Hate to say it, but I'm doubting the performance abilities of the 350Z (I use to think otherwise). I had the opportunity to test drive one, and I was hardly impressed. Then in Road and Track magazine there is a comparison test between sports cars and the Z was included and this is how it went (Buttonwillow)-

1. 66.32 Vette
2. 66.60 Viper
3. 66.71 Carrera
4. 67.27 Boxster
5. 68.65 Elise
6. 68.91 SLK350
7. 69.88 S2000
8. 70.71 Z4
9. 70.86 350Z

Yup, somebody commented that something was wrong with Z in the test, and my answer is yes something was wrong with the Z. What was wrong with it, was that perhaps it was just overmatched by it's competition. What do you guys think about the Z when compared to other cars costing similiar or alittle more, is the performance of the 350Z really worth it's price tag?

i wouldn't say overrated. but not quite the caliper of a vette, viper or carrera. that's a tough crowd to compete in. it should fare well against the bottom half of that list. believe it note you're not the only one that i've come across to feel disappointed in the 350z. i've heard it from a few people, more than i would have expected. myself, i think it's a competent car in many respects. i'll put it this way, it's not at the top of my wish list but not at the bottom either.

Well, you get what you pay for. In your list I believe the Z is the cheapest of those cars. Plus, they power they are getting out of that 3.5 V6 is quite nice. I'm thinking maybe they shoud have a Factory option for a supercharger. Now that would be a sick car stock.

do you honestly think a Z an compete with a viper or vette? come on.

i will admit that a standard 27K Z will not handle as nice as a S2000 or Z4, this is why it loses in the lap. however if you go with a track model, that will lap as fast as a M3 which is a damn good bargain. but the track model will cost 35K. and you will not notice much difference unless your on a race track.

the Z in my opinion use to bet he king of japanese performance bargain becasue the S2K is still a 33K car. but now that the EVO 8 and the STi came into the picture, the Z is sorta de throned by a good margin becasue i'm positive those 2 rally cars will lap as fast as the the older C5 vette if not faster. and will cost under 30K.

however the Z is put up against the newest crop of cars. a 400 hp C6 vette? a 500hp SRT10? a 2000 lb elise?, a mid 12 second carrera?

the competition has gotten much much faster then the original comp that the Z was up against when it debut

I wouldn't say it's overrated. It offers respectable performance at a decent price. But it's not what I'd spend 30K on. I like the RX-8 better; what it lacks in raw performance, it makes up for in great daily drivability, by means of a much more compliant suspension, more storage space, a quieter ride, and a smoother shifter. Then there's the WRX, which, in my opinion, has a lot more character that the slightly bland Z, not to mention the practicality of a sedan and sheer fun of AWD and a turbo engine. Then there's the Lancer Evolution RS, which will lap faster than the 350Z Track around just about any course you put it on, for the price of a 350Z Enthusiast.

yes, for the price range it offers, IMO, great performance...they offer different models for different reasons...if you get model which was designed for the track it isnt gonna fair alot better on the track. you have to remember, they probably compared the base model of each. the base model 350z doesnt even have LSD and is significantly cheaper than the rest of those cars...thats me talking in its defense.

but im with these guys, if i wanted to buy a $30,000 car it wouldnt be the Z just based on you have to put some serious cash in it to make it faster...i wouldnt say tunability is bad but tunibility isnt like a good tuner friendly car where you add basic bolt-ons and you can feel a big difference. plus i do not care for the styling. it is probably the only Z car i do not like the styling of....anyways if i had $30k and was in the market for performance, i would probably look at a slightly used M3...

Actually, the main reason why I wouldn't buy a 350Z is that for that kind of money, I could get an absolutely perfect condition 300ZX Twin Turbo on the used market and have $10,000 to play with :)

The new 350Z was a dummied up a lil...which is what we were talking about on another board...all the Z faithful were pissed off when they saw the results b/c obviously to the layman's eyes...it looks like the Z sux. They shouldnt have messed w/the suspension on one part since it wasnt that bad and still could be fixed (u know the propensity to understeer) but now I dunno what they did to it to make it lose....horribly...it should have been a lil better than that. And I agree had it been a Track model maybe they would have been a lot better off than last place. Maybe they left the track model version alone and messed w/the others due to all the whiners.

