 370z for $6k.... You MIGHT get an OKAY supercharger/supporting mods for double what you suggested.. but by the time you have a bolt-on/tuned 135i and a based twin turbo 370z you're comparing a barely modified 135i to a drastically modified 370z. Yes, an NA to FI conversion is a huge change. It's not really fair...

For the record, I meant the 135i would leave the 370z in the dust... acceleration wise. The 370z outshines the 135i in the curves...

And yeah, a '11 Mustang GT would be far better bang for the buck than either of these two cars.. or *gasp* a c5z06.

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Push370zzz

Well in short, no. I have one...and I DD on the tune that makes almost 400rwhp. It is perfectly reliable and I have literally not done a thing to it other than a tune. I get over 35 mpg on the Highway. My modding cost is $500...and I guarantee you it will destroy a 370z with $2000 in mods on a drag strip, driver comfort, or on a road course. Why can't you just admit that that's pretty awesome?

Finally somebody with some sense!! The 370z is a great car, and I'd own one again. It just isn't very tunable! It would take $10k to do what $500 got me in the BMW. That's a huge positive in my book. And in all honesty, the Z doesn't handle that much better. With just some sway bars and/or a $1200 coilover kit it will have zero trouble keeping up with a 370 in the turns, and will blow by it on the straights. The Mustang is a lot of fun to drive...but it is not a fun car to tell people you have. I do like them, but unfortunately the last 20 years of Mustang history has really tainted the namesake.