Damo's370z666

Hi lads. I have previously posted on here before. Have to say the uk 370z community seems like a really good one. Had nothing but great feedback from enthusiastic owners. Right so I am considering selling my beloved second car which is a modified 500 Abarth. Its been epic fun along side my other car which is a modified Italian coupe. To replace the Abarth as my daily I was considering a 370z GT. I commute down the m4 to work and need something fun yet decent at motorway mileage. The Abarth as much as i love it is hard work on the motorway. I am thinking the Z will be a great solution in having a characterful rear drive fun yet reliable and tough comfortable machine as a second car? Am I right here or should I go into this with my eyes a bit wider open? For what I want to spend I will be looking at a well looked after 50k mile car hopefully. Are the Z'ds reliable guys? Look forward to your reply's. Cheers Damien.

Bloody hell Ekona you make it sound pretty bland.lol. In fact you sound like my good friend who was a Nissan manager who was very well versed in everything Nissan. He said it was god awful. And i would be making a monumental mistake buying one. He is a big fan of the 350z though which he said was a far better drivers machine! As he knows what i am like. I am trying to be positive here..And don't get me wrong i really value the truth. My main focus is putting the bloody thing right with the right modifications. Yet if you weigh it up the cost of the car and what it would cost to put it right for what i want you are into silly money! Where you can get a much more complete factory machine? What i am hearing suggests to me this coupe is for people who like actually cruising round in a nice machine. Its not dynamic or particularly engaging, and the v6 is ok but not the best? The RCZ R does not scrabble at all, it has a really decent front LSD. I have driven one on track and its pretty decent. And feedback and braking is excellent. Would leave the 370z for dust in most situations. I just love the concept of the Z though. Bottom line is i need to get one out on the road and give one a good drive, where i can ascertain whether she has potential for what i personally want in a machine. Damien.

Thanks for the link Ebized. My god she is perfect. Love the black rose colour. And looks like an ocd owner like me. I need to find a gap in my work schedule to test drive one first at a dealer, not someone's pride and joy. Still in the early stages of research, but by hell when I see the 370z it really makes my pulse race. Not many motors I can say that of, not even the porky Caymen mk1 S. Which I know is a formidable machine, but to me look slightly ugly from certain angles. ;-)

The girlfriend has an RCZ, she wanted a TT mk2 2litre tfsi. We test drove both and the RCZ was the more fun car to drive and its actually a bloody nice thing to drive. Audi's are staid and boring to be honest! And i hate the under steer they have in factory trim, its bloody tiresome. The RCZ was one of Peugeot's finest moments. The sport division R model really is an excellent machine to drive, LSD, big brembo's and work over engine internals and chassis mods. I know the brand is a dirty word and everyone thinks about the little tin boxes they made as of late. But they really stepped up to the plate with the RCZ has to be said. The chassis really gives a fair amount of feedback, and you really get a sense of what the car is doing. Really flows well down a nice back road. The R just takes those basic attributes and steps it up a gear. ;-) I would rather have a big hairy chested brute of a machine like the Z though. I will hold my tongue until i drive a good example. ;-) Damien.

FYI Damo that is just his name: "Chris Wiltshire". He's actually based around the Cardiff area in South Wales. Reading all this I think you're coming around to the 370 more & more so you really need to drive one. Couldn't agree more. Seems like all she needs is a little chassis work to give me a nice balance. I don't doubt the engine potential. Yes need to get behind a wheel soon. Its the character of the 370z just love it. Have to say really grateful for all the replies guys. Feel much better educated now. Thanks for the info on Chris Wiltshire.. Easy mistake to make..lol. ;-) Damien.

Thanks for that Chris. I am in Wiltshire too. Really like the sounds you are making on the 370 as a modified perfected machine. The RCZ R is not any old Peugeot matey its a real decent spec'd machine with tuned factory bmw engine believe it or not. Most Peugeots i would agree though. I just want a real gorgeous character coupe with potential i can develop, and the 370 has always been a favourite of mine. One of my good friends was a top cheese at Nissan and told me not to touch a 370z as its a big heavy car and not for me. Said the 350z was a far better drivers machine. Its been great getting some really honest replies on this thread. Much appreciated guys.

