bung206 Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 (edited) Hello, I'm looking to purchase a 2005 Track Edition 350Z, test drove one and loved it, but the only thing that has me somewhat uneasy is the brake. The car is outfitted with the brembo brakes front and rear. I felt that I had to press the pedal a bit harder than normal to get any action from the brakes. They still work 'well enough', but I expected more than this from this class (performance car) of vehicle. For reference, my current car is a 2007 Peugeot 207 (turbo) GTI with OEM brakes front & rear. The brake pedal is very firm, but when I get on the brakes it's very responsive, anything more than a gentle tap will stop the car in a great big hurry. Soo.. I guess my question is, is this normal on the brembos? I didn't think much of it because to be honest I was excited to be driving a new car, and I half expected poor performance when the brakes are cold -- being 'performance brakes' do they need to warm up before they operate well? But then again during my daily driving I highly doubt I'd be able to 'get them up to temperature'! I guess I'm using my existing car as a benchmark and it feels like I'm taking a step backwards. I understand what I'm asking is bascially "how long is a piece of string", but I'd appreciate any insight from Z owners about this. Edited June 24, 2013 by bung206 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 You're actually taking a step forwards Most modern cars are miles overservoed, which means you only have to brush the brake pedal and you end up through the windscreen. This is horrible, and whilst it initially makes you think the brakes are great, what it actually does is rob you of feel. The Zed's brakes aren't quite as sensitive, which means you need to press a bit harder to get the same reaction but it means you have far greater control over the braking system. Also allows for much better heel and toe control. Stopping distance is what matters, and with a simple pad, disc and fluid upgrade you'll find the 350Z is actually pretty good. Oh, and hi! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopedmark Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 Press em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a2orry Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 Hi new discs and pads would probly help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bung206 Posted June 24, 2013 Author Share Posted June 24, 2013 Hi All, thanks for the welcome Ekona. I see that you and several others have suggested pad & disc upgrades. As you most likely know this is no simple feat, and not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. This is worrying as I'm buying this car used and expecting everything to be working right out of the box. I think I will hold off on pulling the trigger on this particular Z. I need to test drive more to figure out what the 'baseline' for this car is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 Disc and pad change is a piece of cake, you needn't budget a fortune for it either. Zmanalex has some sensible and well-priced alternatives in his section. Depending on how much like was left in the brakes on the car you were looking at, they may need changing anyway. Could haggle the seller down on this and use the money saved towards the upgrade... Unless the specific car had a massive problem with the brakes, you'll probably find that most will feel very similar, but it's definitely a good idea to drive a few before hand anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theheff Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 If your buying a track edition I can only assume your in the US. I've recently looked into prices for brake discs out there and they are a hell of a lot cheaper in the US than they are here, nearly half the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bung206 Posted June 24, 2013 Author Share Posted June 24, 2013 (edited) Not in the US, I'm down in Oceania (NZ). There are several track edition Japanese imports here. Edited June 24, 2013 by bung206 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.