Actually, the main reason why I wouldn't buy a 350Z is that for that kind of money, I could get an absolutely perfect condition 300ZX Twin Turbo on the used market and have $10,000 to play with :)

:naughty: now your talking my language!!! :lol:



but yeah, i agree...i was disappointed with the 350Z, i can understand nissan not wanting to fall in the same hole that they did with the Z32. they wanted it to sell so they kept it cheap. they made some mistakes with it but they also did alot of things right, in my opinion. i love the interior, the drivetrain is satisfactory, styling is lacking presence in my eyes. some people think it looks awsome but most previous Z owners and lovers feel that the styling is too...girly, maybe. i dont know...looks like a frog to me...i dont know. whatever...i think nissan kinda of succeeded by boosting sales and making lots of money to eventually create something that we all are dying to see (Infinity GTR)...but on the other hand they disappointed alot of people...

Hehe, I didn't want y'all to get the idea that just because I wish the Z32 wasn't so damn heavy, I wouldn't love to own one. Besides, the N/A, which is more in my price range, is only about 3200 lbs, the same weight as my current car.

Anyways, back on topic...that would probably be my main complaint against the 350Z: I can't stand the styling. It looks like a frog to me as well. The beltline is way up high like a sedan. The rear taillights look horribly bloated and distorted, as if they were stretched across the back of the car and flattened with a rolling pin. It's almost like they took a Maxima and blowtorched the rear until it melted into a coupe.

yeah, the back definitely looks wierd...i dont like the front little fender flare type thing they did either....but ill tell you one thing. for the extra money i would buy the G35 coupe, wow...that styling will not get old to me. very impressive!!! :thumbsup: to nissan/infiniti for that one!

It's almost like they took a Maxima and blowtorched the rear until it melted into a coupe.

Hahahahaha, good one.

Well, I read that Motorex/Chris Frosberg(I dunno him, meant to be famous in the States) built a drift car out of the 350Z and the engine imploded on them. Instead of rebuilding, they used the SR20DET instead. I know the SR20DET is legendary when it comes to drifting, but this little anecdote really doesn speak much for how good the V6 N/A original engine is.

I'd say the car is slightly overrated, always gave me the feeling of a Japanese Porsche.

Hahahahaha, good one.

Well, I read that Motorex/Chris Frosberg(I dunno him, meant to be famous in the States) built a drift car out of the 350Z and the engine imploded on them. Instead of rebuilding, they used the SR20DET instead. I know the SR20DET is legendary when it comes to drifting, but this little anecdote really doesn speak much for how good the V6 N/A original engine is.

I'd say the car is slightly overrated, always gave me the feeling of a Japanese Porsche.

that must be the same one that was in a magazine a while back. i dont see why they used the SR...i think that was more for the fact that i put an SR in a 350Z...not that the VQ35 is not a good motor...it can handle high RPM so thats not a problem, and it can be made with alot more power...the only swap for a 350z that might makes sense to me is a RB26...matter-a-fact, wasnt the VQ named the best motor of 2003???

its the stlying that some people dont agree with. they could also do some fine tuning on the suspension but i have heard that just lowering and a camber correction kit helps cornering so much more.

Yeah the styling is definitely...weird, let's say. I know a guy who had been following the progress of this car ever since it was a concept and when his Dad finally got one a year ago, he said he was quite disappointed with especially the cheapness of the interior. Then again, maybe it was just extremely high expectations.

It seems Nissan is going with that very roundy look of the 350Z. If you've seen the pics on the net of the R35 skyline GTR, the front end looks almost identical.

Yeah the styling is definitely...weird, let's say. I know a guy who had been following the progress of this car ever since it was a concept and when his Dad finally got one a year ago, he said he was quite disappointed with especially the cheapness of the interior. Then again, maybe it was just extremely high expectations.

