350Z Track

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_1839/article.html

First negative review I've seen of this car..



We have a friend who is choosing between a [Holden] Monaro and a 350Z. I said to him: I prefer the 350Z's body size, I prefer its cabin size, I prefer its driving position. Its acceleration is fantastic, it's zippy, it's agile. Buy the Monaro. He was stunned, and asked 'why?' I said it comes down to one thing: coarseness. It is a coarse car.

some people just have to complain to get attention. if i ever owned a car company i would never let road and track touch it, they can rent their own, now tiff is an exception (a more personal opinion).

My cousin just bought one. There is so much cheap, lousy looking plastic in this thing. If GM made this car all the reviews would slam it for cheapness...yet very few do. Must be because its Japanese, and all Japanese cars are far superior to American made cars:rolleyes: :rolleyes: The door panels were just terrible.

What? Finally an honest review of the 350Z?

Yep, drove one when they came out. We do the advertising for our local auto dealers association, so I get to drive most anything on nice, long, unsupervised test drives.

Net result: I would RUN AWAY from the 350Z and buy a lightly used Corvette. (Which, not coincidentally, is what I did.)

Forget the cheap plastic and the engine that sounds like an Altima. Forget the rough edges and the less-than-stellar shifter. The car just feels wrong. It's big, it's portly, and it doesn't feel like a sports car. It doesn't want to run.

I applaud our Australian friends!

Originally posted by IMPALA64
My cousin just bought one. There is so much cheap, lousy looking plastic in this thing. If GM made this car all the reviews would slam it for cheapness...yet very few do. Must be because its Japanese, and all Japanese cars are far superior to American made cars:rolleyes: :rolleyes: The door panels were just terrible.


I own a 350z and before I bought it I looked at alot of different cars. I owned a 96 Z28, 99 GTP and I also drove a Z06. Any piece of plastic in the 350z looks and feels better than in any of those cars. For that matter a buddy of mine just bought an Escalade and this vehicle is supposed to be the best GM has to offer, I think the materials in the interior of my 350z are superior.

No doubt if this were an american car it would get criticized for harsh ride. I would not be surprised if Nissan paid magazines some bonuses ($$$) to get nice reviews.

Originally posted by steves
I own a 350z and before I bought it I looked at alot of different cars. I owned a 96 Z28, 99 GTP and I also drove a Z06. Any piece of plastic in the 350z looks and feels better than in any of those cars. For that matter a buddy of mine just bought an Escalade and this vehicle is supposed to be the best GM has to offer, I think the materials in the interior of my 350z are superior.

Take a ride in an XLR :cool:

Originally posted by centric
What? Finally an honest review of the 350Z?

Yep, drove one when they came out. We do the advertising for our local auto dealers association, so I get to drive most anything on nice, long, unsupervised test drives.

Net result: I would RUN AWAY from the 350Z and buy a lightly used Corvette. (Which, not coincidentally, is what I did.)

Forget the cheap plastic and the engine that sounds like an Altima. Forget the rough edges and the less-than-stellar shifter. The car just feels wrong. It's big, it's portly, and it doesn't feel like a sports car. It doesn't want to run.

I applaud our Australian friends!


I agree with you that the vette performs better than the 350z. I looked at a Z06 before I ended up with the 350z. IMO the quality is better, and the 350z drives better. IMO your discription of the 350z also fits the vette. The vette weighs more, and if you think the quality of materials are better that's your opinion. If I wasn't looking for a car to drive everyday I would consider the vette. To me the 350z feels just perfect for an everyday car. I'll put 100,000 miles on it, and it will be worth more than any vette with that many miles. Just look at what the 300zx's are going for and look at what the C4's are going for. Everyone has their opinion. As for that article, I do not agree, that is the first bad review of the 350z I have seen.

Originally posted by Meccadeth
Take a ride in an XLR :cool:


I will. I am a GM man at heart and I hope that the XLR turns out good (and the GTO), but it just makes me sick that GM makes all these different cars and they put such garbage in them, and at 70,000+ for an XLR it better be awsome.

Originally posted by muckz
No doubt if this were an american car it would get criticized for harsh ride. I would not be surprised if Nissan paid magazines some bonuses ($$$) to get nice reviews.


Did you ever drive a 350z?

