Pistonheads 370Z comp ungrate-fest

[Ekona]

But the guy can only compare with what he's got experience of, which happens to be a TVR and a BMW. Given that the 370Z is a cross between the two, I still say it's a fair write up.

[Chris`I]

But the guy can only compare with what he's got experience of, which happens to be a TVR and a BMW. Given that the 370Z is a cross between the two, I still say it's a fair write up.

True he should use them as comparison points but shouldn't expect the zed to be as good as both of them at their respective strong points, which it seems is what he is expecting. I think it's a fair review to say it sits between them both as a jack of all trades, master of none

[geoff-r]

1 week is not enough time to form a well rounded review of a car

Funny, most car journos can do it in a couple of hours. Did you drive your car for longer than a week before you decided to buy it then?

 

He is not a car journalist though is he? Can you agree car journalists get it right every time as well? All I'm trying to get at is that you learn a car over time and there are things I would have discovered by now that I wouldn't have in my first week of ownership.

[Ekona]

But you still knew enough about the car within that short test drive to spend over £20K on it, and surely that's a bigger risk than just writing a few words on it? You're criticising the guy for not spending enough time with the car to justify writing a review on it, yet you spent a shedload of dosh on a car with much, much less seat time.

 

We all do the same as we can't possibly get the car for long enough to get a properly rounded view on it, but you can't have a go at the bloke for stating his opinion.

[nbs]

Definitely sluggish under 4k. Get it re-mapped. Talk to Abbey.

[HaydnH]

Definitely sluggish under 4k. Get it re-mapped. Talk to Abbey.

 

+1, but also talk to your insurer!

[Chris`I]

Definitely sluggish under 4k. Get it re-mapped. Talk to Abbey.

Show us some graphs then From what I had seen in the States, the car does really well at adapting to mods, and remaps werent yeilding much benefit. Things might have changed in the 6 months sine I last read up on it though.

[Number86]

First off, probably best to read the weeks end-of-term report from the 370Z competitions winner:

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=920495&mid=0&i=0&nmt=RE:%20PH%20370Z%20Breathes%20Fresh%20Northern%20Air&mid=0

 

Now then, its hard to come at this without sounding like some whinging fanboy, but I felt the OP/comp winner is perhaps a bit of a wet lettuce!

While I appreciate there is a fair bit of cabin noise in the Zed, it's not that bad is it? I mean, I'm coming up the car scale to the Zed, I've never had any work supplied Bimmers or Mercs, so have no idea about cars you can hear a pin drop in. I mean, it is a sports car right? Surely some noise is expected?

 

Well you do sound a bit like one . You also dig your own hole by saying you've worked your way up to the z and never had BMWs etc. So you really aren't qualified to comment on the noise. Well, neither am I as I've never driven a 370! But if it's anything like the 350 then he's got a valid point. It's not a purr at motorway speeds, it's just a loud intrusive noise.

 

Next, this:

I arrived at work to all the usual jibes I am sure other 350/370 drivers are used to - plastic car, Datsun, Chav car (probably the colour), but it went un-noticed by many, whereas a Porsche etc wouldn't; this is good or bad depending on your point of view.

 

Errr, no? Either I've got some weird mates and co-workers but I've had none of that. As far as I know round here, people don't associate Nissan with rubbishy old plastic tat anymore.

 

 

 

Apart from the interior on the 350z. People that don't even know what a 350 looks like, know about the bad interior!

 

More:

however another niggle became apparent, with the car so good from 4500-6500rpm you want to utilise this. In 2nd gear at horsebox speed the revs are approx 5000, leaving you with not a lot to go until the overtake, and a mid-overtake change. In 3rd the car is too sluggish and the lower rev range doesn't give the oomph needed. I think this is all relative as it is quick all the way up the rev range - it just 'feels' slow!

 

Assuming the 370Z isn't too dissimilar from my 313, I'm not sure what he means here. Possibly not used to the linear power delivery? I know the sound of the engine as stock doesn't exactly encourage you to extend it at the top end, but I certainly wouldn't say it was sluggish lower down.