Thanks Jonny. What is her chassis spec. And how does she compare to the other performance machines you have owned? Damien.

Lovely analogy there Chris..lol. Brutal gets the job done. Damien.

Thanks Dynamic turtle. That's partly what i am afraid of, the bluntness. I am realistic, i am certainly not after a harsh exige or out and out track weapon forgoing degrees of comfort, I have done that...Just something i can enjoy driving on track with the right chassis mods when the whim takes me. But she has to have potential and some degree of magic to win me over. Damien.

You are not wrong about TT ownership. I feel they are a decent well put together machine with quality interiors, and engines especially the RS , yet lack a certain magic when driving them. The Peugeot RCZ is a very good machine with great chassis and communication to the driver, much better than the mk2 TT chassis which was a dull under steering machine to be honest. I am no snob, the French make some great talented machines, just look at the Megane 270 rs trophy. I drive my cars properly and need a machine that transmits back feelings to the driver. Not just a soulless blob of plastic or parts jumbled together without any depth of character. The best cars have passion engineered into them from the factory and their design teams, and you feel this when driving them. I really want to feel this connection when i drive the 370z. I have never owned or driven any performance jap cars before so have no real idea what to expect with the 370. I am prepared to spend money on quality chassis mods if the car has talent. All my mates say go for the Caymen S and stop messing about..lol. Yet i have a real passion for the 370z, its looks and quirky Japanese character. Truth will be when i drive it. Really appreciate all the comments guys. Gives me a clearer picture of what to expect. Damien.

Sorry to hear that mate.. Huge credit to you coming back from that dark time with another Z. Yes quality tyres are paramount to good feel and balance. Amazes me the amount of people who invest heavily in chassis and engine mods , then slap on some cheap nasty rubber? By the sounds of it a set of uprated stiffer bars and the right wheel alignment settings would really improve this coupe. Especially with the fact she is pretty heavy. Looking forward to the test drive will keep an open mind. Damien.

Really not my cup of tea the GT86, i totally respect the concept, and how fun they can be, but too slow for me. I don't want people to get the wrong impression i am not careless or hooligan, but i like to drive my machines hard and on track, and certainly like to have confidence in their chassis, and be able to feel what the car is doing. Hence my question on the 370 with uprated bars and her potential.

Cheers Guys some stunning factual replies here. I would plan to mod the Z in the longterm for sure, a great handling and communicative machine is so important to me. Very true on the Caymen S engine problems. And for my budget i will get much more for my money with a Z then the Caymen. I much prefer the look of the Z to the Caymen mk1 mind. But i also want a really fun machine to drive for some time to come. Those of you who have upgraded your ARB's does this make a real difference to the dynamics of the car? Here is a video i found very interesting.... Damien.

Have to say i really appreciate the honestly here on this thread. I kind of know the caymen S is the better choice for me, for what i want the car for. I really was secretly hoping to hear the 370z has an ace up its sleeve with careful chassis modification etc. The RCZ R is a great handling chassis and machine and comes with LSD. Obviously does not have the Z'ds soundtrack. I do prefer the look of the Z to the Caymen S mk1. But the Caymen will always be the gifted child in handling and driver feedback. I come from the Audi scene and TT's, i had a modified TTqs. The Audi product is quality but staid, and driver feedback is pretty average. Its ace is indeed its 5cld turbo, but that is it really, it is very understeery on the limit! I think its a case of driving the Caymen S and the Z and see how i feel. Damien.

Cheers guys again really appreciate the feedback. I need to test drive a good 370z soon, and see how she feels. Will try my best to get anything over 2012 as would like the redesigned cooling. Although i would probably fit a oil cooler for peace of mind as i would use her for track days. Really fascinated in reading up and learning more on this character coupe. I suppose the later 2012 cooling modifications can be easily retrofitted to the earlier cars? Cheers Damien.