Originally posted by steves
The vette weighs more

I don't know a whole lot about the 350Z but I don't think the Z06 you drove weighs more. One of the complaints from a Datsun Z car owner on here was that the new Z did not keep the spirit of the previous cars in terms of being lightweight. I think the 350Z weighs over 3200 pounds.

Seems odd to me that you "looked" at a Z06 and then bought the 350Z. I think the 350Z could be fine for it's niche (which would have included a 2003 Camaro/Firebird if not for their demise). However, I think it's clear to most that a Z06 is in a different class of car than the 350Z. Whether it's a better class or not, is certainly open to debate. The 350Z would be better compared to an LS1 Vette, and IMHO, the Vette still wins that. No, I have not driven a 350Z, but have looked at several. They are nice, but they are a little slow for a $30,000+ car for this day and age.

Now, I am merely approaching this from a bang/buck perspective, but for that money, I'd probably get a WRX STi and be much happier. Obviously, you bought one, so you have your reasons, and like I said, I think it's a "nice" car, but I'm not going to go around and compare it to a Vette.

Originally posted by Z28Wilson
I don't know a whole lot about the 350Z but I don't think the Z06 you drove weighs more. One of the complaints from a Datsun Z car owner on here was that the new Z did not keep the spirit of the previous cars in terms of being lightweight. I think the 350Z weighs over 3200 pounds.

Yeah, interesting about that too. I didn't think much of it, but according to Carpoint the Z06 (at 3118) is lighter than the lightest of 350Z's (3188). Granted, 70lbs. will not really be felt by anyone, the Vette's definitely not heavier. I would call the weight issue a wash and start the comparison's elsewhere.

Power is obviously on the Vette's side, Z06 or not. Styling is so subjective, it's not even worth debating. I'll leave the interior debates for others because I don't really have much of a problem with my '94 Z's interior and I'm sure that makes a lot of you cringe.

Still, if I could afford to even "look" at a Z06, the 350Z wouldn't even be on my radar screen. I'd be looking at things like Berger Camaros and such first.

Originally posted by Z28Wilson
I don't know a whole lot about the 350Z but I don't think the Z06 you drove weighs more. One of the complaints from a Datsun Z car owner on here was that the new Z did not keep the spirit of the previous cars in terms of being lightweight. I think the 350Z weighs over 3200 pounds.

Depending on which model a 350z is 3100-3200. A Z06 weighs about the same.

Originally posted by RoMaD
Yeah, interesting about that too. I didn't think much of it, but according to Carpoint the Z06 (at 3118) is lighter than the lightest of 350Z's (3188). Granted, 70lbs. will not really be felt by anyone, the Vette's definitely not heavier. I would call the weight issue a wash and start the comparison's elsewhere.

Power is obviously on the Vette's side, Z06 or not. Styling is so subjective, it's not even worth debating. I'll leave the interior debates for others because I don't really have much of a problem with my '94 Z's interior and I'm sure that makes a lot of you cringe.

Still, if I could afford to even "look" at a Z06, the 350Z wouldn't even be on my radar screen. I'd be looking at things like Berger Camaros and such first.

I never said I was buying the Z06. I was offered a chance to dirve it and I took it. I was just comparing the two. But I would rather drive the 350 everyday rather than the vette. The vette is a brute compared to the 350z.

steves, Congrats on your 350Z purchase they are nice cars from a distance. I've sat in and driven one and for what it is I was dissapointed. The 300ZX was a nice car for its time right up there in performance with the best sports coupes. But this new one lacks performance and it seems to have been cheapened up too much. I know Nissan wanted to bring the price down to get the car back to its roots, but this is a bit extreem. The interior uses as much plastic as any other car, yet just feels cheaper and more course. The dash that moves with the tilt on the stering wheel is a nice idea but the use of inferior materials makes the operation of this unit feel like Fisher-Price put it in. I was hoping for more when I heard Nissan was bringing back one of its great icon sports cars but this was not what I had in mind.

Heck for the price its supposed to compete with a 03 SVT Cobra but runs and feels more like a Neon SRT-4.