 

 

Discuss!

 

Nope. I agree 100% with that as well. The reviewer even states by sluggish that it's all relative. You can't call a zed sluggish at any revs, compared to say a normo 2.0 esque car. But for a sports car, and compared to it's top end, it is indeed sluggish. I'd imagine especially so, compared to a BMW diesel. I came from a Leon Cupra R (260bhp) to the 350z. I seriously thought there was something wrong with the Z when I first drove it, it felt so limp low down.

 

I notice this feeling of disbelief on not just the Z forum, but others. This is usually because when someone "moves up" to a significantly faster car than what they previously had, it's hard to imagine someone describing their new car as "slow" or "sluggish low end" etc. I'm sure you've all heard of people describing their new 200bhp Gti, as @*!# OFF A SHOVEL!!!OMGSHITTHEBEDFASTSHIT!! Where you may think err, it's not slow, but it's certainly not that...That my friends, is just an argument from ignorance!

 

I don't see why you can complain about the review. It's finished with - "hell yes" in reference to him buying one if he did 10k a year. WHAT ARE YOU WHINGING ABOUT GUYS!!

[The G Man]

"So you really aren't qualified to comment on the noise. Well, neither am I as I've never driven a 370!"

 

So, well dug. Not being one to moan, but your own comment suggests that you really can't comment on whether the OP in this thread is whingeing or not.

 

I too came from a relatively fastish car, a RX8, and my good lady has a Leon FR, now the 8 really did lack "low down" grunt (Stelvio Pass convinced me to get more "muscle"), the FR has loads of "low down" "grunt", and the 8, well the set up I had could probably out corner the 370, but couldn't put the power down on exit, whereas the 370 can and it's probably down to my "lacking" in knowing the 370 that makes me say that, for the moment.

 

The noise issue isn't there! Trust me, as I HAVE driven a 370, on various long motorway jaunts of 250+miles or so, not too dissimilar to anything I have driven, not high end saloon quiet, granted, but would you want that?, I for one don't, not in a sports car.

 

If you compare the "competition" and, I have, the TT and Z4 are just as noisy. The engine "growl" is, I admit, a tad disappointing, but nothing that an exhaust/intake mod won't sort for a better sound.

 

Good car, good price and well spec'd. Not biased, just honest

[Ekona]

TT is miles ahead of the 370 in terms of NVH, sorry.

[AK350Z]

Nice to see this is still providing much discussion, even if I'm on my own

[The G Man]

TT is miles ahead of the 370 in terms of NVH, sorry.

 

subjective, but what's not is it's a bore of a car.

 

AK350Z, you're not totally alone

[Ekona]

TT is miles ahead of the 370 in terms of NVH, sorry.

 

subjective, but what's not is it's a bore of a car.

A TT being boring is subjective, having measurably less levels of NVH isn't.

[Chris`I]

Whats NVH?

 

EDIT: OK googled it, and yes I agree, the TT has much less NVH. BUT that does take some of the experience away. Like I say, you can make the Zed quiet, I did it in my 350z by noise deadening the bollox out of it, but then it kills some of the good noise too. Its all a balance. The TT is better for long distance drives with less NVH, but then again, it sounds quiet as hell when you boot it, unless you get something like a TTS which is way out of a 370z price bracket

[Ebized]

TT is miles ahead of the 370 in terms of NVH, sorry.

 

subjective, but what's not is it's a bore of a car.

A TT being boring is subjective, having measurably less levels of NVH isn't.

 

Not sure how much you have driven a TT and 370 Dan to form a view that it is "miles ahead", but having thoroughly enjoyed two 350's I was keen to see how a 370 performed in comparison before signing up for one and got the opportunity to try 2 different 370's on the road (manual and auto) and one at the Silverstone Acedemy and was quite satisfied it represented a a big step up in all the aspects of a sports car that I value................ within my budget. Neither June or I find the 370 has any noise, vibration or harshness that we find intrusive - only a sense of purpose you expect from such a car. Having carefully selected the Stillen nearly a year back after researching what seemed hundreds of posts on US forums, it has done for the 370 what the Nismo exhaust did for my last 350, made it a true sounding sports car with no adverse affect on cabin noise on long journeys. The one big downside of the 370 is the very tame standard exhaust (as most seem to acknowledge) - I can only describe the difference is really like chalk and cheese.

