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.

 

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.

 

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!!

 

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?

 

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/showt...light=xlr+test

 

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.

 

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.

 

Your the first.