Originally posted by 99SilverSS
steves, Congrats on your 350Z purchase they are nice cars from a distance. I've sat in and driven one and for what it is I was dissapointed. The 300ZX was a nice car for its time right up there in performance with the best sports coupes. But this new one lacks performance and it seems to have been cheapened up too much. I know Nissan wanted to bring the price down to get the car back to its roots, but this is a bit extreem. The interior uses as much plastic as any other car, yet just feels cheaper and more course. The dash that moves with the tilt on the stering wheel is a nice idea but the use of inferior materials makes the operation of this unit feel like Fisher-Price put it in. I was hoping for more when I heard Nissan was bringing back one of its great icon sports cars but this was not what I had in mind.

Heck for the price its supposed to compete with a 03 SVT Cobra but runs and feels more like a Neon SRT-4.

Thank you. Compared to anything that I considered getting the 350z IMO had the best quality. I had an 01 Cobra and the 03 pretty much the same other than the drivetrain, and if you think the 350z's interior looks cheap take a good look at Cobra. This also goes for the vette. For what I was looking for the 350z fit my needs. I am very happy with the quality and workmanship of the 350z. I am not saying that the 350z is the greatest car, there is better. Compared to any GM vehicle I've ever been in the quality is better. Everyone has their opinion but as for me I am very happy.

Originally posted by RoMaD
Yeah, interesting about that too. I didn't think much of it, but according to Carpoint the Z06 (at 3118) is lighter than the lightest of 350Z's (3188). Granted, 70lbs. will not really be felt by anyone, the Vette's definitely not heavier.

Nope, the 70 lbs won't be obvious from the driver's seat, but I bet the 120 HP difference will be :)

Since when is "courseness" a bad thing when dealing with an enthusiast car? Man, if someone considers a 350Z to be course, I'd really hate to see what they'd say about my car. While I don't live with a 350Z, I don't think I'd have any problem doing so. Last time I checked, those in the $30K range had plenty of softer alternatives if they so choose.

Let's be clear - I'd still pick a used C5 over a 350Z, but that's based not on refinement but rather power and mod potential.

There is no such thing as a Z06 test drive at most of the dealers I know.

The car is a take it or leave it machine. They'll let you sit in it, but that's all.

Originally posted by PacerX
There is no such thing as a Z06 test drive at most of the dealers I know.

The car is a take it or leave it machine. They'll let you sit in it, but that's all.

I went to Carmax in Schamburg, IL they let you drive anything on the lot. I was talking to the sales guy about autocrossing, and I was looking at an 98 M3, 01 S2000, and a (I forgot the year)Boxter they had. So he thought I should drive the Z06 just to compare. It was an 02 Z06 red with 4k on it, they wanted over 40k. My budget was under 30k (all the cars I mentioned were under 30K). So instead of buying used (plus the other cars were cool but not what I wanted for a daily driver) I bought a new 350z Enthusiast with all the options for 28K out the door.

Ahhh...

Used.

Gotcha.

I had the opportunity to drive a 2001 Z06 about a year and a half ago... the 02's had just come out...

What a beast! Great car... and that was the 385hp version.

I was surprised at the LARGE difference in seat-of-the-pants feel compared to a regular LS1 Vette!! I mean, it was a 35 horsepower difference that felt like 75-100!!

Originally posted by Darth Xed
I had the opportunity to drive a 2001 Z06 about a year and a half ago... the 02's had just come out...

What a beast! Great car... and that was the 385hp version.

I was surprised at the LARGE difference in seat-of-the-pants feel compared to a regular LS1 Vette!! I mean, it was a 35 horsepower difference that felt like 75-100!!

Like I said the Z06 is a brute. The Z06 was the fastest car I have ever driven. I needed a daily driver, and the 350z keeps me happy. Believe me it's no Z06.

I guarantee I'll lose less money on the purchase of a pristine 16,000-mile Corvette CONVERTIBLE 6-speed for $25,000 (no, that is not a misprint) than a 350Z at sticker price or slightly below, even if I put 100K miles on it. Checked the price on good C4 convertibles lately?

Take a ride in an XLR
I did. The quality is as good as the Lexus, Mercedes, and Jaguar I drove shortly there after. For a full detailed examination, read this:
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=142478&highlight=xlr+test

Originally posted by centric
I guarantee I'll lose less money on the purchase of a pristine 16,000-mile Corvette CONVERTIBLE 6-speed for $25,000 (no, that is not a misprint) than a 350Z at sticker price or slightly below, even if I put 100K miles on it. Checked the price on good C4 convertibles lately?