 

Yes the TT might be seen as a comparable car but from all the reports I have read of road testers that I have high regard for (and who were instrumental in my decision to buy my first 350) it was that the 4 wheel drive tends to kill the driving pleasure, particuarly when you want to indulge in a bit of spirited driving on dry roads. OK, so when it gets wet a TT will be the sensible option but then when I looked deeper - did I really want to make what I would call a sideways step - you know my answer. Yes I too would love a 911 and did consider a Cayman (again having read informed write ups) but money wise to give me what the 370 has it wasn't on unless I got a s/h one with little warranty left - something that is important to me having no garage or wishing to pay big money for fixes.

 

But hey, do you know what convinced me to get a 370, having weighing up all the options - this place. The great community spirit, enjoying some good banter and having made many new good friends and enjoying driving opportunities with like minded members is what really puts the into ZED ownership. No airs and graces, just pure enthusiasts who know they have found a great car of their (realistic) dreams. I find it interesting just how many ex 350 owners remain members on here and regularly contribute on the forum - a sure indication of the high regard they have for one of our generations best sports cars, which for me is carried forward with the 370. OK the purists will say that is no way to make a decsion about car choice. But for me its the whole package, even after 5 years of ZED ownership I still can't wait to get out in GUNS and blow the cobwebs away, see kids taking pics as you pass by and never ending compliments from complete strangers - now that does make it if you are limited to a purchase price up to £30k with a trade-in.

 

 

No Andrew, you are certainly not alone

[Ekona]

unless you get something like a TTS which is way out of a 370z price bracket

Personally I'd get a 370Z over even the TTRS, never mind the TTS. They're both so much poorer than they should've been, and personally I think the standard TT is the best buy out of the range. Shame there's no more V6 though

 

 

@Colin: I'm not saying that the 370 is horrible to drive in for long distances at all, it's actually fine for that as you've discovered. What I'm saying is that Nissan still have some way to go to capture that premium segment of the marketplace, and whilst their ads highlighting that the 370 is quicker than it's contemporaries was a lovely piece of marketing, it also shows that their budget was spent on the engineering side rather than the touring side. For me that's absolutely where the money should be spent and they got it bang-on when prioritising, however there are times when you simply want less noise in the cabin. An Elise is a perfectly comfortable place to tour the world in, but that doesn't mean it does it better than X car. It's all about what you find acceptable and what you want from a car, as nothing is perfect and we all make compromises in anything we drive. The 370Z is a very good car, and no-one on either here or PH has said otherwise.

[Kev T]

I wasn't sure what NVH meant but i definitely know the 370z is VFM !

 

Around £3k will get you around 330 whp and a very sweet exhaust note to boot.

[lrh]

...whilst their ads highlighting that the 370 is quicker than it's contemporaries was a lovely piece of marketing

I thought they were a bit embarrassing really So the 370 is 0.1 seconds faster than a less powerful TT... Is that the best thing they can say about it?!?!

 

Zs have always been about value-for-money but the 370 is a very tough sell in these days of huge fuel and CO2 taxation. Nissan is struggling to sell 1,000 370s in the UK this year... I think the 350 sold about 3,000 in its first full year.

 

Exclusivity guaranteed

[The G Man]

Exclusivity guaranteed

 

[Chris`I]

Exclusivity guaranteed

 

+1 thats exactly what I want to hear

[Number86]

That's not what I want to hear! I don't have my 350 anymore and am cruising around in a sexy(piece of sh!te) tdi. Due to a job change. So I was hoping to pick up a nice bargain 2nd hand 370 in a couple of years as the weekend car. But that might be harder, if none of you "must have brand new car" saps are willing to cough up and buy me my used bargain!