It seems Nissan is going with that very roundy look of the 350Z. If you've seen the pics on the net of the R35 skyline GTR, the front end looks almost identical.

yeah, i guess there is alot of controversy about the interior too i guess. but i personally like the interior of the 350Z, it would just take a little while for me to get used to the headroom...kinda feels like im in space when i look up, put some glow in the dark stars in the ceiling and it would really feel that way. and im normal height guy at 5'10"...i couldnt imagine someone short in there...they probably couldnt see over the door. :lol:

The 350Z simply understeers too much and weighs far more than a 2 seat sports car with an aluminum 6 cylinder should. There are way to many asian cars that offer better performance at a similar price.

The 350Z has potential it is just that Nissan cheapened it up too much for people to notice. The thing is even though the 350Z was released in 2003 they were thinking in 02-01 terms and don't forget the 2001-02 US/CA market was devoid of the SRT-4 and STi with the EVO 7 despite the fact that it took the US market by surprise it was still being overpriced by dealers. Now the 350Z was set at a good value at the time when it contended with 2nd generation fox body Mustang GTs and any F bodies that were still on dealer lots, which are faster but not as plush and better handling. The only other true competitor the 350Z had at the time was the RX-8 with livelier handling but less grunt, unless you rev the hell out of it. Now though with the SRT-4s, STis and the new Mustang GT the 350Z doesn't have a sufficient bang for the buck stock. Now it has already proven that the 350Z has great potential with the 350Z Type S, Long Nose Z and other modified Zs such as these. (http://www.dragtimes.com/Nissan--350Z-Drag-Racing.html)

So what Nissan should do is stop making the Long Nose Z a 60k collector's car that is sold in Japan and start putting it into mass production as the 28-35k 350Z while keeping the base one as is or at least start tuning up the 350Z with some Type S parts. In other words they need to make the 350Z put out some slightly better numbers stock in order to justify its price.

The Z definately has stiffer competiton right now than it did at debut, but that is certainly to be expected. The real dissapointment for me is that Nissan really does not seem to be doing much about it.

People expect the Z to stack up to the competition well, and right now it is starting to fall down. And while the 300hp Track model is better than no response it is too much money for not enough improvement.

The new Mustang GT with a live axle offers noticeabley better thrust than does the standard Z-car, and offers handling that is much closer than anyone expected Ford to get with a live axle. With the 18" BF Goodrich wheel-tire package showing up nextt year smart money is on the mustang GT bettering standard 350Z handling...that will not be good.

Much, much faster Mustangs are on the horizon and Nissan is apparenrtly content to watch them develop while offering no real response. The 350Z has a lot of promise, but Nissan appears content with what the car delivers right now.

On top of the above you have a 400hp GTO for a bit less than Track Model money! The new Anniversary Z car is barely less than stock C6 money, and while I like the Z somebody in the halls at Nissan corporate is obviouslt smoking an illegal substance to think this passes the smell test with the power and handling the Z delivers relatice to the C6.

The Z car needs a twin turbo top of the line model or a 4.0L V-6 or something. But, it definately needs something because in the near future it is going to have even stouter versions of the Mustang to play with as well as other competition that looms on the horizon.

Actually, the main reason why I wouldn't buy a 350Z is that for that kind of money, I could get an absolutely perfect condition 300ZX Twin Turbo on the used market and have $10,000 to play with :)


I completely agree, the 300zx is a timeless car. After over 10 years it still looks like a modern exotic. And with the extra 10k I would probly get a nice rust free 240z and have some fun and have a nice vintage solo street/track car.. :iceslolan

Or turn that 300ZX Twin Turbo into a road racing god. The engine is very easy to get up to 400 hp; it's almost as if Nissan hampered it purposely. And with about 300 pounds of weight reduction, the handling goes from very good to excellent.