80's vintage or 90's vintage?

Look in your local autotrader to see what any C4 other than a ZR-1/Grandsport are going for. Then look at what a 90's 300zx (any style or miles) is going for. Which one holds it's value better? I've even seen early ZR-1's going for low 20's. Weren't the early ZR-1's going for 100,000+++? They were stickering in the 60's if I am not mistaken. A 300zx tt was stickering in the low 40's, on ebay there is a 96 300zx tt @22985 buy now with 30k on it. I'm not trying to put the vette down but fact is fact. What year is the vert your talking about? What did it sticker for? Is the intake manifold leaking (if it's an LT1 it is)?

Originally posted by steves
80's vintage or 90's vintage?

Look in your local autotrader to see what any C4 other than a ZR-1/Grandsport are going for. Then look at what a 90's 300zx (any style or miles) is going for. Which one holds it's value better? I've even seen early ZR-1's going for low 20's. Weren't the early ZR-1's going for 100,000+++? They were stickering in the 60's if I am not mistaken. A 300zx tt was stickering in the low 40's, on ebay there is a 96 300zx tt @22985 buy now with 30k on it. I'm not trying to put the vette down but fact is fact. What year is the vert your talking about? What did it sticker for? Is the intake manifold leaking (if it's an LT1 it is)?

My '94 Vette doesn't have the intake manifold leak as you suggests for the LT1s. Besides, that's not the point. The aussie reviewer of the 350Z's "coarse" impression of the car (whether exterior or interior) is merely that he also has the monaro to compare to.

we, as yet, don't have the benefit of this comparison, except to hear the reviews from our forum member(s) like GuionM, who suggests that the interior of the Monaro (& the GTO) is ways ahead of what GM and Ford can give us . Hence, I kinda believe you when you said that the interior of your 350Z is much better than the other cars that you compared with, however, you have yet to compare properly to the 04 GTO. Not to say your purchase was undervalued in any way because I also like the interior/exterior of the 350Z, but it seems like people are rebutting the aussie review with examples of only available cars here.

we also have aussie members like AnthonyHSV that suggests that the Monaro interior is miles ahead of what he sees in the Mustang.

Originally posted by gab
My '94 Vette doesn't have the intake manifold leak as you suggests for the LT1s. Besides, that's not the point. The aussie reviewer of the 350Z's "coarse" impression of the car (whether exterior or interior) is merely that he also has the monaro to compare to.

we, as yet, don't have the benefit of this comparison, except to hear the reviews from our forum member(s) like GuionM, who suggests that the interior of the Monaro (& the GTO) is ways ahead of what GM and Ford can give us . Hence, I kinda believe you when you said that the interior of your 350Z is much better than the other cars that you compared with, however, you have yet to compare properly to the 04 GTO. Not to say your purchase was undervalued in any way because I also like the interior/exterior of the 350Z, but it seems like people are rebutting the aussie review with examples of only available cars here.

we also have aussie members like AnthonyHSV that suggests that the Monaro interior is miles ahead of what he sees in the Mustang.


good point. We'll have to wait and see. I hope that the GTO is better than the 350z. Iam not trying to rip on the vette it's a great car but I wish people wouldn't rip on the 350z especially when they haven't driven one. BTW from experience LT-1's are notorious for having leaking intake manifolds. They leak from the right rear.

Originally posted by steves
good point. We'll have to wait and see. I hope that the GTO is better than the 350z. Iam not trying to rip on the vette it's a great car but I wish people wouldn't rip on the 350z especially when they haven't driven one. BTW from experience LT-1's are notorious for having leaking intake manifolds. They leak from the right rear. mine doesn't and it hasen't for all 6 years.

Originally posted by 97z28/m6
mine doesn't and it hasen't for all 6 years.

Your the first.

well the price diffrence is cus of how many were sold..a crap load more Vettes were sold than 300ZX TT's I would figure..and thats where you pay the price increase..rarity..
Think of it this way..how much is a nice mid 90's Impala SS still going for? 15-20K??? cus its a rare car..and desired...
or a Grand National...like an 87..that rare and worth big $$$..

so the fair thing would be a Callaway C4 and a 300ZX TT
..then you can compare..
its like TT Supras..how many do you see?? and how much are they worth..

its perception of value...and C4 vettes are not worth much now considering the bang for the buck of the C5...take that into consideration too...

and for 30K...I would go WRX STi or a Mitsu Evo...or even a Dodge SRT-4..with MOPAR backed mods!
Daily driver and also fast! with the "cheap" interior panels..lol..
gotta remember these are mass produced FUN cars..not luxury..you get what you pay for..speed and handeling..nothing else..

Posted by steves
Your the first. Gee, for a person on his first day, you sure are speaking factualy and getting on some nerves for owning a 350Z (Not that you are any less an enthusiest, but this IS a fbody and GM board). You better watch out, because these guys can and will tear you apart. Just FYI.:cool:

Steve: Read the sig. It's a '98 C5.

Also, about the last thing you want to go into is the desirability and collectability of Corvettes vs. the Z.

When the Z has the history, the passionate support, the thousands of pages of reproduction/aftermarket parts, the multiple tuners dedicated to it, and the widespread community, come back and talk.

I'm not saying it won't happen, but it hasn't happened yet. In fact, I could make a case that the Z IS the modern equivalent of the early Corvette, at least in terms of price. A '65 Corvette in today's dollars was about $24,000 base. The Z is about $27,000 base. However, I would argue that the 350Z's styling is somewhat less than timeless--and, in fact, quite inferior to the outgoing 300ZXes. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Let's leave it as: I don't like your car because the one I drove was slow and ugly and sounded like flatulence, and you don't like mine because the ones you saw led you to think they're low-quality American POSes.

That's fine. I agree to disagree.

Originally posted by steves
80's vintage or 90's vintage?

Look in your local autotrader to see what any C4 other than a ZR-1/Grandsport are going for. Then look at what a 90's 300zx (any style or miles) is going for. Which one holds it's value better? I've even seen early ZR-1's going for low 20's. Weren't the early ZR-1's going for 100,000+++? They were stickering in the 60's if I am not mistaken. A 300zx tt was stickering in the low 40's, on ebay there is a 96 300zx tt @22985 buy now with 30k on it. I'm not trying to put the vette down but fact is fact. What year is the vert your talking about? What did it sticker for? Is the intake manifold leaking (if it's an LT1 it is)?

ZR1's for low 20's????????????? Unless they are in bad shape, I have never seen one that low and if I did, there would be a new vehicle out in the driveway.

steves, Did you look at the G35 at all? To me that would be a better car than the 350Z mostly because it is more useful with it's back seat, its an Infiniti so it should have a better interior and build than a Nissan (but I havn't compared them so I don't know) , offers about the same performance (same engine but 150lbs. heavier) , and cost almost the same.

basically the same car just one is a 2 seater and the other seats 4. I'd just like to know how you thought the G35 stacked up with the other cars you looked at.

Originally posted by steves
I own a 350z and before I bought it I looked at alot of different cars. I owned a 96 Z28, 99 GTP and I also drove a Z06. Any piece of plastic in the 350z looks and feels better than in any of those cars. For that matter a buddy of mine just bought an Escalade and this vehicle is supposed to be the best GM has to offer, I think the materials in the interior of my 350z are superior.

Neither the Camaro, Corvette or GTP are known for having great interiors...so comparing them to the 350z isn't the best comparision.

By most accounts, GM has some of the worst interiors in the industry. It's one of their greatest weaknesses. (But at least Lutz was quick to take action on this).

"ZR1's for low 20's????????????? Unless they are in bad shape, I have never seen one that low and if I did, there would be a new vehicle out in the driveway."

Then you better get your checkbook out. It's true.

I priced a 1991 with 28,000 miles at $23,900 - it was pristine.

ZR-1 prices have fallen like a rock for the last few years, now is the time to buy before the market comes to its senses and they go back up - and they will.

ever since the C5 came out..anything from the C3 to C4..they are cheepo's...

I came across a really nice 90' ZR1, white, 30k miles, everything looked perfect and they wanted 37k I believe. I have seen a few others that were all about the same. All the ones I have seen have barely been driven. I haven't looked around for them in a year or two so I guess things changed or I never saw a realy good deal.