I have driven the z, rx-8 and the 300zx and i'd have to go with the rx-8, the 8 has better looks better interior, feels better and fun to drive. The only thing good about the z is that its quicker on the straight away, which there rarely is on roads unless your racing on the highway, but the rx-8 will prob beat it anyways b/c of its high rpms, unless you start not moving. I had the rx-8 doing 140kmh or around 90mph on a bend that is ssupposed to be doing 60kmh or like 25mph, and it felt like you were on a railroad track and you couldn't leave that postion. Oh ya the rx-8 is coming out with a supercharged model in 06, cobra's your going down!!!!! The 300zx doesn't compete stock. For the GTO i think its a grand prix with 400hp, i think its only power just like the Z but with alot more torque steer.

The new Mustang GT with a live axle offers noticeabley better thrust than does the standard Z-car, and offers handling that is much closer than anyone expected Ford to get with a live axle. With the 18" BF Goodrich wheel-tire package showing up nextt year smart money is on the mustang GT bettering standard 350Z handling...that will not be good.

The Z350 is a "5-Stars" car in Germany! Problems - small and unpractically trunk, strong oversteer with switched off ESP.

The new Mustang - not so cheap ( Price Germany = 35.900Euro or 48.000US $ / the Z350 costs 33.500Euro or 44.400US $ ), not so fast ( Topspeed only 134mph ), too much weight, too much consumption ( 15mpg, Minimum 23.5mpg and Maximum 8mpg ), small gasoline tank ( small Range ) and badly to fill, no ESP, Autotransmission not spontaneously enough, no Space on the Rear seats. Problems with the rear axle on bad roads. The basic tuning is too softly, Problems with cross-wind. In sharply driven curves the car pushes over the front wheels, not optimal handling.

I have driven the z, rx-8 and the 300zx and i'd have to go with the rx-8, the 8 has better looks better interior, feels better and fun to drive.

The RX-8 loses in Germany every test against the Z350!

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i absolutely hate the rx-8. that car has absolutely no balls at all. that car is sooo freaking slow, and mostly girls drive it. everytime i see a RX-8 on the highway i just want to dust it. however they never bite. anyways here in america, handling matters, but not as much because the roads here are much bigger, and the Z handles high speed sweepers, and highway offramps just fine. however the RX-8 is just soo weak. i mean its a freaking mid 14 second car. i've driven Twin turbo RX-7 FD's, and those cars are much better looking, and faster then the RX-8 in every conceivable way. the only problem is that the interior falls apart in every single one of them. but still the RX-8 is a disgrace to the RX marque i think.

Nissian definatly didn't put as much thought and care into the 350Z as they did with the 300ZX. First off, The engines... ones is a twin turbo beast of an engine and the other is an engine Nissian bought off of Renault....... Why didn't they come up with an engine on there own? I"ve never heard of any japanese compnay tkaing engine from any other country and putting them into there sports cars

it may be bought off from renault but its still a great engine, with good tq. also the next GT-R is goin to use it, and the last GT-R and the Z JGTC cars have been using boosted version of those VQ's with great results so that engine is by no means crappy, since it replaced the RB in the GT-R's in that series.

Why didn't they come up with an engine on there own? I"ve never heard of any japanese compnay tkaing engine from any other country and putting them into there sports cars
the VQ series of motor has been in use since 1995. renault didn't take an interest in nissan until 1999, after the VQ had already been on wards best engines list 4 consecutive years. the 3.5 version is just an updated version of the 3.0 and has been used in the pathfinder since 2001, renault cannot take credit for it, Actually, Renault is using Nissans VQ35 in their car, the Renault Vel Satis since 2002. the only motors nissan uses from renault are the diesels. the primera offers a 1.9L diesel renault motor and the almera uses a 1.5L version of that motor.

check this out:
http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/DOCUMENT/PDF/AR/2002/ar2002_16.pdf
it's nissans annual report for 2002. on Pg 2 it refers to the vq35 as nissans engine being placed in the vel satis then goes on to refer to the 1.9L and 1.5L diesels as renaults designs being placed into nissans cars.