Someone in the beginning of this post mentioned that they would rather spend their money on a used vette rather than a 350z. Fine that's your opinion. The article that started this post ripped the 350z to shreds. I don't agree. I know I can be rude but if you haven't driven a 350z don't cut it down. That's rude. I've driven plenty of vettes and IMO they are nice cars. A 300zx tt does get more money than a vette from the same year. Yes there are ZR-1's going for the low 20's believe it or not. Know one here has to believe me. I really don't care.
I've owned enough GM car's to know they end up being a dissapointment. I always wanted a Camaro and when I finally got one it was a nightmare. I like GM vehicles and am a little disapointed in the fact that they are the largest car company in the world and I cannot find a car they sell that has some decent quality and dependability. As far as I know the engineers and designers monitor this forum and if they listen to even 25% of what I say, or to what you people say the next Camaro might be something special. So don't bust my chops because of my opinion. If any of the info I stated is wrong please correct me.

Originally posted by steves
[. BTW from experience LT-1's are notorious for having leaking intake manifolds. They leak from the right rear. [/B]

No leak here either...86K miles on my 96 ImpalaSS.

Originally posted by PacerX
"ZR1's for low 20's????????????? Unless they are in bad shape, I have never seen one that low and if I did, there would be a new vehicle out in the driveway."

Then you better get your checkbook out. It's true.

I priced a 1991 with 28,000 miles at $23,900 - it was pristine.

ZR-1 prices have fallen like a rock for the last few years, now is the time to buy before the market comes to its senses and they go back up - and they will.

THANK YOU!

Originally posted by IMPALA64
No leak here either...86K miles on my 96 ImpalaSS.

I am just stating a fact. I had a 96 Z28 and a couple of my buddies have 96 Z28's. They all leaked and had the opti sparks replaced. If you read GM High Tech performance their project car had the same problems. If you guys don't have any leaks that's great. I am only stating what I had experienced.

Originally posted by Z28x
steves, Did you look at the G35 at all? To me that would be a better car than the 350Z mostly because it is more useful with it's back seat, its an Infiniti so it should have a better interior and build than a Nissan (but I havn't compared them so I don't know) , offers about the same performance (same engine but 150lbs. heavier) , and cost almost the same.

basically the same car just one is a 2 seater and the other seats 4. I'd just like to know how you thought the G35 stacked up with the other cars you looked at.

The G35 is awsome. It also stickers for mid 30's. My budget was under 30. I paid 28 OTD.

Enjoy!!!

http://search.ebaymotors.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Febay motors%2Fws%2F&MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&query=zr1&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&ebaytag1=ebayreg&category0=6000&st=2&s_partnerid=2%26category3%3D6168%26siteid%3D100%26 categorymap%3D6001&BasicSearch=&from=R2&catref=C3

That really means nothing. These are all auction bids that have days left and it doesn't mean that the person will sell for the price they may get. The only one that does not have a reserve is all messed up.

First, I completly disagree with the concept that GM does not make a quality automobile. They do, and I can't find anything about a Nissan superior in that department.

Second, the idea that someone looks at the right C4 Corvette (LT1 or LT5 powered car) and a 300ZX TT and picks the 300ZX TT just baffles me. They were underpowered barges with little or no redeeming value in my mind - and the Corvette soundly trounced them in performance.

At this point, someone will probably mention modifications...

I'll take a small block Chevrolet or LT5 against all comers there.

Originally posted by steves
I am just stating a fact. I had a 96 Z28 and a couple of my buddies have 96 Z28's. They all leaked and had the opti sparks replaced. If you read GM High Tech performance their project car had the same problems. If you guys don't have any leaks that's great. I am only stating what I had experienced.

I love the 350Z.....but I'm a Chevy guy and my experience......and it's extensive ....is that the notorious intake leak and the optispark are both easily repaired and can be long lasting repairs. But niether are hardly a reason to condem GM. Inital problems with the opti were corrected by 1995 and proper use of correct sealants and installation can easily fix the intake leak....I know I've repaired dozens of them. (son own's a hi-perf shop). Heck, we've got both fixes down to around 3-4 hours complete. I've seen optis last anywhere from 40k miles to well over 100k miles....it seems to be related to how and where it's driven....besides, how long do you expect one to last? Nothing is forever.

Buying new or used is comparing apples to oranges.

Personally, I've spent hours behind the wheel of C5's.....Z06's included and I think the are the absolute BEST value out there for overall performance and technology....but I still can't afford one....

Personally, I think the interior of a C5 is worlds better than the Nissan......touch and feel included.

My "disappointments" with the 350Z are simple......as is the practice with most car companies....the initial models have a lack of power...they all seem ot launch a new model all full of promise and make us wait until next year for the real performance models... A car that weighs this much with only 285 or so horsepower is going to be an also ran in today's market of 400 ++ horse competitors. You have to ask...why? and also when is this going to be remedied? I haven't heard of a major increase from Nissan.....only street rumors of turbo versions or larger displacements........

Secondly, as with the CTS, there are HUGE fields of textured plastic!! :eek: I DON'T want to have plastic touch me at the door panels.

Finally, the rear strut brace is farggin' HUGE.....there's NO excuse for this....it destroys and luggage capability and with proper engineering could have been handled in a much better manner.

As far as your comments that a Z06 would have been too much af a beast to drive daily........I found the exact opposite. The Z06 is as compliant, quiet and great riding of a car as I've driven. The power and torque of the LS6 make it an absolute joy to drive anywhere. One could surmise that if your comparison is valid, then the 350Z must be some kinda' p u s s y c a t and not a real sports car.....not true, but it's what I get from your statements.

As I said, I've spent a small amount of time around the 350Z and love 90%+ of it....and would love to use most of it's "formula" as a basis for a 5th gen......just less plastic and much more appropriate engine power levels (read......V8) and it's world class.

Originally posted by steves
I am just stating a fact. I had a 96 Z28 and a couple of my buddies have 96 Z28's. They all leaked and had the opti sparks replaced. If you read GM High Tech performance their project car had the same problems. If you guys don't have any leaks that's great. I am only stating what I had experienced.

There do seem to be a few Camaro's out there with an overabundance of problems. Also there is a short list of fairly common problems. From what I remember intake oil leak is not a difficult fix and should last. Another design problem was having the optispark under the water pump. From what I've seen the water pumps tend to go between 90,000 and 120,000 miles. The water then shorts out the opti. This is something they really should have put in planned maintenance.

To give another counterpoint though, the problems I've had are power window motor, and exhuast manifold gasket leak. I had the waterpump replaced around the appropriate time as well. Repairs weren't that expensive really and other than that it's been bullit proof.

If GM had just put it in the manual though....heck Honda puts the timing belt change in at 60,000 miles!! And that's over $300 to do!!

FWIW, I owned a 1995 A4 Admiral Blue Corvette (LT1, obviously) from 1996-1997... never had any leaking problem.

In fact, the only problem I did have was the glossy finish wore off the inside, drivers door panel pull twice... but they replaced it both times...

Darth, that blue is my favorite color of all time. I bet that car looked great! I was looking at getting an LT1 Vette before I bought the Z in 1998 but the prices were too high. A good 92' with decent miles was still over 20k. I also drove a few 300Zx's, not really to buy but just to see what they were like. The non-turbo is such a dog. It barely beat a 95' Grand Prix that a friend was driving. Even the turbo seemed unimpressive. All the Z28's that I drove felt much faster and judging from the ones that I raced after I bought my car, I can say the same thing.

Originally posted by Caps94ZODG

and for 30K...I would go WRX STi or a Mitsu Evo...or even a Dodge SRT-4..with MOPAR backed mods!
Daily driver and also fast! with the "cheap" interior panels..lol..
gotta remember these are mass produced FUN cars..not luxury..you get what you pay for..speed and handeling..nothing else..

Actually, SRT-4 has much cheaper interior than Z, but it does cost about 2/3 of its price. Out of all those cars, Evo is probably packaged the best. I'm stunned, though, as to why car magazines squeeze out something in the high 14's whereas it was witnessed to make low 13's passes?

In any case, WRX, EVO and SRT are fun vehicles. What makes you think Nissan isn't? I think it is just as fun as the others, perhaps in different ways. At least you can come out the corner fishtailing. And you don't have massive torque steer of the FWD SRT-4. Besides, 350Z runs same numbers as SRT-4.

STi and WRX are priced at about 45K here in Canada, and 350Z is around the same price. And if I was choosing, I personally would go with the Z because small compact 4 - door vehicles that cost that much just do not appeal to me. And I happen to like sports cars more than rally cars.

Originally posted by steves
The G35 is awsome. It also stickers for mid 30's. My budget was under 30. I paid 28 OTD.

You know, it's really strange. Let me pull some numbers off their websites:

(edit: prices are in CDN dollars)

350Z
Performance 44900
Touring 44900
Track pack 46500


G35
5-speed auto 45000
5-spd auto w/ performance pck 46000
6-speed 47000


The price differences are minimal, it is strange that it translates $5 K difference in your case.

even my leaky w/p didn't short out the opti.

Wow...

The sheer idiocy of buying a car on Ebay stuns me.

I can't win with you guy's. So I'm done.

Originally posted by SNEAKY NEIL
Darth, that blue is my favorite color of all time. I bet that car looked great!

It did. :)

I absolutely LOVE Admiral Blue... some day I'll find a 94 or 95 Admiral Blue ZR1 and I will own it.

To be honest, it was the first Admiral Blue I found after a YEAR of searching, so I sacrificed the wanting of the M6 for the A4... I also wanted Beige interior instead of the Black, but it just wasn't going to happen.

It was sitting in the back of a local dealers lot... just came in off lease, and was burried in about 4 feet of snow... I saw the roof line sticking out of the mess! :eek:

We dug it out, and after 20 minutes I was able to see the whole car.

I drove it home Dec. 23rd in the snow.... then I had to watch her sit for 4 months!! That was rough! ;)



:bow: Admiral Blue! :bow:

Can someone please tell me what is wrong with plastic interior pieces?? I can see in a luxury car where weight is not as big of a concern, but if plastic is the lightest product they can use, go for it. I see the same argument trying to be used with the Camaros plastic body panels. Last I heard, the aftermarket companies sell alot of platic, fiberglass and Carbon Fiber pieces to reduce weight in a car. Carbon Fiber is ok to use though because it is sooo expensive yet fractionally lighter than glass, and I know everyone needs a carbon fiber pieces because they are soooo much stronger than steel parts. Well wake up, none of those pieces are structural pieces and will break just as easily, are a bitch to work with from a body shop/paint point of view, but then again you can't paint it because you need to let everyone know that you spent the money for CF and so you leave that ugly graph paper looking desighn on it. Ok i'm outta breath now..gotta go.:rolleyes:

There is nothing wrong with plastic interior pieces. However, cars are expensive these days and the plastics used in the interiors should have a richer look and feel - more like leather and less like milk jugs. People spend most of their 'car time' inside of it, after all.

I have always said that I would like the money to be where it counts: engine, transmission, suspention, rear end, ect.
I don't care if some of the compromises to get a better performing car are taken from the interior. If it's a luxury car, that's a different story.

I don't spend much time feeling my dashboard, but yes, it does have a leathery appearance to it. If you want to compare the interior of a Vette and a impala and tell me the Vette or even the Camaro's interior isn't 100 times better............wood is for building houses, not race cars.

Last time Road & Track tested the 350Z it came only 2nd only to the Z06 priced over 17k

lap times..

Vette Z06 01:36.50 $51,450
350Z 01:40.06 $34,688
BMW M3 01:40.09 $55,695
Porsche 911 01:40.79 $84,975

Those are amazing numbers for 350Z - it actually beat 911 and M3 in lap times? And it's the cheapest of all cars, by a long shot.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Z. However, when it was introduced, I read nothing but praise from R&T, MT and C&D. Eventually I started to gather other pieces of information from various sources, even later reviews from the big three magazines. And only later the real issues/test drive of the car came out.

What got me was that Nissan was praised, and only later was somewhat criticized. When I read reviews of anything american, editors/testers never fail to find faults on their first attempt. And seeing how Nissan is commented to have harsh ride, I picture all too well this harshness pointed out on the FIRST test drive if it were american, and hence it would never get to be THE CAR OF THE YEAR, like G35 coupe. That's my little rant.

Disclaimer still stands: I like the Z/G35.

Originally posted by WERM
There is nothing wrong with plastic interior pieces. However, cars are expensive these days and the plastics used in the interiors should have a richer look and feel - more like leather and less like milk jugs. People spend most of their 'car time' inside of it, after all.

Exactly. Look at what you get inside a $20K Accord or Jetta, and that's what I'd expect in a "raw" $35K sports car. Or at least apply some hydrographics technology and make the plastic look cool.